Some folks might be able to pull off a Scottish accent every now & then whenever they try to quote something from Braveheart. But is it possible for someone to ever truly lose his or her native accent & replace it with a new one? Actually…no. The way you speak now will most likely going…
You & I most likely don’t have the exact same automobile. In fact, pretty much everybody’s vehicle is different, with various options & features included (or not included). But one thing that pretty much anyone who has a 4-door passenger car has are rear windows that don’t roll all the way down. Why is that? Why…
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, right on the cusp of New Year’s Day, maybe you were one of the millions of folks who partook in the tradition of kissing someone. Why do we do that? Why do we, traditionally, kiss at midnight on New Year’s Eve? It actually goes back, in part, to the…
Christmastime…the time of year when everyone seems to be busy buying, wrapping, and giving items to people that we’d like for them to have. What are they called again? Gifts! Or…is it presents? Is there even really a difference between “gifts” & “presents”? Each word arose from a different language family. “Gift” was derived from…
Today (11/29/22) is “Giving Tuesday”! And while a recent poll found 93% of us think of ourselves as generous. So, today seems like the day to get out there & prove it. But what even IS “Giving Tuesday”? “Giving Tuesday” is a day when you’re encouraged to donate & volunteer. It’s always held on the…
It’s impressive just how many early voters have already cast their ballots ahead of the midterm elections. I mean, records have already been broken in several states for this election. But tomorrow, November 8th, is the actual big day…the grand finale…Election Day! And while the higher-than-usual voter turnout is encouraging evidence of democracy in action,…
If you’re anything like me, the smell of a new car is amazing…alluringly appealing, as I like to say. You might not be able to put your finger on exactly what that smell is, but it’s just excitingly enticing. But what is “new car smell” really? And what makes it so distinct that air fresheners…
With school in-session & students back in the classroom, if you were to ask any teacher what he or she needs to feel appreciated, apples probably wouldn’t be high up on the list. In spite of that, we still associate educators with apples. It’s part of their unofficial logo. Just look at any back-to-school commercial…
Nothing ruins a good meal like immediately burning the roof of your mouth with too-hot food. But what is “too-hot”? Well, drinking beverages or eating foods at anywhere above 110°F runs the risk of irritating your mouth, but consuming anything at 160 degrees or hotter usually equals an immediate burn. Now, while no one can…
I’ve never known anyone who enjoys getting tickled. But I know plenty of people, my wife included, who love to tickle others (namely me). But have you ever wondered why you can’t tickle yourself? Well, much to the dismay of fun-loving masochists everywhere, the human brain is wired against self-tickling. Because the brain controls movement,…