21 June 26

In my tie collection I have about two dozen ties that have been Father's Day gifts. This one, starring leaping orcas, was from Ben and Amanda in 2014. With help from (niece) Carter Beatty I learned that World Orca Day is on 14 July, so I'm celebrating three weeks early.

21 March 23

Tomorrow (22 March) is World Water Day, proclaimed by the United Nations. Please find some water to enjoy! My tie shows orcas cavorting in the ocean, above coral reefs.

22 March 22

This year's theme for World Water Day (always 22 March) is groundwater, an incredibly significant element in our biosphere that stays almost entirely out of sight. But I'm celebrating oceans and the orcas who live in that realm. My tie bar is a tiny thermometer, and I'm wearing it to remind us about the ocean's role in regulating global temperatures. When granddaughter Evelyn saw the tie bar she said "What that?" and I explained that "red" thermometers measure temperature (and she is familiar with the digital one we've used on her forehead very recently). A little later Beth asked her "What is on Papa Seeds' tie?" and she called it a "tie-mometer" -- which is a very, very appropriate name!

11 June 20

Today marks the birthday of Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910-1997), underwater explorer extraordinaire and wonderful science explainer. My orcas are clearly enjoying their undersea world (recalling the title of Cousteau's famous television series "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau," running on ABC and NBC from 1966-1976).

5 June 18

I'm wearing orcas today to celebrate "World Environment Day"! This year's main theme is "Beat Plastic Pollution." The splashy tie was a Father's Day gift four years ago. The orcas are also cavorting to honor my niece Kirsten (Huizenga) Caminiti's birthday today!

30 April 17

This is "National Animal Advocacy Day," sponsored by the ASPCA. My chosen animal to advocate (for) is the orca!

22 March 16

It's World Water Day! My orcas enjoy cavorting (is there any other word?) across this ocean-scene tie. See http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday for tips on how you can help provide clean and safe water where needed most.

12 March 15

Today we're going to pretend that the orcas on this tie are dolphins, and we're also going to pretend that it's still yesterday, to celebrate the birthday of Douglas Adams (1952-2001). Adams was the compiler/author of The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy and other great literature, including "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish," describing how dolphins escaped from Planet Earth just before its demolition by the Vogons.



My tie choice turned out to have special significance for actress Geri Jewell, who came to EKU to deliver a Chautauqua lecture/"performance" this evening. I was invited to share lunch with her, and she became very excited by the orcas on my tie; she remembers how her mother promised to give her some images of orcas after her death, and that happened during the scattering of her ashes on the ocean waters!

22 June 14

No occasion known for June 22, so I'm declaring it to be Orca Tie Appreciation Day. This was another Father's Day 2014 gift!