Joy, what was it like for the Bicentennial?

Magnet #1228 - Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

Save the World Couple and DCsis have come up with several games lately to not-so-politely remind me of my ever-advancing age.

The first game they came up with was, are you older than [insert celebrity name here]? Or [insert other celebrity name here]?

And once answered, gales of laughter ensue.

The other game, is to randomly ask me questions of a historical nature. Such as:

Joy, what was it like for the Bicentennial?

The answer is:

I.

Don't.

KNOW.

I was just a toddler when all that stuff happened, I swear! And, I'm young enough to have had the United States Bicentennial in my own history books, so that's something.

I will say that I bet that the American Bicentennial project would have been the most awesome thing ever to work on workwise. Apparently, back in 1966 they were thinking it'd be ginormous one-city celebration (in one of our founding cities), but by the time I was born (shortly thereafter), they decided to create the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, and help steer local events. Which makes more sense in hindsight, America created the way she was.

And so began the onslaught of Bicentennial products, packages, events and marketing all over the place, and when the big day came, tons of celebrations all over America. Apparently, they also flooded the airwaves with coverage by the likes of Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, and Ed McMahon. I mean, even Paul Anka had a special.

So that's why I picked Gerald Ford for today's Fourth of July holiday. He was the sitting president during the Bicentennial celebration - lighting a third lantern at the Old North Church in Boston, in honor of America's third century.

To steal one of my friend's Facebook posts, "For 235, America looks pretty good."

Happy birthday, America!

And thanks, England "for letting us have it, coz we wanted it so much."