This 24-hour period of time/space is designated as August 17, 2021. If you pay attention to the reported chaos, aka the “news”, you will receive plenty of facts, lies and half-truths to ruin today’s happiness. Therefore, allow me to remind you that whatever is going to happen, will happen without you. You don’t have worry about it because worrying will do no good. I’m going to focus my small corner of the universe where it’s Baby Boomers Recognition Day, Balloon Airmail Day, National #2 Pencil Day, National Nonprofit Day, National Black Cat Appreciation Day, National I Love My Feet Day, National Thrift Shop Day and National Vanilla Custard (Ice Cream) Day. The celebratory choice is obvious. The way back machine tells us that on this day in 1590 the Governor of Roanoke Island colony, John White, returned from England to find no trace of the colonists he had left there 3 years earlier. In 1891 on this date, the 1st public bathhouse with showers opened in NYC. This is the date in 1903 that Joe Pulitzer donated $1 million to Columbia University and begins the Pulitzer Prizes. On this day in 1915 a mob lynched Jewish businessman Leo Frank in Cobb County, Georgia, after the death sentence for murder of 13-year-old girl was commuted to life. The public decided that wasn’t a good idea. Finally, on this day in 1936 an unemployed worker, Neils B. Ruud, in Madison, Wisconsin, received the first unemployment benefit check paid. The check was for $15. Today is May West’s birthday (1893). Her quotes are great. I’ll end this post with a few: “Between two evils, I’ll always pick the one I’ve never tried before”. “I consider sex a misdemeanor, the more I miss, de meaner I get”. “If a little is great, and a lot is better, then way too much is just about right!” And “Positive thoughts generate positive feelings and attract positive life experiences. You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” I think it’s safe to say that Mae West squeezed all the enjoyment she could out of each day. Me too. Abide.
