Ever Have an Earworm?

Chances are you have had one. Sounds creepy doesn't it? Well rest assured it's not as gross as it sounds. The definition of an earworm is "A song or tune that repeats over and over inside a person's head." Here's an interesting tidbit: musicians, women, and individuals who are prone to worry are more apt to catch an earworm!

Need to get rid of an earworm? Some possible remedies include distracting yourself, listening or singing the song you've got stuck from beginning to end, or replacing it, which if you ask me isn't much of a remedy!

Did You Hear Something?

When I was a kid, we used to have a game. When one of your ears rang you would ask your friend "Which ear?" to which they would respond left or right. If they named the correct ear, someone was talking about you in a positive light. Wrong ear? Someone was gossiping about you.



If your ear rings (not earrings!) just once in a "blue moon" (remember that one?), no need for alarm. Causes range from ear wax build-up to excess caffeine intake to a bend in a tiny little hair inside your ear. However, if it rings constantly you should see a doctor, as it may be an infection, or something called tinnitus.

Orange Coffee Anyone?

You know if the waitress is carrying a coffee pot with an orange handle, it is decaf. But why? Well it has to do with a little old brand named Sanka. Sanka was one of the world's very first brands of decaffeinated coffee, sold across the U.S. starting in the late 1920's. General Mills advertised the brand rigorously and Sanka's bright orange label became so closely identified with decaf that coffee shops soon began pouring the brew from the orange-handled decanters we are now so familiar with.

What of Tartar?

Now that the holidays are drawing near, you might be dusting off your cookbooks and baking some yummy cookies and other goodies. Chances are, you'll be using cream of tartar. The name of this product got me curious; it's powder, not cream! So I went hunting.

While I didn't find any info on the origin of its name, I did find some interesting facts. mixed with baking soda, for 1 teaspoon of baking powder you need 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. It also shines aluminum cookware (dissolve 2 tablespoons in a quart of water in a dingy pan and boil for ten minutes) and removes stains from bathtubs (make a paste from cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide; cover stained area, allow to dry and wipe clean)!

Once in a Blue Moon?

Today we get to enjoy a full moon, so I thought I'd share some lunar facts!

In the mood for love? California grunions are. These small, silvery fish will only spawn on the three or four nights following the highest tide associated with each full or new moon.

Ever see two full moons in one month? Then you, my friend, have experienced a blue moon! Doesn't happen often (hence the saying)! As a matter of fact, between 2004 and 2010 there will have been a total of four blue moons.

Mad Hatter?

Have you ever wondered why we use some of the idioms we do? Here's one I came across today. Although you might think the term "Mad as a Hatter" was coined by Lewis Carroll when he wrote the classic Alice in Wonderland. However, the term was actually a well-known phrase when he decided to create his literary character.

Where the term actually derives from is really quite sad. Felt hats were once all the rage, and a mercury compound was used in the process of making these hats. Hatters worked in poorly ventilated areas and many eventually succumbed to mercury poisoning. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include trembling, loss of coordination, slurred speech, memory loss, depression, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. The long term effects include brain damage and death.

Thankfully, mercury is no longer used in hat-making!

Simplest Cookie Recipes Ever

Sometimes the best things are the simplest. Here are two tried-and-true cookie recipes I love.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup sugar (you can use Splenda if you're going low carb)
1 large egg
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer all natural)
Preheat oven to 375. Combine sugar and egg in mixing bowl; stir until smooth. Mix in peanut butter. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, and use a fork to flatten and give the old fashioned crosshatching peanut butter cookies are known for! Bake 10 minutes.

Way too Easy Pumpkin Cookies

1 spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
Preheat oven to 350. Stir cake mix and pumpkin in mixing bowl. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes.