Green

On a Semester at Sea voyage previous to mine, the ship docked in Cuba. The story was often told of the opportunity students had for Q&A with Fidel Castro. It was said he would ramble on so much that only three questions where asked. "What is your favorite color" was asked and drew a two-hour response (though possibly exaggerated by the story-teller). While I could not being to approach such a feat, I would like to share thought on my favorite color:

My favorite color is green.

It's always been. It may have started because I liked being outdoors, with hiking and running through the woods when I was younger. I associated the color with the color of the outdoors, and as I loved the outdoors, I loved green as well.

Pistachio is my favorite ice cream flavor. Although it wasn't a regular flavor at Stew Leonard's ice cream parlor (our usual ice creamery), I would always get it when I could. I first got it simply because it was the "green" flavor. Then, it became my favorite.

In Connecticut, May is the month where the spring is most realized in the full leaves of the trees. It is yet another reason why May became my favorite month.

The May birthstone is the emerald.

Kermit the Frog said that it wasn't easy being green. He thought it might have been better to be red, or yellow, or gold, or something much more colorful like that. Thankfully, he soon realizes green is beautiful, that it's what he wants to be.

Driving around Norwalk one would often see signs urging citizens to "keep Norwalk clean green". I pledged to do my part.

Norwalk High School's colors are white, black, and green. West Rocks and not Nathan Hale Middle School's color is green...I wish I went there.

Of all the lucky charms, green clovers are the most "magically delicious".

The green Carebear was Good Luck Bear.

Pidge piloted the green lion that was called upon with the other four lions to form Voltron.

My mother always instructed me to wear green on St. Patrick's Day or my "great-grandfather Ryan would roll over in his grave". Poor Great-Granddaddy Ryan would also await a similar fate if I didn't eat the cabbage I was served for dinner.

Green Day made numerous pop hits in the 90s. Band members said that a "green day" was one spent high.

Tom Green is a Canadian comedian who made many bad movies but showed me cancer could be funny.

Greenpeace members often annoy me when they ask me for a moment of my time on the street.

Everyone knows who the Jolly Green Giant is but I would bet few know the name of his midget little admirer.

Vermont comes from "Verd Mont", the name given to the Green Mountains in 1761 by the Rev. Dr. Peters.

Green condiments include relish, guacamole, and Heinz EZ squirt Blastin Green green ketchup.

"Greenbacks" are US paper currency. Green was chosen because the pigment was ready available at the time of the introduction of small-time notes in 1929.

Baron Silas Greenback was DangerMouse's main adversary.

Green comes from the old english "grOwan," meaning "to grow".

Chlorophyll is the chemical that gives plants their green pigment. It acts as a catalyst when plants perform photosynthesis. 6CO2 + 6H20 --(chlorophyll and sunlight)--> C6H1206 + 6O2. Plant life, and thus animal life, could not exist without it.

Sam-I-am's nuisanced acquaintance finally exclaimed:
"I do so like green eggs and ham!
Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am!"

"O! Beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." Othello, Act III, Scene 3.

In Celtic Myths the Green man was the God of fertility. Brides often wore green dresses for this reason, until Christians later banned the color due to its pagan origins. The association continues in some respect, including the meaning of the green M&M, which in a silly adolescent game carries a sexual connotation.

Green was a sacred color to the Ancient Egyptians, representing the hope and Joy of Spring.

Green is sacred to the Muslims.

It is said green is the most restful color for the human eye. Green has great healing power. It can soothe pain. People who work in green environments have fewer stomachaches. Green is beneficial around teething infants. Suicides dropped 34% when London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted green.

Japanese Emperor Hirohito's birthday (April 29th) was celebrated as "Green Day" because he loved to garden.

Perhaps next year I'll celebrate.