1 00:00:09,562 --> 00:00:12,522 Speaker 1: Originals. This is an iHeart original. 2 00:00:15,202 --> 00:00:21,522 Speaker 2: Happy Leap Day everyone, Jason English here, Happy Leapday Eve 3 00:00:21,562 --> 00:00:26,002 Speaker 2: if you're listening on Wednesday, Leap Day feels like the 4 00:00:26,122 --> 00:00:30,722 Speaker 2: kind of holiday that veryous special episodes should embrace. So 5 00:00:30,802 --> 00:00:33,642 Speaker 2: today we have a fun story about a woman who's 6 00:00:33,682 --> 00:00:37,482 Speaker 2: worked for decades to make her fellow Leaplings feel special 7 00:00:38,442 --> 00:00:42,002 Speaker 2: because they are special. And if we're fortunate enough to 8 00:00:42,162 --> 00:00:45,162 Speaker 2: still be doing this on Leap Day twenty twenty eight, 9 00:00:45,802 --> 00:00:46,842 Speaker 2: I promise you this. 10 00:00:47,122 --> 00:00:49,202 Speaker 1: We are going to plan a whole festival. 11 00:00:49,282 --> 00:00:51,242 Speaker 3: It's going to be a big deal. Be great to 12 00:00:51,282 --> 00:00:52,602 Speaker 3: meet all of you in person. 13 00:00:53,642 --> 00:00:55,402 Speaker 2: Until then, all you Dana. 14 00:01:02,562 --> 00:01:05,162 Speaker 4: The odds of being born on the twenty eighth of 15 00:01:05,202 --> 00:01:10,002 Speaker 4: February are about one in three hundred sixty five. The 16 00:01:10,042 --> 00:01:13,362 Speaker 4: odds of being born on the twenty ninth of February 17 00:01:13,882 --> 00:01:18,082 Speaker 4: are less than one in one thousand, four hundred sixty one. 18 00:01:18,922 --> 00:01:23,282 Speaker 4: That's because February twenty ninth, of course, is Leap Day, 19 00:01:23,762 --> 00:01:27,882 Speaker 4: that weird extra day in February that only exists once 20 00:01:28,042 --> 00:01:32,642 Speaker 4: every four years. Twenty twenty four is a leap year. 21 00:01:33,042 --> 00:01:36,762 Speaker 4: For most of us, February twenty ninth will pass unnoticed, 22 00:01:37,362 --> 00:01:41,522 Speaker 4: but for the roughly four million people worldwide who were 23 00:01:41,682 --> 00:01:45,642 Speaker 4: born on Leap Day, they've been counting the days to 24 00:01:45,842 --> 00:01:51,002 Speaker 4: February twenty ninth since twenty twenty. They have four years 25 00:01:51,202 --> 00:01:56,682 Speaker 4: worth of birthday parties to celebrate. They call themselves Leapers, Leaplings, 26 00:01:56,922 --> 00:02:02,762 Speaker 4: leap dudes, or leap chicks, people simultaneously cursed and blessed 27 00:02:03,202 --> 00:02:08,082 Speaker 4: with the rarest birthday on the calendar. First, because in 28 00:02:08,242 --> 00:02:11,402 Speaker 4: second grade, any mean kids who are also good at 29 00:02:11,442 --> 00:02:15,202 Speaker 4: math could tease them at recess saying we're eight, we 30 00:02:15,282 --> 00:02:18,962 Speaker 4: don't play with two year olds. And because every time 31 00:02:19,002 --> 00:02:22,202 Speaker 4: they go to the DMV to renew their driver's license, 32 00:02:22,602 --> 00:02:26,002 Speaker 4: the system tells them that their date of birth February 33 00:02:26,042 --> 00:02:31,242 Speaker 4: twenty ninth, is invalid. But Leap Day babies also insist 34 00:02:31,482 --> 00:02:35,842 Speaker 4: that they're blessed, blessed to be members of an exclusive 35 00:02:35,962 --> 00:02:41,082 Speaker 4: club with its own leaptastic lingo, blest to be born 36 00:02:41,202 --> 00:02:45,762 Speaker 4: on a day with true astronomical significance. It's the day 37 00:02:45,882 --> 00:02:51,082 Speaker 4: that literally keeps the seasons in sync, and blessed if 38 00:02:51,122 --> 00:02:55,322 Speaker 4: they're lucky to celebrate a second bar Mitzvah when they 39 00:02:55,322 --> 00:03:00,922 Speaker 4: turn fifty two slash thirteen, or a second Kinsinia when 40 00:03:00,962 --> 00:03:06,882 Speaker 4: they're sixty slash fifteen. This Leap Day, February twenty ninth, 41 00:03:07,002 --> 00:03:11,242 Speaker 4: nin twenty twenty four is a very special Leap Day 42 00:03:11,402 --> 00:03:16,762 Speaker 4: for one very special Leap Day baby. Because ray now Don, 43 00:03:17,002 --> 00:03:21,962 Speaker 4: known worldwide as the Leap Day Lady, has waited sixty 44 00:03:22,042 --> 00:03:27,842 Speaker 4: four years for her sweet sixteen. Welcome to very special 45 00:03:27,922 --> 00:03:32,762 Speaker 4: episodes and iHeart original podcast. I'm your host Dana Schwartz, 46 00:03:32,922 --> 00:03:39,322 Speaker 4: and this is our Leap Day special. Ray now Down 47 00:03:39,642 --> 00:03:44,322 Speaker 4: was born on February twenty ninth, nineteen sixty. Raynell's two 48 00:03:44,402 --> 00:03:47,602 Speaker 4: younger sisters were also born in February. 49 00:03:48,002 --> 00:03:51,602 Speaker 5: So my mom puts our names on the calendar, says Debbie. 50 00:03:51,602 --> 00:03:55,162 Speaker 5: On February sixth, says Cindy. On February twenty fifth, it 51 00:03:55,242 --> 00:03:59,922 Speaker 5: says Rayell. In the empty box next to the twenty eighth, 52 00:04:00,762 --> 00:04:02,322 Speaker 5: I thought it was born of the twenty ninth. 53 00:04:02,322 --> 00:04:05,122 Speaker 1: Where is the twenty ninth? It's not there. 54 00:04:05,642 --> 00:04:10,122 Speaker 4: When Raynell asked why her real birthday wasn't on the calendar, 55 00:04:10,522 --> 00:04:15,642 Speaker 4: her mom replied, because you're special. But Rainell didn't feel 56 00:04:15,842 --> 00:04:17,082 Speaker 4: very special. 57 00:04:17,362 --> 00:04:20,562 Speaker 1: When I was eight. On my eighth birthday. 58 00:04:20,722 --> 00:04:25,002 Speaker 5: Second or third grade, the teacher asked if anybody in 59 00:04:25,042 --> 00:04:28,002 Speaker 5: the class knew someone born on February twenty nine, and 60 00:04:28,042 --> 00:04:30,482 Speaker 5: I rose my head, excitedy and told her I was. 61 00:04:31,322 --> 00:04:33,762 Speaker 5: She clasped her hands together, stood in front of the 62 00:04:33,802 --> 00:04:36,562 Speaker 5: class and said, oh, you poor child. 63 00:04:37,042 --> 00:04:41,482 Speaker 4: It wasn't until Raynell turned twenty, that's five in leap years, 64 00:04:41,922 --> 00:04:46,322 Speaker 4: that she felt anything but bummed about her special birthday. 65 00:04:46,962 --> 00:04:50,122 Speaker 4: She was riding home on a nearly empty city bus 66 00:04:50,482 --> 00:04:53,882 Speaker 4: when an elderly man got on board and sat next to. 67 00:04:53,842 --> 00:04:57,682 Speaker 5: Her, and I thought, that's fine, I'll take care of him, Oh, 68 00:04:58,042 --> 00:05:00,602 Speaker 5: you know whatever, I'd help him well. 69 00:05:00,882 --> 00:05:02,122 Speaker 1: He asked me when. 70 00:05:01,922 --> 00:05:04,482 Speaker 5: My birthday was, out of the blue, and I said 71 00:05:04,802 --> 00:05:09,082 Speaker 5: February twenty nine, leap day, and he just looked at me, 72 00:05:09,362 --> 00:05:12,082 Speaker 5: just in this Really, I can still picture his little 73 00:05:12,122 --> 00:05:16,442 Speaker 5: breako little face. He said, you are very special. And 74 00:05:16,962 --> 00:05:20,682 Speaker 5: I felt that more than I felt it from my parents. 75 00:05:21,402 --> 00:05:26,042 Speaker 4: Rainelle decided then in there to embrace her leapness and 76 00:05:26,162 --> 00:05:30,242 Speaker 4: seek out others who shared her exceptional dare I say 77 00:05:30,482 --> 00:05:32,522 Speaker 4: leaptacular birthday? 78 00:05:32,842 --> 00:05:37,162 Speaker 5: And so in nineteen eighty eight, I planned and organized 79 00:05:37,202 --> 00:05:39,522 Speaker 5: to start this birthday club. And so I got myself 80 00:05:39,562 --> 00:05:41,482 Speaker 5: on a bunch of radio stations. I lived in Los 81 00:05:41,522 --> 00:05:45,042 Speaker 5: Angeles and so I was on the five top radio 82 00:05:45,202 --> 00:05:50,522 Speaker 5: stations live that morning and invited Leap Day Babies to 83 00:05:50,762 --> 00:05:51,762 Speaker 5: my home. 84 00:05:51,922 --> 00:05:53,762 Speaker 1: For a Leap Day Baby birthday party. And it was 85 00:05:53,762 --> 00:05:56,002 Speaker 1: a Monday, a raining Monday. 86 00:05:56,522 --> 00:05:59,722 Speaker 5: Four Leap Day babies showed up and I got twenty 87 00:05:59,762 --> 00:06:03,562 Speaker 5: one responses on from the telephone. 88 00:06:03,602 --> 00:06:05,842 Speaker 1: My phone number was four six ' four leap. That 89 00:06:06,082 --> 00:06:06,722 Speaker 1: was a really. 90 00:06:06,562 --> 00:06:10,442 Speaker 5: Exciting time meeting people in the flesh who were born 91 00:06:10,482 --> 00:06:13,042 Speaker 5: on the same day as me and talking with them 92 00:06:13,082 --> 00:06:17,602 Speaker 5: about their experiences because nobody else gets it. 93 00:06:18,162 --> 00:06:21,682 Speaker 4: That was the start of the Honor Society of Leap 94 00:06:21,762 --> 00:06:26,082 Speaker 4: Year Day Babies. It's a global fellowship of people born 95 00:06:26,242 --> 00:06:29,402 Speaker 4: on a day that seventy five percent of the time 96 00:06:29,962 --> 00:06:35,362 Speaker 4: doesn't exist. Raynell's Leapday Birthday Club swept the globe, attracting 97 00:06:35,402 --> 00:06:40,882 Speaker 4: more than eleven thousand Leaplings from nearly every nation. Facebook 98 00:06:40,962 --> 00:06:45,402 Speaker 4: obviously was a game changer. Renell now calls herself the 99 00:06:45,562 --> 00:06:50,002 Speaker 4: Leapday Lady. She makes her own earrings and beaded bracelets 100 00:06:50,042 --> 00:06:54,042 Speaker 4: that say two twenty nine and Leap Baby. She signs 101 00:06:54,082 --> 00:06:59,482 Speaker 4: off her emails with Leapist regards, and Raynell has made 102 00:06:59,522 --> 00:07:03,482 Speaker 4: it her life's mission to raise leap Day awareness. 103 00:07:04,162 --> 00:07:08,082 Speaker 5: We run into adults, not just children, but adults too 104 00:07:08,202 --> 00:07:13,162 Speaker 5: who are just oblivious to this extra day. And it's 105 00:07:13,202 --> 00:07:17,042 Speaker 5: because of how we were taught about that day. It 106 00:07:17,242 --> 00:07:20,442 Speaker 5: wasn't taught, it was mentioned. 107 00:07:21,322 --> 00:07:23,842 Speaker 1: You know, that's a big difference. 108 00:07:24,082 --> 00:07:27,402 Speaker 4: If you feel like your own leap Day literacy is lacking. 109 00:07:27,682 --> 00:07:32,962 Speaker 4: Here's a quick refresher. Leapier's are necessary because the regular 110 00:07:33,042 --> 00:07:36,802 Speaker 4: calendar year is three hundred and sixty five days, but 111 00:07:37,002 --> 00:07:40,602 Speaker 4: it takes the earth a little longer, roughly three hundred 112 00:07:40,642 --> 00:07:44,642 Speaker 4: and sixty five point two four to five days to 113 00:07:44,722 --> 00:07:47,922 Speaker 4: go around the sun. So if we didn't add an 114 00:07:47,962 --> 00:07:52,642 Speaker 4: extra day every four years, the months would slowly slip 115 00:07:52,722 --> 00:07:57,082 Speaker 4: out of sync with the seasons. Eventually July would feel 116 00:07:57,122 --> 00:08:01,522 Speaker 4: more like January. Leapier, it turns out, has been around 117 00:08:01,642 --> 00:08:07,322 Speaker 4: since forty six BC, when Julius Caesar added an extra 118 00:08:07,442 --> 00:08:12,002 Speaker 4: day every four years to his Julian calendar. The practice 119 00:08:12,082 --> 00:08:16,362 Speaker 4: continued with the Gregorian calendar, which came out in fifteen 120 00:08:16,482 --> 00:08:19,922 Speaker 4: eighty two and is still the calendar we use today. 121 00:08:20,322 --> 00:08:25,002 Speaker 4: Here's a fun fact. Technically, Leapier is not celebrated every 122 00:08:25,122 --> 00:08:30,042 Speaker 4: four years. Okay, it's celebrated almost every four years, but 123 00:08:30,122 --> 00:08:34,282 Speaker 4: there are some exceptions. Since the solar year is not 124 00:08:34,762 --> 00:08:38,522 Speaker 4: quite three hundred and sixty five and a quarter days exactly, 125 00:08:39,042 --> 00:08:42,402 Speaker 4: we need to skip a leap yer every few centuries. 126 00:08:42,962 --> 00:08:46,402 Speaker 4: Here's how it works, and bear with me. Century years 127 00:08:46,602 --> 00:08:51,282 Speaker 4: like eighteen hundred and nineteen hundred are not leap years 128 00:08:51,842 --> 00:08:57,082 Speaker 4: unless the year is also evenly divisible by four hundred. 129 00:08:57,642 --> 00:09:00,802 Speaker 4: That's why the year two thousand was a leap year. 130 00:09:01,002 --> 00:09:04,202 Speaker 4: But the year twenty one hundred will not be a 131 00:09:04,282 --> 00:09:08,602 Speaker 4: leap year, or twenty two hundred or twenty three hundred, 132 00:09:08,762 --> 00:09:13,362 Speaker 4: but yes, twenty four hundred will be. It's science, people. 133 00:09:13,762 --> 00:09:16,602 Speaker 5: The whole point of leap day is to keep the 134 00:09:16,682 --> 00:09:19,682 Speaker 5: days in line with the seasons. 135 00:09:19,482 --> 00:09:23,922 Speaker 1: That we experience here on this planet. So that's important. 136 00:09:24,882 --> 00:09:29,362 Speaker 5: So I say February twenty nine is the most important 137 00:09:29,722 --> 00:09:34,642 Speaker 5: date on the calendar, not the most important day, the 138 00:09:34,722 --> 00:09:37,602 Speaker 5: most important date because it's the date that keeps all 139 00:09:37,642 --> 00:09:39,522 Speaker 5: the dates in line with the seasons. 140 00:09:39,882 --> 00:09:43,602 Speaker 4: What really frustrates right now is that, despite its clear 141 00:09:43,922 --> 00:09:49,802 Speaker 4: critical importance, leap Day is not listed on any calendar. Sure, 142 00:09:49,962 --> 00:09:53,482 Speaker 4: February twenty ninth is there every four years, but it 143 00:09:53,522 --> 00:09:57,442 Speaker 4: doesn't say leap Day. In the little box. It doesn't 144 00:09:57,482 --> 00:09:58,122 Speaker 4: say anything. 145 00:09:58,802 --> 00:10:00,082 Speaker 1: Why doesn't it get ink? 146 00:10:00,682 --> 00:10:05,482 Speaker 5: Groundhog getsing, Valentine's Day gets in, President's Day gets e. 147 00:10:07,122 --> 00:10:10,722 Speaker 1: Leap Day deserves ink bold ink. 148 00:10:11,322 --> 00:10:15,562 Speaker 4: Rainnell has written letters and called dozens of calendar companies, 149 00:10:15,842 --> 00:10:19,322 Speaker 4: but none have been swayed by her campaign, same with 150 00:10:19,362 --> 00:10:23,762 Speaker 4: the dictionary people who refuse to capitalize either Leap Year 151 00:10:24,322 --> 00:10:28,442 Speaker 4: or Leap Day. If Rainell has one message for the 152 00:10:28,682 --> 00:10:33,362 Speaker 4: non leaper world, it's that Leap Day isn't just special 153 00:10:33,802 --> 00:10:38,482 Speaker 4: for people born on February twenty ninth, It's for everyone. 154 00:10:38,962 --> 00:10:43,282 Speaker 5: Leap Day is everybody's extra day. It's not just our birthday. 155 00:10:43,602 --> 00:10:48,122 Speaker 5: It's not all about me after all. It's everyone's extra day. 156 00:10:48,202 --> 00:10:52,242 Speaker 5: And I say use it wisely. Do something for somebody else, 157 00:10:52,562 --> 00:10:55,682 Speaker 5: Do something for yourself. If you're the kind that does 158 00:10:55,762 --> 00:10:58,042 Speaker 5: things for everybody else. It's just every four years, go 159 00:10:58,202 --> 00:11:02,002 Speaker 5: take care of yourself, you know, whatever you get to choose. 160 00:11:02,082 --> 00:11:06,042 Speaker 5: It's not a holy day. It's not a government day. 161 00:11:06,522 --> 00:11:10,882 Speaker 5: It's a cultural day. It's a day for everybody that 162 00:11:11,002 --> 00:11:14,562 Speaker 5: lives on this planet who uses the Gregorian calendar any 163 00:11:14,522 --> 00:11:17,282 Speaker 5: even if you don't, that's all right. It's your extra day. 164 00:11:17,602 --> 00:11:18,642 Speaker 5: Do something good with it? 165 00:11:19,002 --> 00:11:22,802 Speaker 4: Congress, mister President, are you listening? Couldn't we all use 166 00:11:22,842 --> 00:11:27,122 Speaker 4: an extra day to decompress, a random day every four 167 00:11:27,202 --> 00:11:31,362 Speaker 4: years to set aside twenty four hours for ourselves or 168 00:11:31,522 --> 00:11:34,762 Speaker 4: dedicated to someone else? What will it take to make 169 00:11:34,922 --> 00:11:38,362 Speaker 4: Leap Day a real holiday? This is a petition I 170 00:11:38,402 --> 00:11:42,362 Speaker 4: am ready to sign today. Until Leap Day is a 171 00:11:42,722 --> 00:11:47,522 Speaker 4: real holiday, Raynell John and millions of her fellow Leapers 172 00:11:47,922 --> 00:11:53,162 Speaker 4: will continue living by their strange quadrennial calendar, waiting patiently 173 00:11:53,282 --> 00:11:57,082 Speaker 4: through the non leap years and counting the days, all 174 00:11:57,122 --> 00:12:00,642 Speaker 4: one thousand, four hundred and sixty one of them, until 175 00:12:00,682 --> 00:12:05,522 Speaker 4: their next real birthday. And so on this Leap Day, 176 00:12:05,682 --> 00:12:08,802 Speaker 4: we want to wish Rain Dawn the Leap Day Lady, 177 00:12:09,282 --> 00:12:13,922 Speaker 4: a very special, very sweet sixteen Keep fighting the good 178 00:12:13,922 --> 00:12:17,722 Speaker 4: fight for Leapday awareness, and just think, only twenty more 179 00:12:17,802 --> 00:12:20,042 Speaker 4: years until you can legally drink. 180 00:12:24,442 --> 00:12:28,162 Speaker 3: Very special episodes made by some very special people. This 181 00:12:28,282 --> 00:12:32,282 Speaker 3: episode was written by Dave Ruse. Our producer is Josh Fisher. 182 00:12:32,682 --> 00:12:36,242 Speaker 3: Editing and sound design by Josh Dain, Original music by 183 00:12:36,242 --> 00:12:40,562 Speaker 3: Alise McCoy. Research in fact checking by Austin Thompson. Show 184 00:12:40,602 --> 00:12:44,802 Speaker 3: logo by Lucy Kintonia. Our hosts are Danish Wartz, Sarah 185 00:12:44,842 --> 00:12:49,402 Speaker 3: Burnett and me Jason English. I'm your executive producer and 186 00:12:49,442 --> 00:12:53,322 Speaker 3: we'll see you back here next Wednesday, Happy Leap Day, Everybody. 187 00:12:54,522 --> 00:12:58,082 Speaker 3: Very Special Episodes is a production of iHeart Podcasts.