Category Archive: Trivia

Welcome May!

Categories:

Cinco De Mayo, Current Events, Entertainment, Family Fun, Pop Culture, Traditions, Trivia

May 1, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

Welcome May!

Welcome May!

If ever there were a month of the year that gets me excited, it’s got to be May.  To me May seems like the annual drum roll month that really sets a tone of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming warm-weather months, getting everyone excited about what is to come soon enough and that is summer! Today seems like a great day to get you pumped up about May…summer…and all the good things that come with it. 

 

Star Wars Day:  Really?  A play on words taken from an infamous Star Wars line, has now become a full-fledged day for Star Wars fans everywhere to celebrate.  “May the Force Be With You,” sounds a lot like “May the fourth be with you”.  May the fourth is now the officially sanctioned day to dress up in your best Star Wars Costumes, watch Star Wars movies and have Star Wars themed costume parties. 

Summer Movie Blockbuster Season: Did you see Iron Man 3 yet?  Iron Man 3 is the first of a whole series of heavy hitter movies that are set to hit the theatres this summer, all of which are bound to thrill and delight summer movie audiences everywhere. What do you have to look forward to?  Well, it’s time to get excited about “The Great Gatsby”(May 10), “Star Trek Into Darkness” (May 17), “Man of Steel” (June 14), “Monster’s University” (June 21), “Fast and Furious 6” (May 24), “World War Z”  (June 21), “The Wolverine” (July 26).  And trust me…this list is just the beginning.  If you are a movie fan, this could be your summer!

Cinco De Mayo (May 5):  This south of the border sentimental favorite has kind of become the Mexican version of St. Patrick’s Day.  Yes, it’s a great excuse to party…Mexican style, of course!  Believe it or not, outside of Puebla, Mexico this holiday is celebrated in Mexico about at the same level Arbor Day is celebrated here in the U.S.  Not a huge deal, folks, but if you need an excuse to wear your serape and sombrero while eating lots of Mexican food (my personal fave) today is the day!

Mother’s Day (May 12):  This is a holiday designed to pay tribute to as well as to honor the mother’s of the world. Take this chance to thank your mom for her endless love and support because after all, you have no bigger fan in the world other than your beloved mom.  As for you mom’s out there–what woman doesn’t enjoy being queen for the day?  Enjoy the extra love and attention as for most of us this sort of thing only happens once a year.

Memorial Day (May 27): Memorial Day culminates the first three-day weekend of the warm weather months, and for most, Memorial Day kicks off the summer season.  (Even though technically Memorial Day happens in the spring.)  Memorial Day is a revered holiday that is set aside to honor those brave men and women that lost their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed forces.  The many freedoms we enjoy today can be attributed to those willing to fight and make the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve these privileges we hold so dear.  Take a moment to show your gratitude and reverence on this very special holiday!

There is so much to get excited about and to enjoy this month.  Get ready to welcome in May!

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What’s Great About April

Categories:

Current Events, Entertainment, Trivia

April 3, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

What's Great About April

What's Great About April

There’s something completely magical that happens when the calendar changes over to April.  Yes, April means that it is officially time to pack winter away until next year.  But April also brings with it many fun and exciting things that you are definitely going to look forward to.  It’s absolutely time to start filling up your calendar and let the good times roll! 

Nurture Nature:  April is the first full month of springtime, so for many, it’s the first chance to really embrace all that’s good about what can be a glorious season filled with freshness, new life, and a whole lot more sunshine! (And perhaps just a few April showers…)  April is a great time to spruce up your yard, plant a veggie garden and enjoy the still cooler, sunny days. There are even a couple of cool nature-oriented holidays in April that you will not want to miss out on:

  • April 22nd-Earth Day-Earth Day was designed to rekindle awareness of the environment and the ways in which each of us can help to protect our natural resources.  You can get into Earth Day by going to an Earth Day festival near you, or just take the time to get educated and do something as simple as planting a garden. 
  • April 27th-Arbor Day-Arbor Day is a special and unique holiday designed for the specific purpose of tree planting.  You can celebrate Arbor Day in many ways, including of course, the most obvious one–planting a tree!  Other ideas? Go on a hike and learn about trees that are indigenous to your area, or there’s lots to read to your kids about trees. 

April Silly Stuff:  April starts off with April Fools’ Day–the officially sanctioned holiday on which it is approved (or even encouraged) to play pranks or mischievous tricks on your friends.  What you may not know is that April has a few other lesser known special days that although may seem a little strange, you may want to participate in!

  • April 6th-International Pillow Fight Day-You think I am making this up, don’t you?  On April 6th, believe it or not there will be organized pillow fighting throughout the world.  Interested?  Find the nearest pillow fight near you here: http://2013.pillowfightday.com
  • April 16th-National Wear Pajamas To Work Day- You know you’ve always wanted to do it, now here’s the perfect excuse to wear your pajamas to work and slave the day away in your jammies and slippers–with coffee and a doughnut nearby! This might be your most productive workday ever–unless you take it way too seriously and spend the day half-dozing. Full details here: http://www.nationalwearyourpajamastoworkday.com
  • April 20th-Husband Appreciation Day-You might not have even known that this day existed, which demonstrates all the more why it may be needed.  Show your hubby how much you love and appreciate him! 
  • April 20th-Record Store Day- Yes, there is a holiday for this and since it ironically falls in conjunction with Husband Appreciation Day, are you thinking what I am thinking?  Great possibilities here!  Additionally, there may be some kids out there in today’s day of instantaneous music downloads who don’t even know what a record store is.  For this reason, the record store itself might make a great field trip. More info here: http://www.recordstoreday.com/home

 

April–Just Plain Cool!

  • Mud Runs or Obstacle Course Races-These exciting and fun-filled races are popping up all over the nation.  These events are filled with military-style obstacles; ginormous mud puddles, and frequently have lots and lots of water involved.  You may get dirty–very, very dirty, in fact, but it’s all in the name of good fun.  Many folks do these races as part of a team, sometimes dressing their team up in crazy costumes, accessories or even hats as they run the race, adding to the team spirit. I actually did one of these mud runs last year and literally ran side by side with a whole pack of Village People look-alikes.  It was the most filthy, dirty, insane good time, ever.  
  • Music Festivals-April starts music festival and concert season.  One of the most infamous music and art festivals is Coachella, which runs April 12-14.  Several stages will be set up with continual live music throughout the event. Coachella (and other music festivals) are however, about much more than music.  These events highlight fashion as well.  Things you may want to consider for your music festival experience:  Glow in the dark anything, face and body paints, tie-dye shirts, and other various hippie styled accessories. Other music festivals are known to embrace the quirky, vintage-innovative Steampunk style fashions.  Don’t leave home without the right gear!
  • Baseball Season-Let us not forget that April brings with it the opening of baseball season.  From the best tasting hot dogs you’ve ever had, to that blessed sounding “smack” of bat meeting ball–there’s nothing like baseball.  You just can’t beat it for springtime sports fun, as it will always be considered the greatest All-American game. 

 

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President’s Day: Time to Brush Up On Your Lincoln Trivia!

Categories:

Historical, Holiday's, President's Day, Trivia

February 13, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

Abraham Lincoln

Next Monday, February 18, is President’s Day.  Although originally designated as Washington’s Birthday, now the President’s day holiday honors both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as well as any other man who has served as the head guy in the Oval Office.  This year, with the feature film “Lincoln” still holding firmly to one of the top 10 movie spots at the box office, it might be a great time to add a little honorary historic remembrance to your President’s Day by seeing this 10-time Oscar nominated film.  You might even learn a thing or two about this great President.  Just to help you brush up on your Lincoln trivia, here are a few little tidbits and little known facts about Lincoln–use them to impress your friends!

10.  Lincoln has no living posterity.  Even though Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln had four sons, 3 of the 4 died very young (Edward-age 4, Willie-age 12, Tad-age 18) and Robert, who was Lincoln’s only son that lived into adulthood, had his only known descendant pass away in 1985.

9. Lincoln’s son had his life saved by the future presidential assassin’s brother.  One day while at the train station, Lincoln’s son Robert fell between the platform and the train as the train began to move.  Edwin Booth, the brother of John Wilkes Booth (who later would assassinate the President), quickly pulled Robert Lincoln out of danger, saving his life.

8. President Lincoln felt he should serve in battle during the Civil War.  Although his presidential obligations obviously prevented it, word got out that President Lincoln had regrets about not fighting in battle since he was clearly the leader of the nation’s military.  J. Summerfield Staples volunteered to fight in the war in President Lincoln’s stead.  He served in (and survived) the war.

7.  Lincoln had an epic beard.  Lincoln was the first President to have a beard while serving in office.

6. Lincoln was an inventor and held a patent.  Lincoln was the only known President to obtain a patent.  In 1849, Lincoln’s patent was obtained for a device that lifted ships over shoals through a type of buoying mechanism.  This invention, however, was never put into practical use.

5. Lincoln was the first president who started speaking about women’s rights and at one point suggested that women should be extended the right to vote.

4.  Lincoln’s Inaugural portrait.  Lincoln was the first President to have his photograph taken at inauguration.  Apparently standing near the President in the photograph was John Wilkes Booth, the man who would later assassinate him.

3.  Robert Lincoln was close to 3 Presidential assassinations.  Not only was Robert invited (but declined) to attend the theatre the evening his father was assassinated but also he unfortunately found himself close by 2 other Presidential assassinations.  Robert was invited to meet President Garfield at the train station in Washington, D.C. when he was an eyewitness to Garfield’s assassination.  Robert was also invited to a New York fair where William McKinley would be assassinated.

2. Lincoln had a premonition about his death.  Not long before his assassination, Lincoln had a dream in which he heard crying in the White House.  When he inquired as to who had died, he was told that it was the president.  He peered into the coffin that was there and apparently looked down onto his own deceased face.

1. Urban Legends about Lincoln and Kennedy.  There are many odd coincidences that surround the lives of both President Lincoln and President Kennedy.

  • Both Lincoln and Kennedy were shot in the head on a Friday.
  • Lincoln and Kennedy were elected to congress exactly 100 years apart. Lincoln in 1846, Kennedy in 1946.
  • Lincoln and Kennedy were elected to be President 100 years apart, Lincoln in 1860, Kennedy in 1960.
  • Both Lincoln and Kennedy had successors that had the last name Johnson. (Andrew Johnson and Lyndon Johnson.)
  • The men that assassinated each of these Presidents were known by three names.  (John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald.)
  • Lincoln and Kennedy each have 7 letters in their surnames.  Their assassin’s names each contain 15 letters.
  • Lincoln was shot in Ford’s theatre.  Kennedy was shot while riding in a car (a “Lincoln” made by Ford.

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Groundhog Day: A Celebration of Rodent Meteorologists

Categories:

Entertainment, Trivia

January 28, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

Ground Hog Day 2013

Groundhog Day 2013 is this coming Saturday – February 2nd.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?  Groundhogs, aka woodchuck’s, aka whistle-pigs, are apparently chock full of many useful talents.  Today’s featured woodchuck story is all about the woodchuck (groundhog) that mastered weather prediction and gained infamy because of it.  Basically, this delightful animal tale all started with an overgrown rodent named Phil, but we’ll get to him in just a second.

Back in the early days of our country, (when apparently people believed just about anything), some pretty crazy rumors started about the woodchuck.  Woodchucks, or groundhogs as they are more commonly known here in the US, were purported to be able to predict the weather, in particular, the length of winter.   This supposed weather-predicting skill was more likely just due to some real quirkiness noticed in natural groundhog behavior that somehow got a bit misconstrued; but like a lot of things in this crazy world of ours, groundhog weather-predicting has become an annual tradition that has sorta stuck with us.  Here’s how it all got started.

Groundhogs hibernate in their burrows during the winter.  During this hibernation, their heartbeat slows down dramatically and their body temperature drops sharply.  Sometime in early February, male groundhogs do leave their burrows sometimes, but it has nothing to do with the weather. (Sorry!)  Typically at this time, male groundhogs are looking for a mate.  They will then take their new little groundhog lady friend back with them into the burrow (love nest?), not emerging again until sometime in March.

At some point during the observation of groundhogs, German immigrants in Pennsylvania (who apparently had nothing better to do) noted that oft times the groundhog would pop out of his hole, apparently get frightened by his own shadow and then promptly head back down into his cozy little home.  Somehow, this particular scenario morphed into an odd form of weather forecasting, which (of course) assumed that the groundhog had felt that wintertime was still too fully in gear for him to even think about coming out to deal with it–thus he b-lined it right back into his burrow to continue sleeping.  Ahhhh.

In 1887, a very confident newspaper editor from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (who also belonged to a group of groundhog hunters called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Hunters) declared that he had the only truly official weather-predicting groundhog.  The unique, weather forecasting groundhog’s name was known as “Punxsutawney Phil”.  Since this time there have been a long series of “Phil’s”–all with the supposed ability to predict the duration of winter.  This phenomenon is based simply on whether or not Phil sees his shadow or not upon emergence from his burrow on February the 2nd.

In Punxsutawney, Groundhog Day tradition has evolved into quite a local sensation.  A 3-day celebration is held with lots of local revelry around Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney.  The locals (and many others who simply just tune in to hear what’s up with the weather) watch carefully to see what ol’ Phil has to say about the future of winter.  A groundhog that sees his shadow means six more weeks of winter.  No shadow seen means ol’ Phil is the official harbinger proclaiming the onset of an early spring.   Many copycat Groundhog Day celebrations are also noted around the country with various versions of rodent meteorologists dutifully involved.  Whether it’s about weather or just another excuse to party, it seems that Groundhog Day is here to stay.  Stay tuned.  “Punxsutawney Phil” is set to make this year’s weather prognosis on February 2nd.

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Buzz Lightyear Inspires NASA

Categories:

Movie Themes, Trivia

January 18, 2013

by Jenna Maxwell

Buzz Light Year Inspires NASA

Hey costume fans, here’s a costume riddle for you:  What’s dressed in a white spacesuit that has flaming neon green trim and is topped off with a ginormous domed helmet?  Buzz Lightyear, right?  Eh…not so fast.  It does seem, however, that our ol’ Toy Story buddy Buzz has inspired someone over at NASA.  The newly engineered Z-1 spacesuit looks shockingly like Buzz Lightyear!  The Z-1 spacesuit may be ready for “Infinity and Beyond” as well with all sorts of techy features that are designed to make an astronaut’s space life much easier–such as a rear entry port designed for docking with space stations and space shuttles.  (Plus, we’re assuming when you gotta go, you gotta go…but that part wasn’t actually discussed.)  The Z-1 spacesuit is still in its prototype phase, but obviously we are giving the whole look a big thumbs up!

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