January 28, 2024 is here. Doing my best to keep a sense of optimism, live in the moment, and be grateful. These are some of the virtues taught by the Stoic philosophers to achieve eudaimonia (a well-lived life). If you want to improve the quality of your life, you might put in some time reading their works and quotes. Today is Child Labor Day, Daisy Day, International Lego Day, National Blueberry Pancake Day, National Kazoo Day, Pop Art Day, Rattlesnake Round UP, and Rubber Ducky Day. Now the history of this day. In 1547 on this day 9-year-old Edward VI succeeded Henry VIII as King of England. On this day in 1855 the first locomotive runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean on the Panama Railway. In 1887 on this day in a snowstorm at Fort Keogh, Montana the world’s largest snowflakes were reported. They were 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. On this day in 1915 President Woodrow Wilson refused to prohibit immigration of illiterates. On this day in 1935 Iceland became the 1st western country to legalize abortion. On this day in 1948 a plane carrying 28 deported Mexican farm workers crashed in the Diablo mountains killing all on board. Woodie Guthrie would write a song “Deportee” about the incident. You can hear it on YouTube. I think I’ll use his quotes for today. Woodie said, “A folksinger’s job is to comfort disturbed people and to disturb comfortable people.” “The words are the important thing. Don’t worry about the tunes.” “If you play more than two chords, you’re showing off.” “If we fix it so’s you can’t make money on war, we’ll all forget what we’re killing folks for.” I’ll wrap it up with this classic: “Was a great high wall there that tried to stop me. Was a great big sign there said private Property but on the back side it didn’t say nothing. That side was made for you and me.” Abide
