Wednesday, January 30, 2008

National Inane Answering Message Day, January 30th

National Inane Answering Message Day

Unlike last year, this year the U.S. Census Bureau does not have a message for National Inane Answering Message Day. The U.S. Census Bureau employee with a sense of humor must have quit his job.

So, we must turn to other venues for Inane Answering Message Day hilarity, even if we think they didn't quite get the point of what an inane answering message is. Alors, we must just laugh at what we can.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, January 28th

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

It is again the last Monday in January, and so it is Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day! I know that everyone looks forward with anticipation to Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, that special day where you are required to spend at least 30 seconds relieving your stress by popping bubble wrap.

Just in case you don't have a roll of your favorite colored bubble wrap to celebrate with today, here are a few virtual Bubble Wrap sites you can visit to work out some extra angst. This site is my favorite virtual Bubble Wrap Game. It's my favorite because the bubbles come back. This one is timed, (Bubble Wrap Game II) so you can limit yourself to just one game...if you are one of those people who are good at controlling personal gratification. And then there is this one (Bubble Wrap Game III) which looks like real bubble wrap, and therefore can have more satisfaction.

If you are looking for a something beyond virtual bubble wrap games, you could discover your personality type by taking the Bubble Wrap Personality Test, or you could test your knowledge of bubble wrap history by taking the Bubble Wrap Quiz. Either, or both, are short and quick ways to spend your fifteen minute break, and they are far less addicting than popping bubbles.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Apparently, if you want your house to have a lingering scent, try one little burnt baked potato. The scent will linger for three days at least... so far.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Kiss A Shark Day, January 10th

Kiss A Shark Day

Okay, so for me realizing that Hanson's "MMMMBop" is #20 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s, beating out The Cranberries "Linger" (#86), Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do" (#61), Ricky Martin's "Livin' la Vida Loca" (#28) and Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" (#25) which were important songs of the 90s, much more important that "MMMBop," is much like kissing a shark. Also, realizing that all three members of Hanson are now married and have kids, makes me feel really, really old.

Also, I protest any list of best songs from the 90s that doesn't include more Collective Soul. And why they chose
Shine



instead of December,



or Needs...



I just can't understand.

But, I do understand VH1's pick for the number 1 song of the 90s, and I fully agree with it. I remember the first time I heard this song, and it is a significant memory for me. It was September of 1991, my senior year, I was sixteen and younger than most of my class. It was at the end of the first pep assembly of the year, and I think someone had gotten into the sound system when they shouldn't have, because we generally didn't end pep assemblies with teeny grunge music, mostly we ended with walk back to class quietly music. As soon as the music started, people started to mosh all around me. I didn't mosh. I couldn't. I was too stunned by what I was hearing. I loved it! I stood still trying to understand the words, because I felt like the song had just reached out at me with all seventeen of its tentacles and embraced me into the grunge movement. After that experience I started listen to the AM alternative stations, and I bought myself a flannel shirt or two. It only seemed right since I was attending high school in Oregon. But, I never did the black eyeliner thing or the clove cigarettes. Just in case you are were getting worried that you didn't truly know me.

Anyway, the number one song of the 90s is...



It's a great song, so don't go kissing sharks about it!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Earth at Perihelion-Moon at Apogee, January 2nd

Earth at Perihelion-Moon at Apogee

Although it might not seem like it, because it is winter, and pretty darn cold outside, the earth will be at its closest point to the sun at about sunset this evening. Then in the morning the moon will be the farthest that it can be from the earth.

If you live near the coast than this information can be important because the position of the earth in its orbit of the sun and moon's position in its orbit of the earth both affect the level of tides. Check out this page to read about how the perihelion affected the Boston Tea Party. It's really interesting.

Well, at least I thought it was interesting.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Banned Words for 2008

Every year Lake Superior State University (read here for the history of word banishment) listens to complaints and comments from the American public about overused words and phrases in American usage and they compile a list of words that are to be banned for the next year. The list for 2008 includes: Perfect Storm, Webinar, Waterboarding, Organic, Wordsmith/Wordsmithing, Author/Authored, Post 9/11, Surge, Give Back, 'Blank' is the new 'Blank' or 'X' is the new 'Y', Black Friday, Back in the Day, Random, Sweet, Decimate, Emotional, Pop, It Is What It Is, and Under the Bus.

I agree with the banning of "Perfect Storm," "Post 9/11," and "Decimate" and hereafter you will never see these phrases appear on my blog because I do believe that "perfect storm" is way overused, I don't live my life according to a 9/11 timeline, and I never reduce anything strictly by one tenth. I can't promise about the other words and phrases, because either I like them, or I still find them useful or ironic.

If you are looking for a "random" resolution for the new year, you could check out the complete list of banned words. It would be a major accomplishment to remove them all from your vocabulary... or even just your blogging vocabulary.