My fellow historians, professional and armchair alike, should note that today is the 300th anniversary of the birth of the quintessential American, Benjamin Franklin. Joyce Chaplin, one of my committee members, writes about Franklin and she suggests the following list of activities in celebration of the day:

1. eat an apple,
2. launch a hoax,
3. make a friend of an enemy,
4. write a letter,
5. buy, borrow, or lend a book,
6. make a charitable donation,
7. invent a labor-saving device,
8. commit a sexual indiscretion,
9. organize a club,
10. buy insurance,
11. rig up an experiment with ordinary household items,
12. play a musical instrument,
13. go for a swim.

You might also listen to some fine music played on the glass armonica, an instrument Franklin invented.
(crossposted at (a)musings of a grad student)

Rob MacDougall - 1/17/2006

I was going to say: "go fly a kite."

Caleb McDaniel - 1/17/2006

14. run away.