Opinion : President’s Day: Celebrating the Commanders-in-Chief... and Their Quirks

Originally due to President's Day, I wasn't going to put out an email, but realized there are time sensitive things that must go out today. So along with that, I thought I'd include a little bit of lightheartedness to the email.

President's Day is a time to honor the leaders of our nation, score some sweet deals on mattresses, and enjoy a long weekend. But let's be real: most of us don't spend the day reflecting on George Washington's military strategy or Abraham Lincoln's eloquent speeches. Nope. We're too busy deciding whether to binge-watch Netflix or finally tackle that pile of laundry. (Spoiler: Netflix usually wins.)

But this year, I've decided to mix things up. Instead of just appreciating the day off, why not take a moment to appreciate the presidents themselves... in all their wonderfully weird, human glory? Because if there's one thing history has shown us, it's that even the most powerful people on Earth can be downright goofy sometimes.

Take John Quincy Adams, for example. He was known to start his mornings with a brisk skinny dip in the Potomac River. That's right-while most of us are struggling to drag ourselves out of bed, JQA was out there swimming in his birthday suit like some sort of 19th-century merman. Imagine the Secret Service trying to secure that perimeter today.

Then there's Andrew Jackson, who once hosted a giant block party at the White House that got so out of hand he had to climb out a window to escape the chaos. Or how about William Howard Taft, who supposedly got stuck in the White House bathtub? (Okay, historians debate that one, but it's too good not to mention.) To be fair, they did install a bigger tub afterward, just in case.

Calvin Coolidge had his own brand of quirkiness, famously buzzing for his bodyguards and then hiding under his desk just to see them panic. And let's not forget Teddy Roosevelt, who had a pet badger named Josiah, because why wouldn't you?

And who could overlook the time Richard Nixon played the piano on national television or when Barack Obama made dad jokes sound cool? Even George H.W. Bush once got sick vomited on the Japanese Prime Minister and passed out, proof that even presidents aren't immune to bad sushi.

These stories are a good reminder that presidents, no matter how powerful or historic, are still just people. They make mistakes, they play pranks, and sometimes, they just want to take a swim in the nude. It's oddly comforting, really.

So, this President's Day, let's take a moment to appreciate the human side of our nation's leaders. Sure, they shaped history, made tough decisions, and gave some incredible speeches. But they also did some downright silly things along the way, and that's worth celebrating too.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a mattress sale to check out... and maybe a swim in the Cedar (fully clothed, of course). Happy President's Day!