Today is the best holiday, ever. It is Mole Day, a happy and wonderful day when all chem geeks don't have to worry about burning their hands carrying a bottle that says "Probably conc. H2SO4" or about making supposedly rasberry-scented esters that, on every try, smell like being hit in the nose. Indeed, from 6:02 AM to 6:02 PM on October 23rd, there's so little you have to worry about it's not even funny.

The rejoicing started at 6:02 in Denny's. Granted, I'll take any excuse to replace sleep with a magically refilling mug of coffee, but this was instigated by the chem teach. People wore Avogadro-inspired shirts, people talked about nearly killing themselves trying to cook guacaMOLe. It was good fun for all concerned.

I don't know why I think Mole Day is such a spiffy holiday. Maybe I've just been around the fume hood too long. But sometimes it seems like the only holidays that could even approach it in non-commercialized goodness are the Day of the Buddha's Enlightenment and Pi Day. In fact, I have decided--and I want everyone to hold me to this--that in my house, we shall not celebrate Christmas, as it's hardly suitable for self-taught hippy Buddhists to do so. Oh, no. The infamous gift-giving holiday shall be Mole Day. And it shall be extreme fun for all.

Now I just need to get it to be a national holiday.

want more info on mole day? Go to www.moleday.org