One of the rules Google breaks a lot is, “Thou shalt not mess with your corporate logo.” The quirky name in colorful curvy letters really works for me and evidently for everyone  else.

Since its inception in ’98, Google is now both noun and verb in the dictionary: n. a search engine and v. to look for information on the internet.

One day one of the founders added a doodle to the site logo just for grins. He was going to the Burning Man Festival and he slipped a stick figure with outstretched arms behind one of the o’s. It was an insider’s joke that grew legs.

Today a Google Doodle team comes up with all manner of logo variations to celebrate interesting events, people and anniversaries of all kinds. According to the official facts, there are 300 doodles aimed at the U.S. and 700 that are global. 

A couple of years ago, Google started Doodle 4 Google. Kids, k-12, are invited to create their own Google Doodle using a theme such as, What I want to do in my life. The winning entry is used on the Google site.

If you want to see what you’ve missed, click here. If you have an idea for a doodle, send the Google Doodle team an e-mail at proposals@google.com

I’ve included a few of my favorites: Total Eclipse, Einstein’s Birthday, Thanksgiving and Gregor Mendel’s Birthday. (Friar Pea Body, anyone?)