DayStrider: Tales from a Time Traveler

Sep 25th: Money Talks & Courage Walks

• Truman Pastworthy • Episode 18

Share episode

Did you know that courage and resilience is what makes September 25th special? Courage to go where none has gone before and resilience to do so repeatedly when others want you to just . . . go away. This day in the past has it all.  

  • 500 years ago today in Panama, an amazing discovery took place!
  • 70 years ago today in Little Rock, the craziest first day of school ever will shock you!
  • Today is One Hit Wonder Day - hear about some of the most fun songs whose artists came and went, but their songs stood the test of time.

If it's a special day for you or for someone you care about, why not learn a little more about today by listening to some fun, engaging tales of the past.  You’ll find yourself a little smarter and have some great stories you can tell at the next tailgate function you attend!  If you need some great gift ideas, we have those too (along with links to where you can find them on Amazon).

Learn more about today’s events here (these links worked in mid-2024 - not sure how long the links will be available):

Gift ideas for folks who celebrate September 25th:

  • There’s books and decor featuring Vasco Balboa - but wouldn’t it be really cool to actually have some Balboa coins? 
  • See the crazy pictures of the mob taunting the Little Rock 9 in these books and wall art - it may not be for every type of “collector” or loved one(s).
  • Everyone’s version of the One Hit Wonder is different - there are dozens of different collections available.
  • Similarly, there are fun gift options to celebrate today’s holidays: Lobster Day and Quesadilla Day.  

Text me your favorite time travel movie!!!


~~~ DayStrider Fun ~~~


Do you want to be mentioned here in the podcast? Or do you want me to do a shout-out for a loved one? All you need to do is send me an e-mail: daystriderstories@gmail.com


Better yet, you can record your own shout-out by leaving me a voice message using this SpeakPipe link


Do you have a story that you wish to share? Join me as a guest and let’s tell the world together! Once again, just send me an e-mail or find me here on Facebook: Truman Pastworthy


If you had as much fun listening as I did creating this episode, please click "follow" in your favorite podcast platform . . . oh . . . and even better - why not share it with a friend (or three)! I’m betting you know just the perfect person who would enjoy today’s stories!


If you feel adventurous, how 'bout writing a great review? :-)



Truman:

Welcome, seeker. Did you know that courage and resilience is what makes September 25th a special day? Whether you're exploring new possibilities or trying to change the mindset of a group of people, this is the day for you. As always, your portal is all warmed up and ready to stride through history with me. Our journey will first take us back 500 years to a time when the Spanish conquistadors were doing what they did best, We'll hear about an amazing discovery that happened on this exact day. After that, we'll catch the school bus to Central High in the mid-1950s and hear about the craziest first day of school ever. Your mind will be blown. And then, we'll need to find a good place to listen as we pump up the volume and celebrate One Hit Wonder Day with some goodies from each decade. We'll return you to your normal self with a bit more knowledge and some great stories to share with others. After striding through September 25th, you'll have a whole new appreciation for how taking chances and staying the course can change the future entirely. Time's a ticking, so let's get to it.

Music:

Music

Truman:

Welcome, seekers, to the enchanting world of Daystrider, the podcast where we embark on a daily journey through history. I'm your travel guide, Truman Pastworthy, and together we'll explore some fascinating stories that happened on this exact day, but from some time in the past. From groundbreaking inventions to remarkable birthdays and extraordinary events to quirky national holidays, we've got it all. So kick back, relax, and open your mind for some lighthearted stories that'll leave you saying, huh, I never knew that happened on this day. Alrighty then, let's get to it. What would you do if your new business was struggling? You changed careers to try to start this business, but it's not working out. And not only that, you are up to your eyeballs in debt. And you know your creditors are coming to get you. And they're the kneecap-busting types. So what would you do in this situation? Would you run? Would you hide? Would you try to simply vanish into thin air? How about this? Would you have your most trusted team member stuff you into a barrel and help you get loaded onto a cargo ship? placed down in the smelly hold so that you could sail away from your island and evade those dastardly creditors? Would you try that? Well, what if I told you that a famous explorer did exactly that, escaping death in this bold and daring way? More on him after we take a quick trip to Panama City, Panama. Have you heard of it? Well, surely you've heard of the Panama Canal, right? This is the water bridge that allows ships to pass from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Yeah, and on the Pacific Ocean side of that canal is the port of Balboa, situated in lovely Panama City. Now, this 500-year-old city is the largest in the country. Over half the population of Panama lives there. The city's financial district runs along Balboa Avenue, and the national currency there is the Balboa.

Music:

Hmm.

Truman:

Are you starting to pick up what I'm putting down here for you? If not, perhaps I should point out the amazing statue of Vasco Nunez de Balboa that's situated perfectly in Balboa Park to overlook the sea. Hopefully, you don't need me to send you to the Balboa Academy to realize that apparently this hero had some significance in Panama. Wait a second. Is this Balboa character the one who fled his creditors by hiding in a barrel? Yep, the one and only. In fact, his time spent in this area of the world is going to sound a lot like the plot of a 21st century movie when I get done telling you about it. So anyway, Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a charismatic and bold adventurer who was able to win the hearts of the rough and tumble Spaniards that were trying to settle the New World. and he even won the trust of many of the natives whose ancestors had lived in that area for centuries. He was much more successful as a conquistador than he was a pig farmer, which was what he was doing when he racked up all that debt and had to stuff himself into a barrel to save his life. Let's get back to that barrel. After emerging, Balboa faced a new problem. The captain wasn't thrilled to have a stowaway on board. In fact, he condemned Balboa to walk the plank. Arr! Actually, the punishment was abandonment on a deserted island, but whatever. So with his back against the wall, Balboa did what he did best. He smooth-talked his way into the captain's favor and managed to stay aboard. Balboa knew his way around these waters better than most, and the captain decided to keep him around. A lucky break right there. Eventually, they found a spot on the Atlantic Ocean side of what is now the country of Panama, and they wanted to get a colony established so they could help win the favor of King Ferdinand back in Spain and expand the empire. So one day, Balboa was arguing with his team over how to divide some of the spoils they had just pillaged from the natives, and some pushing and shoving ensued. And a native watching this tussle walked up and knocked over the scale they were using, spilling gold everywhere. Everyone stopped and stared at this man. What? What did you just do? And he told them that it was silly to fight over that soft yellow metal. He said there was so much of it over on the other great sea that they used it for drinking cups and eating utensils. Yep, they had gold everywhere. Silverware. I guess you'd call that goldware, right? Is this true? Balboa had the native questioned by another translator just to be sure. Was there a place with so much gold? Well, you can imagine how irresistible this must have been. The conquistador mindset took over, and now a trek was needed. And mind you, this was going to be a challenging three-week expedition. No Europeans had traveled very far inland in this area of the world. Really? Why not? It's been 20 years already since Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Well, picture this about the unforgiving Panamanian rainforests. Dense and teeming with venomous snakes, the treetops hid lurking jaguars. Brutal heat and humidity that made every breath feel like a battle. The terrain contained treacherous rivers, towering mountains, and tribes who were rumored to be cannibals. No maps, no guarantees. Do you think any of that would deter Balboa? Not for a second. With gold on his mind and adrenaline in his veins, he was up for the challenge. He began rounding up men and finally, in September 1513, he had just about 200 of the best he could find. And they headed south with supplies for a month. Now you're probably thinking, they headed west, right? Because doesn't the Panama Canal run from east to west? No. It actually runs north to south. How about that? Okay, so we're finally ready for the whole reason we're even talking about Vasco Balboa in the first place. Any guesses before I keep going? There have been a few hints along the way. While you noodle that, I'll tell you about September 25, 1513. Balboa and his men were trudging along through the jungles and over mountains, and on this day in history, the native guiding the expedition stopped and pointed to the next mountain ahead. He said from the top of that mountain, one could observe the great sea spreading out in all directions. So they got to climbing, and as they approached the peak, Balboa stopped the group. He alone wanted to be the first Spaniard to witness this great sea. So he left his men behind and climbed the last few rocky steps. With his heart pounding and sweat dripping down his face, Balboa reached the peak, and the landscape unfolded before him like something out of a dream. Below him the thick forest stretched on for miles and there on the horizon, shimmering like a jewel in the sunlight, the vast expanse of endless water. Balboa fell to his knees, arms raised, because in that moment he became the first European to lay eyes on the great South Sea. This day would go down in history. Now, they didn't know it at the time, but this was actually the Pacific Ocean. And yes, plenty of other Europeans had come to this huge ocean from the other direction by land and by sea. But Balboa and his peers didn't know that. Now, as I said, this sea was way off in the distance, and so it took several more days of difficult travel. By the time they finally reached the shores of the South Sea, Balboa's once-proud group of 200 men dwindled to just 67. Two-thirds of his men were lost, claimed by the jungle, disease, and battles with natives. Wow. That's crazy, right? So what did Vasco do once he arrived at the beaches of this great South Sea? Or Pacific Ocean? Here in his next movie scene, he strolled out into the water, knee-deep, his sword held high. He then stabbed it into the sand beneath and proclaimed this great sea and all the land that it touched... Yeah, how about that? Spain just annexed North and South America, along with Russia, China, Japan, Australia, and all the islands in between. That's quite a haul for the conquistador. Woo-hoo! And guess what? It worked. Good old King Ferdinand, he was very pleased with Balboa, who was now on the top of his game at 38 years old and receiving all kinds of promotions and the glory of the king. And of course, this made the other conquistadors jealous, right? And like many tragedies made for television, our hero was betrayed by his peers and eventually put on trial for the bogus charge of attempting to create his own government on the South Sea that was separate from Spain. And he was sadly executed for this false treason. And just like that, the man who discovered the Pacific Ocean met a tragic end. Balboa lived a life of daring escapes and bold conquests while expanding the Spanish influence in the New World. And though his life ended in betrayal, his legacy lives on. His likeness on the currency and his name honored as the port leading to the Great South Sea. While its waters will forever sparkle... beneath the Panamanian sun. Roses are red and gold sublime. Leaving a review would be truly prime. Can't think of the words, but you have the ambition? Type, this pod's a treasure, a true expedition. Before we dive into this next story, a quick heads up. It truly is the craziest first day of school ever. because it involves struggles with civil rights. Now, if you've got some young ears day striding along with you right now, you may get some challenging questions that could lead to some very tricky conversations. So now's your chance to skip ahead and listen to the last segment. All right, now that that's out of the way, let's get to it. Now, actually, before we get to it, we need to stride back to your high school government class. Oh, I know. I know. Don't worry. It'll be quick. Three sentences tops, I promise. Sentence number one. America's got checks and balances. Each branch of government keeps the others in line. Number two. Those three branches are the lawmakers, the law interpreters, and the law enforcers, spreading out the power. Finally, number three. States handle their own business unless the feds have to step in and help. Boom. That's it. We're done. See? That wasn't so bad, was it? All right. Now we can make our way to Little Rock, Arkansas in the early 1950s. And that headache I just gave you, it'll fade away. You're good. So at this time in history, in this area of the country, segregation was a thing. Actually, it was a pretty big thing. Segregation basically means that everything was separated. And pretty much everything was separate. There were separate restaurants, separate bathrooms in public places, and yes, separate schools. So wait a second, what are we separating here? We're separating people based on the color of their skin. So those with white-colored skin could go to certain restaurants and use certain bathrooms, while people who didn't have white-colored skin were required to use other separate bathrooms and were only allowed to dine at other separate restaurants. Now look, I'm not here to argue what's right or what's wrong. I'm not here to support people of any particular skin color. Now, you can find other podcasts that do that, but not this one. Here, we're sticking to the facts. And one fact is, many people with all different colors of skin were speaking out against this segregation. Folks like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were trying their darndest to peacefully change the way society thought and behaved when it came to skin color. And in the mid-1950s, an organization called the NAACP was working hard to legally end segregation. And in 1954, Thurgood Marshall declared success when the Supreme Court determined that segregation was illegal. Perhaps you remember the phrase, separate but equal is inherently unequal? If you don't, the short story is, the judicial branch interpreted the law and said, no more segregation. Time to stop, guys. But... It's one thing to say that and a whole other different thing to actually make it happen. And for a while, segregation was still going on. So does this mean that the executive branch would need to step in? Well, let's see how that plays out. So let's try the Little Rock. For three whole years after the court's decision, the Arkansas chapter of the NAACP fought to desegregate the schools in court battle after court battle. And it wasn't until the summer of 1957 that they were finally able to successfully enroll black students to attend Central High School that upcoming fall. Yay! But now what? Who are going to be the exact students who are going to go to this school? They needed to find just the right black students. Huh? Wait a second, I thought you said you weren't going to be biased here. Well, I gotcha. Keep listening. They didn't just need students who lived in the right school district and students who got good grades. They needed kids who were mentally tough enough to face the emotional battle of a lifetime. So imagine... Being 14 or 15 or even 16 years old and knowing that your walk to school would put you on the world stage. Every step you took would make history. Can you imagine the courage needed to do that? Facing a thousand people who didn't want you to be in that building even though the law said you had the right to be there? Yeah, they ended up selecting nine students to take on this daunting challenge. Nine young people. Now, when you were that age, what was happening in your world? Do you think you were mentally capable to take on the challenge of being an example to the whole world for whatever cause it is you would have supported at that time? And would you have done so in the face of extreme resistance? Probably not me. I had good grades and a decent attendance, but I'm not sure I was the type to make a stand for something this big.

Music:

I...

Truman:

I just don't know. Now, some of you may be thinking, aren't you hyping this a little too much, Truman? Heaping too much significance on this going to school thing? Yeah, okay, keep listening. So we're up to September 2nd now, two days before Central High opens, and the governor, Orval Faubus, yes, that's his name, Orval Faubus, He was the governor of Arkansas. He interrupted the I Love Lucy telecast on Labor Day to explain that he's received reports of caravans of white supremacists making their way to Little Rock to prevent desegregation. Oh boy. So to keep the peace, he's decided to dispatch the Arkansas National Guard. And he specifically said that the Guard would not act as segregationist or integrationist, They were there to prevent bloodshed. They were there to be neutral. Okay. All right. Now, September 3rd, the next day, the guard shows up and prepares for the first day of school the following day. And there are protesters everywhere. And the news media also begins arriving to prepare their cameras and sharpen their pencils for tomorrow's first day of school. It's going to be big. All right, here we are. September 4th rolls around, and our nine friends are making their way to school together in a group surrounded by black and white ministers and pastors. But none of them are able to even get close to the school. Picture this. You're 15, walking up to your high school, surrounded by hundreds of angry people yelling at you and chanting, 2, 4, 6, 8, we don't want to integrate. It's crazy. The air is thick with hostility. And the guard, who's supposed to be keeping order, they just stand there and block your way. Total chaos, like I'm saying. And you're just a kid trying to go to school and you can't get in. Yep. And they weren't able to get in that day. So they went home. And then the media went crazy. And images were broadcast and published all around the world. This was what going viral looked like in the 1950s. These nine students became forever known as the Little Rock Nine. And in the following days, court battles raged. The governor, Fabas, he claimed that he had the right to use the guard to keep the peace, and he went further to say that the people of Arkansas wanted to keep segregation, and that the federal government couldn't stop them. Now I'm not going to drag you through all the muck of these different levels of government, but you can go look it all up. It's pretty crazy. And over the next couple of weeks, The battle raged in the courts of law and in the courts of public opinion. Everywhere in America and around the world, people were reading about this and reflecting on civil rights. And actually, in other parts of the world, pressure was mounting on President Eisenhower. How can he promote freedom and justice all around the world, but he can't even do that within his own country?

Music:

Hmm.

Truman:

Eventually, Faubus and Eisenhower had a private meeting. And after that, plus a few more court orders, Faubus finally recalled the National Guard. Now this means that the Little Rock police force was in charge of keeping the peace. Hmm. So now it's September 23rd. And the plan on this day was the police were going to surround the nine students and sneak them into the side door of the school. And guess what? They made it in. Yay, time for class, right? Well, not so fast. The police did get the students through a small knot of angry protesters. But then a mob started forming outside the school. More and more people showed up and it started to quickly get out of control. Now thousands of folks were threatening to break into the school and commit all sorts of violence. Oh my gosh, more chaos. So the police evacuated the nine and escorted them safely away. to keep the peace. Imagine this, being one of these kids. Or imagine being one of their parents. That was crazy too. I said before, I'm not sure I would have made a stand like this as a teenager. I'm also pretty sure as a parent, I wouldn't want my children to endure this type of mayhem. Man. Well, finally, Eisenhower had had enough. He called in the U.S. Airborne. Now, The 101st Airborne are some badass men, and a thousand of them showed up armed with their bayonets and ready to enforce the court's decision. The president claimed, Mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of our courts. Yep, that's our checks and balances at work, folks. So on this day in 1957, the U.S. Airborne personally escorted our nine students, through the doors of the school and into their classrooms. And they stayed in and around the school that day, and many days afterwards, protecting their physical safety. The school was finally integrated. Yeah, crazy stuff, right? But the reality was, the real fight for these students had only just begun. They were paving the way for so much more than just desegregation. And their courage? We'll be right back. We'll be right back. Get your headphones on, people, and pump up the volume, because today is One Hit Wonder Day. Find a great place to listen, because we are striding through six decades of unforgettable music, diving into some iconic songs whose artists had their moment in the spotlight and then vanished. You'll grin, you'll tap your toes, and I guarantee you'll be humming along as well. You might even get motivated enough to go find this song in your playlist and give it a full listen. Now to make our day striding more fun, I'm going to rely on my interpretation of the fair use concept within copyright laws and actually play snips of those songs for you. Let's just hope we don't get banned. First, we'll head all the way back to the 1960s and kick things off with one of the most iconic laughs in music history. This song by the Safaris in 1963 was huge as the surf rock craze was taking over. It still pops up today in movies and commercials even after 60 years. The Safaris never had another hit like it, but their surf rock song paved the way for other famous groups who did have many, many hits. Another great one-hit wonder from 1963 is... By the Kingsmen. Surely you recognize this song. But can you actually understand what they're saying? Nope. I think even if you find the lyrics online and listen carefully, you can't be sure they're actually saying those words. You know what? Even the FBI got involved. launching a full-blown investigation to see if these garbled lyrics were hiding something

Music:

absurd.

Truman:

Alright, let's pop over to the mid-70s and get a little funky with some Wild Cherry Disco from 1976. Blending rock and funk in a way that makes everyone feel like dancing, this song rode the wave of the disco craze. It's also a textbook example of a one-hit wonder, because the band's other albums, they weren't that great, and they broke up just a few years later. But this song is still popular today, and they've claimed a permanent spot in

Music:

70s disco.

Truman:

Now let's turn up the intensity with a Ram Jam song from 1977. This

Music:

one-hit

Truman:

wonder definitely has staying power because it's still used in movies, TV shows, and commercials to amp up the energy. And this is true even though the NAACP tried to get the song boycotted. But many argue the song is not about someone named Betty and instead refers to a bottle of whiskey or a penitentiary transfer wagon. I don't know. I guess that's what their nicknames were. All right. Now buckle up because the 80s are coming and they are packed with one hit wonders. But first, here's a quick question for you to ponder while we crank up the tunes. When do you think the term one-hit wonder was coined? What year do you think that was? While you ponder that, we're going to keep the gritty rock theme rolling here with the most rebellious one-hit wonder of them all. It definitely gets your fist pumping and arouses a defiant feeling.

Music:

Well,

Truman:

Twisted Sister released this song in 1984. And yes, they did have some other popular songs, but this one remains the anthem of rebellion

Music:

for

Truman:

all time. All right, now I said the 80s was filled with options. And if you can't tell, the songs I've selected are the kinds that get you out of your chair and moving. And this next one does exactly that. In 1987, Buster Poindexter started feeling.

Music:

And

Truman:

this song does have some debate as to who the originator is. And also if it really counts as a one-hit wonder because it wasn't popular enough to be counted as a Billboard hit. But there's no debate when you hear, at any function, folks get up and join the dance train. Now, if you're still thinking about my trivia question, here's a hint. It's not from any of the decades we're covering today. Does that help? All right. While you're thinking about that one, I'm going to drop in another trivia question. Which one-hit wonder was the best-selling of all time? It's actually coming up here in the 90s, so think fast. But before that, let's... In 1982, when House of Pain came out with their hype anthem with an awesome beat... This song is still popular today. In fact, it was played at a recent Ravens NFL football game when they made a great defensive play. Now, question is, do you count this song as a one-hit wonder when the lead singer did go on to make other songs? I don't know. All right, but this next one is on many lists as the number one one-hit wonder of all time. It spent 14 weeks atop the Billboard, And sold over 11 million records worldwide. Put your hands out in front of you and your palms down. And get ready to wiggle your body. See that? I only needed to play a second of that song, and you already know that I'm talking about... This song by Los Del Rio came out in 92 in Spain, and then came to America in 95. And it'll probably be on Mars when we get there in 2095 for sure. Alright, as we stride to the new millennium, we can take a break from pumping things up and jumping around for just one song. Daniel Powder's 2005

Music:

release of

Truman:

Was a great song to use when, well, you have a bad day. He's had other songs, but this one was the go-to for down moments. And American Idol, as well as America's Got Talent, have used this over and over when folks failed to advance in their respective competitions. It's a good one. Okay, Scruffy, we're going to get you pumped right back up again with

Music:

Who Let the

Truman:

Dogs Out? Released by the Baja Men in 2000, this song was instantly popular as a novelty. The Baja Men did have other songs, but in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, they didn't really gain much popularity. Now, some don't like this song because of the

Music:

repetitiveness of Who Let the Dogs Out? Who Let the Dogs Out? But

Truman:

this song is still used today to boost energy levels at all kinds of events. All right, it's time to stride to the 2010s. But before we get there, let's answer that original trivia question. The term one-hit wonder was coined over 100 years ago in the 1910s, believe it or not. The Oxford English Dictionary found a use of this term in a 1914 daily newspaper from New York referring to a musician. Wow. So there you have it. All right, so with that, let's get to our songs from the 10s, both of them very catchy. The first is an infectious, flirty song from 2011 by Carly Rae Jepsen.

Music:

Hey, I just met you And this is crazy

Truman:

Catchy, right? Justin Bieber thought so when he tweeted about it after it released. Now some will argue that Carly Rae has other songs, but none have reached the same level of fame and popularity. At least not yet. Carly, you still have time. But probably not for this next artist. His song, released in 2012, was pretty much an instant hit. Overnight, his funky, unforgettable dance moves had the whole world galloping in rhythm. And in a few short months, this song's video was the first ever to break 1 billion views on YouTube. Talk about viral. Alright, any guesses who this might be? What the song is? Come on, you've got this. Gangnam

Music:

Style

Truman:

Love it or hate it, you definitely know that song. Great work, Psy. A billion views on YouTube.

Music:

Man.

Truman:

And there you have it. A tour through the decades with several great songs that were the pinnacle of their creators' careers. I hope you enjoyed it. But actually, before I let you go, I want to leave you with two bonus songs that are my personal favorite one-hit wonders. They aren't quite as edgy or intense as the dozen we've covered, They're a bit more nostalgic and cause you to fondly recall something from the past. We'll first go to the most popular and often repeated phone number

Music:

ever.

Truman:

Thanks Tommy Two-Tone for dialing that up for us in 1981, which is back in the days before area codes were needed. Now tell the truth. Have you ever tried calling that number just to see if someone answers? If someone actually picked up? Do you have the presence of mind to ask

Music:

for

Truman:

Jenny? Finally, we're wrapping things up with a song that's pure magic. Israel Kaye, I can't say his last name's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow from 1993. might just take you to a peaceful place where memories wash over you like the softest breeze. Let's just take a deep breath and let this one carry us

Music:

home. Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

Truman:

And there you have it. Some great stories to share with your someone special to celebrate September 25th. Once again, those were the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by the great conquistador Balboa. The craziest first day of school ever for the Little Rock Nine. And celebrating One Hit Wonder Day with a lightning round tour through the decades. If learning about conquistadors and their adventures in and around Central America had you hooked, then you'll enjoy learning about the San Jose, the largest sunken treasure ever discovered. Find that on November 27th. If you were inspired by the courage of the Little Rock Nine, then look no further than September 1st to hear about Phyllis Wheatley's amazing accomplishment. And if music is your vibe... Then you would love to hear some fun stories about Chuck Berry. His birthday was on October 18th. And we also spent time with musician Kamuk on Ukulele Day on February 2nd. Be sure to check one of those out. Every day has a story and they're so much fun. We'll stride through them all until we're done. Every one of us faces difficult challenges in our lives at some point or another. How we react to those challenges is what makes us who we are. How we handle ourselves the next day and the days after that shows us and others our limits and capabilities. And some challenges push us to new limits that we may not have thought were possible. But in most cases, such challenges happen to us. They surprise us or show up in our lives. But when the teenagers featured in the Little Rock Nine segment faced the daunting challenge of going to a school when no one wanted them there, that was intentional. They made this decision to try and peacefully endure verbal and emotional abuse pretty much every day of the school year. Can you imagine the mindset they needed each and every day to remain steadfast in their cause? Going to school every day surrounded by people jeering at you and threatening you constantly, knowing that everything you said and did would be observed and talked about and anything negative would be used against you? They weren't just opening school doors. They were cracking open a future where the color of your skin doesn't determine your destiny. Their courage challenges us to ask what doors are we willing to walk through today, knowing that our steps could change tomorrow. As you go about your day, remember, history isn't just made by presidents and generals. Sometimes it's made by teenagers brave enough to go to school. All right, it's time for our famous birthday segment. But there were so many birthdays today. that I'm switching things up a little. You've heard of the six degrees of Kevin Bacon, right? Well, today we're going to do the 11 peeps of 925. We'll start off with Catherine Zeta-Jones, who used to blow out the candles together with her then-hubby Michael Douglas, both born on this day. Now, Michael, he was in the Marvel movie Ant-Man, while a DC movie hero, Superman, was played by Christopher Reeve. Also 925. Christopher shares his special day with another superhero from a galaxy far, far away. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker. See what I'm doing here? Now Mark, he did some voice acting long, long ago. As did Donald Glover, yet another 925-er. And Donald's voice acting in a Disney movie, he was Simba in The Lion King, connects him to Will Smith, who was also in a Disney movie as Genie in Aladdin. This is fun, right? 925ers, let's keep rolling. Now, Will, he has been interviewed in the past by Barbara Walters. Wonder if they knew that they shared the special day. Surely they did. Now, I'm about to step out on a limb here and suggest that Barbara either interviewed or considered interviewing Cheryl Teagues and Heather Lockler, 925ers. But even if she didn't, they all still shared this day every year. And staying out here on my limb, one or more of these famous folks surely watched Chauncey Billups and Scottie Pippen play hoops, both also 925ers. All right, that's enough. I'll stop now. Now, if you need help falling asleep, you'll want to check out the 50th most famous 925er showing up on FamousBirthdays.com. Sherry Lorraine celebrates her 26th birthday today, and she is famous for her ASMR videos. I had to look that up, and it's essentially using sounds to relax the brain. It apparently has a cult following on YouTube, and Sherry makes it very interesting. She even has this unusual microphone that enables her to whisper or crinkle and the sound comes through just your left ear or she can shift over to the right side of the microphone and it sounds coming just from your right ear. It's pretty neat. Happy birthday, Sherry. Happy birthday, Sherry. All right, when I look at Wikipedia's centenarians list, there was no one that they know of who was over 100 years old and was born on this day. What's crazy is September is the most popular birth month, and there are a number of folks who lived over a century, but none of them born on the 25th. Darn. Maybe next year. As you already know, today is One Hit Wonder Day. So why don't you send me an email with your favorite one-hit wonder that maybe I missed. Perhaps we can do an encore show. Today is also National Lobster Day. Apparently, this time of year is the height of lobster harvesting season. That's what they call it. And apparently, the lobster is a huge industry in Maine. They harvest 100 million pounds of lobster every year, which employs almost 6,000 lobstermen and contributes over a billion dollars to Maine's economy. Wow. So while researching this, I now understand why lobsters are so expensive. They are each individually hand harvested one trap at a time by these lobstermen. It sounds very tedious. It's also Dia de la Quesadilla Day. All right, I did say day twice. It's Quesadilla Day or Dia de la Quesadilla. The quesadilla is a fun Mexican treat that's not quite a sandwich and not quite a taco, but it's definitely quite good as an appetizer or as a whole meal. But here's a conundrum for you. What if you order a quesadilla without cheese, which is queso? Then what do you call it? A dia? I don't know. Need a great gift idea for your loved one? Well, in addition to retelling the stories that you just learned about, You can have them open up a gift that is customized to their birthday. I have several great ideas for you, and as always, you can find links to these in the gift ideas section of the show notes. Often, I mention that you can get a unique gift for the person who has everything. And once again, today is no exception, starting with the conquistador. You can get Balboa books and decor books. Or you can really impress them with some actual Panamanian Balboas. I'm talking about the coins. If your loved one is into civil rights or just courageous stands, there are books and posters featuring The Little Rock Nine. Now to be clear, some of those books could be more polarizing than my approach to the story. I'm just giving you the links. You decide what to buy. If you still have a way to play CDs, there are numerous collections of one-hit wonders out there. You can get ones that span all time or you can get them by the decade. It might even be worth your time just to click around and see what songs they think are one-hit wonders. There are some great gifts associated with the famous folks that were born today, mostly movies and posters. Similarly, today's special holidays have unique gift ideas as well. You can actually get Lobster on Amazon. Yeah, you can. Oh, and here's the winner. You can get a quesadilla maker. How about that? The person who has everything probably doesn't have a quesadilla maker. Quesadilla day. So there are actually lots of customized gifts for folks who wake up ready to celebrate September 25th. And these ideas are unique to only this day of the year. But if you really want to up your gift-giving game, you have a chance to make someone's birthday special. You could dedicate a personalized shout-out right here on this podcast. They'll be memorialized forever. Yeah. I can do the shout-out for you if you send me an email with their name and something fun you want to share. Or you can do your own shout-out by using the SpeakPipe link that's available in the show notes. Here's an example from today's special someone.

Guest:

Just wanted to drop a little note for one of my best friend's birthday who is on September the 25th. That would be Michael J. He and I go way back. We went to the same church together. And from there, we started to play sports together. And we're on a number of competitive little league teams. And I knew Mike in high school. And Mike was definitely in the cool crowd. He was definitely one of the cool ones, even though he will not admit it. And on from there, you know, the days at Ponderosa, never met a guy who likes to wash dishes as much as Mike does. To West Virginia, PC Buns. You know, then we continued to get older and we went on numerous vacations together with our family. And that's where we really got really, really close. He and I would always get stuck with the kids. And he also got his name of Napkin Man. And I understand he's the hot dad. So the other thing I just wanted to say about Mike was that he has a superpower. He's a guy that can meet strangers any place and immediately have a best friend. He's just that type of guy that everybody likes to be around. He's one of the best dads that I know to his daughter. And he's been a great role model, Uncle Mike, to my kids. I just wanted to wish him the most happiest of birthdays. And he and I will be celebrating on multiple occasions coming up because that's what we do, celebrate life. So happy birthday, Mike.

Truman:

Yeah, now that's what I call a shout out. As I mentioned, you can find the link to do that in the show notes. And as always, if you have a story that just needs to be shared about any day in the past, email me at daystriderstories at gmail.com and let's connect. And guess what, my fellow daystriders? My stickers are in, and they're pretty neat. I'd describe them for you, but wouldn't it be more fun if you earned one on your very own? So here's the challenge. To get a sticker is really easy. All you got to do is go to Podchaser.com from your phone or on the laptop and find the Daystrider podcast and give it a review. Why did I pick Podchaser? Well, they have a neat feature that causes the show to pop up as a suggestion based on the number of reviews. Hurry up. Don't wait too long. The stickers will be gone soon. I don't want you to cry. All righty. Thanks so much for listening, folks. I really appreciate the feedback from so many of you. Even when the feedback is, way to go, Dad. That's not how you say Zendaya. It's Zendaya. I hope you had half as much fun listening as I did creating this episode. Sharing it with a friend or family member would be incredible and sincerely appreciated. Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, this is Truman Pastworthy reminding you that every day has a great story. And we'll be striding through them all to find some more goodies for you. Now get out there and make your own great story today.