Typewriters and Flamingos

Some days ask us to reflect on sacrifice, history, liberty, faith, or service. Other days ask us to put on pink, pose with a sweaty forehead, and honor a plastic bird that has spent decades judging the neighbors from the front lawn.

Welcome to June 23, a date that proves America does not merely tolerate absurd holidays. We organize them, name them, and then act surprised when someone turns them into a social media post.

Today brings us National Pink Day, Pink Flamingo Day, and Runner’s Selfie Day. And because no ridiculous observance roundup would be complete without a side dish of analog nostalgia, we also have an honorable mention for National Typewriter Day.

Bless it.

National Pink Day

First up is National Pink Day, which is exactly what it sounds like: a day to celebrate the color pink.

Not breast cancer awareness pink. Not Valentine’s Day pink. Not “my toddler dressed herself and now looks like a cupcake escaped from a bakery” pink. Just pink, in general.

It is a color. It exists. Apparently, that was enough.

Now, to be fair, pink has range. It can be soft and sweet, loud and obnoxious, elegant, tacky, Barbie, bubblegum, flamingo, frosting, or “why is this bridesmaid dress happening to me?” It has survived fashion trends, gender debates, nursery walls, power suits, and every cupcake display ever assembled at a baby shower.

So fine. Pink gets a day.

Wear it proudly. Eat something pink. Paint your nails. Put strawberries in your lemonade. Or just appreciate the fact that somewhere, someone is using this holiday as a reason to buy another tumbler they absolutely do not need.

Pink Flamingo Day

Then comes Pink Flamingo Day, honoring that tall, leggy, tropical bird best known in America for being converted into plastic lawn décor.

The pink flamingo is not just a bird. It is a statement.

It says, “I may live 600 miles from the nearest tropical breeze, but my landscaping has a personality.” It says, “The HOA has not defeated me yet.” It says, “Yes, I do want my front yard to look like a retirement community in Boca had a garage sale.”

And honestly, respect.

Flamingos are absurd in the best possible way. They stand on one leg like they are waiting for someone to ask about their Pilates routine. They are bright pink because of what they eat, which is something humans would turn into a wellness trend if we could. And they have somehow become a symbol of kitsch, summer, sass, and suburban defiance.

That is a lot of responsibility for a bird shaped like a question mark.

Runner’s Selfie Day

Next, we have Runner’s Selfie Day, which celebrates the noble tradition of completing physical activity and immediately documenting it so everyone else knows you are better than they are before 8 a.m.

Now listen, runners are a special breed. They wake up early, lace up shoes that cost more than some utility bills, and voluntarily go outside to sweat while the rest of us are still negotiating with the coffee pot.

That alone deserves recognition.

But the selfie? That is where the comedy begins.

There is the triumphant finish-line selfie. The “casual” mid-run selfie that absolutely took seven tries. The watch screenshot. The sunrise picture. The pavement shot. The “just a quick five miles” caption, posted by someone who knows full well the rest of us are still counting carrying groceries as cardio.

Runner’s Selfie Day is for them. May their angles be flattering, their pace be respectable, and their followers pretend not to be annoyed.

Honorable Mention: National Typewriter Day

And finally, an honorable mention for National Typewriter Day.

Before laptops, smartphones, spellcheck, autocorrect, and the modern miracle of deleting an entire paragraph with one rage-filled backspace, there was the typewriter.

The typewriter did not care about your feelings. It did not gently underline your typo. It did not offer suggestions. It simply stamped your mistake onto the page and dared you to start over.

There is something beautiful about that.

Typewriters were loud, stubborn, heavy, and unforgiving, which makes them the office equipment version of half the people we have all worked with.

Still, they gave us letters, manuscripts, columns, notes, novels, and probably a few resignation letters written with dramatic flair and a cigarette nearby.

So today, tip your hat to the typewriter. It walked so your laptop could freeze during an update.

Observe Accordingly

So there you have it: pink, flamingos, sweaty selfies, and typewriters.

June 23 may not be solemn, historic, or particularly necessary. But it is colorful, ridiculous, and just strange enough to give us something to talk about.

And in this world, that may be reason enough.

Now go put on something pink, salute a plastic bird, avoid jogging unless legally required, and be thankful you can delete a typo without whiteout.