JULY 10th - You Should Still use a Restroom Though



On this day in 1938, Howard Hughes began his flight around the world in a Lockheed 14 Lodestar Monoplane. He would accomplish the feat in 91 hours. I have no idea how difficult this must have been, but it seemed pretty impressive when Leo did it in The Aviator. Thomas Jefferson wouldn’t have cared because we all know he was a rather difficult individual to make an impression on. TJ once saw a man dig a tunnel to China in the same amount of time it took Mr. Hughes to fly around the world. He sat there watching him dig the whole 91 hours and then promptly stood up and told some maintenance men to cover up the hole before someone fell in. Tough cookie that TJ, but at least he cared about public safety. Still among the normal folk, Hughes’ flight was impressive. Though it must be noted that the amount of fortitude, perseverance, and attention to detail that allowed Hughes to plan and risk such a flight were probably the same issues that had him shut in his room with jars of his own urine. Even then he continued to be a powerful influence in America. Ever read about his involvement with Nixon and his whole role in the Watergate Scandal? It’s a lot of speculation and hearsay, but if there’s any truth to it--despite the corruption and greed--it’s almost equally as impressive as flying around the world in 91 hours. Dude was close to buying the country as a total recluse. And that was before the interwebs. I mean now you have shut-ins who live in cyberspace and fancy themselves the purveyors of the truth that the rest of us are caught in The Matrix. But they didn’t fly around the world and date beautiful actresses and build innovative airplanes unless it happened on The Sims or Second Life or some other artificial reality that they scream is more real than the reality that has pulled the wool over our eyes. Do you want the blue pill or the red pill? Most of them also didn’t have mental illness. But obstacles come up. Howard Hughes got around them. Even when his illness took control. I mean he had to run out of jars. I imagine that would be quite debilitating for a jar-urinator. But he found a way to get more jars. Because he got around obstacles. So find your own way to get more jars and overcome your obstacles. You won’t impress TJ, but you might change the world.

This day has been Marked.

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