NATIONAL WORK AND FAMILY MONTH

This just in, from a university president:

Dear Colleague
It is our pleasure to welcome you back to %^&#@ State for the beginning
of a new academic year, which we hope will be productive and
rewarding for each of you.
Last October, %^&#@ State joined many employers nationwide in
observing National Work and Family Month, designated by the United
States Senate in 2003. This recognition is evidence that supporting a
balance between your professional and personal life is part of a national
priority and an important strategy for excellence.
We are pleased to announce that the Office of Human Resources, in
collaboration with other campus offices, has once again created a series
of events that will occur throughout the month of October to observe
National Work and Family month. ...We hope that you will take time to participate in one or more
of these activities.
We all become so busy this time of year preparing for our students that
we tend to set aside our own needs. As leaders of this university, we
ask that you not let that happen. You are our greatest asset and your
success is %^&#@ State's success. Again, welcome back -- and best
wishes for a rewarding and productive year.

Commentary TK. Preliminary questions:

• How does the 2003 National Work and Family Month square with the 2002 Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act?
• Is this a sort of federal jobs program for the field of Human Resources? Create more workshops?
• Are my own needs the same as, or separate from work or family?

And how can I find time? October is also the Month of:

• Halloween Safety
• Domestic Violence Awareness (a lot of faith in awareness and recognition)
• National Breast Cancer Awareness
• National Family Sexuality (what is that?)
• National Physical Therapy
• Rett Syndrome Awareness
• "Talk about Prescriptions'
• National Medical Librarians
• Let's Talk
• Down Syndrome Awareness
• National Child Health Day (3)
• Bone and Joint Decade National Awareness Week
• National Radon Action Week
• National Health Education Week
• International Stuttering Awareness Day (22)
• Hearing Aid Awareness Week
• National Celiac Awareness
• Healthy Lung Month
• National Dental Hygiene Month
• National Lupus Awareness Month
• National Spina Bifida Awareness Month
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness
• Clean Air Month
• National Orthodontic Health
• National Liver Awareness Month
• Children's Health Month
• Drive Safely Work Week (2-8)
• National Depression Screening Day (6) (I am depressed about the world and may go for a screening)
• National School Lunch Week (10-14)
• SAVE (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) Today (12)
• World Food Day (16)
• National Mammography Day (21)
• Respiratory Care Week (23-29)
• Lung Health Day (26)

And these are just the health related declarations. See http://www.healthfinder.gov/library/nho/nho.asp

I could make a hobby of collecting refridgerator magnets from these events.

What is the difference between national weeks, days, months and non-national ones? Are there State days? City months? What is this nexus of political geography and temporality?

Why all the awareness? Would it be too much to call for change?

Is October an usually heavy month?