DIANE'S CORNER ...
Celebrate Cuddle Up Day
Winter has the coldest days of the year so there’s many ways to stay warm. One of the best ways to stay warm is a three-dog night, a night so cold it takes cuddling up to three dogs to stay warm. There are multiple benefits to cuddling with people, canines, and other pets. Let’s find out what those are in the history of Cuddle Up Day!
The warm history of Cuddle Up Day
Cuddling releases oxytocin. This hormone alone has huge health benefits. Besides giving us warm and fuzzy feelings, oxytocin reduces pain. So when the cold has made those muscles and joints ache, cuddling can help reduce those aches and pains. Oxytocin also helps reduce heart disease, reduces blood pressure, stress, and anxiety. If it weren’t free, cuddling would probably be covered by health insurance because it’s such a huge health benefit! Communication is more than just e-mails, texts, or conversations. Physical touch can communicate trust, commitment, safety, and reassurance. This goes for human to human contact as well has human to pet contact. Cuddling communicates all these things which are vital to a strong relationship. Cuddling can also boost sexual desire. Dopamine is released stimulating the brain to seek pleasure.
But dopamine also can improve memory and focus as well. Cuddling also helps a mother better bond with her infant or toddler children. As cuddling releases Oxytocin, it relaxes the mother so breastfeeding may come more easily. It also enables sleep, even when the mother might have difficulty sleeping with a newborn in the house. Cuddling can actually help with social anxiety which helps you have a positive outlook on the world. Cuddling doesn’t even have to be between you and your romantic partner. Don’t have someone to cuddle up with? Make an appointment for a massage. Studies show massage provides similar benefits. You can also go and hug your friends or play with your pets. If you don’t want to be so social or don’t have a furry friends, never fear friend! You can rub your own shoulders, take a warm bath or of course, get a massage.
Russian artist Vera Shimunia captures the illusion of painted scenes with intricate needlework, portraying sunsets reflecting off of water, fields of flowers disappearing into the horizon, and lifelike storm clouds over distant rain.
Joke of the Day
GENEROUS OWNER
A ill business owner was discussing with his lawyer a final draft of his last will and testament.
"Well," as he was discussing with his lawyer, "I want to put in a clause for my employees. To those that have worked for me for 20 years or longer I want to give and bequeath the amount of $50,000."
His Lawyer reminded him that he has not been in business 20 years. The business owner replied, "I know, but it's going to be great advertising!"
"Well," as he was discussing with his lawyer, "I want to put in a clause for my employees. To those that have worked for me for 20 years or longer I want to give and bequeath the amount of $50,000."
His Lawyer reminded him that he has not been in business 20 years. The business owner replied, "I know, but it's going to be great advertising!"
Word of the Day
ombrifuge
MEANING:
noun: Something that provides protection from the rain, especially an umbrella.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek ombro- (rain shower) + -fuge (repelling). Earliest documented use: 1869.
USAGE:
“When you are caught in a shower and spot a convenient ombrifuge ... should you run to it or walk?”
The Independent (London, UK); Apr 30, 1998.
The Independent (London, UK); Apr 30, 1998.
Idiom of the Day
LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE (often just: LET IT LIE)
To leave a situation as it is, in order to not make it worse
Don’t bring up what happened at Alison’s party again. You should just let it lie.
Don’t bring up what happened at Alison’s party again. You should just let it lie.
This Day in History
1759 - George Washington and Martha Dandridge Custis were married.
1838 - Samuel Morse publicly demonstrated the telegraph for the first time.
1912 - New Mexico became the 47th U.S. state.
1941 - Richard Widmark made his debut on radio in "The Home of the Brave."
1942 - The first commercial around-the-world airline flight took place. Pan American Airlines was the company that made history with the feat.
1952 - "Peanuts" debuted in Sunday papers across the United States.
1963 - "Wild Kingdom" premiered on NBC.
1994 - Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed on the right leg by an assailant at Cobo Arena in Detroit, MI. Four men were later sentenced to prison for the attack, including Tonya Harding's ex-husband.
1987 - After a 29-year lapse, the Ford Thunderbird was presented with the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award. It was the first occurrence of a repeat winner of the award.
1998 - The spacecraft Lunar Prospect was launched into orbit around the moon. The craft was crashed into the moon, in an effort to find water under the lunar surface, on July 31, 1999.
1999 - Bob Newhart received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2004 - In the United Arab Emirates, construction began on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. Upon completion it was the world's largest building.
2017 - The final episode of the final season of "American Idol" aired.
thanks, Ella
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, January 6
Exceptionally hard-working, your work means the world to you, and if you don't choose a career path that truly reflects your goals, you are unlikely to be very happy! You are a list maker, an organizer, and a person who loves order, even if you don't always feel you are orderly enough. You are at your best when you have a goal in mind. You are loyal and somewhat of a perfectionist. As peace-loving and security-minded as you are, there is a decidedly stubborn and argumentative side to your personality. Famous people born today:
1580 John Smith, English explorer (Chesapeake Bay, New England) and leader of the Virginia Colony (Jamestown), born in Lincolnshire, England (d. 1861)
1822 Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist who rediscovered Troy, born in Neubukow, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Confederation (d. 1890
1913 Loretta Young, American actress (Farmer's Daughter, Stranger), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2000)
1946 Syd Barrett, English guitarist and early vocalist of the band Pink Floyd, born in Cambridge, England (d. 2006)
1955 Rowan Atkinson, English comedian and actor (Mr Bean, Blackadder), born in Consett, County Durham, England
1982 Eddie Redmayne, English actor (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Theory of Everything), born in London
thanks, Agnes
READERS INFO
1.
(Not So) Totally Useless Facts of The Day:
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus are both legendary singers, and they have a deep connection with one another, too. Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother. Her relationship with Miley stems from a long-lasting friendship with the 26-year-old's
father and fellow musician, Billy Ray Cyrus. Billy Ray first met Dolly when he toured with her after the release of his single "Achy Breaky Heart" in 1992. Miley Cyrus was born the same year, and Parton has been in her life ever since. Fans
who've followed Cyrus since the Hannah Montana days will likely remember that Parton made an appearance as Miley's godmother on the show.
People pace while talking on the phone because they don't have visual feedback. So the body reacts by moving.
Jolt Cola is a carbonated soft drink created in 1985 as a highly caffeinated beverage.
From the outset, Jolt's marketing strategy centered on the caffeine content, billing the drink as a means to promote wakefulness. It was targeted towards students and young professionals, stressing its use as a stimulant in a similar manner as energy drinks. The initial slogan was "All the sugar and twice the caffeine"; this slogan survived for 24 years. The slogan was then changed to "Maximum caffeine, more power." The new Jolt Cola has 3.5 times more caffeine than a 16 fl oz Coca-Cola Classic!
2.
1952 -
1759 - George Washington and Martha Dandridge Custis were married.
1963 - "Wild Kingdom" premiered on NBC.
1987 - After a 29-year lapse, the Ford Thunderbird was presented with the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award. It was the first occurrence of a repeat winner of the award.
1998 - The spacecraft Lunar Prospect was launched into orbit around the moon. The craft was crashed into the moon, in an effort to find water under the lunar surface, on July 31, 1999.
1999 - Bob Newhart received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2004 - In the United Arab Emirates, construction began on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. Upon completion it was the world's largest building.
2017 - The final episode of the final season of "American Idol" aired.
thanks, Ella
DAILY SQU-EEK
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus are both legendary singers, and they have a deep connection with one another, too. Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother. Her relationship with Miley stems from a long-lasting friendship with the 26-year-old's
father and fellow musician, Billy Ray Cyrus. Billy Ray first met Dolly when he toured with her after the release of his single "Achy Breaky Heart" in 1992. Miley Cyrus was born the same year, and Parton has been in her life ever since. Fans
who've followed Cyrus since the Hannah Montana days will likely remember that Parton made an appearance as Miley's godmother on the show.
Jolt Cola is a carbonated soft drink created in 1985 as a highly caffeinated beverage.
The syndicated daily and Sunday comic Strip Peanuts
was written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz and ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. The strip is the most popular and influential in the history of comic strips, with 17,897 strips published in all, making it "arguably the longest story ever told by one human being". At its peak, Peanuts ran in over
2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries, and was translated into 21 languages. It helped to make the four-panel gag strip as the standard in the United States, and together with its merchandise earned Schulz
more than $1 billion. Reprints of the strip are still syndicated and run in almost every U.S. newspaper.
The syndicated daily and Sunday comic Strip Peanuts
was written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz and ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. The strip is the most popular and influential in the history of comic strips, with 17,897 strips published in all, making it "arguably the longest story ever told by one human being". At its peak, Peanuts ran in over
2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries, and was translated into 21 languages. It helped to make the four-panel gag strip as the standard in the United States, and together with its merchandise earned Schulz
more than $1 billion. Reprints of the strip are still syndicated and run in almost every U.S. newspaper.
2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries, and was translated into 21 languages. It helped to make the four-panel gag strip as the standard in the United States, and together with its merchandise earned Schulz
more than $1 billion. Reprints of the strip are still syndicated and run in almost every U.S. newspaper.
Charles Monroe Schulz (November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000)
3.
thanks, Ara
Charles Monroe Schulz (November 26, 1922 – February 12, 2000)
SUZE WOOLF (daughter)
Threshold at Kirkland Arts Center. This juried exhibit will include the largest burned tree painting I've done yet -- a cedar tree from the starting point of the North Cascades' 2015 Goodell Creek Fire. I'm always struck by how cedars seem to rot or burn from the inside out. Many times the center is completely gone yet the tree still lives.
Goodell Creek Cedar, Varnished watercolor on torn paper, 52" high by 44" wide (2019)
The exhibit is on display January 7 - February 15. The opening reception is January 10 from 6 - 8 pm and I will be there.
The exhibit is on display January 7 - February 15. The opening reception is January 10 from 6 - 8 pm and I will be there.
4.
Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts 2020
Jan 18, 2020 | Mesa, AZ
MacDonald off of Main Street|W Main St & S MacDonald
Butterfingers need not apply. While your hands are borderline useless, there’s a slew of artists in Mesa who put theirs to good use. You’ll come across all kinds of unique arts and crafts where each fiber fused into the finished product serves an important purpose. Jewelry, ceramics and ornaments are just some of the things you’ll find here while you’ll also enjoy some quality live music.
further information: Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts
5.
Gilbert Art Walk 2020
Jan 18, 2020 | Gilbert, AZ
Water Tower Plaza|45 W Page Ave
Sometimes, a few hours are not enough to ponder the masterpiece in front of you. The Gilbert Art Walk slows its pace to give you ample time to stare at pretty colors. From October to March to be exact. Make way on the first and third Saturday of each month to ogle at stunning work in painting, jewelry, ceramics, photography and much more. Every time you take a stroll through the event, some new artists will make their presence known so you have a new batch of pretty colors to look at.
further information: Gilbert Art Walk
Pictures of the day
Pictures of the day
The Dormition Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church in
Moscow dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God. The
present building, with its five domes representing Jesus and
the Four Evangelists, dates to 1475. Since then, it has suffered
many disasters, including fires in 1518, 1547, 1682 and 1737,
looting, and being used as a stable and as a museum. Several
periods of restoration and repair occurred, with the building being
restored to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991. This picture
shows the processional northern doorway of the Dormition
dominates the light and spacious interior of the building.
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Awesome Day Makes Roller Coaster Ride
for Daughter with Laundry Basket
knit
thanks, Patty
Ribbed Beanie
knit
thanks, Stella
knit
Crochet Pattern of the Day:
thanks, Valerie, Canadian Correspondent
crochet, vintage
thanks, Helen
thanks, Helen
thanks, Shelley, New York Food Correspondent
CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Sara
SWEETS
ADULT COLORING
CRAFTS
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts
PUZZLE
SUDOKU ... medium
QUOTE
CLEVER
CROCKPOT RECIPE
thanks, Sara
This gluten-free and paleo friendly chili gets a hit of sweetness from sweet potato and butternut squash. Cook up a big pot and let it warm you all the way through winter. Packed up right, it will last three months in the freezer.
SWEETS
thanks, Lesley
ADULT COLORING
This free calendar is perfect to download and color all year long. There are 12 coloring pages featuring plants, terrariums, gardens, air plants, and more! What a fun way to get yourself organized.
CRAFTS
thanks, Kathy
CHILDREN'S CORNER ... crafts
thanks, Betty
PUZZLE
| abide about adore ahead certification coerce custom | debut deceit dictionary drool feint freedom friendship | grass horse host kitty loon | maid malice match maybe motion movie palace pitch pitiful | right rival rocket side smile stink sweet |
SUDOKU ... medium
solution:
QUOTE
thanks, Becky
CLEVER
thanks, Vicky
EYE OPENER
#Trending |
Take a trip down memory lane with a selection of Google's most popular searches this past decade. What was your favorite year?
2010: Justin Bieber, Swine flu, Jimmy Johns, World Cup, Chatroulette, Susan Boyle
2011: Kindle Fire, Rebecca Black, "Price Tag" lyrics, Fukushima, Mayweather vs. Ortiz
2012: Jeremy Lin, The Hunger Games, Whitney Houston, "Gangnam Style," Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Kony 2012
2013: Oscar Pistorius, Boston Marathon, Government shutdown, Nelson Mandela, Paul Walker, What does the fox say?
2014: Robin Williams, Malaysia Airlines, Jennifer Lawrence, Ebola, ISIS, World Cup, Insanity workout
2015: Lamar Odom, 20/20 diet, How to use the new Snapchat update?, Nepal earthquake, American Sniper
2016: Pokémon Go, Donald Trump, Olympics, Prince, Harambe, Stranger Things
2017: Matt Lauer, Meghan Markle, Las Vegas shooting, How to make solar eclipse glasses, Bitcoin price, "Despacito"
2018: World Cup, Black Panther, Royal wedding, Anthony Bourdain, Stan Lee, Demi Lovato
2019: Copa America, Cameron Boyce, Notre Dame, Antonio Brown, Jussie Smollett, Avengers: Endgame, "Old Town Road"
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New Words, Who Dis |
These are Merriam Webster's words of the year for the decade (plus some new lingo added to the dictionary).
2010: Austerity
2011: Pragmatic
2012: Socialism and capitalism
2013: Science
2014: Culture
2015: -ism (Socialism, Fascism, Racism, Feminism, Communism)
New words from the first half of the decade: fist bump, tweet, bromance, parkour, man cave, underwater, earworm, bucket list, gastropub, twerking, hashtag, selfie, catfish, unfriend, crowdfunding, big data, emoji, net neutrality, meme, clickbait, jegging, NSFW
2016: Surreal
2017: Feminism
2018: Justice
2019: They—gender neutral pronoun to be used in place of "he" or "she"
New words: gig economy, swole, stan, deep state, dad joke, FOMO, revenge porn, froyo, weak sauce, photobomb, listicle, facepalm, bougie, TL;DR, bingeable, airplane mode, fintech, zoodle, Latinx
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A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Hate is a dead thing. Who of you would be a tomb? -Kahlil Gibran, poet and artist (6 Jan 1883-1931)
Vera Shimunia
OPTICAL ILLUSION
If you shift your eyes ever so slightly
you can get the train to go in either direction
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