July 18

According to my extensive research (thank you, Mr. Google), July 18 is National Caviar Day.

According to nationaldaycalendar.com,

In simple terms, caviar is Sturgeon fish eggs. There are several species of Sturgeon fish. As a result, the caviar produced varies in colors depending on the species. Caviar is full of protein and vitamins making the delicacy a healthy meal. The United States led distribution at 600 tons per year until around 1900. However, due to the over-harvesting of Sturgeon fish for the caviar, the U.S. banned harvesting for a time to protect the sturgeon fish from becoming extinct. The population has never recovered sufficiently since the ban, resulting in caviar’s continued status as a luxury item. Since then, harvesting, import, and export are restricted. However, since sturgeon don’t reach maturity until they are between 6-25 years old, depending on the breed, establishing a farm takes time. Once they reach maturity, aquaculture needed to perfect methods for spawning. According to the North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society, by 2012 there were 21 sturgeon farms in the U.S. and Canada.

Today also, apparently, is National Sour Candy Day. 

In the candy world, sour candy is the young, energetic, and fun member of the candy family. It awakens the taste buds and adds a punch of youthful energy. Every flavor combination out there creates a dazzling taste sensation. Surprisingly, sometimes a sweet candy delivers a walloping tear-jerking zap in a bite-sized lozenge or sucker that lasts for several minutes. Other times, it delivers the punch in a chewy form. These fun sour candies come in a variety of entertaining shapes and sizes. From chewy twists and ropes to sweet bite-sized pieces and straws, each one creates a unique juicy tang, indeed. On this sweet holiday, instead of trying regular old candy, celebrate by trying sour candy. It’s like having a birthday and not getting any older! 

And who doesn't know that July 18 is National Get Out of the DogHouse Day? But I'm not copying and pasting that description because it is dumb and obvious. Basically, be nice so you don't end up *in* the doghouse. Take a tip from the World Listening Project because today is also World Listening Day:

Shhh… do you hear that? It’s the sound of World Listening Day on July 18. World Listening Day is hosted every year by the World Listening Project, a nonprofit organization that is “devoted to understanding the world and its natural environment, societies, and cultures through the practice of listening and field recording.” They explore acoustic ecology, a discipline that studies the relationship between humans and the natural world as mediated through sound. So quiet down, open up your ears, and get ready to study soundscapes on World Listening Day.

And finally, and best of all, July 18 is Nelson Mandela's birthday, and Nelson Mandela International Day. 

From nationaltoday.com:

Nelson Mandela has many accolades. He’s  an iconic figure that triumphed over South Africa’s apartheid regime. He was a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, and an international peacemaker. And he was the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa. So you see why the United Nations General Assembly would want to celebrate his life. Commemorated on July 18 — Nelson Mandela’s birthday — Nelson Mandela International Day celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world and the ability to make an impact. So, in honor of his 67 years of public service, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the U.N. ask that you spend 67 minutes of your time helping others.

I like that idea. 67 minutes of your time helping others today. You can help others by listening to them, I'm thinking. Then you can treat yourself to caviar and sour candy.