This day is called July 16, 2023. The English poet Thomas Grey authored the quote: “Ignorance is bliss”. I agree that if you are unaware of problems and harsh realities of life, happiness is easier to achieve. Since I’m not ignorant, how do I achieve a state of bliss (happiness, joy)? Easy: replace ignorance with ignore. It’s hard to be happy unless you decide to ignore the ugly facts of life. End of the first part of this post. Today is Guinea Pig Appreciation Day, National Corn Fritter Day, National Fresh Spinach Day, World Snake Day, Rural Transit Day, national Personal chef Day and my favorite, National Ice Cream Day. End of part 2. On this day in 1099 Crusaders herd the Jews of Jerusalem into a synagogue and set it on fire. On this day in 1377 Richard II was crowned King of England at the age of 10 succeeding his grandfather Edward III. On this day in 1439 kissing is banned in England to stop the Black Death from spreading. On this day in 1790 Congress declared the city of Washington in the District of Columbia to be the permanent capital of the United States. On this day in 1935 the 1st automatic parking meter in the US was installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. On this day in 1942 French police arrested 13,152 Jews in Paris. This is the day in 1956 that the last Ringling Bros, Barnum & Baily Circus was performed under a canvas tent. On this day in 1967 “The Monkees” performed at Forest Hills in Queens, NY with Jimi Hendrix being the opening act. End of part 3. Today’s dead person is the late singer songwriter Harry Chapin who observed “No straight lines make up my life; And all my roads have bends; There’s no clear-cut beginnings; And so far, no dead-ends.” “The major thing I’m afraid of is being 65 and saying “Gee, I wish I had done this or that”. “It’s got to be the going, not the getting there, that’s good.” “I’d rather make a mistake than do nothing.” I’ll wrap of part 4 with “I want the fact that I existed to mean something.” I think Harry speaks for all of us. Abide.
