It is always interesting and exciting for me to discover similar things or characteristics in different people and events. Sharing the same date of birth is common, but I have not yet met a person born on January 7, except Nicolas Cage, whom I have never seen in real life. This American actor is a member of the Coppola family and is famous for such movies as Ghost Rider, Face/Off, Gone in Sixty Seconds, and City of Angels. Although most of these films were released before my birth, I watched some of them and admired the quality of his work and charisma. After watching National Treasure with Cage, I got fascinated with the idea of adventures and the possibility of noticing some details and historical significance in ordinary subjects.
In fact, I have always believed that January 7 is special for many other reasons, except for my first breath in this world. A famous inventor and engineer, Nicola Tesla, who introduced the radio, neon lamp, and alternating current power, died on this day in 1943. I also learned that in 1785, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries crossed the English Channel on a hot air balloon for the first time. The distance between Dover, England, and Calais, France, is about 31 miles. This flight took about 2½ hours, and the travelers had to deal with several challenges of not crashing into the Channel, including the desperate necessity to throw trousers together with other objects out of the balloon. Although I have never chosen this transportation mode, I could not forget the excitement about this finding and the desire to try something new. I am passionate about traveling and adventures, but I usually use a lack of time as the main excuse for not taking extreme action. Now, I know that my birth date is special not only for me but for the cinema industry, world history, and many other people who joined the world on this particular day.