It’s January 6th, 2023. I wonder if Congress will make it a holiday someday in the future. Probably not. I have high expectations for today, just like I have for every day. As Marty Robbins said, “Every day is a good day to be alive, whether the sun’s shining or not.” Today is Apple Tree Day, Bean Day, Cuddle Up Day, National Shortbread Day, National Smith Day, National Take a Poet to Lunch Day, National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day, National Technology Day, and World Day for War Orphans. Now some history: On this day in 1494 the first Mass in the New World was celebrated at La Isabela, Hispaniola. On this day in 1639 Virginia ordered that half of its tobacco crop be destroyed because of plunging prices (supply and demand). On this day in 1838 Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail demonstrated their telegraph machine in New Jersey. In 1893 on this day the Great Northern Railway was completed connecting Seattle with the East coast. On this day in 1927 US marines returned to Nicaragua. In 1929 on this day Mother Teresa arrived in Calcutta to begin her work amongst India’s poorest people. On this day in 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt made his ‘4 Freedoms’ speech during his State of the Union address. The 4 were Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Worship in our own way, Freedom from want, and Freedom from fear. In 1968 on this day the Beatles’ album “Magical Mystery Tour” went #1 and stayed there for 8 weeks. Today’s daily dose of dead people’s wisdom comes from President Theodore Roosevelt who said, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.” “This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” I’ll end with “Most of us tiptoe through life in order to make it safely to death.” That’s enough. Do yourself a favor and look up Teddy and read more of his quotes. Interesting guy. Abide.
