July 12 2020 is where we are. It’s like being up to our waste in the swamp. Like the paddles broke and on our canoe trip up shitts creek. Like standing in the ship’s bow and seeing an iceberg ahead. Since I can’t control the chaos, my plan is to make the best of each day. Here is the list of events that deserve our consideration today: Etch A Sketch Day, Barn Day, Eat Your Jello Day, Paper Bag Day, Simplicity Day and National Pecan Pie Day. I will make some sugar free Jello to celebrate this 12th day of July. It will be red. This is the day in 1804 that former United States Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, dies after being shot in a pistol duel by Vice President Aaron Burr. One of my theories is that we would all be better off if dueling was allowed. I think we might be a lot more civil to each other. This is the day in 1878 that a fever epidemic in New Orleans begins that will kill 4,500. On this day in 1933 Congress passes the 1st minimum wage law which is 33 cents per hour. This is one of the actions that FDR took when he was elected to get us out of the Great Depression. Today is the birthday (1817) of Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and pacifist. He said, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” This is also the day in 1536 that Desiderius Erasmus, humanist and priest, life ended at the age of 69. He said, “In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” It would be been fun to spend an afternoon with either of these people. Reading their quotes is the closest I can get to that. Now it’s up to you. This day is a blank slate waiting for you to pick up the chalk. Abide.
