Our ship has docked at pier 3.23.2021. You may disembark and enjoy all that life has to offer for the next 18 hours. You must re board by midnight to continue the cruise. The celebratory events for March 23rd are National Chia Day, Cuddly Kitten Day, National Chip and Dip Day, National Puppy Day, OK Day and Near Miss Day. It’s chips and salsa for me. In 1775 on this date, Patrick Henry proclaimed “Give me liberty or give me death” in a speech in favor of Virginian troops joining the US Revolutionary war. In 1839, the 1st recorded use of “OK” [oll korrect] was published. Now you know what “OK” stands for. On this day in 1857, Elisha Otis installed the first elevator at 488 Broadway in NYC. This is the day in 1903 that the Wright Brothers filed for a patent of the flying machine which is granted 3 years later. Finally, in 1933 on this day the Enabling Act was passed by the German Reichstag granting Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers. He said, “How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don’t think.” Today is Erich Fromm’s birthday. He was a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist and humanistic philosopher who fled the Nazis and settled in the US. He said, “The fact that millions of people share the same vices does not make these vices virtues, the fact that they share so many errors does not make the errors to be truths, and the fact that millions of people share the same form of mental pathology does not make these people sane.” Best to read that quote twice. This is the day in 1862 that the French writer Stendhal passed. He said, “The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same.” Also a good quote to remember. Enough. I think I’ll disembark and see what fun I can have today. Abide.
