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National Rubber Duckie Day! What a happy thing to celebrate in the midst of a gloomy January. Doesn't the whole idea of a bright yellow rubber duck make you feel like the sun will shine again? I have never seen a frowning rubber duckie. They always smile, even when getting doused with soapy water by a small child who has done heaven knows what else in that water the little rubber guy must swim in. They always bob back up to the surface no matter what has weighed them down. They always squeak with their trademark happy sound when bidden. No rubber duckie ever grumbles when you squeeze it, no matter how hard. If Forrest Gump's momma had considered it, she might have said life was like a big bathtub, and we should all strive to be rubber duckies. Here, to cheer your day, are some of our rubber duckies. Feel free to send in your own.

Here are some suggestions for celebrating National Rubber Duckie Day:

--Watch vintage Sesame Street.

--Watch King George and the Duckie (Veggie Tales). An absolute must-see for your mental well-being.

--Sing "Rubber Duckie" to your kids. They may be traumatized, but that's what good parenting is all about sometimes.

--Walk around quacking at random times.

--Fill a rubber duckie with water and squeeze it over the head of some unsuspecting person. Preferably a family member rather than a random stranger.

--If you enjoyed a long bath on National Bubble Bath Day, this is another excuse.

--Send a picture of your favorite rubber duckie to this gallery. Who knows? Maybe we'll start a museum. Is there one already? I'm going to find out.

--Maybe not a museum, but for what may be the largest collection in the world, check out: http://www.duckplanet.com/index.html

--Interested in a custom duck? Admit it, you have always wanted a rubber duck Elvis. I must say, the Mr. T duck is pretty amazing. But the Bill Clinton one is scary. I guess I just do not want to think of him anywhere near any woman's bathtub. See the possibilities at: http://www.celebriducks.com/index.html

--And for a fun book about duckies and all their nostalgic, sunshiny glory, go to: http://www.rubberduckie.net/rubberduckiebook.htm

Happy National Rubber Duckie Day! Quack!!