August 12, 2021. I don’t think you can’t have a good day if you start out with a bad attitude. I started this day, laying in bed counting my blessings. Being grateful for what we have is my definition of the word “Abide” which is why I use it to end each post. Today is IBM PC Day, National Julienne Fries Day, National Middle Child Day, Truck Driver Day, Vinyl Record Day and World Elephant Day. I’d pick the fries. Not a great list. Moving onto history. This is the day in 1480 at the Battle of Otranto when Ottoman troops behead 800 Christians for refusing to convert to Islam. All you would have needed to do was show me the ax and I would have been praising Allah. On this day in 1658 the 1st American police force formed in New Amsterdam (now New York City). In 1851 on this day, Isaac Singer patented the sewing machine. This is the day in 1908 Henry Ford’s company builds the first Model T car. On this day in 1930, Charles Birdseye was given a patent for quick freezing food. On this day I’ll end this post with some observations by John Cage who died in 1992. He was an American composer, music theorist, artist, and philosopher. John said, “I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” “I like being moved. I don’t like being pushed.” And “To accept whatever comes, regardless of the consequences, is to be unafraid.” There should be something in those 3 quotes to make you think. That’s all for today. Abide.
