We’ve landed in the time/space designated as December 21, 2019. Each day the celestial clock moves us another day closer to the end of this year. I will be a little sad to see it go. It’s been a good one for me. Filled with friends and good times (now good memories). That was my plan on January 1st. That was then and this is the day we need to focus on: It’s Anne and Samantha Day, Crossword Puzzle Day, Humbug Day, National Coquito Day, National Hamburger Day, National French Fried Shrimp Day and Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day. There are lots more events for this day but this is enough for this post. Anne Frank and Samantha Smith get a day to remember them. Everyone knows about Anne Frank but maybe not Samantha who was the young girl who wrote a letter to Yuri Andropov in November of 1982, asking him if he was going to start a nuclear war with the United States. It was a big deal at the time. Coquito is a coconut eggnog drink from PR and probably very tasty. I included Phileas Fogg (around the world in 80 days) to get to a Jules Verne quote: “With happiness as with health: to enjoy it, one should be deprived of it occasionally.” Since I’ve got a cold, the quote seems appropriate. Now to the history of today: In 1891, the 1st game of basketball, based on rules created by James Naismith, was played by 18 students in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1909, the 1st junior high school is established in Berkeley California. In 1929 Coco the Clown first appears for Bertram Mills Circus in Manchester, England. Why did we name a Florida Beach after him? I’m going to end this post with some quotes from Anne Frank who at the age of 15 was gassed in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. She had every reason to be negative but wasn’t: “I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.” and “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” Pretty remarkable for a girl so young to be so wise. Now it’s up to you to figure out how to make this day a good one. I’m going to start mine now. Abide
