Welcome to October 8th, 2022. I’m anticipating, as I always do, that this day will be a good one. My nature is to be a cynic (one who questions everything) so it’s difficult for me to begin each day with an optimistic attitude. Cynicism (negative) and optimism (positive) are on opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s taken me lots of years to achieve a more positive state of mind. I’m still working on it every day. Today is Alvin C. York Day, International Lesbian Day, International Newspaper Carrier Day, National Chess Day, National Costume Swap Day, National Fluffernutter Day, World Octopus Day, National Motorcycle Ride Day, and National Pierogi Day. I stopped eating octopus when I found out how smart they are. Now some history of this day. On this day in 1775 officers in the Continental Army decided to bar slaves and free blacks from serving. On this day in 1818 Jack Broughton designed padded gloves for a boxing match. Prior to that boxing had been only bare knuckles. On this day in 1840 the First Hawaiian constitution was proclaimed. Most people don’t realize that Hawaii was an independent Kingdom. We occupied it, overthrew the government, and annexed it in 1898. On this day in 1871 a forest fire destroyed Peshtigo, Wisconsin killing an estimated 2,500 making it the deadliest wildfire in history. On the same day the Great Chicago Fire killed 300 people and destroyed over 4 square miles of buildings. In 1918 on this day Alvin York single-handedly attacks a German machine gun nest, killing at least 25 and capturing 132 Germans. Wow. This is the dark day in 1957 that the Brooklyn Dodgers announced they were moving to Los Angeles. Today the dead person who will speak to us is Henry Fielding who was an English novelist who stopped living on this day in 1754. He observed, “The slander of some people is as great a recommendation as the praise of others.” “Neither great poverty nor great riches will hear reason.” “There’s one fool at least in every married couple.” I’ll end with this advice from Mr. Fielding: “It is a good maxim to trust a person entirely or not at all.” Abide.
