We have made it to the end of August, 2023. I’m ready to move into the pre-cool weather hurricane free months. Last night another piece of life’s puzzle fell into place. I learned that humans are negatively biased. In other words, positive events have less impact on a person’s behavior and cognition than negative events which explains why it’s easier to be pissed off and depressed than it is to be happy. “OK” you say, “what can I do about it?” Glad you asked. Amplify the positive events each day and mute the the negative ones. If you want to be happy, then you think happy, act happy, and be happy. End of speech. August 31 is Bacon Day, Eat Outside Day, International Whiskey Day, Love Litigating Lawyers Day, National Matchmaker Day, National Trail Mix Day, Thoughtful Thursday, and We Love Memories Day. That’s a very good list. I think there’s a BLT on my menu today. Now some history: On this day in 1422 Henry VI became King of England at the ripe old age of 9-months. On this day in 1864 the Battle of Jonesboro, GA took place. There were 1,900 casualties. In 1888 on this day the body of Mary Ann Nichols, Jack the Ripper’s first victim, was found in Whitechapel in London’s East End. On this day in 1911 the “Sullivan Act” went into effect requiring New Yorkers to possess a permit for carrying a firearm small enough to be concealed. On this day in 1971 Beatle John Lennon left England and moved to New York City. This is the day in 1994 that the Provisional Irish Republican Army (Sinn Fein) declared a ceasefire in Northern Ireland. In 1997 on this day, Princess Diana died in a car crash in a road tunnel in Paris. She will provide today’s first quote. Princess Diana said, “Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” I’ll wrap up this post with a few quotes from David Frost who said, “Being upbeat is the key to life.” “Love is staying up all night with a sick child, or a healthy adult.” That’s a good place to end. Abide.
