This day in history (and right now)

The Hero has been very busy lately, getting ready to begin a new position at work and registering for what we fervently hope will be his last graduate class. However, this week a far more important issue has been weighing on him, one of potentially lasting consequence: deciding what he would like to do for his birthday.

While he thinks about this, let's take a look at some other important occurrences on the day of his birth, which is today. He shares his birthday with several outstanding citizens, including quite a few beauty pageant winners. Given the universal desire of contestants to work for world peace, we wonder if Feb. 4 should be declared Work for World Peace Day (and Win the Title While You're at It).

Many pivotal events in history also occurred on this date, such as Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin meeting at Yalta in 1945, and Bill Gates getting a pie thrown in his face in Belgium in 1998. (It is only a coincidence that the Hero is Belgian, and that he would heartily support a pie in the face for this individual.)

I suggested to him that if he couldn't come up with specific plans, he could let me make the plans. "That's what you did for my birthday last year," I said. "We went to Lowe's."

"But only after we went to Starbucks and out for dinner," he pointed out.

The Hero later expressed concerned that he had heard nothing about potential birthday gifts, and had not observed anything of a gift-wrapping or cake-making nature. "You haven't asked me what I want or talked about it or anything," he said.

"Maybe I just know what you want," I said.

Or, maybe I have been too busy Working for World Peace. Or, maybe I just haven't been to the store yet to get it.