Who celebrates Memorial Day?
We've long forgotten what we were supposed to memorialize, dividing up the duty between the more ideological Independence day and the more recognizably named Veteran's day. So on this special day that few celebrate but even fewer have to work on, I've decided to reinvent Memorial Day. Here's my idea:
We'll eat food from recipies we haven't googled, and have fun activities from yesteryear like Concentration and Husker Du. What's more, we'll call up our friends to join us--dailing their actual numbers instead of using voice activation and speed presets.
Orators' rhetoric will be the fireworks of the day; prompters and cue cards will have the day off, and festivals will be held showcasing speakers of all age groups reciting memorized passages of years gone by. Far from the lectern will the speech-reading presenter be banished. Prizes will be awarded for those who can recognize past presidents by face (not just the scandalous ones).
When you think about it, there's really something ironic about celebrating how little we bother remembering things on a holiday now most associated with the opening of public swimming pools. Perhaps, it might also give us pause to reflect one what society really gains--or loses--when we relieve ourselves of mental burden.
Memorial Day: The day we celebrate remembering things.
We'll eat food from recipies we haven't googled, and have fun activities from yesteryear like Concentration and Husker Du. What's more, we'll call up our friends to join us--dailing their actual numbers instead of using voice activation and speed presets.
Orators' rhetoric will be the fireworks of the day; prompters and cue cards will have the day off, and festivals will be held showcasing speakers of all age groups reciting memorized passages of years gone by. Far from the lectern will the speech-reading presenter be banished. Prizes will be awarded for those who can recognize past presidents by face (not just the scandalous ones).
When you think about it, there's really something ironic about celebrating how little we bother remembering things on a holiday now most associated with the opening of public swimming pools. Perhaps, it might also give us pause to reflect one what society really gains--or loses--when we relieve ourselves of mental burden.