2023 has begun. Spaceship Earth will travel approximately 584 million miles of time/space this year. For 56 million of us, this is the year that we die. Another 140 million will be born. That’s the big picture. In my tiny bubble of reality, in the words of Joe Walsh, “Life’s been good to me so far.” I hope to continue my winning streak in 2023. We have a long list of events today. January 1, 2023 is New Year’s Day, National Hangover Day, Apple Gifting Day, Commitment Day, Ellis Island Day, Global Family Day, National Bloody Mary Day, Polar Bear Swim Day, Public Domain Day, and World Day of Peace. Now some history: On this day in 177 Commodus, son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius becomes consul at age 15, the youngest ever in Roman history. As you may recall, Commodus became Emperor and ended up being strangled in his bath. On this day in 404 the last gladiator competition was held in Rome. In 630 on this day the prophet Muhammad set out with an army of 10,000 to conquer Mecca. On this day in 1430 the Jews of Sicily were no longer required to attend conversionist services. In 1673 regular mail delivery began between NYC and Boston. On this day in 1775 the 1st traveler’s checks go on sale in London. They can be used in 90 European cities. On this day the Mutiny of 1781 took place when 1,500 soldiers of the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment rebelled against the Continental Army’s winter camp in Morristown, NJ. They wanted better housing and higher pay. The mutiny only lasted 8 days, no one was killed, no one was charged with treason. In 1788 on this day the Quakers in Pennsylvania emancipated their slaves. On this day in 1804 Haiti gained independence from France making it the only state ever founded by former slaves. In 1863 on this day Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves in the confederate states. Today’s dead person is the song writer and singer Townes Van Zandt. He wrote ‘Poncho and Lefty’ which is one of my favorites. He said, “Well, I was born a rambler friends, and I intend to die that way. It could be twenty years from now, it could be most any day. But if there ain’t no whiskey and women behind those heavenly doors, I’m going to take my chances down below and of that you can be sure.” That’s enough. Abide.
