If you’re paid by the hour, get ready to gloat. If you’re a salaried employee like me, you should probably be weeping instead of leaping for joy. Nobody likes starting their Monday out with bad news, but I have to break it to you: Since February 29th – better known as Leap Day – only occurs once every four years, it’s usually not factored into yearly salary calculations. So, salaried employees, if you’re sitting at your desk today, you may be working for free!
Unless you’re in Anthony, Texas today, in which case, you’re partying. Anthony proclaims itself the ‘Leap Day Capital of the World’, holding a festival for those born on a Leap Day. Makes sense to me – if you only get to celebrate your birthday every four years, you should get a full-on carnival for the occasion!
Unsurprisingly, the event was organized by two folks with Leap Day birthdays – Mary Ann Brown and her neighbor Birdie Lewis. In 1988, they approached the Chamber of Commerce with the idea of a leap year festival, and a special club for those born on Leap Day.
To celebrate the four-year gap between birthdays, the festival will be four days long, giving the club members the four birthdays they missed. According to local history, in 1992, a 104-year-old woman was inducted into the club. I have to wonder – was she actually only 26? This Leap Year stuff gets confusing.
Since an ‘extra’ day like today only comes once every four years – I say, enjoy it! Go out after work, eat some frog legs, and enjoy the official Leap Year cocktail that Slate.com describes as “like sipping gin while sucking on a throat lozenge”. On second thought…I’ll think I’ll stick with beer and pizza!
Happy Monday and Happy Birthday to you Leaplings out there,
~Mary
