AUGUST 5th - Achieving Greatness

We’ve talked about Houdini before and determined that he was equipped with some highly questionable life skills. But he made a heck of a living out of them, and this day in 1926 was no exception. Old Harry spent 91 minutes in a 700 pound coffin submerged in the swimming pool of the Hotel Shelton in New York breaking the record for an underwater burial. Now, while I stand by my original sentiment that the ability to stay in an underwater coffin for an hour and a half, probably isn’t as vital as say the ability to balance your checkbook. Although since the information age and the advent of on-line banking the ability to balance your checkbook isn’t exactly a required skill anymore. But it doesn’t hurt. Cause you never know. The faceless person in charge of your debits could have an overactive imagination or just be really bad at decimal points and your math skills may be the only thing standing between you and financial ruin. But when it comes down to it, you have to respect Houdini. Thomas Jefferson wouldn’t, but TJ once saw a Chihuahua impregnate a Great Dane using sheer determination and a step ladder. TJ just smirked and walked on as if seeing such a feat were an everyday occurrence. But you see, Houdini didn’t back down. And that's admirable. The reason he submerged himself underwater in a 700 pound coffin--besides mental issues or the possibility that his mother never held him as a child--was because Egyptian magician Rahman Bey performed the escape earlier that year for an hour. And then he challenged Houdini to duplicate it. And Houdini was all like, “Man, do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for somebody to challenge my underwater burial skills? I thought I was going to go through my whole life without using this skill. Thanks Rahman Bey.” And so Houdini stood his ground and through motivation and determination, he beat that record. Because sometimes all it takes to achieve greatness is a challenge. And the absence of Thomas Jefferson’s critical, impossible-to-impress eyes.

This day has been Marked.

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