[caption id=“attachment_8440” align=“alignleft” width=“310”]The motte of Fotheringhay Castle where Mary Stuart was imprisoned in 1587[/caption] Queen Elizabeth I signs the death warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots (Feb 1), beheaded a week later (Feb 8), a group of English settlers arrive on Roanoke Island off the coast of North Carolina, in order to re-establish the deserted colony (Jul 22), Toyotomi Hideyoshi becomes the Daijō-daijin in Japan - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

two among the most popular and likable individuals in the entertainment business in the last century - Marilyn Monroe and **Andy Griffith - **were born on the very same day, on June 1st, 1926? She in Los Angeles, California, he in Mount Airy, North Carolina. We all know of her tragic death - however that took place - in Los Angeles in 1962. She had turned 36 that summer. Griffith died 50 summers later at the age of 86, in Manteo, North Carolina. Continue reading

In the year 2010, the tallest man-made structure to date, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, is officially opened (Jan 4), volcanic ash from Mount Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland spreads to northern and western Europe, disrupting air traffic (Apr 14), Greece gets a hefty bailout package from the EU (May 2), Wikileaks leaks to the public thousands of internal U.S. reports (Jul 25), ISS surpasses record for longest human stay in space (Oct 22), Wikileaks releases new classified reports (Nov 28) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_8365” align=“alignright” width=“301”]Vase with Pink Roses, 1890. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington[/caption] This time in Who Said That! a quote from someone who knew how to live an eventful life. He wouldn’t settle for anything mediocre or devoid of authentic feeling, saying that “I WOULD RATHER DIE OF PASSION THAN OF BOREDOM_"_ And who was that? You might think it was someone who dove into passionate relationships with vengeance, not caring about the consequences of a potentially socially totally (or, at the very least, less) acceptable liaison or behavior. Continue reading

To facilitate the knowing, learning and memorizing the 52 U.S. states, each year file of Journeys of Life will now gradually display several links to the page “U.S. State Two Letter Abbreviations” where these state abbreviations are explained. This way they will hopefully become increasingly familiar to our non-American readers. You only need to open one link, and then you may want to keep that page open while reading Journeys of Life. Continue reading

The feeling when you are at the beginning of the runway. The plane has left the gates what may seem like a long time ago, now waiting for the permission for takeoff. The buzz of conversation between the passengers are louder than the engines, for a while. But there is in the air the anticipation of what is to come, and for that some of the passengers get really quiet. Continue reading

Great Britain acknowledges the independence of the United States of America (Feb 3), A Great Jubilee Day, celebrating the end of the American Revolution, is held in Trumbull, Connecticut (May 26), the eruption of Laki in Iceland kills tens of thousands and causes widespread famine in Europe (Jun 8), the Paris Peace Treaty ends formally the American Revolutionary War; with independence secured, this is the beginning of the Old West (Sep 3), the last British troops leave New York City, and George Washington triumphantly returns (Nov 25) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

How many of you are following ABC’s prized television series How to Get Away with Murder? And how many of you have been left with the feeling of wanting for more the second you realize the episode you’re just been watching is ending, what with all those pretty awesome cliffhangers? It’s that good, and continues to hold us under its spell. So here is something for us fans, à la Journeys of Life: the cast of How to Get Away with Murder! Continue reading

Once again, First Names First! Pick one of the names below, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about that person, and see what if anything she could contribute your life with. Inspiration, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something to tell us – let them! This time it is about Courtney/Courteney! Courteney Cox* actress – Birmingham, Alabama USA (1964) Courtney Love* singer/actress/visual artist - San Francisco, CA USA (1964) Courtney Thorne-Smith* actress - San Francisco, CA USA (1967) Updated 3. Continue reading

In the year 1752, the first hospital in the United States opens its doors in Pennsylvania (Feb 10), the British Empire start using the Gregorian calendar, thus Sep 2 becomes Sep 13 (Sep 2), British Canadian colonists in Nova Scotia make a peace treaty with the Mi’kmaq tribe (Nov 22), the first Shakespeare play in America takes place in Williamsburg, Virginia (Dec 5), the first public zoo in the world, Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, is founded - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Streets and Squares goes this time to Boston, the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and known to most of us for its Irish heritage. But its history goes way beyond that. As always, we leave out most people - even if they are well-known - who don’t have direct relation to the city. And along with the eponymous streets, there may be parks, bridges and other noteworthy public places. The address links lead to Google Maps, and the links of people to their Wikipedia pages, if such exist. Continue reading

In the year 1725, Catherine I becomes Empress of Russia on the death of Peter the Great,(Feb 8), the Treaty of Hanover: George I, growing concerned about a potential conflict with Spain, signed the agreement linking France, Prussia, and the Netherlands together in opposition to Spain (Sep 16), Freemasonry starts being established in France as an import from England - and all these fine people were born: 1725-xxxx 1725-xxxx Heikki Heikinpoika Lemvik** father of Mikko Heikinpoika Mustalampi - Lempäälä, Sweden-Finland (1805/79-80) 1725-xxxx Heikki Tuomaanpoika Messo** Finnish farmer/father of Antti Heikinpoika Vaittinen - Viipuri, Russian Empire (1764/34-43) aby 1725-xxxx 1725-xxxx 1725-xxxx John Morton* farmer/surveyor/signer of Declaration of Independence/ Finnish background through Martti Marttinen - Ridley Township, Delaware County, British America (1777/c. Continue reading

When we get older, we tend to appreciate old folks more. Not necessarily because we ourselves are getting older and can easier identify with them, no. But because they may not be there anymore to tell their stories, and we realize what we’ve missed. The missed opportunities to just having them around, and having them tell their stories. About themselves, about our parents, about our family history. Who else is gonna do that but they? Continue reading

This time in Who Said That! a quote from a Jewish writer who shared a harsh past with his people, but emigrated to America before things got really bad in Europe. Remember to s c r o l l down very slowly so you won’t reveal who said that ahead of time! I did not become vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens. And who was it again that said that? Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_7986” align=“alignleft” width=“341”]The Coat of Arms of the Romanov Dynasty[/caption] In the year 1613, the Romanov Dynasty begins in Russia (Mar 3), the first English child is born in Canada (Mar 27), fire destroys London’s famed Globe Theatre (Jun 29), the Algonquian princess Pocahontas is kidnapped by the English in Passapatanzy, Virginia, in order to ransom her for English prisoners - she later marries an Englishman (Apr 13), an agreement between Tokugawa Ieyasu and the East India Company permits English merchants to live and trade in Japan (Oct) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Here’s yet another Latin phrase in our Monthly Latin series. This could easily have an exclamation mark attached to it, and physically speaking both hands on one’s cheeks for extra effect, for it carries a lot of feeling. Have you heard of: O Sancta Simplicitas meaning Oh, Holy Simplicity! The legend is that these were the last words spoken by the Czech theologian Jan Hus as he was being burned at stake during the general council of the Roman Catholic Church in Constance in the year 1415. Continue reading

Another one in First Names First! A chronological list of persons with their first name here. Pick one, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about that person, and see what if anything he or she could contribute your life with. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something to tell us – let them! This time it is all about Connor/Conor! Conor Oberst* singer/songwriter - Omaha, Nebraska USA (1980) Conor McGregor* mixed martial artist – Dublin, Ireland (1988) Conor Sheary* hockey player - Winchester, MA USA (1992) Conor Maynard* singer/songwriter/actor - Brighton, England (1992) Connor Wickham* football player - Hereford, England (1993) Connor Hellebuyck* hockey goalie – Commerce, Michigan USA (1993) Connor McDavid* hockey player – Richmond Hill, Ontario CAN (1997) Updated 10. Continue reading

In the year 1635, the Académie française is constituted (Feb 22), France declares war on Spain (May), the Royal Mail service - established in 1516 - is made available to the public in England (Jul 31), Thomas Parr, dead at the alleged age of 152, is buried in Westminster Abbey (Nov 15), Boston Latin School is founded as the oldest school in the United States, Japan forbids merchants to travel abroad under penalty of law – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1732, Russia and Persia sign a peace treaty - Russia will no longer establish claims over Persian territories (Jan 21), James Oglethorpe is granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia (Jun 9), the Russian geodesist Mikhail Gvozdev makes the first documented crossing of the Bering Strait (Aug), Russia approves the second Kamchatka expedition of Danish-born cartographer Vitus Bering, and the Admiralty orders him to sail east and try to claim uncharted lands in North America (Oct 16), the original Theatre Royal, Covent Garden is opened in London (Dec 7) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

we won’t be detecting - not even with the most powerful telescopes - the new Chinese space probe Chang’e 4 that just landed on the moon? The reason being of course that it landed on the other side of the Moon. The side we never see. And did you know that the video taken with the help of the most powerful telescope does get us surprisingly near this side of the Moon? Continue reading