First of the Month: July

God Bless America. And God Bless the seventh month in the Gregorian calendar – July. July has long been known for being deeply rooted with patriotism and giving us all we ask for during its 31 days. This year, like every year since 1776, we will celebrate the nation’s birthday on July 4^th. So you Uncle Sam fans from Troy, New York, get your rations out and then wave your American flag. (If you don’t know this reference, I urge you to google it.) Ten days after our nation celebrates its birth, the French celebrate Bastille Day in the heart of the Tour De France without our cancer-survivor Viva La Viva Lance as a rider. Today, though, is a day to commence and give thanks for Matt Johnson’s one weakness – ice cream. In fact, Matt and the many of us who have this weakness can do it all month without a single ounce of guilt. Today is creative ice cream flavor day. So you Goonies’ Rocky Road lovers and Superman fans – go forth and celebrate, but save room because the ice cream festivities last all month long. Let’s gobble some more on July 7^th – National Strawberry Sundae Day; July 17^th – National Peach Ice cream Day; and July 23^rd – National Vanilla Ice Cream Day. And for you sports fans out there, we have Wimbledon; the British Open; baseball’s All-star game; and the joy of Nascar, which never ever dies. So keep on riding you great American.

And what would July be without birthdays? Today, Bruce Willis’s Armageddon kid, Liv Tyler, turns 31, and Tommy Lee/Kid Rock romance friend Pamela Anderson turns 47. Three days later Yankees owner turns 71 on the same day the nation celebrates its birthday, which is exactly four days before Lauren Engel hits the big 21 and a week before figure skater turned dancing star Kristin Yamaguchi turns 37. On July 22^nd, former Canadian citizen Alex Trebek turns 67 (you thank me later for finding this photo) exactly nine days before Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling turns 43.

First of the Month: June

Welcome to the sixth month of the Gregorian calendar, June. In June we have the pleasure of being in the middle of the year, when the longest day turns spring into those dog days of summer. While it is a prelude to America's birthday month, it certainly whistles its own patriotic tune with Flag Day on the 14^th. And how more patriotic can you be than having pearl as your month’s traditional birthstone and being known as the month that ends the Democratic primary? June is a make or break month for movie companies as the May blockbusters take a backseat to the lesser-known summer hits, but just-as-worthy-of-your-eyes kind of flicks. (I guess the new Hulk film would fall right about here.) And of course we have Fathers’ Day on the 14th and National Go Skateboarding Day on the 21st. (Dad, this Bud’s for you.) This month we have a slew of sporting events. It starts with the conclusion of the NBA and NHL finals and Saturday's Belmont Stakes, when Big Brown will attempt to be the first in 30 years to hoof in as the Triple Crown winner. Later this month we will have a new EURO soccer champ and Tiger Woods returns at golf's U.S. Open.

And what would June be without a slew of birthdays? Yesterday we celebrated the 53^rd birthday of the other famous “Garth” – Mr. Dana Carvey, who turns a year older exactly six days before Kayne “I hate and love America” West turns 31. The iconic Olsen twins turn 22 on June 13^th, exactly one week before Dan Conner/John Goodman turns 56. And let’s not forget John Cusak who turns 42 on June 28^th, exactly two days before Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps turns 23. Also, we can celebrate the 1st birthday of Natalie Rose and birth of Baby Birchmeier.

Can DC ever be a Baseball town?

Washington DC, our nation's capitol, and the 8th largest metro area in the US, home to cherry blossoms, free museums, gorgeous monuments and the The Washington Nationals?

I visited National's park a week or so back for a Friday night game against the Braves. The stadium is amazing, great site lines, local food and the best $8 dollar beer you can ask for. But the main image that sticks in my mind is the 25,000 empty seats. It boggles the mind , a 75 degree and sunny spring night in the city vs. arguably the most popular team in the NL and we can't get 10k fans to pony up 10$ for a cheap seat on a Friday night?

Granted, the Nats stink, bad. I mean like Newark bad. But having lived in both NY and Boston, where the cheap seats are 50 bucks and you gotta know someone even to get those, I just don't get it. I know I know, its tough to build a fanbase when the population turns over ever 4-5 years, but it seems to me that someone isn't doing their job. Is it the GM, the head of Marketing, or you the DC fan? Who knows? But do the team, the city and yourself a favor, grab some buddies, hit the metro and head to a game, I guarantee it will be more entertaining than Dancing with the Stars.

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Watch CQ Politics' experts explain the candidate selection process.

First of the Month: May

Welcome to the fifth and perhaps most beautiful month of the Gregorian calendar. All those April showers that poured down will now turn your yards (or at least those north of the Mason and Dixon line) into a fluorescent field as May returns. Yes, those tulips with a Dutch-touch and bright red geraniums will be in full bloom. And lets not forget the smell of fresh cut grass, which is only good until the local government tells us that its not ozone friendly to drive. (1st: Global Warming is a joke, right? 2nd: That won’t happen for at least another six weeks.) May, though, isn’t just celebrated in Neil Diamond’s land of America. No, it‘s certainly lauded by a global audience. For example, May 12th marks International Nurses Day, which certainly gives credit to those on staff at fictional Seattle Grace hospital but not starring on "Grey’s Anatomy." And who could forget Cinco de Mayo Day on May 5th. (So on Monday go forth and drink a Sol with your favorite tostada yo-quiero combination. Whatever that means.) Let’s not forget about you bikers out there. We all know that May 19th concludes a weeklong festival called “Bike to Work Week.” Finally, what would May’s fresh cut greens be without the freshly mowed Kentucky blue grass at the Kentucky Derby? (Big Brown is a 3 to 1 favorite from the 20 spot) Well, it wouldn’t be much of anything, just like it wouldn’t be much without lots of playoffs in basketball and hockey, (Thanks again TNT for 40 games in 40 nights.) Virginia’s Gold Cup (drink up friends) and the start of Frenchmen running on clay at the French Open. May concludes on the 31st, five days before BBQ’s are in full-force as Memorial Day begins its legendary task of being the gateway to summer.

And how could anyone celebrate the fifth month without birthdays? Let’s first say a happy birthday to Mr. Tim McGraw, who turns 41 today, exactly one day before David Beckham’s left foot turns 33. (His right foot also turns 33.) On May 12th we get a double birthday celebration with former "American Pie" star Jason Biggs turning the big 30 and “Higher Love” author Steve Winwood turning 60. A few days later that "Shrek," ax-murderer marrying husband and Canadian Mike Myers turns 45 on May 25th, which is exactly six days before the end of the month birthdays. This list includes swearing Irishman Colin Farrell (32); “Million Dollar Baby” Clint Eastwood (78); “Broadway” Joe Namath (65); and Don Ameche, the man who played Shadow in "Homeward Bound," who would have turned 100 had he not died before the filming of "Homeward Bound II."

First of the Month: April

Jokes over everyone; April Fools Day is here and “America’s Pastime” is in full swing. Welcome to the fourth month of the Gregorian calendar: April, which for many is the center of our nation’s sports scene. Only when the Cherry Blossoms are in beautiful blooming form can we can see the Final Four, some man wearing the covenant green jacket and 50,000 of your best drinking friends saying, “Thank You God” to the sound of wood crashing on two thin rubber layers. (Come on, I am talking about baseball.) April is beyond sports though. It is when the jokers aren’t the only ones pulling the pranks and when green-loving hippies are given not just one holiday in Earth Day, but another in Arbor Day. For our Jewish crowd, Passover occurs this month and for our tax paying citizens, you have just 15 days until you know what is due to you know who. Finally -- but not the least important thing -- April is home to National Poetry Month and Patriots’ Day, a civic holiday in Massachusetts and for some reason a public school observance in Wisconsin. (I guess that’s what you get with a socialist state that claims to have founded the Republican Party).

And how could anyone celebrate the fourth month without birthdays? To start off the month, today, we celebrate the 70^th birthday of Ali McGraw. (Whom you say? Well, the woman from “Love Story.” What movie you ask? Go to your local blockbuster to see this 1970 hit.) Two days after McGraw, Axel Foley turned Nutty Professor turned Pluto Nash back to Nutty Professor turns 47 and that lovely star from “30 Rock,” Alec Baldwin turns 50. On April 13^th Kentucky fan Ashley Judd turns 40 exactly nine days after great debater Pete Rose turns 67. (Question of the Month: When, if ever, will Rose get into the Hall of Fame?) And to round out April birthdays, we tip a “beer for our horses” on April 20^th for Willie Nelson’s 75^th birthday.

First of the Month: March

Ahh yes, the craziness from last night’s extra day has ended and the real madness has begun as the basketballs are rolling to the sounds of Luther Vandross and people are in the streets celebrating Saint Patrick over a mug of Guinness and a batch of fresh Irish stew. (you know the kind with lots of taters)Let’s welcome the third month of Gregorian calendar, March. It is home to American Red Cross Month and of course March 15^th, the Ides of March, and the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Caesar by his bud Brutus. We celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 and U.S. residents celebrate Women’s History Month. March begins on the same day of the week as November and February in common years and in leap years, such as 2008, it ends on the same day of the week as November. Outside of college basketball’s Road to the Final Four, the sports world is idle. But that’s OK because the madness starts today and will last for weeks.

Today little Opie, Ron Howard, turns 54, Zach Morris turned Dead Man on Campus turned NYPD star Mark-Paul Gosselaar turns 34 and Growing Pain dad Alan Thicke turns 61. Apple’s dad, Chris Martin, turns 31 tomorrow, which is seven days before Lil Bow Wow now Bow Wow turns the drinking age of 21. On March 12 smoked-out home run hitter Darryl Strawberry turns 46 and “Fire and Rain” poet James Taylor turns 60 with “Carolina On his Mind.” One week after Taylor’s birthday, John McClane badass Bruce Willis turns 53 as Ashton Kutcher hangs out with his kids. Two days later “War Games” alum Matthew Broderick turns 46 just four days before SI swimsuit goddess Danica Patrick revs into number 26 on the same day as Broderick’s wife, Sarah Jessica Parker, turns 43. To round out the month Mr. Green, Al Gore, turns 60 on the same day as Rhea Pearlman --Carla from Cheers – turns the same age.