July 12, 2012 – Smriti "Simmi" D. Isaac

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Simmi D. Isaac — 4 Comments

Mid-July Blues: From Six Years Ago, but Still No Different!

This post was first published in my private blog on this date six years ago. I take great pleasure in re-publishing it today even as I savor the bitter-sweet memories of yesteryear as well as the fresh hopes of today.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Mid-July Blues

So you’re well into summer and you work hard at squeezing out the most out of each day of the week and of course the weekend too, but then it hits you– you’re on your way down the hill as far as the season is concerned. Memorial Day has come and gone, you’ve bought that new grill, fired it up more than once, finished up another school year, celebrated birthdays in June, marked the summer solstice on June 22nd, even took a week off in early July to club it in with the Fourth of July, took a trip up to Canada, and here we are still going at it when you open the newspaper and all the flyers fall out… and wouldn’t you know it– the “Back to School” sales are on again!

Now, what can be more confirming about the summer fast slipping away than those flyers? It’s in black and white now, no mistaking it. We’re going downhill for sure; another six weeks or so and that’s it, folks!

So make the most of it, won’t you? Spend time with those you love, tell them that you love them, and overlook the hurt and heartache that comes naturally from existing. Breathe deep, and be grateful for the gift of life because each breath is a gift. You never know when you might be the next victim of the next 9/11 (in NYC) or the 7/7 (in London) or the 7/11 (in Mumbai).

Yes, the summer’s slipping away, but that’s okay, no? Let’s face each day with the hope that we’ll get another one to ruminate about the last! Here’s hoping your summer will be a memorable one!

Posted on July 12, 2012January 19, 2013 by Simmi D. Isaac — Leave a comment

Updated July 11, 2012, 2:28 pm

On July 12, 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter F. Mondale named New York Congresswoman Geraldine A. Ferraro his running mate, making her the first woman to run on a major party ticket.

Go to article »

On July 12, 1865, George Washington Carver, the African-American scientist whose discoveries helped to improve agriculture in the South, was born. Following his death on Jan. 5, 1943, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

100 B.C. Julius Caesar was born in Rome.

1543 England’s King Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.

1690 Protestant forces led by William of Orange defeated the Roman Catholic army of James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.

1862 Congress authorized the Medal of Honor.

1895 Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II was born in New York City.

1908 Comedian Milton Berle was born Mendel Berlinger in New York City.

1972 George McGovern won the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s convention in Miami Beach.

2001 Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant tortured in a New York City police station, agreed to an $8.7 million settlement.

2005 Prince Albert II of Monaco acceded to the throne.

2006 Hezbollah guerrillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border raid; Israel sent ground troops into Lebanon in response.

2010 Roman Polanski was declared a free man, no longer confined to house arrest in his Alpine villa, after Swiss authorities rejected a U.S. request for the Oscar-winning director’s extradition because of a 32-year-old sex conviction.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor-comedian Bill Cosby turns 75 years old today.

AP Photo/Richard Drew

Actress Michelle Rodriguez (“Avatar,” “Lost”) turns 34 years old today.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

1934 Van Cliburn, Pianist, turns 78

1943 Christine McVie, Rock singer, musician (Fleetwood Mac), turns 69

1948 Walter Egan, Singer, turns 64

1948 Richard Simmons, Fitness guru, turns 64

1948 Jay Thomas, Actor, turns 64

1951 Brian Grazer, Producer, turns 61

1951 Cheryl Ladd, Actress (“Charlie’s Angels”), turns 61

1956 Mel Harris, Actress, turns 56

1969 Lisa Nicole Carson, Actress (“Ally McBeal”), turns 43

1971 Kristi Yamaguchi, Figure skater, turns 41

1976 Anna Friel, Actress, turns 36

1978 Topher Grace, Actor (“That 70’s Show”), turns 34

1991 Erik Per Sullivan, Actor (“Malcom in the Middle”), turns 21

Historic Birthdays

George Washington Carver ?/1864 – 1/5/1943 African-American scientist.Go to obituary »

55 Julius Caesar 7/12/c100 BC – 3/15/44BC
Roman imperial general and statesman

44 Henry David Thoreau 7/12/1817 – 5/6/1862
American essayist, poet and philosopher

74 Eugene Boudin 7/12/1824 – 8/8/1898
French landscape painter

73 Benjamin Altman 7/12/1840 – 10/7/1913
American merchant; founded B. Altman department store chain

77 George Eastman 7/12/1854 – 3/14/1932
American manufacturer; founded Eastman Kodak Company

58 Frederick Birkenhead 7/12/1872 – 9/30/1930
English lord chancellor (1919-22)

35 Amedeo Modigliani 7/12/1884 – 1/24/1920
Italian painter and sculptor

67 Kirsten Flagstad 7/12/1895 – 12/7/1962
Norwegian soprano

88 Buckminster Fuller 7/12/1895 – 7/1/1983
American engineer and architect

65 Oscar Hammerstein ll 7/12/1895 – 8/23/1960
American lyricist and producer of musical theater

69 Pablo Neruda 7/12/1904 – 9/23/1973
Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet (1971) and politician

100 B.C.	Julius Caesar was born in Rome.
1543	England’s King Henry VIII married his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.
1690	Protestant forces led by William of Orange defeated the Roman Catholic army of James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.
1862	Congress authorized the Medal of Honor.
1895	Broadway lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II was born in New York City.
1908	Comedian Milton Berle was born Mendel Berlinger in New York City.
1972	George McGovern won the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s convention in Miami Beach.
2001	Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant tortured in a New York City police station, agreed to an $8.7 million settlement.
2005	Prince Albert II of Monaco acceded to the throne.
2006	Hezbollah guerrillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border raid; Israel sent ground troops into Lebanon in response.
2010	Roman Polanski was declared a free man, no longer confined to house arrest in his Alpine villa, after Swiss authorities rejected a U.S. request for the Oscar-winning director’s extradition because of a 32-year-old sex conviction.

1934	Van Cliburn, Pianist, turns 78
1943	Christine McVie, Rock singer, musician (Fleetwood Mac), turns 69
1948	Walter Egan, Singer, turns 64
1948	Richard Simmons, Fitness guru, turns 64
1948	Jay Thomas, Actor, turns 64
1951	Brian Grazer, Producer, turns 61
1951	Cheryl Ladd, Actress (“Charlie’s Angels”), turns 61
1956	Mel Harris, Actress, turns 56
1969	Lisa Nicole Carson, Actress (“Ally McBeal”), turns 43
1971	Kristi Yamaguchi, Figure skater, turns 41
1976	Anna Friel, Actress, turns 36
1978	Topher Grace, Actor (“That 70’s Show”), turns 34
1991	Erik Per Sullivan, Actor (“Malcom in the Middle”), turns 21

55	Julius Caesar 7/12/c100 BC – 3/15/44BC Roman imperial general and statesman
44	Henry David Thoreau 7/12/1817 – 5/6/1862 American essayist, poet and philosopher
74	Eugene Boudin 7/12/1824 – 8/8/1898 French landscape painter
73	Benjamin Altman 7/12/1840 – 10/7/1913 American merchant; founded B. Altman department store chain
77	George Eastman 7/12/1854 – 3/14/1932 American manufacturer; founded Eastman Kodak Company
58	Frederick Birkenhead 7/12/1872 – 9/30/1930 English lord chancellor (1919-22)
35	Amedeo Modigliani 7/12/1884 – 1/24/1920 Italian painter and sculptor
67	Kirsten Flagstad 7/12/1895 – 12/7/1962 Norwegian soprano
88	Buckminster Fuller 7/12/1895 – 7/1/1983 American engineer and architect
65	Oscar Hammerstein ll 7/12/1895 – 8/23/1960 American lyricist and producer of musical theater
69	Pablo Neruda 7/12/1904 – 9/23/1973 Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet (1971) and politician