Okay, so today is Leap Day, that weird extra day we get every four years. It's an intercalary day (like my big fancy word? yes, I had to look it up) that we add periodically to adjust the Gregorian calendar. February is the strange month anyway (why is it so dang short?) so we add it here. Leap day sucks for people born on February 29th since they only get a birthday every four years and apparently most websites won't let you register since a lot of them don't recognize 2/29 as a valid day. It is good, however, for guys who get married on Leap Day since they only have to remember an anniversary every four years.
One of the longest standing Leap Day traditions, going back to at least the thirteenth century (yes, I had to look it up) is that on this day women are allowed to propose to men. Okay, it's the 21st century now and women can now propose anytime they want but for a long time they couldn't and so Leap Day became the great equalizer. I wonder how many guys back then found a way to be 'out of town' on Leap Day? Of course, men could always say no, but if they did they had to pay a kind of 'consolation gift' to soften the blow. This could be a kiss, money or a silk gown. Not a bad deal, actually.
Of course today we aren't nearly so archaic. Today we celebrate this most unusual of days by getting free McSkillet Burrito's at McDonald's (during breakfast hours only, with the purchase of a large beverage, so you'd better hurry) or the big "Leap Year Mattress Sale" at RC Willey. Much more civilized. But I like the idea of Leap day being a kind of "Opposite Day'.
So, in the spirit of Leap Day's past, I would like to take this time to formally propose to actor Owen Wilson. Yeah, I know, you'll probably say no. So contact me and I'll let you know where to send my consolation prize.
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