August 10th is here. Yesterday was a good day and I’m anticipating that today will be too. One of the things I’ve recently discovered is that our brains constantly attempt to predict the future (“The Experience Machine” by Andy Clark). That means that if I expect to have a good day, my mind will seek out evidence of a good day. That explains a lot about the human condition. Moving on: Today is Duran Duran Appreciation Day, National Lazy Day, National S’mores Day, National Spoil Your Dog Day, Smithsonian Day, and World Lion Day.   On this day in 991 the Battle of Maldon took place when the English confronted a raiding party of Vikings in Essex. The English were defeated. On this day in 1776 word of the United States Declaration of Independence reached London. On this day in 1921 Missouri was admitted as the 24th state. On this day in 1827, race riots happened in Cincinnati resulting in 1,000 blacks leaving the US and going to Canada. On this day in 1835d a mob of whites used oxen to pull a black school out of Canaan, New Hampshire and into a nearby swamp. IN 1846 on this day the US Congress passed legislation establishing the Smithsonian Institution. On this day in 1960 Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” premiered in Los Angeles. This day in 1970 began Jim Morrison’s trial for “lewd and lascivious behavior” in Miami, Florida. It’s a bad day for dead people quotes so I’m going to plan B which is quotes about “thinking”. Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Zig Ziglar said, “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” Marcus Aurelius said, “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” Henry Ford said, “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.” Barry Switzer said, “Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.” Last one by Havey Mackay who said, “Positive thinking is more than just a tagline. It changes the way we behave.” Abide.