Tuesday, November 27, 2007
283
Today I learned about advent calendars. Advent calendars began at the start of the 19th century or thereabouts, with the German Lutheran community. I guess that is not surprising, because I always bought my advent calendars from the German Club in high school. Your traditional advent calendar has little doors you can open with either a Christmas picture or a Bible verse behind each set of doors. Mine always have chocolate behind the doors although this apparently is less common and is supposed to be anti-Jesus/pro-Santa Claus. I don't know why Jesus would have had a problem with kids getting a little piece of chocolate every day for a month. In fact my brother and I used to nicely divide up the pieces of chocolate by odd and even days, which seems like something Jesus would have been in favor of.
282
Today, after many hours of fascinated clicking on Wikipedia, I learned that mice may eat their own tails if they are starving. That's so sad! Don't eat your own tail. Things will get better, mouse...just hang in there.
("If you were a mouse, and you were starving, would you eat yourself?")
("If you were a mouse, and you were starving, would you eat yourself?")
Monday, November 26, 2007
280, 281
Saturday I learned the phrase "mackerel snapper." It is a derogatory term for Catholics, which comes from their abstaining from meat on Fridays. My dad said that he heard this term while growing up Catholic but no one else knew what the hell he was talking about.
Today I learned how to put up the clear plastic stuff that goes on the inside of your windows to help keep the heat in/cold out. This includes cleaning the window frame, applying the tape, applying the plastic sheet, and then blowing it with a hair dryer. I also learned how to take down the blinds in my house. I did not even know that you could take blinds down.
Today I learned how to put up the clear plastic stuff that goes on the inside of your windows to help keep the heat in/cold out. This includes cleaning the window frame, applying the tape, applying the plastic sheet, and then blowing it with a hair dryer. I also learned how to take down the blinds in my house. I did not even know that you could take blinds down.
Friday, November 23, 2007
277, 278, 279
Wednesday I learned that there are 2 different types of allergy tests you can get done. In one type, you get pin-pricked with little particles of different allergens to see which one(s) you react to. In the other, you get these big strips pasted onto your back. The strips have like 20 of the most common allergens on them, and you leave them on for two days (gross) and then get them removed and the doctor sees what things you are allergic to. I do not like the sound of either of these.
Thursday I learned that the wish bone on a turkey is actually called the furcula. It is part of the sternum/clavicle region and it helps support the wings in flight. I like to break the wish bone because I am superstitious about wishes, but I don't like to do it because I am terrified of bones breaking. This year I did not get to break the wish bone, and I also did not get my birthday wish on my birthday cake. This may be a bad year.
Today I learned what sweet potato pie tastes like. It tastes mostly like pumpkin pie, but a lot less gross.
Thursday I learned that the wish bone on a turkey is actually called the furcula. It is part of the sternum/clavicle region and it helps support the wings in flight. I like to break the wish bone because I am superstitious about wishes, but I don't like to do it because I am terrified of bones breaking. This year I did not get to break the wish bone, and I also did not get my birthday wish on my birthday cake. This may be a bad year.
Today I learned what sweet potato pie tastes like. It tastes mostly like pumpkin pie, but a lot less gross.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
276
Today I learned where the Westerville BMV is, and how much it costs to renew your license and registration, and that I now can't drive w/o my glasses (damn you, "B" restriction!).
Monday, November 19, 2007
271, 272, 273, 274, 275
Thursday I learned about the Blue Man Group. The BMG has been around since the 80s. The big sticks that they swing around, "airpoles," are actually boat antennae. Uh, there's a lot more, obviously. I mean, I saw their show at Nationwide, so I experienced them firsthand which is a kind of learning, right? And I skimmed their Wikipedia entry even though it's like really long. It was a fun show.
Friday I learned the history of jumping in Mirror Lake before the OSU-Michigan game. I guess it's really only officially been going on since the 90s. Here is a crappy article on it from The Lantern.
Saturday I learned about rust. God, that's boring. This is like a joke blog entry. But I really did learn about rust. I used this article instead of the Wikipedia entry because the Wikipedia entry had like big long chemical equations and this one is all in normal dumb people words. The reason why rust is a problem is that the iron oxide molecule is bigger than the regular iron molecule, so it puffs up and gets flaky because it doesn't fit in its original space.
Sunday I learned that Are You Afraid of the Dark actually HAS been released on DVD. Waaaant...
Today I learned what a melodica is. It's a keyboard instrument that you blow into as you play. One of Feist's band members last night was playing one of these or something similar to it.
Friday I learned the history of jumping in Mirror Lake before the OSU-Michigan game. I guess it's really only officially been going on since the 90s. Here is a crappy article on it from The Lantern.
Saturday I learned about rust. God, that's boring. This is like a joke blog entry. But I really did learn about rust. I used this article instead of the Wikipedia entry because the Wikipedia entry had like big long chemical equations and this one is all in normal dumb people words. The reason why rust is a problem is that the iron oxide molecule is bigger than the regular iron molecule, so it puffs up and gets flaky because it doesn't fit in its original space.
Sunday I learned that Are You Afraid of the Dark actually HAS been released on DVD. Waaaant...
Today I learned what a melodica is. It's a keyboard instrument that you blow into as you play. One of Feist's band members last night was playing one of these or something similar to it.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
269, 270
Yesterday I learned the word "fungible." I know I just did a word of the day not too long ago, but I like "fungible." It means easily replaced; interchangeable, flexible.
Today I learned about Gregor Mendel, the pea plant guy. Did you know that his ideas weren't really accepted until like 35 years after he first presented them? And it also is hard for me to believe that he was doing his work less than 150 years ago. 150 years ago does not seem like very long at all, but to think that a.) we really knew nothing about genetics then and b.) Mendel basically discovered genetics just by planting and observing a ton of pea plants is insane to me. Think of all the crazy-high tech, complicated scientific research that goes on these days. This is so rambly. I can't get my point across...it's just that what he was doing seems so simple to produce such amazing results. It seems like that can't happen anymore.
Today I learned about Gregor Mendel, the pea plant guy. Did you know that his ideas weren't really accepted until like 35 years after he first presented them? And it also is hard for me to believe that he was doing his work less than 150 years ago. 150 years ago does not seem like very long at all, but to think that a.) we really knew nothing about genetics then and b.) Mendel basically discovered genetics just by planting and observing a ton of pea plants is insane to me. Think of all the crazy-high tech, complicated scientific research that goes on these days. This is so rambly. I can't get my point across...it's just that what he was doing seems so simple to produce such amazing results. It seems like that can't happen anymore.
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