February 21, 2019
Dearest Readers,

Some interesting tidbits in The Almanac, as On This Date spend some time with the Carolina parakeet and we go to the moon with the Soviets, and Top of the Charts has the #1 hits from this date in 1976.

Philosophy 101 talks about aiming high and straining nerves.

Good wishes for a good day.
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1918 – The last Carolina parakeet dies, in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo. One of only two parrots ever native to the United States, the other being the thick-billed parrot, which now flourishes in Mexico., the Carolina parakeet was done in by deforestation and hunting for its colorful feathers, though it didn’t help the bird had a tendency to flock to where others of their ilk had or were dying, allowing it to be slaughtered in large numbers.

In 1972 – The Soviet Union reaches the moon for the sixth time when the unmanned Luna 20 lands. It collects samples from the lunar surface, the second of three Luna missions to return samples to Earth, the last one being Luna 24 in 1976. The Soviet space program had its accomplishments. They were the first to put a spacecraft and a human into space, the first to reach the moon (1959) and another planet (Venus), but they were never able to pull off a manned lunar landing. Only America has done that.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1976:
Hot 100 – 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover…Paul Simon (3rd of three weeks)
Soul Chart – Sweet Thing…Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1st of two weeks)
Country Chart – Good Hearted Woman…Waylon and Willie (1st of three weeks)
Album Chart – Desire…Bob Dylan (3rd of five weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,653: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
22.028: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
628: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
…his life seemed to prove that the valorous were the favorites of fortune. He was simply inviting the Convention to do what he had done repeatedly – to aim as high as possible and to strain every nerve to attain the goal.
John C Miller
Alexander Hamilton: Portrait in Paradox

Fortune favoring the brave is an old military saying and its true for us civilians, too: those that get on this world are those who try to accomplish things, who realize success and failure are mere imposters and neither exists without the other and make the complete utilization of their talents their life’s work.

We must aim as high as possible and strain every nerve to attain our goal. If we are not doing that we are merely marking time while on this planet and are not doing anyone – you, me, your aunt in Leadville – and good. Now, circumstantially, these goals will differ from person to person: we were all issued assorted talents and ambitions at birth. Intrinsically, however, there is only one goal: making our time serve us by living the life we were meant to live. The way we do that is by living in harmony with what our hearts are telling us to do and how our instincts are telling us how to get there because our hearts and our instincts will never fail to show us where we were meant to go. When we are doing that, the life we were meant to live will present itself.

John C Miller is an American writer. 

February 20, 2019
Dearest Readers,

The end of Prohibition and John Glenn are featured in On This Date and Top of the Charts as the top songs and album from this date in 1965. Philosophy 101 uses a quote from J.C. Watts to talk about the American dream.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a reasonably good day.

xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1933 – Realizing it didn’t really stop anyone who wanted to from having a drink or three or four, the United States Congress approves the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, known as the Blaine Act, which would repeal the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of booze in the US. The 21st Amendment was ratified by the several states in December. 

In 1962 – John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth, piloting the Mercury-Atlas spacecraft known as Friendship 7. Glenn spent a little less than five mostly uncomfortable hours in space and orbited the earth three times before splashing down in the North Atlantic Ocean. Friendship 7 is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington.  Glenn would not return to space until a space shuttle mission in 1998, when he was 77.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1965:
Hot 100 – This Diamond Ring…Gary Lewis and the Playboys (1st of two weeks)
Soul Chart – My Girl…The Temptations (4th of six weeks)
Country Chart – I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail…Buck Owen (1st of five weeks)
Album Chart – Beatles ’65…The Beatles (7th of nine weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,652: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
22.027: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
629: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
The American dream is not about money. It is about using your abilities and being the best you can be.
J.C. Watts
Republican National Convention
August 13, 1996

It’s easy to get caught up in money’s lure. Every day we are inundated with ways to make and spend money. People on TV are rich and we are led to believe that the accumulation of wealth is the only element to a good and successful life.

In reality, though, the dreams we American’s dream are not different than the dreams anyone anywhere dreams: we want to pass a happy life. We want to be free to live our lives as we see fit. Of course, some financial stability is nice because too little money causes problems just like too much money causes problems, but those who make the wholesale accumulation of wealth the primary objective of their life usually are not all that happy because money cannot buy one necessity of the soul.

Using our abilities and being the best we can be is not only a dream but an obligation: an obligation to ourselves and to others to make our time serve us by getting the most out of the talents we were issued at birth. When we do this, when we cultivate our talents with diligence and courage, we ensure we are being the most use to ourselves and everyone else. We ensure we are living the life we are meant to live, life’s great prize.

J.C. Watts was a United States Representative from Oklahoma’s 4th District from 1999-2003. He initially gained notoriety as the quarterback for the University of Oklahoma football team. 

February 19, 2019
Dearest Readers,

Welcome aboard. We’re glad you made it. 

Today we chronicle our fellow beings in The Almanac, which visits 1913 and 1942 while Top of the Charts is hovering over 1972 and Philosophy 101 is based on a quote from Minnesota Fats talking about the greatness in each of us.

xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE ALMANAC
On This Date:
In  1913 – Pedro Lascurain is the president of Mexico for less than an hour. He had woken up that morning as foreign secretary but assumed the presidency when President Francisco Madero was overthrown by General Victoriano Huerta. Huerta then directed Lascurain to appoint him interior secretary and then resign so Huerta could become president. Lascurain, no fool, followed orders. It remains the shortest presidency in history. 

In 1942 – In another instance of racial enlightenment here in America, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs executive order 9066 allowing the military to set up internment camps throughout the country. Offically known as military zones, Japanese, Germans, Italians and some Jews were held. Most were Japanese, though, and about two-thirds of the Japanese interred – roughly 70,000 – were American citizens. Executive Order 9066 would be symbolically rescinded by President Ford on this date in 1976.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1972:
Hot 100 – Without You…Nilsson (1st of four weeks)
Soul Chart – Let’s Stay Together…Al Green (7th of nine weeks)
Country Chart – It’s Four in the Morning…Faron Young (1st of two weeks)
Album Chart – American Pie…Don McLean (5th of seven weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,651: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
22.024: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
630: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
Every living creature on this earth can do something great.
Minnesota Fats

We all have greatness inside. You, me, your aunt in Leadville. Every single one of us. It is of no particular consequence what you are great at, either. All that matters is it stems from something deep inside you. It may not gain you notoriety or make you rich or cause you to live down the ages or, then again, it might. It doesn’t really matter.

Whether it’s a work of art that future generations will be talking about or your very best quilt that takes top prize at the fair or a solo in the church choir that is the culmination of years of training and practice, if you are answering to something deep inside, it will be uniquely you.

Greatness is there for everyone. It isn’t easy, of course. It takes wisdom to know what you can be great at and what would merely waste your time. It is why I wrote this and am not out training for the high jump. Then it takes courage to go out and get the most out of the talents you were issued birth. And it takes patience to achieve the desired end.

But greatness is there for everyone. All we have to do is follow our hearts and trust our instincts and it will find us. We won’t have to search for it.

Minnesota Fats, born Rudolph Wonderone (1913-1996) was an American pool hustler. 

February 18, 2019
Dearest readers, greetings. We’re happy you’re here.

Today on The Almanac we visit 1885 and 1977, plus Top of the Charts checks in on 1984 and Philosophy 101 offers a quote from Einstein about the need to make changes. 

Thank you for visiting and have a good day,
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1885 – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published. Written by Mark Twain and a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the book takes place on the Mississippi River in pre-Civil War America. Despite its anti-racist tenor, the book has long been criticized as for its use of disparaging language and racial stereotypes. Don’t let this bother you. It’s how people lived and talked back then and Huckleberry Finn remains one of the great books in American letters.

In 1977 – The space shuttle Enterprise takes to the air for the first time, flying on the back of a 747 jet. Known as a captive flight, it was unmanned and gave NASA the chance to see how assorted systems performed while in the air. Enterprise would fly on its own in August, being released from its carrier and landing under astronaut control and the first space shuttle mission, flown by Columbia, would launch in 1981. Today, America cannot send anyone into space anymore, our astronauts obliged to hitch a ride with the Russians.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1984:
Hot 100 – Karma Chameleon…Culture Club (3rd of three weeks)
Soul Chart – If Only You Knew…Patti LaBelle (4th of four weeks)
Country Chart – Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown…Ricky Skaggs (only week)
Album Chart – Thriller…Michael Jackson (29th of 37 non-consecutive weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,650: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
22.023: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
631: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
Albert Einstein

One of the hardest things for us to do is change. Since it is one of the toughest things for us to do it is also one of the most beneficial. This is true both collectively as a society and as individuals. It is not easy to change our attitudes and circumstances.

Now, we don’t want to change simply for the sake of changing. But we all get into ruts, times when our life is not exactly what it should be, times when we intuitively feel a half-step off with what we should be doing with our lives. These ruts could last anywhere from a few minutes to a few months to a few decades. We should listen to this intuition. It is our instincts telling us we are not taking the path we should be taking.

When these ruts happen, what to do? The best thing to do this is to look inside ourselves? Are we listening to what our heart is telling us to do? Are we paying attention to the instincts that are telling us how to get there? When we are in a rut, when our lives feel a half-step off, we probably aren’t.

Following our hearts and trusting our instincts never fails to get us out of these ruts because when we follow our hearts and trust our instincts what is meant to happen in our lives always does. Without fail.

When we cannot be afraid to make changes to our lives when required. We must not be afraid of a life of good physical, emotional and spiritual health. There will come a time when we are going to examine our life, possibly when our time comes to die, and we are going to ask ourselves if we did well or if we squandered our time on this planet.

Following our hearts and trusting our instincts ensure the answer to this question is we did well. Old thinking gets old resutls. New thinking changes lives.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born, naturalized-American scientist. 

February 17, 2019
Dearest readers, thank you for visiting today. 

We apologize for not producing this feature the past few days. We were getting some quality work in on our novel Katy and Markie: All the Things. Now, we are committed to Morning Coffee, however, nothing takes precedence over a novel. It has to be that way: if a novelist is not completely consumed by their latest project they are not writing, they are typing,

Have a good day,
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1964 – The United States Supreme Court rules that Congressional districts have roughly the same population. The case was Wesberry v Sanders and began in Georgia when one James Wesberry sued because his Congressional district had two to three times the people of other districts in the state. The case had been dismissed at the district level. The number of people in each district is based on the census and currently each of the 435 congressional districts should represent 711,000 people.

In 1974 – Army Private First Class Robert Preston lands a stolen helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House. About 2am, Preston had stolen an army helicopter from Fort Meade, Maryland and had actually hovered for a few minutes before landing near the West Wing and then taking off again. At the time, neither President Nixon nor his wife Pat were in the White House, and Preston would serve a year in prison, including a couple of months at hard labor, before being discharged. Preston had recently washed out of helicopter training and was anxious to show the army his skills.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1962:
Hot 100 – Duke of Earl…Gene Chandler (1st of three weeks)
Soul Chart – Duke of Earl…Gene Chandler (1st of five weeks)
Country Chart – Walk On By…Leroy Van Dyke (11th of 13 weeks)
Album Chart (Mono) – Blue Hawaii…Elvis Presley (10th of 20 weeks)
Album Chart (Stereo) – Breakfast at Tiffany’s Soundtrack…Henry Mancini (2nd of 12 non-consecutive weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,649: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
22.022: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
632: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
Progress, once started, is endless…We proceed because we must.
Gore Vidal
Empire

Progress is an interesting animal because almost by definition anything can be progress: merely waking up in the morning means we have progressed from one day to the next and we don’t even have to get out of bed to claim this progress, either. Most progress, however, takes work. Advancement at work takes education and furthering skill. A lasting, happy marriage needs progress and progressing in the life we were meant to live takes work, too. Progress is not inevitable. Merely marking off another of the long procession of days doesn’t mean we’ve advanced; it merely means we’ve survived.

True progress, the type of progress that is measurable, is not accomplished by accident: you will not climb Mount Everest while wandering around the Gobi Desert. You must have a plan to climb Mount Everest and the courage to execute that plan and the patience to put up with the inevitable reverses that attend any great effort.

Our individual lives are no different. We must have a plan to scale the mountains we have set before us. This involves looking inside to see what our hearts are calling us to do and to go and try to climb those mountains. When we climb our mountains with diligence and courage we will find ourselves living the life we were meant to live, life’s great prize.

Gore Vidal (1925-2012) was an American writer. 

February 13, 2019
Dearest readers, thank you for visiting today. 

Today, The Almanac’s chronicle of mankind visits Galileo and a North Korean assassination, Top of the Charts looks at the top songs from this date in 1982 and Gore Vidal provides the anchor for today’s Philosophy 101 lesson.

Have a good day,
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1633 – Galileo, an Italian astronomer – among other things – arrives in Rome for his trial before the Roman Inquisition, which was sponsored by the Catholic Church. Galileo was tried for promulgating assorted theories that had the nerve to contradict Catholic Church doctrines, such as the earth and other planets revolving around the Sun. Galileo was found guilty by the Inquisition and sentenced to prison, which was later changed to house arrest, in which he remained until his death in 1642 at age 77.

In 2017 – Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, is murdered in Malaysia when two North Korean agents apply a nerve agent to his face. Jong-nam had been traveling under the alias Kim Chol, a name he also used on Facebook and for email, which made it pretty easy for North Korean agents to find him. His backpack held $100,000 in US currency and four North Korean passports under the Chol name.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1982:
Hot 100 – Centerfold…J. Geils Band (2nd of six weeks)
Soul Chart – Call Me…Skyy (2nd of two weeks)
Country Chart – Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight…Eddie Rabbit (only week)
Album Chart – Freeze Frame…J. Geils Band (2nd of four weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,645: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
22.009: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
636: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
If you follow a straight road, who will follow a crooked one?
Gore Vidal
Creation

Creation is a historical novel and today’s quote is attributed to Confucious, one of several historical figures who appear in this wonderful, profound book. It comes from a sequence when Confucious is holding court with followers on the topic of leadership, Confucius making the point that a leader who follows a straight path will compel followers to do the same.

History has shown, however, people will follow leaders regardless of the path they take. Two good examples of this come from World War II: Adolf Hitler and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Hitler got large numbers of people to follow him despite being as evil a person as our species has produced. FDR brilliantly read the mood of the country and equally brilliantly marshaled America’s resources into the production juggernaut that won World War II. He may well have been the only person who could have done so.

This principle applies to us mortals, too, because even if we are not sentenced to live down the ages we can hold sway over others, too, simply by living the life we were meant to live. Having the wisdom to know the life we are meant to live, the courage to go and live that life and patience to see it through to the very end will provide a splendid example for everyone who crosses our path.

Gore Vidal (1925-2012) was an American writer. 

February 12, 2019
Good morning dearest readers.

Today The Daily Almanac visits England in 1554 and Washington, D.C. in 1999 while Top of the Charts is from 1983 and Philosopy 101 is anchored by a quote from Benjamin Franklin about putting our abilities to work for us.

Many thanks for stopping by, and have a good day.
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE DAILY ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1554 – Lady Jane Grey, all of 17, is beheaded after being convicted of treason. A year earlier Jane had reigned as queen of England for nine days following the death of Edward VI and was succeeded by Mary I. Jane was buried at a nearby chapel though no stone was erected at her grave.

In 1999 – President of the United States Bill Clinton is acquitted in his trial by the United States Senate. Previously, the House of Representatives had issued one article of impeachment against Clinton for perjury and another for obstruction of justice, both stemming from his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was the second president to be tried by the Senate. In 1868 Andrew Johnson was acquitted on eleven articles of impeachment.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1983:
Hot 100 – Down Under…Men at Work (4th of four non-consecutive weeks)
Soul Chart – Billie Jean…Michael Jackson (1st of nine weeks)
Country Chart – Till I Gain Control Again…Crystal Gayle (only week)
Album Chart – Business as Usual…Men at Work (14th of 15 weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,644: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
21.972: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
637: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, if he first forms a good plan, and makes the execution of that same plan his sole study and business.
Benjamin Franklin
Autobiography

One of the myths of our human experience is that you need an awful lot of talent to succeed at something. Sure, you must have a knack for what you are doing, but if you are listening to your heart as it tells you where to go this will never be a problem, because our hearts will never show us a path that goes against our grain.

Yours truly is a good example of this. You are reading Morning Coffee w/ Kaitlyn because writing is what we have a knack for. We are not out training to run sprints in the Olympics because we have neither a knack for nor an interest in sprinting in the Olympics.

Some resiliency helps and, as we discussed yesterday, you must have confidence in yourself. Those that get on in this world genuinely believe that success is, was, there for the taking. All they had to do was pursue it with diligence and courage.

It’s the same with us. The wisdom to know what we are about, some courage to go and live the life we were meant to live and the patience – and no small measure of it – to see our paths through to the very end, and the success we want will be there for the taking, too.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) was, among other things, an American statesman, inventor and diplomat. 

February 11, 2019
Good morning dearest readers.

Thank you for tolerating our few days off. Writing is an interesting activity. It is not physically taxing, but every now and the mind needs a rest, too.

It’s good to be back, though. Today the Almanac visits two events in the 1990s and Top of the Charts is from 1978. Philosophy 101 has some drivel about believing in yourself.

Many thanks for stopping by, and have a good day.
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

THE DAILY ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from a South African prison, after 27 years of captivity for having the nerve to protest racist conditions in his country.  Mandela earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was president of South Africa from 1994-99. He died in 2013 and his full name was Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, with the middle name meaning ‘troublemaker’ in Xhosa.

In 1999 – Pluto – after 20 years inside of Neptune’s orbit – crosses the orbit of Neptune and once again becomes the farthest planet from the sun. The planets are not in any danger of colliding, however, as they travel on different planes and will never be in the same place at the same time. Pluto will again duck inside Neptune’s orbit in 2227.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1978:
Hot 100 – Stayin’ Alive…The Bee Gees (2nd of four weeks)
Soul Chart – Theme from Which Way is Up…Stargard (2nd of two weeks)
Country Chart – I Just Wish You Were Someone I Love…Larry Gatlin (only week)
Album Chart – Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack…Various Artists (4th of 24 weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,643: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
21.971: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
638: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
…never think that you are not good enough yourself…My belief is that in life people will take you very much at your own reckoning.
Anthony Trollope

There is no substitute for confidence: you must believe you have what it takes. It doesn’t matter the endeavor, either. It could be a tryout for the church choir or making a quilt for the county fair next summer or preparing for the Olympic Trials. Sometimes the difference between champion and runner-up is the champions deep-seated believe in himself. Nobody – and nobody means no one – will believe in you as much you do. Your mother and a good spouse will try but, really, no one believes in you as you do.

Now, we must confuse confidence with cockiness. The former is earned, born deep inside and forged in the fire of experience. The latter is mere conceit, born of arrogance and forged in ignorance and does neither you or me any good.

People will take us often how we take ourselves. How many times have you drawn conclusions about someone based on how they conducted or presented themselves? Probably a lot. Perhaps it was an opponent or someone you were interviewing for a job, how they projected themselves gave you a first impression, one that was probably pretty accurate. It’s the same for us. If we’re confident, if we look the part, if we exude energy and purpose people will sense that. If we’re slouched, or unenthusiastic or otherwise giving the impression of not being interested or caring, people will sense that, too.

Those that get on in this life put themselves in a position to succeed, and a big part of being in a position to succeed is believing you will succeed.

Anthony Trollope (1815-82) was an English writer. 

February 6, 2019
Good morning dearest readers. Many thanks for stopping by today. 

In the Almanac, the first Sunday is recorded and Elizabeth II takes charge, we visit 1971 for Top of the Charts while a quote from Don Quixote provides the text for today’s Philosophy 101 lesson.

THE DAILY ALMANAC
On This Date:
In AD 60 – This is the earliest date for which a day of the week is known. Some graffiti on a wall in Pompei, Italy gives the day of the week for February 6, 60 as a Sunday, though in modern reckoning it would have been a Wednesday. 

In 1952 – Princess Elizabeth becomes queen of England, immediately upon the death of her father, King George VI. Elizabeth is in Kenya, in a tree house, of all places, at the immediate moment of succession. She would be 0fficially crowned on June 2, 1953, and Elizabeth II still reigns, with today being the 24,473rd day of her reign.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1971:
Hot 100 – Knock Three Times…Dawn (3rd of three weeks)
Soul Chart – (Do The) Push and Pull…Rufus Thomas (1st of two weeks)
Country Chart – Joshua…Dolly Parton (only week)
Album Chart – All Things Must Pass…George Harrison (6th of seven weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,638: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
21.966: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
643: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished.
Miguel de Cervantes
Don Quixote

We cannot control every aspect of our lives. We can dream and plan and scheme, but there are an awful lot of us on this planet and we are all leading more or less random lives and those who attempt to micromanage their own lives as well as manipulate others often find matters do not work out like they had hoped. However, those who surrender to what their hearts tell them to do, regardless of what that may be, and have the patience to see it through to the end, are generally those who are enjoying lives well spent.

Leaving matters to fortune is simultaneously difficult and easy. It’s difficult because it involves shedding the safety of the familiar and the roles others may have assigned us. On the other hand, it’s easy because all there is to do is follow our hearts, which tell us where to go and trust our instincts, which tell us how to get there.

Fortune has the life we want waiting for us for only the price of the wisdom to recognize our talents, the courage to get the most out of them and the patience to see our journey through to the very end. When we do this, when we shed outside influences and live from the inside out, we allow Fortune to take us where we were meant to go.

Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) was a Spanish writer. The word ‘quixotic’ has worked its way into the worldwide lexicon, meaning something that is foolishly impractical or exceedingly idealistic.

Many thanks for reading, and have a good day.
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn

February 5, 2019
Good morning friends. We are glad you made it today. 

On tap for you, we have the Almanac spotlighting the end of History’s longest war, Top of the Charts is from 1966 and Philosophy 101 talks about accepting responsibility for our lives.

THE DAILY ALMANAC
On This Date:
In 1971 – Apollo 14 lands on the moon, man’s third visit to the lunar surface. Commanded by Alan Shepard and also manned by Edgar Mitchell and Stuart Roosa, it was the first Apollo mission following Apollo 13’s aborted lunar mission and had been delayed four months. Shepard and Mitchell spent nine-and-a-half hours walking on the moon and Apollo 14 is mainly remembered for Shepard hitting a couple of golf balls and for being the last crew to be quarantined after returning to Earth.

In 1985 – The Third Punic War officially comes to an end when the mayors of Carthage and Rome meet in Tunis. The war was conducted over three years a century-and-a-half before Christ and ended with a Roman victory over Carthage. A peace treaty, however, was never signed, Rome merely took possession of and rebuilt Carthage and at 2,1,31 years the Third Punic War remains the longest war in history.

Top of the Charts
#1 songs on this date in 1966:
Hot 100 – My Love…Petula Clark (1st of two weeks)
Soul Chart – Uptight (Everything’s Alright)…Stevie Wonder (3rd of five weeks)
Country Chart – Giddyup Go…Red Sovine (5th of six weeks)
Album Chart – Rubber Soul…The Beatles (5th of six weeks)
– Chart data courtesy of Billboard.

Numbers Racket
10,637: the continuous number of days the US has been at war.
21.965: the number of dollars, in trillions, of America’s national debt. – Source: usdebtclock.org
644: days until Election Day 2020.

Philosophy 101
Neither age nor size makes a man…It is the willingness to accept responsibility.
Louis L’Amour
The Lonesome Gods

The Lonesome Gods is mainly about alpha males doing alpha male things so it would follow the reference in the quote is for a man. We forgive Mr L’Amour for this, though because few provide the insights into our human experience that he does and L’Amour, one of our more thoughtful if not most technically brilliant writers, can be excused for singling out men.

Today’s quote applies to everyone: male, female, young, old, everyone. Those that get on in this world all accept responsibility, the responsibility for making your time on this planet serve you, instead of merely marking time or serving a sentence.

It is not always easy to do this because this usually involves going against society’s grain. It is very easy to settle for the road most traveled: it’s a well-trod path with few bumps and fewer successes or failures. However little of what we want in this life can be found on a well-worn path. We must blaze our own path in this world.

We must know what we are about and then we must have the courage to toss society aside to go live the life we were meant to live.  We cannot merely pass the years breathing everybody else’s air. We must accept the responsibility for making the most out of the time we spend on this planet. When we do that life’s great prize, living the life we were meant to live, awaits.

Louis L’Amour (1908-88) was an American writer. 

Many thanks for reading, and have a good day.
xoxoxo
Kaitlyn