“The Ides of March are come,” Julius Caesar tells the soothsayer who warned him to heed the pending doom on 15 March 44BC.
“Aye,” the soothsayer said as he glared into Caesar’s triumphant eyes, “but they are not gone.”
It was later that day that Caesar, in the shadows of the theater at Pompeii was brutally executed by his senators who believed the killing would retain democratic leadership for Rome, as Caesar had declared himself dictator to Rome for life some time earlier.
So today here we sit on 15 March 2009, the Ides of March. Soon this day will pass and yet one can’t seem to escape the messages of impending doom and gloom on our financial system, the economy and those who criticize or support our new president’s stimulus plans. The Ides of March are come, but are not gone.
Late last week, watching the ABC News with Charlie Gibson I felt a positive lift as the news program focused on the market rally, GM’s recent disclosure it may not need the extra cash it had warned just weeks prior and of community support by laid off workers, Bernie Madhoff in handcuffs and Obama’s often infectious optimism one could hardly say that Friday the 13th delivered much bad luck — at least if network news is a barometer.
And two days later on the Ides of March, dovetailing into place after an often perceived unlucky day? Well here in California the sun is shining, there was a line at the Starbucks and signs of spring are abounding. I’m trying to stay looking forward. And with unfettered optimism.
Care to join me?
The night is young, my child.
In fact, I’ve been warning of the approaching Ides all week long on Facebook and Twitter. This morning I had my comeuppance when my brakes failed at 60 m.p.h. coming off a downhill exit ramp from Route 8. Unfortunately, I lived through it.
More unfortunately, I have to get a new master cylinder (or the equivalent).
oh my…. that’s terrible… the second unfortunate perhaps more unfortunate than the first….. good god!!!