47+ Days

I recently mentioned “when I am interested in something I wholly invest myself, learning all that I can about the subject; for all of about 47 days.”  It’s generally true, you know. Unless we’re talking Presidents.

Admittedly, I kind of love the fact that I love all things Presidential.  It started in the second grade when I made a Presidential Fun Fact calendar for the Social Studies Fair at my school.  The light was rekindled when I fell for President Bartlet and his staff, and again when I recommitted to memorizing the list of POTUS and made myself a set of handmade flashcards I carried around in my purse for testing myself.

Did you know that my slight obsession with #presidentialfunfacts heightened early last summer when Anne P challenged me to a quiz at Healthy Living Summit 2010?  By the time August rolled around, I had received activity books, store bought flashcards, a trivia book, and placemat to accompany my own two sets of handmade flashcards. 

I was studying every day; having my boss quiz me, writing out the Presidents in order on her white board, working my way through the deck trying to remember little details about each Mr. President in our countries history.

The morning I arrived in Chicago, Chandra quizzed me in our hotel room.  I made my way through the deck, ready to meet the challenge.  She sat on the bed as I paced around the room, rattling off details of Van Buren’s citizenship, William Henry Harrisons stubborn refusal to wear a coat leading to his death, and the rumors of Buchanan’s sexuality.  She helped me cram before the weekend festivities began, and I felt ready to answer any question about to be coming my way.

Anne never quizzed me.  I did rattle off some HLS appropriate #presidentialfunfacts a time or two.  I also received some epic POTUS themed gifts from some very sweet blends, at HLS and several others since. [I have the best friends/family/readers!]  And although we were much past the 47 day mark, I never stopped loving the Presidents.

Five of my most favorite Presidential Fun Facts:

• President James Buchanan quietly but consistently bought slaves in Washington, D.C., and then set them free in Pennsylvania.
• After President Bush Sr. vomited on the Japanese Prime Minister, a new word entered the Japanese language. Bushusuru means “to do the Bush thing,” or to publicly vomit.
• James Garfield could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other hand simultaneously.
• Every so often, Calvin Coolidge would press all the buttons on the President’s desk and hide and watch his staff run in. He would then pop out from behind the door and say that he was just seeing if everyone was working
• Gerald Ford was both vice president and president without being elected by the people. He was appointed vice president when Spiro Agnew resigned and he succeeded to the presidency when Nixon resigned.
   

 

Also, watch this video of awesome nerditry.

 

Now go thank Cynthia for sending it to me.

 

 

 

More fun presidential posts you may enjoy:

Adorable 4-year old Presidential Expert

Delicious FDR Cake for Presidents Day

One of the very best books I’ve ever read 

Celebrating Lincoln’s Birthday with Blends

THS Reader Submitted Presidential Mad Libs