123 123

News has it that today is the day to get hitched if you’re into the marriage kind of thing. Why today? Well, it’s December 31st, 2023 and the last day of the year. Need something more? It’s 12/31/23… Still not there? It’s 123123 - 123 123. Apparently some folks with romance on their minds find that series of numbers auspicious. Granted that series of 123123 won’t happen again for another hundred years and the last time it occurred was in 1923. For the guys out there who have trouble remembering their anniversary date I guess it is auspicious as it probably doesn’t get any easier to remember than 123 123. If you forget that maybe you really shouldn’t be tying the knot tomorrow after all.

‘23 will soon be in the history books and some might say good riddance. There’s certainly some fond memories (especially if you scored tickets to see Ms. Swift’s concerts) but like most years there was a fair share of the bad to balance out the good.  After all this is Human history we’re talking about. What say we take a quick look back at some of what’s happened in good ole’ ‘23… See if you can tell which ones really happened:

On January 2nd Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin collapses on the field after making a tackle and needed to be resuscitated. After a remarkable recovery he would return to the football field in November.*

Mary Katharine Campbell is crowned Miss America.*

Ke Huy Quan wins the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in “Everything Everywhere All At Once”.*

The first report on the Teapot Dome Scandal is published by the U.S. Senate.

In March the first former President to have ever been charged with a crime is indicted by a New York Grand Jury.*

The self-winding watch is patented and the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio is founded.^

The bloodiest war between Israel and Hamas begins.*

16 people die on the second day of the Beer Hall Putsch.^

The first Presidential address is broadcast on the radio in the U.S.^

Barbie becomes the highest grossing film of the year.*

Nepal gains independence.*

The “Fate of Frankenstein”, based on the 1818 Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein opens at the Royal Opera House at Coventry Garden. The author of the novel attends the only performance based on her work that she will ever see.

Hugh Glass is mauled by a grizzly and has to crawl 200 miles for help.

Bruce Willis is diagnosed with dementia and Rosalynn Carter dies after receiving a dementia diagnosis earlier in the year.*

Simon Bolivar is named President of Peru.

Southern California beats Penn State in the Rose Bowl 14-3.^

January sees the first penalty-free game played in the NHL.^

Time Magazine publishes its first issue.^

Time Magazine names Taylor Swift its Person of the Year.*

A great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, the closest between 1226 and 2874, occurs on July 16th.

So a lot has happened in ‘23. You may have picked up that not all of the above happened last year, but in fact they all did happen in '23... just not in 2023. Those with an * happened in the year just past. Those with an ^ indicates events from one hundred years ago: 1923. And if you knew Simon Bolivar, Hugh Glass and Mary Shelley hearken back to 1823 then you’re a true history buff. With your good memory, and you’re single, you might just want to take that marriage leap on 123123. For the rest of us, as the old adage goes, “the more things change…” 

Happy New Year!

Ho, Ho, Hum…

As 2023 draws to its inevitable, and at times interminable, close we’re starting to see the usual end of year lists. Time just announced that Taylor (do we even need to use her last name anymore? Hasn’t she reached or surpassed the levels of other single moniker divas such as Cher and Madonna?) as Person of the Year. If you’re not in the know about all things Taylor I’d recommend you read the excellent article. I’d be last in line to say that what Ms. Swift accomplished with her Eras Tour and subsequent movie wasn’t incredible but her naming is as much a commentary on the lack of standout nominees this year as it is a recognition that Taylor, at the end of the day an entertainer, was the most deserving of most important person of 2023. Just look at the list of folks (or groups) she was up against: the Hollywood Strikers, Xi Xinping, Sam Altman, the Trump Prosecutors, Barbie, Vladimir Putin, King Charles III, and Jerome Powell. Ho, Ho, Hum. Admit it - reading the list you probably had to stop and think to yourself - why was this person or group even in the news this year? Either the fleeting half-life of the news cycle or the ho-hum nature of most of this list is what swiftly moves Taylor to the top of this increasingly less-than relevant award.

Did you see Taylor’s movie? I did. It was outstanding. I saw the movie because, perhaps as you already guessed, no one would confuse me for a Swiftie, and I was not going to spend $254 for a hard stadium seat that I probably wouldn’t have spent much time actually sitting in. Heck, even at the movie showing folks were hard pressed to remain seated. Instead, singing and dancing in the aisles between the very comfortable and perfectly adequate stadium seating, thank you very much, was the order of the day. 

I haven’t seen Beyoncé’s Renaissance film yet only because it just showed up a couple of days ago at my local theatre and I generally wait for the opening week crowds to subside before enjoying the sounds of popcorn crunching and beverage slurping in Surround Sound. From all accounts Renaissance is also excellent and all the hullabaloo as to which film is better, Taylor’s or Beyoncé’s, is in the words of a much esteemed poet, ‘much ado about nothing’. Said poet it much be noted, would very much have qualified for the Times award if Time had been publishing circa 1589 to 1613. 

At the opposite extreme of Time’s list of the famous and infamous is the sad recounting of who the world lost in the last year. 2023’s losses were anything but ho-hum. Way too long to list here but I’ll mention just a few: Sandra Day O’Connor, Henry Kissinger, Rosalynne Carter, Matthew Perry, Norman Lear, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, and for those with the ability to dance or at least an appreciation of those that can, Len Goodman. Can Barbie or AI (Artificial Intelligence aka Sam Altman) compete?

Granted, we’re only a couple of years removed from the pandemic which for many of us will be remembered as perhaps the most ho-hum period of our lives. Too many of our recent years look best in the rear view mirror as they rapidly disappear from memory. 

Our politicians promise, as they always do, better times ahead and even that jaded promise seems ho-hum given the condition of the world today. I watched the Republican Debate the other evening (I think it was just me and one other guy in Boise and I think he slept through most of it). The ‘Hollywood Strikers’ who made the Times list would have been hard pressed to have come up with anything remotely close to the political farce that was on display.

My wife and I, both getting into our ‘Golden Years’ (whatever that means), both agree that it is perhaps time for a younger generation to try their hand at running a very complex and difficult world. Not that we believe that a newer generation necessarily has any better answers than any preceding generation did. If that was the case the world’s problems would have been solved long, long ago (remember the ‘Greatest Generation’?). Still, if what was on display was any indication of what the 'next' generation is offering it's no surprise that the winner of the debate, at least according to the pundits, was the one person who most should have been on stage but was conspicuous by their very absence. Ho-hum. 

Speaking of entertainment, we were in downtown Littleton a couple of days ago perusing the retail Holiday offerings and had a chance to meet Mr. Claus sitting in his updated sleigh. We also chanced upon some Carolers who treated us to a rousing rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. They raised the bar from ho-hum to Ho! Ho! Ho! at least for this jolly old elf (me). The Carolers will be making the rounds in downtown Littleton every Saturday and Sunday in December between noon and 3 if you're in the mood for this kind of Holiday cheer. I love Christmas Carols so I'll leave you with a short video of one of my favorites - Silent Night sung by Sinead O'Connor who also sadly left us in 2023. Hopefully in 2024 there will be less of the ho, ho-hum and more of the Ho! Ho! Ho!

Until then, Happy Holidays!