Seventeen years ago, it was pretty noisy around northern Virginia and it wasn\u2019t all because of the wedding activities. On this date in 2004, people visiting from out of the area were asking, \u201cwhat\u2019s that noise?\u201d The answer was, of course, cicadas. Just like 17 years ago, over the next month or so, billions of cicadas will emerge in a number of states, from New York west to Illinois and south into northern Georgia, including spots in Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This group of cicadas, known as Brood X (as in the Roman number 10) is among the geographically largest of all 17-year periodical cicadas.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once above ground, the cicadas announce their arrival \u2014 the main aggravation they inflict on us is their loud, buzzing mating call. The sound is equal to the intensity of a lawn mower or motorcycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But around here we acknowledge this date for another reason \u2014 for the last 16 years, we\u2019ve dubbed May 22 as \u201cAnniversary Day.\u201d
Anniversaries are an important part of life \u2014 they mark important events. It\u2019s like we put a pin on the calendar to remind us of something that\u2019s important and matters to us. It\u2019s a chance to reflect on a relationship \u2014 and to celebrate the event. It gives us a chance to look back over the years since our wedding day and reflect on how it has shaped us.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As wedding anniversaries accumulate over the years, they can elicit mixed emotions. Some years we feel pressured to do something amazing to mark the date, but some years it\u2019s just a good time for regrouping the relationship \u2014 maybe just as simple as going out to dinner and remembering the day you got married, or met, or got engaged to remind yourself why you fell in love in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So this will be a noisy anniversary for Kelly and Chris \u2014 I\u2019m not sure about the cicada population around Cleveland, but no matter\u2026.. if my math is correct, the \u201cAnniversary Day\u201d\u00a0 this year celebrates 39 years of marriage. Happy Anniversary to Kelly and Chris for the 17th time and to Mike and Sue for the 22nd time. Just think, next time we celebrate a \u2018cicada\u2019 anniversary, in 2038, Kelly and Chris will only be 16 years away from number 50 \u2014 and for Mike and Sue that big one will only be 11 years away.\u00a0
With, or without, cicadas \u2014 Anniversary Day is great\u2026..
\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Seventeen years ago, it was pretty noisy around northern Virginia and it wasn\u2019t all because of the wedding activities. On this date in 2004, people visiting from out of the area were asking, \u201cwhat\u2019s that noise?\u201d The answer was, of … Continue reading