February 5th, 2023. I expect a better than average day. All my days are good but today my expectations are higher. I plan to make the effort to achieve that outcome. Half the battle is knowing how to filter out negative thoughts. It takes practice but once you can do it, life gets better and better. Today is Bubble Gum Day, California Western Monarch Day, Disaster Day, Give Kids a Smile Day, National Chocolate Fondue Day, National Shower with a Friend Day (sounds like fun!), National Wear Red Day, World Nutella Day and one of my favorites, (drum roll)… National Fart Day!!! Wouldn’t it be fun to ignore convention and proper etiquette and just let um rip wherever and whenever they come? We’d laugh and laugh. It would be so much fun. I know, mind of a child. Moving on: On this day in 1428 King Alfonso V ordered Sicily’s Jews to attend conversion sermons. On this day in 1597 a group of early Japanese Christians, known as the 26 Martyrs, were killed because the government viewed them as a threat to Japanese society. On this day in 1817 the 1st US gas company was incorporated. It provided Baltimore with coal gas for streetlights. On this day in 1850 adding machine with depressible keys patented. A good day for accountants. On this day in 1870 the 1st motion picture was shown to a theater audience in Philadelphia. On this day in 1904 American occupation of Cuba ended. On this day in 1922 Reader’s Digest was first published. On this day in 1973 the funeral for LC William Nolde was held. He was the last US soldier killed in Viet Nam. Today we will hear from the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement. He said “do not fight the darkness let the light in and the darkness will disappear.” “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.” “We have an infinite number of reasons to be happy, and a serious responsibility not to be serious.” Last one: “People are influenced by what we are what we radiate. This has greater appeal than what we say.” Enough for today. Abide.