It's My Birthday

Today is the day I was born.  April 10, 1961 at around four in the morning.  My Mum doesn't remember.  She was asleep.  The miracle of birth was not lost on me when I had my two children.  When I held my first child, I remember feeling under pressure to pick the "right" name.  Nothing too fru fru.  No, it had to be strong.  Afterall, she might grow up and run a company some time and "Bunny" would be an odd name for a CEO to carry.  "Hi, I'm Bunny so and so...what's the bottom line Harry."  Plus I was very aware that I had no great story to tell about how I was named.  Well, my middle name is in tribute to my lovely Aunty Grace who has now passed, so that was nice.

No, my parents tossed around Jacqueline...very nice...but they felt Jacqueline would be too popular because of Jackie Kennedy.  Truth be told I never had a Jacqueline in any school class...ever.  So, as the due date loomed, Mum and Dad were watching a fuzzy television show...The Danny Thomas Show.  And there you have it.  I was named after the character "Linda." It is not a noble name.  It is a boring name and from my research,  only one love song has been written about a "Linda" and it's in French.  What good is that?  I can barely speak French.

When I was about 11 years old, I wrote in my diary that I would have preferred to be called "Serenity Jane." In fact, I wrote that should I ever have a daughter, that would be her name.  Luckily for Caitlin I had forgotten about it at the time of her birth, due to the drugs I think.  It was a toss up between Annabelle, Paige or Caitlin.  I think she's happy with our choice.  So, no exciting story about my name.

However, my birth date does reveal some interesting events.  For example:

• On April 10, 1912 the Titanic set sail.  It was a short trip.  Hmm.  For those of you who know me this was indeed an omen even though it happened 49 years before my birth. 
• Adolph Eichmann was tried as a war ciminal in Israel on my birthday.
• On April 10, 1998 negotiators from various factions signed the Good Friday Agreement, a plan for peace in Northern Ireland.  That was good since I am a pacifist, conflicted as I am as I eat my steak.
• Wayne Gretzky scores NHL record 93rd playoff goal.  Of course he did, he's the great one!
• In 1989 H.J. Heinz, Van Camp Seafood and Bumble Bee Seafood said they would not buy tuna caught in nets that also trap dolphins.  That was good. I like dolphins. 
• On April 10, 1986 Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistant, in retrospect probably not the best idea.
• On April 10, 1955 Dr. Jonas Salk successfully tests the Polio vaccine.  Pretty impressive.
• On April 10 1945 Allies liberate the 1st Nazi concentration camp, Buchenwald, Czechosolvakia.  On the same day, Canadian troops conquer Deventer.  Wow!
• On April 10, 1877 the first human cannonball act was performed in London...a defining moment in this important sporting event.

Some notable people died on April 10.  They include:

• Sam Kinnison, 1992...the most annoying moronic comic ever to terrorize an audience....a preacher no less.
• Evelyn Waugh, the English Author who wrote "Brideshead Revisited" a strange tale of love, sex pretense and people with nothing much to do.  He died in 1966. Loved that book!  I aspired to that life of priviledge however, I ended up being born into a working class suburb with no castles, men with ascots or houses with wall to wall libraries.  We had a Legion.
• Wilma Flintstone aka Jean Vander Pyl died on my birthday in 1999.  She also did the voice of Pebbles.  I loved Pebbles.  I had a Flintstones lunch box too.  My favourite episode was when Ann Margrock came to town to do a show.  Great singer that Ann Margrock. "I aint gonna be your fool no more...cried and cried until my eyes were sore."  LOVED HER!
• Charles Patton died in 1970.  George C Scott played him in a movie.  It was pretty good.
• Stuart Sutcliffe (former Beatles bassist) died in April 10, 1962.  Sad one, that is.
• And finally, Louis II, (the stutterer), King of France from 877 - 79 died. How does a guy with a speach impediment speak to his people? Oh.  Perhaps that was the point.  He didn't.

So, there you have it.  Great moments in history on my birthday, April 10, 1961.  It could have been worse.  I could have been born on the day the Titanic sank...now that would have been troubling!

Linda Grace