Rick Perry believes that “abortion is a men’s rights issue.”

Know what? After the dizzying stupor surrounding my birthday on November 1 it seems that I’ve neglected to acknowledge a couple of MOMENTOUS MILESTONES this month! First, on November 8 my parents would have been married for 72 years if my dad were still alive, and a copy of their wedding portrait appears below for your possible interest. Mom and dad were posing in the lobby of the Belden-Stratford Hotel in Chicago; six months later dad would be on his way overseas with the Army Air Corps. Mom, in case you’re wondering, currently lives in a nursing facility in suburban Chicago. She’ll be 92 at the end of the month.

Grab your calendar! It’s Dwarf Awareness Month and only 31 days until my birthday.

Holy crap! IT’S ALREADY THE FIRST DAY OF OCTOBER! In case you don’t quite grasp the significance, the month of October features all of the momentous milestones listed below.