March 3, 2013: Florida from east to west.

Today is Sunday and I am so glad. It is also an “ordinary” Sunday, which makes it even better. An ordinary Sunday is one where we get up at 8 AM, Sunday school at 10 AM, Church at 11 AM, Chinese Buffet at 1 PM and everyone is happy. There is just something nice about everything being as it should be.

In 1845, Florida becomes the 27^th state to join the Union. John Tyler, on his last day as president, signed the act granting statehood. Remember inauguration was in March at that time, not January. God bless, John Tyler, or Spanish might have been the official language in Florida, not just seeming that way some times. Since Florida became a state, Walt’s parents were married there, and eventually Walt returned to begin the great project that would become Walt Disney World. We love Florida; we love the hard-packed beach at Daytona that you can drive on. We love St. Augustine with all that history under its belt. We love Clearwater, Tampa, Saint Pete and all the white sand at Fort DeSoto State Park. Visit Walt Disney World but don’t miss out on everything else Florida has to offer.

From the east coast...

...to the west coast

Today is, If Pets Had Thumbs Day. Animals don’t have opposable thumbs, they can’t give you a thumbs up, they can’t hold their own corn dog, they can’t even give you an okay sign but if they did have thumbs then caring for them would have a whole new level of difficulty. Think about cartoon animals, they may only have four digits (what’s up with that?) but one of them is a thumb. Thumbs and anthropomorphism just kind of seem to go together. Wander the world and notice how many of the animal characters you meet have thumbs. Stop and give them a high four… just go with me on this.

Mickey has thumbs (2004).

On this date in 1931, “The Star Spangled Banner was adopted as America’s national anthem. The lyrics come from a poem that Francis Scott Key wrote while watching a siege on Fort McHenry during the war of 1812. If you’re in the mood for patriotic music, there is no finer place than the foyer of the American Adventure, and no finer performers than the Voices of Liberty. The foyer is a specially designed dome, angled in such a way that it guides the voices to the audience who, for the most part, sit on the floor for the performance. I go, I listen and I cry. Many of you will as well.

Today is National I Want You To Be Happy Day. Why do you think I write this blog? I want you to be happy. Be happy.

Remember, your best excuse is always: waiting for your dreams to come true.