Amy Pond marries Rory Williams. Or all reality collapses. (26 June)

On 26 June 2010, Amy and Rory got married. Also, all of time and space collapsed. So there's that.  Honestly, the Pandorica episodes of Doctor Who: Series 5 are some of the best TV I have ever watched, filled with time travel goofiness, stellar quotes, and lots of heart. And a fez.

How to Commemorate:

• Visit a museum.
• Dance.
• Get married.

Works Cited
Doctor Who. Series 5.

Percy Jackson completes his first quest. (June 21)

For an American equivalent to Harry Potter that relies more on magical powers than on political drama and reading newspapers, try the Percy Jackson books.  Percy learns that the ancient Greek gods (and the monsters that go with them) are alive and well in the modern world, and he must find his place as a demigod in that world by completing his first quest--to retrieve Zeus’s stolen Master Bolt.

This book utterly rocks its ability to place ancient creatures in modern settings Auntie M’s Garden Emporium, anyone?

How to Commemorate:

• Go swimming.
• Learn some Greek.
• Play capture-the-flag.
• Visit the Empire State Building (or another building of Greek design in your city).

Works Cited

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

*Note: Read the book. Do not watch the movie.

Thorin & Co. Arrive in Rivendell (June 20)

One their quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain as their ancestral home, a party of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (and accompanied by hobbit Bilbo Baggins) stops for rest at Rivendell.

How to Commemorate:

• Read in moonlight.
  Make a secret map.
• Have feast that totally ignores vegetables.

Works Cited

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

A Connecticut Yankee Arrives in King Arthur's Court (June 19, 528)

Remember when astronomy was taught in schools? No? Well then if you ever find yourself transported back in time, you will have very little chance of finding out when you are. In Mark Twain's classic, the main character places his temporal location by noting an upcoming eclipse. Which he uses to gain power. Because ...Yankee.

How to Commemorate
Find an upcoming eclipse (*cough* August *cough*).
Plan how to return to the future if stranded in the past. (There are many methods but, admittedly, this type of story relies on finding something wrong to set right. A la Quantum Leap.)
Sit at a round table. And send people on quests.

Works Cited
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain.

Bloomsday (16 June)

The events of Ulysses by James Joyce take place on 16 June 1904 and they are commemorated annually in cities around the world (though primarily Dublin--where performers and fans retrace the steps of Leopold Bloom throughout his day).  This is the ultimate Today in Fiction event, so learn about the traditions and find an event near you.  Hint: if your city has a Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, you probably have a Bloomsday event too.

How to Commemorate:

• Walk ALL around town.
• Fall in love.
• Speak out your inner stream of consciousness.

Works Cited

Ulysses by James Joyce

Don’t buy a blue car.

2016 was the official year that the father of Thursday Next gave her some advice (see our previous post), namely to stay away from Oxford, but he also gave a few other notes.

• Never buy a blue car
• Never buy a paddling pool
• Stay away from oysters and circular saws.

He also very clearly warned against being near Oxford in June 2016. It’s 2017 now, but with the nature of time travel being inherently prone to risks… do you really want to chance it?

Works Cited.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

Amanda and Leo turn 11. A lot. (June 6)

Think Groundhog Day with a pair of cool pre-teens instead of cranky Bill Murray.  Amanda and Leo are best friends from birth… or they were until they had a falling out, especially noticeable now that they don’t celebrate their birthdays together like they used to (even though they were born on the same exact day!). But on their 11th birthday, something weird happens. Namely, the birthday. Every time the day ends, the birthday begins again. Now these former besties have to find out what’s going on with the town or their lives or the universe and set things right.

How to Commemorate:

• Repeat yourself.
• Forgive someone.
• Visit a local history museum (just so you know where it is in case you ever need to solve your own temporal loop).

Works Cited

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass