Earworms – A “Hot” Button for you?

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Carol Early Cooney

You know those songs. The songs you hear and then you can’t get them out of your head until somehow they finally are flushed out. Those songs are called earworms.

One of the biggest songs known for this is the infamous, “It is a Small World” brought to us by the Disney Company. It has been driving people crazy for years. If you are not familiar with it and want to take a chance, here is a video of it for your enjoyment.

I would have thought that children’s songs would be the ones most likely to be earworms but it seems that commercials tend to have tunes that will carry with us. Think about how easy it is to remember songs from commercials like “Chili’s baby back ribs” or “Give me a break” (Kit Kat bars). Each person has their own earworms – there is not a universal number one earworm.

I have problems with Skidamarink. Do you know it?  When my children were small, it was the ending song for a show that they watched frequently.  In case you missed it, here you are (and don’t say I didn’t warn you!) –

In my reading on earworms, (yes, I did “research”) there seems to be no clear cut solution to get that song out of your head. I did find a Wiki site that professes to have ways. I will let you try them the next time you have a song bouncing around and around your head. http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Song-Out-of-Your-Head

Going to sleep always works for me but it is not always practical. Also, depending upon how the song got stuck in my head, I may just serenade whoever is with me with the song.  Sometimes the joy in harassing someone with my singing voice will release the song from my mind.

Thanks for reading!

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Hot Breath

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Carol Early Cooney

(I am following the BlogHer challenge of posting each day in August with the overall topic of “hot”)

It has come to my attention lately that some words do not mean what I thought they meant. This is surprising and vexing for me. (Vexing – to bring distress. I got that right)

There was a post recently by Tyler Vendetti  (10 Words) entitled, 10 Words That You’ve Probably Been Misusing.

The first word discussed was “travesty”.  The use of the word that pops into my mind would be “It was a travesty of justice”. I thought that meant that a miscarriage of justice. I was wrong. It means a mockery of justice.

The word that really surprised me on the list was “peruse”. I thought it meant a light read over, a skimming. No, it means about the opposite. It means to review something carefully.

I was wildly amused to see the word “conversate” on the list. Wondering what it means? It is not a word! I knew that it was, at best, a colloquialism. (A fake word used by people) I had heard a variation of this word from my son when he was in high school. It seems that one of the monitors like to say “Quit your conversating.”  (Sorry, you miss the inflections when you read it. It was something like CON-ver- sa-ting)

So are you wondering what this could have to do with “hot breath”? I can’t exactly tell you why (I would chalk it up to the creative process but that would just make you laugh.) but this morning I looked up “hot breath”. (Stall tactic to keep from writing) I was thinking that it was a romance novel type of phrase. You know –

She felt his hot breath on her neck and it sent a chill down her spine.

Instead, it apparently means bad breath. Really? Who determined that? What are all those romance novelists going to do? Perhaps we need to start a petition.  I would gladly sign on to have the meaning changed.

So off I go in search of a breath mint for my studly romance novel dude.

Not to be picky but the description of this book was “a full length erotic romance novel”. Are some not full length? I can think of other possibilities but this page is rated G for general audiences.

Thanks for reading!

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Hot Peppers

Posted on August 4, 2013 by Carol Early Cooney

(I have joined the BlogHer challenge and am trying to post everyday with the overall theme of “Hot”)

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See the little habanero peppers? They are
HOT!!

I am Irish. We are not a people known for culinary delights. There are a few things that one could point to (on the menu of an Irish restaurant) that are special Irish dishes. Things like Irish stew, shepherd’s pie or a blarney burger (little joke there). Don’t get me wrong – great people, lovely alcohol, but not much on specialty foods.

So, I am not much on spicy food. In fact, I am not interested in spicy food at all. This is a shame because I seem to be surrounded by those who will eat and even want to eat spicy food. A few years ago, my husband decided that he would really like to take up Mexican cooking. Ever the supportive wife, I told him that was a great idea. In my mind, I was wondering who was going to eat the wonderful food. It was not going to be me.

I do not like to sweat. There is just something about it that is unappealing to me. So I don’t go out in the heat of the day, I hate to work out and sweat (somethings you just have to do) and I am certainly not interested in sweating because my food is so spicy. Why? Why would you do that?

It seems that there is an official scale for the spiciness of peppers. Of course, someone had to do this officially. It is called the Scoville scale. It measured the capsaicinoid content of a pepper. In case you are interested, here is a link to it.  http://www.scovillescaleforpeppers.com/

I happened to see this video the other day and it ties into my topic beautifully. I really tried not to laugh but I just could not help myself.


So don’t worry, when you come to my house for dinner, you will not have to worry about the food being too spicy.  You might find the food bland. Just chalk it up to my heritage.

Thanks for reading!

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Hot Wheels – Little Did I Know…

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Carol Early Cooney

(This is the third day of August and my third post for the BlogHer Challenge.  The topic for the month is “Hot”)

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The Shelby Mustang in it’s parking space (which happens to be under my monitor)

So, what do you know about Hot Wheels? As with many things I don’t really pay much attention to, it seems that there is more than I would have ever guessed.

I would have said that they are little cars for kids and that I have bought many in my life. I have no idea where the cars are now but there was once a little boy who liked them in my house. (He grew up and wanted big cars.) To be honest, I loved the ones that were transformers. I like to have things to do with my hands while I am thinking or talking and those were great for manipulating.

I brought this subject up to my husband last night. I told him that there was a whole world of Hot Wheels – much more than I would have guessed. I spouted that there used to be Matchbox cars (owned by Tyco) and Hot Wheel cars (owned by Mattel) but that years ago Mattel bought Matchbox and now one company controlled both. Much to my surprise, he started talking about the difference in the two types of cars when he was growing up.

Okay, my eyes almost glazed over.

I really could care less about toy cars. But I did listen to him. After all, I brought it up. If I have this right, the difference was that Matchbox cars were regular cars and Hot Wheels were fancy imaginary cars or sports cars. He also told me that someone had actually driven a real car through one of those loop tracks that Hot Wheels sells for their toys. (http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/trending/post/_/id/4179/hot-wheels-double-loop-success)  We then had a discussion about the driver who did the first test drive on that track.  We wondered what when through his mind while taking on that assignment.

For those of you like me, who have not paid any attention to toy cars, let me tell you that there is a Hot Wheels web site. (Of course there is one!) Heck, there is a Hot Wheels CHANNEL on You Tube! Really, these people are pretty serious about selling these little cars. Of course it is not just the little cars. (Can’t you see the marketing guy for Mattel pulling out his hair yelling – “They are not little cars!) (Sorry buddy, they are little cars) If you search for “Hot Wheels” on Amazon, there are 56,621 results!  There are lots of little cars, then bigger little cars and then bigger cars, carrying cases, tracks, play mats, play sets, party favors and more. There were items that I had to read the description to try and figure out what the heck they were.  (See this item – http://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Speed-Hanging-Swirl-Accessory/dp/B0084X7R7Y/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1375544862&sr=8-32&keywords=hot+wheels)

Obviously this is yet another trend that I missed. And I am not sure that I am sorry. While I will agree with anyone that one of the most painful experiences in life is stepping on a Barbie shoe, I think that Hot Wheels are a close second.  I don’t miss having them all over the floor.

As a moment of confession, I will admit that I bought a miniature Shelby mustang car to give to a friend. I never gave it to him. You see the doors open and close and it is just perfect to play with then I am thinking. (Yea, I am sticking with “thinking” instead of using “stuck”, “spaced out”, or “stunned”) In full disclosure, it is not a Hot Wheel.  It is just a little car…

Thanks for reading!

Doors closed

Doors closed

 

Doors open (Repeat many times)

Doors open
(Repeat many times)

 

 

 

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“Hot” Topics

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Carol Early Cooney

This month I am trying to take the BlogHer challenge to blog every day with the theme “hot”.

I grew up in a family that did not discuss politics. To this day, I don’t have any idea how my parents voted. They did not think it was any one’s business but their own. 

When people talk about politics around me, I mostly listen. I am often astounded by the political rants that you find on Facebook. I do think that it is great to have an opinion and believe in your side of an issue. More power to you if you want to share that feeling. I do take exception to the personal attacks that seem to be so prevalent. The emotions seem to take the issue beyond where the focus should be. Too often, it seems that if you don’t agree then you are a racist or sexist or just plain stupid for not agreeing.

One of the current “hot” issues is gay marriage. In contrast to my nature, I will share with you my feeling on this issue.

I don’t want to know what ANYONE is doing in the privacy of their bedroom. As long as it is two consenting adults, it is NONE of my business. I don’t want to know anything about it. I don’t want to know about your whips, handcuffs, or frequency.

I have never felt that anyone except the two people involved in a relationship can judge a relationship. Look at some the marriages that we have before us in the news. Quite frankly, I wonder why Hillary has stayed with Bill. But it is because it is a relationship between them and only them. They have worked it out somehow and it is none of my business how they did it.

Based on the belief that it is none of my business what goes on in anyone else’s bedroom or in anyone else’s relationship, I don’t understand what should stop gay marriage. It is an issue of equally recognizing that a relationship exists. It allows a celebration of a relationship and the pleasure (no, I am not talking about sex) it brings two people.

I think that committed gay couples should be entitled to the same legal rights that other committed couples receive. They should be able to care for their partner with regard to healthcare issues. They should be eligible to receive each other’ social security and pensions. They should be able to provide health insurance should one of the couple be without. They should be able to inherit the same way other committed couples do. Why would you deny such things to any couple in a committed relationship?

If you thinking “God will get them” then let Him do it. We will all have to face Him and our sins. Gay people are first of all people. They are people for whom life is harder than it already is for the rest of us. Don’t add to the bias and prejudice they experience.

If you don’t want to marry gay couples in your church, then don’t.  You have the right to your feelings and beliefs. Don’t stop the civil institution of marriage because your religious institution doesn’t agree. You have your rights and they should have theirs.

In a Utopian world, we would be free of all prejudice. I do not think this will ever happen but I think we should and can make some things equal. Try to extend to all people the decency that you would like extended to yourself.

So much for “hot” topics! I think I will move on to something like “hot” peppers or “hot” wheels next. This “hot” topic business if pretty hard for me.

Have a great weekend.

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