Happy Freak Day

Today is the quad-annual "celebration" of February 29th, aka Leap Day, or as I like to think of it, Freak Day. February 29th is the proverbial left handed, red-headed step child of days, celebrated only once every four years. Unless the year is the last in a century (e.g. 1900), where we don't have a leap day, except if that year can be evenly divided by 400 (e.g. 2000) in which case we do.

Confused? You should be.

This is why this day is the freakiest of all in the calendar year. But beyond its schizophrenic appearance in our calendars, it is a reminder of man's insignificance in the cosmos and our inability to shape our world. Just like hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes, Leap Day is a reminder of how little control we have over the universe. The earth does not rotate in an easily divisible number of days, so we have Leap Day to retain order. Leap Day is a reminder that the universe does not bend to our rules. Mankind has put together a "system" with clever workarounds that attempt to put "order" into the universe.

Bullocks I say.

Rather then put a facade of "order" on our world, I think February 29th should be a chance to embrace disorder and our puny attempts to control our world. Let anarchy reign this one day every 4 years (or so). It will be like Pon Farr is for Vulcans; it will be a day where we are allowed to have a release from all the rules and conformity we put up with the rest of the year.

I say, on this day, all order and rules should be abandon and lets celebrate the fact that we really aren't in control of our world. People should be free to do what they want with no repercussions; it will be a clearing house day for all the pent up anxiety we have to endure to be part of society. On this day, do the things you always wanted to do, like

• Drive on the wrong side of the road
• Run with scissors
• Pee into the wind
• Cut the tag off your mattress
• Eat paste

Do all the things you want to do but "society" says you can't. Enjoy your freedom for this one day and celebrate the fact that you really are not in control of your world. Don't worry; "order" will resume on March 1.

Happy Freak Day!