Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Holidays for Tomorrow

Well, tomorrow's holidays were a learning experience for me. Tomorrow is Ingersoll Day. Now that does not mean that you should search out a friend with the last name of Ingersoll and give them your congratulations. (I knew one...Barbara Ingersoll) Ingersoll Day is named after Colonel Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899), a Civil War veteran, American political leader, and orator. Ingersoll made history in the state of Illinois with his famous speeches on agnosticism, antislavery and women's rights. But here is the part that amazes me. His three hour speeches were memorized, no cue cards, no notes, no script. Now that is what he should be known for!
In addition, it is President's Joke Day. I know that you will want to know about that. You probably think it's about making jokes about the president. Well, that's not it. It is a day to commemorate Ronald Reagan's joke on himself on August 11, 1984. Just before his speech, he was doing voice tests with the microphone. He quipped, thinking the sound system was not on live feed: "My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in 5 minutes." To his dismay, this message went out to the public. Hence, this day is now known as "President Joke Day." Watch our president carefully and see if he makes a joke.
As far as I'm concerned, today was my "Jeanne is a Joke" Day. I went over to my school and when I wanted to leave I could not find my purse. I walked into every place I had been, had all the office staff worried about my purse. Everyone brought every color of purse they could find to me to no avail. Aha! My brilliant mind went into overload. I called my cell phone number on the school phone. It started ringing and I realized the purse must be near me. I turned to the left, no purse. I turned to the right. No purse. I went in circles. No purse. The ringing was driving me bonkers! Finally I found the phone...in my pocket. But still no purse. Eventually I found the purse, but felt like a blooming idiot for a while, going around in circles.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So today will be known as "Find Your Purse Day" from now on???!!!!???

jkraus8464 said...

That could be every day. Find your purse. Find your cell phone. Find your keys.