bugs, horses, turkey and fingernails

A few days ago I went to fix myself some eggbeaters. After pouring the contents of the container into the pan I looked on the box and read, "consume within seven days of opening." It had been more than a week, more than two weeks since I had opened the container, but I was hungry and decided to take my chances. That was Monday and nothing has happened to me yet, so I think I'll be fine.

 

The real reason I wanted to post this blog was to share that story with you because in my own special way I felt as though I was living life on the edge. I realized that was not sufficient enough and so, here are some random pieces of goodness for you. Hopefully, these will make reading this worthwhile.

 

 

BUGS

 

On average, a firefly's lifespan will be one or two years, but it spends only 1-2 weeks of that life in its adult stage as the flashing insect most are familiar with. The rest of its life is spent underground in the larval stage.

 

Ladybugs gather in groups when they hibernate. Most live only for one season. But, some hibernate under logs, tree bark or in a house until the next spring.

 

 

HORSES

 

Why do they say, "I gotta pee like a race horse?"

 

Racehorses are commonly given Lasix (aka Salix), which is a powerful diuretic. They pee a lot right before they race; we're talking gallons and gallons. The medication is thought to help prevent nasal bleeding, which sometimes happens when racehorses supremely over-exert themselves.

 

 

TURKEY

 

"Cold turkey" is a slang expression describing the actions of a person who gives up a habit or addiction all at once. That is, rather than gradually easing the process through reduction or by using replacement medication. 

 

The etymology derives from the phrase talk turkey, in which someone deals matter-of-factly with a subject.

 

Some, however, believe the derivation is from the comparison of a cold turkey carcass and the state of a withdrawing addict, most notably, the cold sweats and goose bumps. It is often preceded by the verb "to go," as in "going cold turkey."

 

 

FINGERNAILS

 

The practice of adding color to fingernails appears to have begun with the Japanese and Italians around 3000 B.C. The color and condition of a person's nails has long been an indication of social status. In ancient times women were identified and separated from men by the color of their nails. Different tribes had different nail art; for example the Incas were well known for the eagles decorated on their fingernails.

 

Nail condition also identified common laborers, as they worked with their hands, having a finely manicured set of nails was not only impractical for them; it was an extravagance they couldn'tafford. Thus, only wealthy aristocrats from ancient times were seen with finely trimmed and decorated nails.

 

get yer gym on

Recently, I have been working out longer than usual. During these times I have noticed an array of characters at the gym. Here are my favorites:

  

1) The guy who doesn't wipe off the equipment: I used to be friendly with him last summer, but won't even say hello to him now. I don't understand why he thinks he doesn't need to wipe down the treadmill, especially after he sweats all over it. I have actually made a few friends as a result of his poor hygiene habit. When he gets done running and someone new goes to get on his treadmill, I warn them that he doesn't clean it off. They are always thankful that I have passed this information along to them.

 

2) Golf shirt man: Always wears a golf shirt when he works out. I have noticed three different varieties, but my favorite is the light pink with tan stripes.

 

3) Little T: Picture a huge, older black man in bike shorts, a long pink t-shirt and a short white half shirt over top of that. He wears the same thing every day, but I have never noticed that he smells badly and wow, can he get busy on the inclined sit up board.

 

4)  Stinky: He is a first year law student. I met him over the summer when he was apartment hunting, then I saw him at the gym and we made small talk. I began to notice a pattern that whenever he was on a treadmill the entire area smelled like sour feet (and that is being kind). One day my friend Lauren and I were down in the weight room. She said that she smelled something foul. We looked over and there he was, bench pressing his little heart out.

 

5) Heart Rate Boy: He rolls in every day between 11:00 and 11:30am. No matter how cold it is he is always wearing shorts, accompanied by a fleece pull over and beanie hat. He carries a Nike bag, not a gym bag, but more like a nylon sack with strings. He never puts his stuff in a locker. He always sets it next to the treadmill he is using. He has a small bottle of water which he places in the cup holder. His routine goes like this...crank the treadmill up to 11.3 and pound your feet while sprinting, then, half way through, hold on to the top of the treadmill...do this for approximately two and a half minutes and then hit stop...stand on the treadmill while holding the heart rate sensors...release your hands and lean against the side of the treadmill...put your hand over your heart to feel it beating...take a sip of water from your little bottle....put your hand over your heart again...repeat this four or five times.

 

 

Makes me wonder what people are thinking about me.

what goes around comes around

I was walking from the gym to my car on Tuesday afternoon when a man stopped me and asked me if I could spare any change because he "needed to make a phone call." I looked in my bag and the only thing I could come up with was my quarter, the one I put in the locker every day at the gym. I gave it to him without hesitation. The next day when I went to work out and opened the locker I always use, a quarter fell out.

Last night, I ordered sushi take out. I pulled into the parking lot and a man called out to me "excuse me, sir" which didn't phase me at all because after all it is winter and I am wearing my knit cap (please refer to previous blog posting). He was completely honest with me. He said he was homeless and wanted to know if I could spare any change. I told him I would give him something when I came out from picking up my food. I gave the guy a dollar and then he asked me if I could spare forty cents more, but I had no change.

Some day he will get his.

Karma fuck: A noun form of "what goes around comes around." When you've been screwing over everyone else around you, pissing off the universe and being a generally lame person, when you get screwed over it's your bad karma fucking you over.