Serendipity is the term for a “happy accident” or a “pleasant surprise.” Thus, Serendipity Day encourages people to look for and notice those unexpected good things that are always out there, if we have the eyes to see them. In fact, the creators of this holiday believe that serendipity is no accident at all, but an attitude or a lifestyle in which you are always reaching for those unexpected things and expecting happy surprises to occur.
The word serendipity was coined in the mid 1700s by a man named Horace Walpole. In a letter to a friend, he explained how he had created the term from a Persian fairy tale known in English as The Three Princes of Serendip. The story tells of three princes who were banished from the kingdom of Serendip (another term for Sri Lanka) in order to prove their worth. As they wander the world, “serendipitous” moments occur to them time after time, in a rather unbelievable amount, much like some children’s stories, where they just happen to run across the perfect place or the clue to solve the mystery, or old, corny superhero movies, where they just happen to have the antidote lying around.
In other words, it seems like Walpole first created the word serendipity as some mild ridicule of these “happy accidents” and now the term is a favorite inspirational line everywhere: “seek serendipity!”
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (adjective) Brief and to the point; effectively concise. | ||
| Synonyms: | laconic, curt, crisp | ||
| Usage: | The officer's orders were terse, but everyone understood his instructions. | ||
Idiom of the Day
grand poobah— The most important or powerful person in a group, organization, business, or movement (e.g., the boss, leader, etc.). |
thanks, helen
History
Meriwether Lewis (1774)
After serving as a captain in the US army, Lewis became secretary to President Thomas Jefferson. When Congress approved a plan to find a land route to the Pacific Ocean, Jefferson selected his trusted associate, along with William Clark, to head the expedition. In 1807, Lewis was made governor of the Louisiana Territory. His sudden death—either by murder or suicide—in 1809, while on his way to Washington, DC, is still the subject of controversy.
Raksha Bandhan
This day, sometimes also referred to as Brother and Sister Day, is celebrated in some parts of India by brothers and sisters to reaffirm their bonds of affection, as well as to perform a ritual of protection. A sister ties a bracelet made of colorful threads and amulets, called a rakhi, on her brother's wrists. The brother in turn may give his sister gifts—a piece of jewelry or money—while promising to protect her. In Nepal, it is a festival for both Hindus and Buddhists. The Brahmins put golden threads around everyone's wrists; they are worn until Diwali.
Viruses 'More Dangerous in the Morning'
Viruses are more dangerous when they infect their victims in the morning, a University of Cambridge study suggests. The findings, published in PNAS, showed viruses were 10 times more successful if the infection started in the morning.READ MORE:
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1587 - Virginia Dare became the first child to be born on American soil of English parents. The colony that is now Roanoke Island, NC, mysteriously vanished.
1840 - The American Society of Dental Surgeons was founded in New York City, NY.
1916 - Abraham Lincoln's birthplace was made into a national shrine.
1920 - Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Amendment guaranteed the right of all American women to vote.
1938 - The Thousand Islands Bridge was dedicated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The bridge connects the U.S. and Canada.
1958 - Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Lolita" was published.
1963 - James Meredith graduated from the University of Mississippi. He was the first black man to accomplish this feat.
1966 - The first pictures of earth taken from moon orbit were sent back to the U.S.
1992 - Larry Bird, after 13 years with the Boston Celtics, announced his retirement.
1997 - Patrick Swayze received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
DAILY SQU-EEK
Pictures of the day
Sgùrr nan Gillean is a mountain in the northern section of the Cuillin range on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. With a height of 964 m (3162 feet), it is one of eleven Munros on the Cuillin ridge.
All his tugs in a row. The World's Largest Rubber Duck is tied up behind four tugboats in the Superior Harbor Basin early Wednesday evening. The giant duck, which stands 61 feet tall and weighs 11 tons, will make its appearance in the Tall Ships Festival starting today in Duluth.
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Creta Lace Socks pattern by Darlene Dale
Skill level: Intermediate
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thanks, barbara, for sharing what Confucius did not say!
Man who wants pretty nurse must be patient.
Passionate kiss, like spider web, leads to undoing of fly.
Lady who goes camping with man must beware of evil intent.
Squirrel who runs up woman's leg will not find nuts.
Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.
Man who runs in front of car gets tired, but man who runs behind car gets
exhausted.
Man who eats many prunes get good run for money.
War does not determine who is right; it determines who is left.
Man who fights with wife all day get no piece at night.
It takes many nails to build a crib, but only one screw to fill it.
Man who drives like hell is bound to get there.
Man who stands on toilet is high on pot.
Wise man does not keep sledge hammer and slow computer in same room.!!!!!
Man who lives in glass house should change clothes in basement.
And, Confucius Did Not Say. . ."A lion will not cheat on his wife, but
Tiger Wood!"
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Diana Purse | Divine Debris
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Princess Charlotte Baby Booties pattern by Olivia Kent
What You’ll Need
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Crochet Can Cozies Crochet Pattern | Red Heart
Step 1. Choose your size Large Small Directions for large cans to fit 2½"-3" diameter cans and bottles.
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RECIPE
CROCKPOT RECIPE
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Slow Cooker Sticky Pecan Buns | Amy's Healthy Baking
An easy & healthy recipe for sticky buns studded with pecans—and made in the slow cooker! The BEST breakfast pastries you’ll ever eat!
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ADULT COLORING
Art deco
CRAFTS
english also used in blog
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thanks, joan
thanks, sally
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PUZZLE
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QUOTE
thanks, shelley
CLEVER
Transparent TV
The transparent tv designed by Michael Friebe is a marvelous piece of technology that combines conventional LCD and the latest TOLED display technology. This allows to create non-transparent / solid moving pictures with rich color reproduction and full contrast range from solid black to pristine white.
EYE OPENER
Surprising Uses for Wax Paper
care2
Wax paper is a kitchen standby for its ingenious ability to keep foods from sticking. This application can be used on so much more than your freshly baked batch of cookies, though. From speeding up snow shoveling time to getting a zipper unstuck, click through to check out some creative ways to use wax paper.
Clean the Kitchen!
1. Clean a Can Opener. Run some wax paper through the gears of the can opener — it’ll loosen up any debris and help the gears run more smoothly.
2. Keep Wooden Salad Bowls in Great Shape. After washing and drying wooden salad bowls, real them up by rubbing the wood with wax paper.
3. Easily Clean up the Tops of Cabinets and the Fridge. Line these out-of-sight and hard to reach areas with wax paper. Instead of dusting and scrubbing up there, just replace the wax paper once a month.
4. Keep a Wooden Cutting Board Clean. If you are a meat eater, line a wooden cutting board with wax paper before placing raw meat on it. The wax paper will prevent juices from seeping into the board.
5. Protect the Fridge. Line the drawers with wax paper to catch any spills or grime. Replace every month or two and say goodbye to cleaning!
Food & Drink.
6. Re-cork a Wine Bottle. Re-corking wine can be a total pain — the cork expands when it is exposed to air. To remedy that, rub the cork with some wax paper, which will provide the much-needed lubrication to get the cork back in.
7. Fill Spice Jars with Ease. Herbs and spices can be expensive, so it’s great to save as much of them as possible. Fashion wax paper into a funnel to painlessly fill your spice jars without all the mess.
8. Stop Microwave Splatter. Messy microwaves are the worst! Put a sheet of wax paper over your food to stop the splattering.
9. Keep Cheese Fresh. Extend the shelf life of your cheese by storing it in wax paper, not the plastic it comes in. After you line it with wax paper, line it again with tin foil.
Around the House.
10. Use in Place of Swiffer Sheets. if you’ve run out of dry sheets for your swifter, use wax paper instead. Cheaper and just as effective!
11. Shine up Fixtures Fixtures. Rub chrome fixtures with wax paper after cleaning. The wax will coat the fixtures and prevent water stains.
12. Stop a Door from Sticking. Rub a sheet of wax paper along the edge of the door. It help stop it from jamming in the frame.
13. Protect Colored Candles. To stop the dye in candles from bleeding, store them wrapped in wax paper.
14. Lubricated Clothing. Curtain and Shower Rods. Stop all that annoying squeaking by rubbing the rod with wax paper.
More Great Uses.
15. Clean Gardening Tools. Ball up some wax paper and rub it on your gardening tools to loosen grim and prevent rust.
16. Set a Stuck Zipper Free. Lightly rub the zipper’s teeth with wax paper. It’ll help lubricate it.
17. Make Snow Shoveling Easier. Who doesn’t want to cut snow shoveling time down? Rub the shovel with wax paper before shoveling to help prevent the snow from sticking.
18. Protect Delicate Fabrics. Want to keep your wedding dress around for decades? Wrap it and your other treasured clothing items in wax paper — it will stop light from damaging the fabric.
19. Protect Drawers in Your Workshop, Art Studio, or Crafting Space. Line drawers with wax paper to prevent them from getting dusty, greasy or oily. Change the paper out every couple of months.
20. Preserve Paint. Haven’t used the whole can of paint yet? Put wax paper over the top of the can to help it last longer
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