6 April 25

I'm wearing my "confetti"tie to help celebrate Amanda Wheeler's birthday with a party today! It's based on a stained glass window design by Frank Lloyd Wright, for a children's playhouse.

16 November 23

It's National Button Day! "In case you may be thinking that buttons do not deserve their own holiday, try to imagine what life would be like without them." This annual celebration is sponsored by the National Button Society, whose mission is "to promote educational exhibits, encourage research, publish and disseminate information, and preserve for future generations all that is beautiful and historic in buttons." I don't have a tie that features buttons, but my Frank Lloyd Wright "Confetti" design has buttonlike images and I can attach a big button to show my support. One of my all-time favorite German words is Anknüpfungspunkt, a "buttoning-on point," now considered a close synonym for "link."

28 October 22

Today I'm throwing confetti to help celebrate the birthdays of two EKU comrades, both in the Department of Communication. (They also regularly "like" my ties!) Ginny Whitehouse's special day is today (the 28th) and Jennifer Fairchild's is tomorrow (the 29th). My tie's design is based on balloons-and-confetti stained glass windows created by Frank Lloyd Wright. Happy Birthday, Ginny and Jennifer!

26 July 21

This is "National Aunt's and Uncle's Day." My parents supplied me with 8 pairs of aunts and uncles, while Beth has zero. Our siblings gave us 11 chances to serve as aunt and uncle! My tie is unrelated to anything about unclehood, but makes up for not celebrating famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright's birthday on 8 June (1867-1959). The tie's design is based on the clerestory "confetti" windows in the playhouse of the Avery Coonley estate (1907).

4 August 19

Yay it's MY birthday! I choose to celebrate with this "confetti" tie. And we are also celebrating the birth of Evelyn Marie, daughter of Ben and Amanda! She arrived at 5:29 pm on Friday, 2 August.

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25 March 19

Have you ever wondered how our months of September (based on "seven"), October (based on "eight"), November (based on "nine") and December (based on "ten") became the ninth through twelfth months on the calendar? The answer is related directly to today's status as "Old New Year's Day." So I'm wearing my Frank Lloyd Wright "Confetti" tie to show my party spirit. In the Roman Empire, and continuing in most of Europe through the 1750s, New Year's Day was celebrated on March 25. So March was the first month, and the seventh month was known as September, and so on. With the adoption of the "Gregorian" calendar in the 1750s, New Year's Day was shifted to January 1. There's another "Old New Year's Day" associated with January 11/12, but that change is far more recent than this truly old day from the Roman Empire!

9 April 18

I'm wearing my "Confetti" tie to mark the great career of architectural designer Frank Lloyd Wright, who died on this date in 1959. The tie's design comes from the stained glass windows in a playhouse in Riverside, Illinois.

5 November 16

Today we honored the wonderful life of Robert Frederick Wollenweber (1925-2016) with a memorial service at First United Methodist Church, Richmond, KY. I chose my Frank Lloyd Wright "Confetti" tie for this celebration. Ben designed the service program and the pre-service photo display. Beth played organ and piano (including duets with Jonathan), and I was honored to be asked to sing the hymn "Face to Face." Amanda and Beth read tributes from family and friends (including Faith, Courtney, Mallie, Mark Wollenweber and Steriah Mwiinga), and we heard memories from Scott Olson and Clyde David Burberry. Our friend Charles Bertrand read the scriptures and FUMC pastor Bruce Nettleton encouraged us all to follow Bob's example of Christlike living. The Bible verse on the front of the program had been chosen by Bob (my Dad): "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)

20 July 15

Michaela Kleppinger, here's some confetti for your 19th birthday! This tie's design is based on Frank Lloyd Wright's "Confetti" stained glass windows, and I've used the Trinity knot.

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22 October 14

The explanation for today's tie is simple, although it's not a real "occasion": this evening we will have our photos taken for the directory of Somerset First Presbyterian Church, and I like Frank Lloyd Wright's "Confetti" design!

15 May 14

There's sadness in our extended family this week, in the deaths of deeply-loved grandparents for both of our daughters-in-law. Today I'm attending the funeral of Mallie Asher (Courtney's grandma), in Hyden, KY, while Beth goes to the service for Bluford Seals (Amanda's grandpa), here in Berea. I chose a red tie for Mrs. Asher's favorite color, and the "confetti" theme (from Frank Lloyd Wright's stained glass) suits this time of life celebrations.

9 April 13

My tie for today celebrates the life and work of Frank Lloyd Wright, who died on this date in 1959. The "Confetti" design is based on Wright windows in the Coonley Playhouse in Riverside, Illinois. This date also marks the 1945 execution of theologian and social-political activist Dietrich Bonhoeffer. On a somewhat lighter note, this is a good day to remember that 4 + 9 = 13. There's a "summation day" every month from now until February, 2031.

14 January 13 (1 January O.S.)

Happy Old New Year! January 14 is also January 1, on the "Julian" calendar used by some in the Russian, Greek and Eastern Orthodox communities. My new tie (another Christmas present) is titled "Confetti," designed from Frank Lloyd Wright's art glass windows in the Coonley Playhouse (1912) in Riverside, Illinois.