February 2, 2024 is here. So am I. Most of the last week I’ve been in the hospital and unable to post. With some luck, I won’t be in that position again anytime soon. Writing this post has given me the tools I’ve needed. I know it isn’t so much what adversity comes your way, it’s how you handle it. Everyone has some bumps in the road. I’m going to focus on today which happens to be Bubble Gum Day, California Kiwi Fruit Day, Crepe Day, Groundhog Day, Heavenly Hash Day, Hedgehog Day, Marmot Day, National Wear Red Day, Self-Renewal Day, Tater Tot Day, Working Naked Day, and Play Your Ukulele Day. Mixing the last two might be fun? Now some history: In 1349 by this date, at least 200 people a day were dying of the Black Death in London. On this day in 1709 a British sailor was rescued after being marooned on a desert island for 5 years. His story inspired “Robinson Crusoe”. On this day in 1848 the 1st ship load of Chinese immigrants arrived in San Franciso. On this same day the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican American War. Mexico lost 55 % of its territory to the US including California, Nevada and Utah in exchange for $15 million. On this day in 1954 Rio Grande College basketball forward B evo Francis scored a NCAA record of 113 points vs. Hillsdale College. This is the day in 1959 that Buddy Holly made his last performance at Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Today’s dead person is Bertrand Russell who was an English mathematician and philosopher who won a Nobel prize and lived 97 years. He said, “If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do.” “To understand the actual world as it is, not as we should wish it to be, is the beginning of wisdom.” “The key to happiness is accepting one unpleasant reality every day.” “I dislike Communism because it is undemocratic, and Capitalism because it favors exploitation.” “The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.” Enough for today. Abide.
