It’s November 17, 2023. There are only 44 days left in this year. This year’s hourglass sand is running out. That’s a metaphor for life. I intend to make the most of the time left in 2023 and in myself. I’ll do my best to have some fun (and some rum). Today is Electronic Greeting Card Day, Homemade Bread Day, International Happy Gose Day (a warm German beer), International Stand UP to Bullying Day, National Baklava Day, National Black Cat Day, National Take a Hike Day, National Unfriend Day, and Substitute Educator’s Day. Now some history: On this day in 1278, 680 Jews were arrested in England for counterfeiting coins. 293 were hanged. On this day in 1774 the first city troop Philadelphia City Cavalry was formed to protect the colony. It still exists today. On this day in 1800 the U.S. Congress met for the first time in the newly built Capital in Washington D.C. This is the day in 1869 that the Suez Canal in Egypt opened linking the Mediterranean and the Red seas. On this day in 1884 the police arrested boxer John L. Sullivan in the 2nd round of a fight for being “cruel”. On this day in 1922 the Ottoman Empire ended when Mehmed VI was removed from power by the British. On this sad day in 1928 Notre Dame finally lost a home football game after 23 years. On this day in 1956 Syracuse fullback Jim Brown scored 43 points in a game against Colgate. On this day in 1970 Douglas Engelbart received a patent for the computer mouse. This is the day in 1973 that President Nixon told the HP “I’m not a crook”. Today’s dead person is Doris Lessing who was British writer who lived most of her life in Iran. Doris said, “As you get older, you don’t get wiser. You get irritable.” “Think wrongly, if you please, but in all cases think for yourself.” “I’m always astounded at the way we automatically look at what divides and separates us. We never look at what people have in common.” “The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven’t changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don’t change at all.” In my case, she’s got it wrong. I’m still learning. I write this post. Abide.
