Category: Nonfiction

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Wacky Wednesday: August 5

It’s the first Wacky Wednesday for August and I feel this is the wackiest set of holidays so far. And our wacky words are not the kind used in everyday speech. Our first world Erinaceous is an adjective. It refers to the genius of a species of animals, specifically the hedgehog. They come from the family Erinaceidae and there are four main species of Erinaceous. Our next word is a noun. Firman refers to a Near Eastern sovereign’s edict; a grant or permit. The term dates back to the 17th Century but its origins come from Persian and Sanskrit.

As I said the holidays are extra wacky today. We have our token food celebration with National Oyster Day. We also have National Underwear Day and National Work Like a Dog Day. National Underwear Day began in 2003 and was started by the company Freshpair. National Work Like a Dog Day honors people who put in the extra work. The day was inspired by the strong work ethic of canines, especially service dogs. I think I’d prefer to celebrate service dogs today. I don’t think they get enough praise in the public eye. Now go buy some new underwear. You know you want to.

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Coffee and Contemplation: National Black Business Month

August is National Black Business Month. The purpose is to support and encourage African American-owned businesses in your community. There are many businesses in Tucson owned by people of color, but I want to focus on two of my favorites. The first is Café Desta. A small café that has served Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine since 2010. They are located South of downtown on Stone Avenue. I have always enjoyed the flavors and aromas of coffee beans from Ethiopia and Café Desta serves Ethiopian coffee along with many delicious dishes. They are accepting orders for Take-Out and Delivery during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The next business is The Downtown Clifton. It opened last year in 2019 with an additional 22 rooms and The Red Light Lounge. The hotel was first built in 1948 and was purchased by the current owners in 2014 and they began restoring the property. Also located a couple blocks North of Café Desta on Stone Avenue, you can enjoy a nice stay in downtown Tucson and partake in some delicious cuisine and coffee. I only care if you try the coffee. If you’re visiting Tucson, these are two great places to check out. 

If you live in Tucson and you haven’t visited these places, what are you doing with your life? You don’t have to stay in hotel, but you can enjoy the food and spirits in The Red Light Lounge. Now go support people of color in your community.

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Wacky Wednesday: July 29

For the final Wacky Wednesday of July, we have not two but three words. Well, one is more a phrase as it has two words. Anyway, our first word is a verb. Bibble means to eat and/or drink noisily. Many fictional characters have used this as their name including Sio Bibble from the Star Wars franchise. Our next word, Cabotage, is a noun. It refers to the right to operate sea, air, or other transport services within a particular territory. It’s pronounced like sabotage. Finally, we have Doodle Sack. This noun is another name for bagpipes. Simple but fun to say. Do you play the Doodle Sack?

Once again most of our national holidays today involve food. National Lasagna Day and National Chicken Wing Daymay not sound appealing together, but you can eat one for lunch and one for dinner. Chicken wings are commonly referred to as buffalo wings, hot wings, or just wings. Chickens have two wings per bird, but the wings can be broken down into a wingette, drumette, and a tip. Today is also National Lipstick Day. Lipstick was banned in British Parliament in 1770. It was called a devilish attempt to trick men into marriage. It has even been associated with witchcraft. Whatever your gender, try a little lipstick to feel empowered today.