I was running on the treadmill today, tuned into E! as I normally am, watching them rehash The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which was today. I did not get up in the middle of the night to watch all the pomp and circumstance live because I knew I’d hear all about it all day long. It was one of those monumental events in history after all. One of those events that, years later, you will be asked to recall where you were when, and I will have to say that I was sleeping but I did watch the recap on a treadmill.
It got me thinking about history and the other worldly events that have occurred that will likely make it into textbooks but that I have failed to mention here. My blog is about the history of our little family and our day-to-day happenings and although we remain pretty isolated from most of these events, they still have an impact on our lives in some way shape or form. So, I’ve gone back through the past two and a half (plus) years that I’ve been writing this blog and picked out some of the more memorable events to remember.
2008
July 3 – Kendal Claire Lehnert was born into our family and this world
October 3 – The $700 billion bailout bill for the US financial system is signed by President Bush.
November 4 – Barack Obama becomes the first African-American to be elected President of the United States
Dec 11 – Bernard Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in $50 billion Ponzi scheme. He later pleads guilty to 11 counts of fraud, money laundering, perjury and theft. Thankfully, we had no money to give him to “invest.”
2009
January 15 – After allegedly striking a flock of geese, US Airways Flight 1549, en route from La Guardia Airport, New York City, to Charlotte, N.C., is forced to land in the Hudson River. All 150 passengers and 5 crew members survived. The pilot, Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, was hailed as the “Hero of the Hudson” for his quick thinking and deft landing of the plane.
January 20 – Barack Obama, inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America, becomes the United States’ first African-American president. Both Matt and I voted for him
April 26 – After confirming 20 cases of swine flu (aka: H1N1) in the United States, including eight in New York City, the U.S. declares the outbreak a public health emergency. We all get vaccinated.
June 25 – Michael Jackson, lifelong musician, pop singer, and superstar, dies at age 50. He is found unconscious in his home, then rushed to a Los Angeles hospital where he is pronounced dead.
December 11 – Tiger Woods released a statement admitting “infidelity” and he then took a break from golf, reportedly attending a sex rehab program. His wife Elin still divorces him as she should. Man whore.
2010
January 12 – Earthquake occurs in Haiti killing 230,000 and destroying the majority of the capital Port-au-Prince. It is one of the deadliest on record. Kind-hearted Matt looks into adopting one of the thousands of motherless children. It’s not as quick and easy as he thought, so the idea ended there.
February 7 – Super Bowl XLIV; New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 to win their first super bowl. Who dat say gonna beat dem Saints?!
February 12 – The start of the 2010 Winter Olympics which were held in Vancouver Canada.
February 27 – An 8.8-magnitude earthquake occurs in Chile, triggering a tsunami over the Pacific and killing 497. The earthquake is one of the largest in recorded history.
April 20 – Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion kills 11 and causes rig to sink, initiating a massive oil discharge in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil gushed for 86 days before the flow was finally stopped.
October 13 – Thirty-three miners trapped underground in a mining accident in Chile are brought back to the surface after surviving for a record 69 days.
2011
March 11 – A 9.1-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the east of Japan, killing over 14,000 and leaving another 12,000 missing. Tsunami warnings are issued in 50 countries and territories.
March 23 – Elizabeth Taylor, one of the great Hollywood stars of the 20th century, died in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure.
April 29 – The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey
So there you have it, at a glance at least, and a subjective one at that. I will try to be better about chronicling other such important historical events as they happen.
Roots and Wings 
Good recap. I can remember where I was for almost all of them. The royal wedding however? Perhaps I was just revolting against the hype, but I couldn’t get into it.