Armistice Day? - 11 November 2020 - Plague Journal Day 244

Micah 6:8
1 Samuel 11:1-3
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?



Today is Veterans Day in these United States. It's a day we stop to thank those who have served our nation in any of the branches of the US military. (I assume that includes the Coast Guard and possibly the Merchant Marine, but I don't know - I should look that up and post an update.)

Originally named Armistice Day, the celebration on November 11 was to commemorate the signing of the armistice which marked the end of World War I - the war to end all wars. (One has to wonder, why did they name it World War I if they thought it was going to end all wars? It sounds as though there was some chicanery afoot!) Of course as it turned out (?!) it really was but a pause in a giant war that continued with slightly altered combatants in what we call World War II. (maybe those were really the halves, as in a football match?) At any rate, at 11:00am on 11 November 2018 ("the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month"), the armistice was signed. There's a "helpful" graphic at the very bottom of this post that "explains" the origins of WWI.

Having changed the name to Veterans Day (probably since that armistice didn't work as advertised), we now celebrate our veterans, so I'd like to thank all the vets out there for their service. I really do admire and appreciate your sacrifices and the work you put in; thank you.
I especially want to thank my Dad, Jack (US Navy) and my son, Christian (US Army), as well as my great-great-grandfather, Ethelbirt Crouse (Indiana Volunteer Infantry, US Civil War). (You can read his memoir of being captured by Confederate Guerrillas in his book for sale here at Amazon.)

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.