IT'S AMPERSAND DAY!

      FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH., 2017
           IT'S AMPERSAND DAY!

      Wow! I darn near missed this special
day!
       When I saw a list of unusual holidays
set on September 8th "Pardon Day" was
the first thing to catch my eye.
        It's also "National Literacy Day" and
"National Dog Walkers Appreciation Day."
       They all deserve our attention but then
I noticed the other listing! "National
Ampersand Day."
        I had to look twice! Then I had to
look it up! I must have been absent the day
some teacher taught us about the ampersand!
Or maybe I dozed off in that class!
        So for the rest of you who had the flu
or just weren't paying attention in class
the ampersand is that symbol you use in
place of the word "and,"
         Here's what it looks like. &.
         I know I've used it from time to time
but I must admit I never gave much thought
to what it was called.
         According to the folks at amperart,com
the ampersand used to be the last letter of the
alphabet! They also tell us the plus sign is actually
an ampersand.
         I sure missed a lot in that class!
         Apparently September 8th was picked
for National Ampersand Day because the number
8 kind of looks like an ampersand. What
September has to do with it I have no idea. Maybe
it's the 8 superimposed over the "S?"
          I'm also kind of at a loss as to why this
symbol gets a "National Day" of its own.
          But it does so I hope you'll celebrate
& I hope all your NEWS is good!