Yaaay!
Because I am an ignorant American citizen who is about as knowledgeable with history as I am quantum physics, I have no idea what Memorial Day is for. Usually, I celebrate it as "get paid to not work" day - but not this year, because I haven't a job.
Nope. Not this year. No getting paid to sleep in and have a pick-a-nick. It's pretty much like every other day, except it's a really insignificant one this time around. Instead of free money, I get free nothing. Big deal! I get free nothing every other day, too. Not to mention more stores are open every other day. I feel like I'm going through what the Jewish folk experience on Christmas Day.
I decided to investigate the true meaning of Memorial Day so's I could appreciate it for what it truly is seeing that I can't appreciate it for the usual reasons.
I discovered that Memorial Day was initiated by the cavemen back in the prehistoric age. Every time around this time of the year, they'd cage a Brontosaurus up and starve it for a few days. They'd poke and prod and it and get it really pissed off, and then once Monday came around, they'd let it loose and run like hell to their caves so they could safely watch the angry dinosaur wreak havoc on their town. Prisoners were left shackled to a post in plain view of the 'saurus and usually they were the first thing to go.
After the dinosaur had its way with the town and ran off, the citizens would gather together and rebuild. They saw this as a skin-shedding renewing process of sorts and did this every May.
With that in mind, I'm leaving for a few days, so will take this moment now to tell you all to have a safe holiday weekend. And don't be afraid to share this history lesson with the kids over some potato salad on Monday; I think it's good that they know.
