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Wacky Wednesday: November 18

Wacky Wednesday is upon us again and today is a most interesting day. First, we have a couple interesting nouns. We continue our look at some old English insults with Drate-Poke. It refers to someone who drawls or speaks indistinctly. Driggle-Draggle, is a name for an untidy woman. These don’t roll of the tongue too well and it might be difficult to throw these into casual conversation. They’re still fun to say. Though this isn’t really a holiday, it should be known that today is Mickey Mouse’s Birthday. He first appeared in 1928. 

For our holidays today, we first have National Educational Support Professionals Day which falls on the Wednesday of American Education Week. These folks include secretaries, classroom aides, cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, bus drivers, etc. For our token food holiday, we have National Vichyssoise Day. Vichyssoise is made thick with pureed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock. Its traditionally served cold though sometimes is eaten hot. In the United States, Vichyssoise is pronounced: “vish – e – swaz.” Finally, we have National Princess Day. Celebrate with the Princess in your life.

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Coffee and Contemplation: Tie One on for Safety

November 16 through December 31 is designated as the Tie One on for Safety Holiday Campaign organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). It started in 1983 to convince people have a designated driver when drinking. The idea is the sober driver wears a red ribbon, so everyone knows they are the driver. Hence the phrase tie one on meaning a ribbon. The number of traffic-related deaths caused by drunk drivers increases during the holiday season. This is why the campaign last for about 6 weeks. Since the creation of new taxi services such as Lyft and Uber, it should be easier than ever to avoid driving after a night of drinking.

What folks don’t want to talk about this year is the increase in Covid-19 cases as we approach Winter. This means you shouldn’t travel for the holidays. Also, you should do all your drinking at home to social distance. If we can tie one on for safety, then we should be able to stay home for safety. There are many who still believe Covid-19 is a hoax. Whether you do or don’t, the flu is real, bronchitis is real, strep throat is real. Wear a face mask to help protect you from those illnesses during the Winter. Mask up for safety should be a thing too.

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World Kindness Week

World Kindness day is November 13 (yesterday), and World Kindness Week begins the Monday of the week with November 13. After the events of the last few years, and the many years crammed into 2020, kindness is needed now more than ever. There are a couple of Buddhist sayings that always come to mind when speaking of kindness. The first is, ‘Be kind whenever possible. It’s always possible.’ And the second is, ‘Be kind to all creatures. This is the true religion.’ Kindness is the quality of being friendly and considerate. There are many who believe kindness is a weakness and these are the people who would do harm to others.

When someone is kind to you, it can lift your spirits and put a smile on your face. What happens to you if you’re kind to others? Some benefits for a person who is kind to others include elevation of dopamine levels in the brain, which make us feel good. It can also include the feeling of emotional warmth leading to a healthier heart, reduction of inflammation slowing the aging process, reduction of emotional distance helping couples feel bonded, and contagiousness that often sets off a pay-it-forward ripple effect. There’s one important message I have for everyone regarding kindness. Always be kind to others and always be kind to yourself. That last part is harder than people think. Be kind.