This Date in History

So, you know I have this thing about dates. And numbers. From which I extrapolate spurious and ultimately unimportant meaning and then project that meaning onto my present and future life. Sigh. I can be so transparent sometimes.

Anyway, for the moment, I don't care that I'm a numbers freak. Today, I'm letting my freak flag fly. We're going to play a little game called "On this date in...", only not for this exact date of April 25, but for dates relevant to and surrounding my wedding date. (All my male readers have just exited the blog. Come back later this week, boys!)

On this [October 30] date in...

1735 - John Adams, 2nd President of the U.S., is born.
1821 - Fyodor Dostoevsky, Russian writer, is born. (Love me some Crime and Punishment.)
1929 - The Stuttgart Cable Car is constructed in Stuttgart, Germany.
1960 - The first successful kidney transplant is performed. (I have kidney history. TMI.)
1965 - Gavin Rossdale, leader singer of Bush and husband to Gwen Stefani, is born.
1974 - Nolan Ryan throws the fastest baseball pitch ever, recorded at 100.9 mph.
2010 - Clay and Meredith tie the knot.

Fun fact: Mischief Night, a night where it's custom for teenagers and preteens to play pranks on friends and neighbors, is commonly observed on October 30, the day before Halloween. (Note: I highly encourage mischief in many shapes and forms. Especially if it involves kitty tails.)

More fun with dates: The Allan House, our wedding ceremony and reception venue, was built in 1883 in Austin, Texas. Also in 1883:

February 16 - The Ladies Home Journal is first published.
February 28 - The first vaudeville theater is opened in Boston.
May 24 - Brooklyn Bridge is opened to traffic after 13 years of construction.
July 3 - Franz Kafka, German writer, is born.
July 4 - The world's first rodeo is held in Pecos, Texas.
August 19 - Coco Chanel, French fashion designer, is born.
September 15 - The University of Texas at Austin opens to students.

Call me crazy (and obsessive), but I think about 10/30 a lot and how that will be Clay and I's anniversary date for many years to come. It's cool to find out that we are in good company. Just look at all that has passed throughout history on October 30, and also in 1883, the year we will be invoking when we become husband and wife on the grounds of that beautiful old Victorian home.

The dates and numbers are all in sync. The stars are aligned. Ladies and gentlemen, we're cleared; we have lift-off for the wedding!

[Source for all facts and dates: Wikipedia. My guilty pleasure.]