What Your Ice Cream Says About You

July is National Ice Cream Month.  And, in addition to that, there are several individual days devoted to ice cream:  July 1 is Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day, July 7 is National Strawberry Sundae Day, July 13 is National Nitrogen Ice Cream Day, July 17 is Peach Ice Cream Day, the third Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day, July 20 is National Ice Cream Soda Day, and July 23 is Vanilla Ice Cream Day. So, as you can see, the month of July devotes lots of time to ice cream.

For millions and millions of people around the world, ice cream is THE favorite treat.  What used to be the three basics of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry have become what seems like millions of flavors.

And guess what (surprise surprise)—someone did a study of what your favorite flavor says about you.  And also guess what (again, surprise surprise)—I'm going to share that information with you along with some miscellaneous tidbits about ice cream trivia.

If your favorite is chocolate you're more likely to be dramatic, lively, charming, flirtatious, seductive and gullible.

If your favorite is vanilla you're more likely to be impulsive, easily suggestible and an idealist.

If your favorite is strawberry you're more likely to be tolerant, devoted and introverted.

If your favorite is chocolate chip you're more likely to be generous, competent and a go-getter.

If your favorite is chocolate chip cookie dough you're more likely to be ambitious, competitive and a visionary.

If your favorite is rocky road you're more likely to be aggressive, engaging and a good listener.

If your favorite is mint chocolate chip you're more likely to be argumentative, frugal and cautious.

If your favorite is pralines 'n cream you're more likely to be loving, supportive and prefer to avoid the spotlight.

If your favorite is jamoca you're more likely to be scrupulous, conscientious and a moral perfectionist.

If your favorite is rainbow sherbet you're more likely to be analytic, decisive and pessimistic.

Where did ice cream come from?

The true origins of ice cream are unknown, but early versions of iced treats date back to the second century B.C. to Alexander The Great who liked to top snow and ice with honey and nectar.

Ice cream used to be for the rich only.

In the early 1800s, before refrigeration became widely available, ice cream was very expensive.  Only the elite could afford such a luxury.  Today, the average American consumes 48 pints of ice cream a year. [hmmm…a pint is only 16 oz. and there's 52 weeks in a year, so that averages out at a little over 14 oz. a week which is only 2 oz. more than one can of your favorite soft drink per week.  Doesn't seem like so much when you break it down that way. :) ]

Which city and state eats the most ice cream?

According to a survey, Washington D.C. is the most ice cream crazy place in America with its residents eating 85% more than the national average per person.  Rhode Island was in second place and Wisconsin was third.

What is the most popular ice cream flavor?

According to the International Ice Cream Association, vanilla is the most popular flavor at 29% with chocolate second with 9%.

Needless to say, there are lots of flavors not represented on this list of favorites.  I'm a long time chocolate fan, but I came across an ice cream a while back that just blew my mind…Godiva white chocolate raspberry swirl which is something like a million calories per pint  :).

So, there you have it.  My tribute to National Ice Cream Month.

What Your Favorite Sandwich Says About You

Whether it's lunch or a midnight snack. At home or in a restaurant. Now and then or daily. We all have our favorite sandwich. It might be something simple from childhood that we turned into a more adult offering, or maybe something exotic.

But do you know what your choice of sandwich…your favorite…says about you and your character? Put your horoscope and astrological signs aside and pay attention to your sandwich. :)

I recently came across a list of 10 popular sandwiches and what they say about those who consider that specific sandwich their favorite. Now, this list only mentions the main ingredient and does not take into consideration how you dress up and customize that sandwich—specialty bread or roll, exotic cheeses, various spreads, other touches such as lettuce and/or tomato, etc.

TURKEY SANDWICH

If this is your first choice on the menu, you like to play it safe in life. You like to know what to expect. You're not interested in the latest fad. All things classic make you smile.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH

You're predictable, but in a good way. You're very loyal and your friends feel they can trust you with their lives.

BLT SANDWICH

If the bacon-lettuce-tomato is your favorite, you know how to spot a good thing. You like to keep life simple, fill it with good times, and avoid drama.

GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

You're carefree, the life of the party, and specialize in having a good time. Everyone loves you.

DONUT BREAKFAST SANDWICH

This might not be what you want to hear, but you are crazy intense. That can have its down side, but it also means you're very passionate and a serious risk taker. Nothing scares you.

MUFFULETTA SANDWICH

I have to admit that I don't know what this is and have never noticed it on a menu. You're a mover and a shaker. People come to you when they need a problem solved or just a good dose of inspiration.

PULLED PORK SANDWICH

You like to walk, not run. You're a lover, not a fighter. You always stop to smell the roses.

REUBEN SANDWICH

If this is your first choice, you have a bold voice and you're not afraid to make it heard. Loud And Proud is your life motto. You're the natural leader of any gathering.

TUNA MELT SANDWICH

You're an old soul. Words flow from you like beautiful poetry. You don't bother with appearances and you don't need to because you're so beautiful on the inside.

BOLOGNA SANDWICH

You're a hopeless romantic, swept up with feelings of nostalgia. But you are going to have to grow up some time.

I don't know how they arrived at the 10 specific sandwiches listed in the article. There are several popular ones not on this list.  The first thing that came to my mind was whether chicken and turkey were considered to be the same.  Then I thought about the Club sandwich—a combination of the BLT, turkey with some ham thrown in. And speaking of ham, there's also the Ham sandwich and its close relative the Ham and Cheese sandwich.

And, of course, there are also those two all-American creations that are extremely popular—the Hamburger and the favorite at baseball games, the Hot Dog.

The History Of Father's Day

Father's Day this year falls on Sunday, June 18, 2023.  Mother's Day was, indeed, the inspiration for Father's Day, but it was a long time before it became an official reality.  The governor of the state of Washington proclaimed the nation's first Father's Day on July 19, 1910.  It was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day an official holiday in 1914, that President Richard Nixon gave Father's Day its official federal holiday status.

The campaign to celebrate Father's Day did not meet with the same type of enthusiasm as Mother's Day.  One florist explained it as fathers not having the same sentimental appeal as mothers.  In 1909, a Spokane, Washington, woman who was one of six children raised by a widower was successful in establishing a day for male parents the same as the one Mothers enjoyed.  The state of Washington celebrated the nation's first statewide Father's Day on July 19, 1910.

The idea slowly spread.  In 1916 Woodrow Wilson honored the day.  President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father's Day, however many men continued to scoff at the idea claiming it was a sentimental attempt to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving and also claiming it was only a commercial gimmick to sell more products often paid for by the father himself.

In the 1920s and 1930s there was a movement to do away with both Mother's Day and Father's Day and create a Parent's Day instead, the idea being that both parents should be loved and respected together.  The gathering enthusiasm for this idea was basically stamped out during the depression.  Struggling retailers and advertisers redoubled their efforts to make Father's Day a gift giving holiday for men.  With the onset of World War II, advertisers set forth the argument that celebrating Father's Day was a way to honor American troops.  By the end of the war, Father's Day was a national institution but not yet an official holiday.

In 1972 Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father's Day a federal holiday.  It's estimated that there are more than 70 million fathers in the United States and that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father's Day gifts. 

10 Unbreakable Guinness Records

The Guinness Book Of World Records was first published August 27, 1955, and has compiled an incredible list of achievements in almost every category imaginable.

Over the years, the editors of the book have removed some categories because they chose not to encourage or promote certain activities such as bullfighting and excessive drinking.  They once published records for the world's heaviest dog but discontinued that because they didn't want to see a pet owner abusing an animal just so they could be listed in the book.

Some records remain on top even sixty-eight years after the first edition was published.  Guinness has declared them to be 'unbreakable' but admits they might be broken some day.

Here's Guinness' list of ten unbreakable records.

1)  TALLEST MAN:  At 8' 11", Robert Wadlow holds the record for the tallest man.  When he died in 1940 at the age of twenty-two, he was still growing.

2)  LIGHTEST WOMAN:  Lucia Zarate was 21.5" tall and at the time of her death at age twenty-six in 1889, she weighed a mere 4.7 pounds.

3)  LOUDEST SOUND:  The volcanic eruption of the island of Krakatoa on August 26, 1883, sent shock waves reverberating seven times around the globe and were heard 2,200 miles away in Perth, Australia.

4)  MOST PROLIFIC MURDERESS:  Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory allegedly killed more than six hundred people, mostly young woman, in the late 1500s/early 1600s.  She was finally convicted of 80 counts of murder and locked away until her death in 1614.

5)  LARGEST DIAMOND:  Found in South Africa in 1905, the Cullinan diamond was 3,106 carats.  It was eventually cut into 105 pieces including the 530.2 carat Great Star of Africa and the 317.4 carat Lesser Star of Africa.  Both are now part of the British crown jewels.

6)  GREATEST WINGSPAN:  Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose weighs more than 40,000 pounds with a wingspan of 319 feet which is longer than a football field.  It flew only once, in 1947, for about one mile at just seventy feet in the air.

7)  BIGGEST PANDEMIC:  From 1347 to 1351, bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, killed seventy-five million people.

8)  BIGGEST BLOCKBUSTER:  When adjusted for inflation and converted into today's dollars, Gone With The Wind is by far the champ with an estimated take of $5.4 Billion since it's 1939 release.  In comparison, Titanic's worldwide blockbuster box office Gross is $1.84 Billion.

9)  LONGEST POLE-SITTING:  Guinness' oldest record is held by St. Simeon the Stylite who spent thirty-seven years atop a pillar at Syria's Hill of Wonders.  He died in 459 and for the last 1,550 years his record remains unchallenged.

10)  YOUNGEST DOCTORATE:  In 1814, 12 year old Karl Witte of Austria became a doctor of philosophy at the University of Giessen in Germany.  He spoke five languages.

And as a grand finale … Ashrita Furman holds the world's record for holding the most records – he has 245 world's records. 

Bizarre and Unique June Holidays

June brings the official start of summer with the arrival of the Summer Solstice, the day that provides us with the most daylight hours of any day during the year. June brings us some big nationally recognized holidays, too, such as Father's Day, Flag Day, and the new federal holiday of Juneteenth. Like other months, June National holidays and world holidays are plentiful.

There are several month long designations in June:  Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, Aquarium Month, Candy Month, Dairy Month, Effective Communications Month, Fight the Filthy Fly Month, Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, Great Outdoors Month, National Accordion Awareness Month, National Adopt a Cat Month, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, National Iced Tea Month, Rose Month, and Turkey Lovers Month.

June also has week long celebrations: week one is Fishing Week and also National Gardening Week, week two is Email Week and also Flag Week, and the last full week of the month is Lightning Safety Week.

June 1             Dare Day

                        Flip A Coin Day

June 2             National Bubba Day

                        National Doughnut Day is always the first Friday in June

                        Flip Flop Day is the Friday after Memorial Day

                        National Rocky Road Day

June 3             National Trails Day is the first Saturday in June

                        Repeat Day (I said "Repeat Day"—reminds me of the cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn from the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoons)

                        World Bicycle Day

June 4            Applesauce Cake Day—It seems a little odd to celebrate this day in June since the apple harvest is in the Fall. It doesn’t take much to enjoy Applesauce Cake Day. Just eat a piece of applesauce cake. The only problem is finding it. If you’re lucky, a bakery or a restaurant will offer it as a special today. Otherwise, you may have to make an applesauce cake from scratch.

                        Hug Your Cat Day

                        National Cheese Day

                        National Frozen Yogurt Day—first Sunday in June

                        Old Maid's Day

June 5             Hot Air Balloon Day—Hot air balloons were invented in France in the 1700s. Albuquerque, N.M. hosts the world’s largest hot air balloon festival each year. Over 750 balloons are at the annual festival. However, it happens in October.

                        World Environment Day

June 6             National Gardening Exercise Day—Get out and exercise with your plants.

                        National Yo-Yo Day

June 7             National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

June 8             Best Friends Day

                        Name Your Poison Day

                        World Ocean Day

June 9             Donald Duck Day—Donald first appeared in “The Wise Hen” on June 9, 1934.  While Donald is 89 years old today, he doesn’t act a day over 20. Donald is one of Disney’s most famous and popular characters.

                        National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

June 10           Ball Point Pen Day

                        Herb and Spices Day

                        Iced Tea Day

June 11           National Children's Day

                        National Corn On The Cob Day

 June 12          National Jerky Day

                        National Peanut Butter Cookie Day

                        Red Rose Day

June 13           National Weed Your Garden Day

                        Sewing Machine Day

June 14           Monkey Around Day

                        Nursing Assistants Day—date varies

June 15           National Nature Photography Day

                        National Prune Day

                        Smile Power Day—Give everyone you see a big, friendly, “I like you” smile. They make you happy. You never know, you’re warm smile just might turn someone’s day right around…for the good!

                        Global Wind Day

June 16           Fresh Veggies Day

                        International Waterfall Day—From water falling a few inches to a foot or more over rocks in a babbling brook, to the thundering cascade of Niagara Falls, people all over the world are absolutely enthralled by waterfalls. The power and sound of the crashing water thrill and amaze onlookers. Each waterfall is unique and beautiful in its own way. Each waterfall has its own character, and no two are quite alike.

                        Take A Road Trip Day—third Friday in June

June 17           Eat Your Vegetables Day

                        National Hollerin' Contest Day—third Saturday in June

                        World Juggler's Day—Saturday closest to June 17th

June 18           Go Fishing Day

                        International Panic Day

                        International Picnic Day

                        Sushi Day

                        National Splurge Day—Oh Yeah!!

                        National Turkey Lovers Day—third Sunday in June

June 19           National Kissing Day—Kissing is so special that we get two holidays to enjoy it. You can choose to participate in International Kissing Day on July 6 or National Kissing Day on June 19.

                        World Sauntering Day

June 20           Ice Cream Soda Day

                        National Bald Eagle Day

June 21           Go Skateboarding Day

                        International Yoga Day

                        National Sea Shell Day

                        National Selfie Day

June22            Chinese Dragon Boat Festival—date varies

                        National Chocolate Éclair Day

                        National Onion Ring Day

                        World Rainforest Day

June 23           Let It Go Day

                        National Food Truck Day—fourth Friday in June

                        National Pink Day

                        Take Your Dog To Work Day—Today is Take Your Dog to Work Day. There is a risk in doing this. We know he won’t complain, as he always wants to spend more time with you. But, what if he does a better job than you!? This holiday is the Friday after Father’s Day.

June 24           International Fairy (or Faery) Day

                        Swim A Lap Day

June 25           Log Cabin Day

                        National Catfish Day

June 26           Beautician's Day

                        Forgiveness Day

                        National Canoe Day

June 27           National Columnists Day—fourth Tuesday in June

                        National Onion Day

                        Sun Glasses Day

June 28           Insurance Awareness Day—Hmmm, I wonder who could have invented that?

                        International Body Piercing Day

                        Paul Bunyan Day

June 29           Camera Day

                        Hug Holiday

                        International Mud Day

                        National Handshake Day—the Thursday in June

                        Waffle Iron Day

June 30           Meteor Day

Amazingly, there are many days devoted to food and eating. So…enjoy your favorite bizarre, weird, and unique celebration/holiday. 

5 Clues No One Is Home

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that burglars prefer to break into homes and steal things when the occupants of that house are not home—and preferably when they're out of town rather than merely out to dinner.

And that leads us to the question of how burglars know when you're out of town.

According to companies that deal in home security, there are five primary clues that tell potential burglars that you're out of town even if it's only for a long weekend. And there's nothing hidden or tricky about those clues. They're just plain common sense.

1)  The house is always dark:

When you're home rather than out of town, you turn various lights on and off as you go through your normal routine—kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc.  To simply leave a light on when you're out of town does not handle the situation. Lights go one and off in different rooms. The best way to handle this is to have lights that you can control remotely when you're out of town. Next best would be to have lights on timers that come on and go off at different times.

2)  No cars in the driveway or a car has been there too long without moving:

'Professional' burglars will often case a potential location to determine the routines of the people who live there. I, personally, never park in my driveway. My car is always in the garage unless I'm physically in my car. But people without garages, or those who have detached garages without direct access to their house, usually park in their driveway or at the curb in front of their house. If the car that belongs to that house is gone for days or is there for days without being moved, it's a sign that the owner of the car is most likely out of town. To avoid this, have a neighbor occasionally park their car in your driveway or have a friend or family member move your car from time to time.

3)  Newspapers, mail, and packages pile up:

If your mailbox is overflowing, newspapers are on the driveway or in the yard, or there's several Amazon deliveries on your porch, it's a sure sign that the occupants are out of town. Simple solution is to put a vacation hold on your mail at the post office, have the newspaper delivery stopped, and don't place any Amazon orders right before you leave town.

4)  Your lawn needs mowing:

If someone is watching your house, a normally well-manicured yard that is suddenly unkempt is a big clue that the occupants are out of town. Of course, if you have a lawn service that mows regularly, it solves that problem.

5)  Snow hasn't been shoveled from driveway and sidewalk:

Just like lawn care in spring and summer, winter presents yard situation indicating the occupants are out of town. If the snow hasn't been shoveled off the driveway and sidewalk, or there aren't any tire tracks in the snow on the driveway, it's a good sign that the occupants are out of town. If there's the possibility of snow accumulation while you're gone, perhaps your neighbor can be in charge of snow removal for you.

And these are the five biggest clues that you're out of town and a prime target for burglars. As I said, these are common sense measures and precautions to take before you leave on vacation. 

HISTORY OF THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY

The last Monday in May, this year falling on May 29, 2023, is Memorial Day in the United States—a holiday honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War but didn't become an official federal holiday until 1971.

The Civil War claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history. This required the establishment of the country's first national cemeteries. In the late 1860s, Americans in various small towns and large cities held springtime tributes to fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers. On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan proclaimed May 30 as Decoration Day, the date chosen because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle.

On the first Decoration Day, General Logan made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) where 5,000 participants decorated the graves of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

Decoration Day originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But by the time the U.S. became involved in World War I, the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars.

The name Decoration Day gradually changed over to Memorial Day during the ensuing years, but continued to be observed on May 30. In 1968, one hundred years after General Logan made his Decoration Day proclamation, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. This law also declared Memorial Day to be a federal holiday. The change went into effect in 1971.

In addition to nationwide parades and the decorating of graves and monuments, Memorial Day has come to hold a second designation. It is also a time of many family gatherings which include backyard BBQs and picnics. With an official date of the last Monday in May, the holiday is considered the unofficial start of summer and the beginning of the vacation travel season in the U.S. with the Labor Day holiday on the first Monday of September signaling the unofficial end of the summer season.

Many recreational boaters launch their boats on lakes and rivers over the Memorial Day weekend for the first outing of the summer. Tourist attractions gear up for the summer vacationers. And a sure sign of the start of the summer season, all across the country gasoline prices usually go up in preparation of increased need!

For the last three years, the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on most Memorial Day activities and events. Now that so many people have been vaccinated and restrictions greatly reduced, summer of 2023 has several travel and entertainment venues being opened with activities being cautiously resumed. For those with family gatherings or travel plans for the Memorial Day holiday weekend and for this summer—stay safe and healthy.