This stretch of time/space is designated as February 4, 2022. I will learn something today that I didn’t know yesterday. A new fact, an undiscovered (for me) historical event, a scientific experiment that shows (fill in the blank). I will know more at the end of this day then I do this morning. I didn’t say “smarter”. I’ll just know more stuff. In fact, the more I know, the more I realize what I don’t know. Moving on. Today is National Hemp Day, Homemade Soup Day, National Quacker Day, National Stuffed Mushroom Day, National Wear Red Day, Bubble Gum Day and Rosa Parks Day. Now to the history part of this post: On this day in 1194, England paid a $100,000 ransom for Richard 1, King of England. I tried to find out how much money that would be today, but the inflation calculators don’t go back that far. On this day in 1794 that the French National Convention (think French Revolution) abolished slavery. In 1797 on this day an earthquake in Quito, Ecuador killed 41,000. In 1824 J W Goodrich introduced rubber galoshes to the public. On this day in 1938, Hitler takes control of the German Army and puts Nazis in key positions. Finally, this is the day in 1957 when the electric typewriter was first sold. On this day in 1987 the psychologist Carl Rogers drew his last breath at the age of 85. Here are some of his observations: “The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.” “The only person who cannot be helped is that person who blames others.” I’ll end this post with a quote from Neal Cassady who died in 1968. He was a leader of the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Neal said, “Sometimes I sits and thinks. Other time I sits and drinks, but mostly I just sits.” Abide.
