They always escape in the wash...

Day 170.5

A sock puppet is a puppet made from a sock (or similar garment). When the manipulator fits a hand into the closed end of the sock, the puppet can be seemingly made to "talk". The puppet's mouth is formed by the region between the sock's heel and toe, with the puppeteer's thumb forming a jaw. At a minimum the shape of the hand will instantly form the shape of a mouth, but sometimes the mouth is padded by putting in a fairly hard piece of felt (often with a tongue glued inside).

The sock is stretched out fully so that it is long enough to cover the puppeteer's wrist and part of the arm. Often, but not always, the puppeteer will hide behind a stand and raise up his or her hand above the stand so that only the puppet is visible. Many sock puppeteers, however, stand in full view along with their puppets and will hold conversations with their own sock puppets, using ventriloquism.

Sock puppets are often used for the education and entertainment of children. 

All the kings horsemen and all the kings men...

Day 170

An orthopedic cast, body cast or surgical cast, is a shell, frequently made from plaster, encasing a limb (or, in some cases, large portions of the body) to hold a broken bone (or shell) in place until healing is confirmed. It is similar in function to a splint.

Body casts, which cover the trunk of the body, and in some cases the neck up to or including the head or one or more limbs, are rarely used today, and are most commonly used in the cases of small children, who cannot be trusted to comply with a brace, or in cases of radical surgery to repair an injury or other defect. A body cast which encases the trunk (with "straps" over the shoulders) is usually referred to as a body jacket. These are often very uncomfortable.

I like the sour ones.

Day 140

Dallas: Something has attached itself to him. We have to get him to the infirmary right away.
Ripley: What kind of thing? I need a clear definition.
Dallas: An organism. Open the hatch.
Ripley: Wait a minute. If we let it in, the ship could be infected. You know the quarantine procedure. Twenty-four hours for decontamination.
Dallas: He could die in twenty-four hours. Open the hatch.
Ripley: Listen to me, if we break quarantine, we could all die.
Lambert: Look, could you open the god-damned hatch? We have to get him inside.
Ripley: No. I can't do that and if you were in my position, you'd do the same.
Dallas: Ripley, this is an order. Open that hatch right now, do you hear me?
Ripley: Yes.
Dallas: Ripley. This is an order. Do you hear me?
Ripley: Yes. I read you. The answer is negative.

Did you feel a breeze?

Day 133.5

Flashing  involves the exposure of a person's "private parts" to another person, in a nonthreatening manner, in a situation where these would not normally be exposed, such as in a social situation (in front of other people) or in a public place. The act of flashing may simply be intended to attract the non-aroused 'attention' of others for shock value.

Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen is a police scientist who has a reputation for being very slow, deliberate, and frequently late, which frustrated his fiancée, Iris West. One night, as he was preparing to leave work, a lightning bolt shattered a case full of chemicals and spilled them all over Allen. As a result, Allen found that he could run extremely fast and had matching reflexes. He donned a set of red tights sporting a lightning bolt (reminiscent of the original), dubbed himself the Flash, and became a crime fighter active in Central City. In his civilian identity, he stores the costume compressed in a special ring via the use of a special gas that could compress cloth fibers to a very small fraction of their normal size.

On rare occasion, Allen has been photographed conducing himself in a rather non-superhero manner.

Always secure your skittles!

Day 133
A Gummi bear (also spelled as gummy bear) is a small, rubbery-textured confectionery. The Gummi bear is one of many gummies, popular gelatin-based candies that come in a variety of shapes and colors.

Common characteristics of modern Gummi bears include a large body with stocky legs, a short snout, translucent body, plantigrade paws with five non-retractile claws, and a short tail. While the polar Gummi is mostly carnivorous and the giant panda Gummi feeds almost entirely on sweet tarts, the remaining six species are omnivorous, with largely varied diets including both cotton candy and animals.

Before backpackers are allowed to enter an area with Gummi bears, they may be required to watch a video that teaches how to avoid encountering or agitating gummies. Experts emphasize keeping your distance and making noise to avoid startling a Gummi bear as the best ways to avoid a Gummi attack. If a Gummi bear does become confrontational, the usual advice is to raise the arms above the head so as to appear larger, and to yell at the Gummi. Running away or climbing a tree can activate the Gummi bear's hunting instincts and lead to it perceiving the human as prey.

If a Gummi bear does charge, persons are advised to hold their ground, as most Gummi bear charges are bluffs. Finally, if a Gummi bear does attack, the usual advice is to curl into a fetal position so as to shield vital organs and appear non-threatening. If this is not effective in stopping the attack, the only option left is to fight the Gummi bear in any way you can. This advice applies to omnivores such as cherry and lime Gummi bears; the best way to avoid being attacked by the completely carnivorous polar gummi is not to enter any area where polar gummies live, or at least remain inside a hard-shell vehicle or building.

Happy 4th of July!

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Does this taste "rubbery" to you?

Day 131
Balloon modeling or balloon twisting is the shaping of special modeling balloons into almost any given shape, often a balloon animal. People who create balloon animals and other twisted balloon sculptures are called Twisters, Balloon Benders and Balloon Artists. Twisters often perform in restaurants, at birthday parties, fairs and at public and private events or functions.

A food chain is a linear sequence of links in a food web starting from a trophic species that eats no other species in the web and ends at a trophic species that is eaten by no other species in the web.
Next time you’re at a carnival or circus, stop and wonder at nature’s grand scheme as balloon twisters create dozens of animals for your enjoyment, and while your at it, hum “Circle of Life”.

Floss Daily!

Day 129

(From: Little Shop of Horrors)

When I was young and just a bad little kid.
My mama noticed funny things I did.
Like shooting puppies with a BB gun.
I'd poison guppies, and when I was done,
I'd find a pussycat and bash in it's head,
Thats when my mama said

(Backup Singers) What did she say?

She said, my boy I think some day,
will find a way,
To make your natural tendencies pay.

(Chorus)
You'll be a dentist. (You'll be a dentist)
You have a talent for causing great pain.
Son, be a dentist. (Son, be a dentist)
People will pay you to be inhumane. (Inhumane)
Your temperment's wrong for the priesthood.

Son, be a dentist, you'll be a success.

(Backup Singer)
Here he is, folks, the leader of the plaque,
Watch him suck up that gas, oh, my God.
He's a dentist and he'll never ever be any good.

(patient)Oh, that hurts! Wait, I'm not numb.

Ah shut up, open wide, here I come.

I am your dentist,
and I enjoy the career that I picked. (Love it)
I'm your dentist, and I get off on the pain I inflict. (Really love it)
I thrill when I drill a bicuspid (Bicuspid)
and swell when they tell me I'm mal-adjusted. (dentist)
And though it may cause my patients to stress. (To stress)
Somewhere, somewhere in heaven above me, I know, I know that my mama's proud of me.
(Spoken)"Oh, mama"
'Cause I'm a dentist, and a success.

(Spoken)
Say AHHHH!
"(AHHHH)"
Say AHHHHH!!
"(AHHHHH)"
SAY AHHHHHHHH!
"(AHHHHHHHH)"

Now Spit!

Go on without me!

Day 128.75
Army men, or plastic soldiers, are simple toy soldiers that are about 5 cm (2 inches) tall and most commonly molded from green or other colored relatively unbreakable plastic. Unlike the more expensive toy soldiers available in hobby shops, army men are sold at low prices in discount stores, supermarkets, and dollar stores. Also unlike many toy soldiers, army men are sold unpainted and almost always dressed in modern military uniforms and armed with 20th Century weapons.

Army men regained popularity thanks to the 1995 film Toy Story. To appeal to a wider demographic, army men have been produced to reflect sequences in popular war films, such as Tora Tora Tora, Hamburger Hill and Platoon.

What...no toothpick?

Day 128.5

The term "Swiss Army knife" was coined by US soldiers after World War II, presumably because they had trouble pronouncing its original name, "Offiziersmesser".


A Swiss Army knife is a type of multi-function pocket knife or multi-tool. It originated in Schwyz, Switzerland in 1897. Generally speaking, a Swiss Army knife has a blade as well as various tools, such as screwdrivers and can openers. These attachments are stowed inside the handle of the knife through a pivot point mechanism.

A ninja or shinobi was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations. The ninja, using covert methods of waging war, were contrasted with the samurai, who had strict rules about honor and combat.

The most feared Ninja are supplied exclusively with Swiss made weaponry.

I wish...

Day 128

Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings which occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. According to the Qur’an, there are two creations that have free will: humans and jinn. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur’an mentions that jinn are made of smokeless flame or "scorching fire". Like human beings, the jinn can also be good, evil, or neutrally benevolent.

In the Disney adaptation “Aladdin”, while trying to read an inscription on the lamp, Aladdin rubs it, unleashing the Genie, who reveals he will grant Aladdin three wishes—with the exception of killing anyone, making anyone fall in love, or bringing back the dead.

If life were a Mel Brooks movie....

There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?

Day 95.5

Rumack: Captain, how soon can you land?
Captain Oveur: I can't tell.
Rumack: You can tell me. I'm a doctor.
Captain Oveur: No. I mean I'm just not sure.
Rumack: Well, can't you take a guess?
Captain Oveur: Well, not for another two hours.
Rumack: You can't take a guess for another two hours?

Captain Oveur: Alright, give me a Hamm on five, hold the Mayo.

Ted Striker: What?

Rumack: Well, I don't have anything to say, you've done the best you could. You really have, the best you could. You can't expect to win em all. But, I want to tell you something I've kept to myself through these years. I was in the war myself, medical corps. I was on late duty one night when they brought in a badly wounded pilot from one of the raids. He could barely talk. He looked at me and said, "The odds were against us up there, but we went in anyway, I'm glad the Captain made the right decision." The pilot's name was George Zip.
Ted Striker: George Zip said that?
Rumack: The last thing he said to me, "Doc," he said, "some time when the crew is up against it, and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to get out there and give it all they got and win just one for the Zipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Doc," he said, "but I won't smell too good, that's for sure."
Ted Striker: Excuse me doc, I got a plane to land.

Elaine Dickinson: Ted, the altitude! We're falling, Ted! We're falling! *The mountains, Ted! The mountains!
Ted Striker: What *mountains?* We're over IOWA!
Elaine Dickinson: The... THE CORNFIELDS, TED! THE CORNFIELDS!

Ted Striker: Mayday! Mayday!
Steve McCroskey: What the heck is that?
Johnny: Why, that's the Russian New Year. We can have a parade and serve hot hors d'oeuvres...

You say potato, I say potato...

Day 95

Mr. Potato Head was born on May 1, 1952. The original toy cost $0.98, and contained hands, feet, ears, two mouths, two pairs of eyes, four noses, three hats, eyeglasses, a pipe, and eight felt pieces resembling facial hair. The original Mr. Potato Head kit did not come with a "Potato Body", so parents had to supply their own potatoes for face-changing fun. Shortly after the toy's initial release, an order form for 50 additional pieces was enclosed in every kit.

In the 1960s, government regulations forced the Potato Head parts to be less sharp, leaving them unable to puncture vegetables easily. By 1964, the company was therefore forced to include a plastic potato "body" in its kit. Little children were choking on the small pieces and cutting themselves with the sharp pieces.

In 1986, Mr. Potato Head became "Spokespud" for the annual Great American Smokeout and surrendered his pipe to Surgeon General C. Everett Koop in Washington, D.C.

In 2006, Hasbro also began selling sets of pieces without bodies for customers to add to their collections. Some of these themed sets included Mermaid, Rockstar, Pirate King Princess, Firefighter, Construction Worker, Halloween, Santa Claus, Chef, and Police Officer. In the same year, Hasbro introduced a line called "Sports Spuds" with a generic plastic potato (smaller than the standard size) customized to a wide variety of professional and collegiate teams.

Recently, In 2011, Mr. Potato Head got his first new look in nearly 30 years...

Talk about preciousssss!

Day 94

One does not simply walk into Mordor. It's best if one skips. Holding hands and singing showtunes, preferably. Imagine a montage of all the cuteness that's to be had when you visit Mordor. There's little Gollum waving hello or goodbye or something to The One Ring. Isn't it preciousssss? A big ol' snuggledy battle troll waits patiently to give out "Free Hugs," and an Uruk-hai says "o hai!" over his shoulder. In the distance, there's Mount Doom with its explosion of lava and happy, puffy clouds of vog. Through the sky flies a friendly Nazgul on his Fell Beast (rawr!). The whole scene is watched over by the big, blinky eye of Sauron perched between the pinnacles of Barad-dûr.

Face it.... It's Mordorable.

I'm gonna tell your mom!

Day 72

The name Marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had just fought), which took place in August or September, 490 BC. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won.') before collapsing and dying. The account of the run from Marathon to Athens first appears in Plutarch's On the Glory of Athens in the 1st century AD which quotes from Heraclides Ponticus's lost work, giving the runner's name as either Thersipus of Erchius or Eucles. Lucian of Samosata (2nd century AD) also gives the story but names the runner Philippides (not Pheidippides).

When the idea of a modern Olympics became a reality at the end of the 19th century, the initiators and organizers were looking for a great popularizing event, recalling the ancient glory of Greece. The idea of organizing a marathon race came from Michel Bréal who wanted the event to feature in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. This idea was heavily supported by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, as well as the Greeks. The Greeks staged a selection race for the Olympic marathon on March 10, 1896 that was won by Charilaos Vasilakos in 3 hours and 18 minutes. The winner of the first Olympic Marathon, on April 10, 1896 (a male-only race), was "Spiros" Louis, a Greek water-carrier. He won at the Olympics in 2 hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds.

The women's marathon was introduced at the 1984 Summer Olympics (Los Angeles, USA) and was won by Joan Benoit of the United States with a time of 2 hours 24 minutes and 52 seconds.

Since the modern games were founded, it has become a tradition for the men's Olympic marathon to be the last event of the athletics calendar, with a finish inside the Olympic stadium, often within hours of, or even incorporated into, the closing ceremonies. The marathon of the 2004 Summer Olympics revived the traditional route from Marathon to Athens, ending at Panathinaiko Stadium, the venue for the 1896 Summer Olympics.

The marathon has also, usually been considered the most boring of Olympic events. In the upcoming 2012 Olympics, an element of danger is to be...carried, by each runner. If this indeed does spark more interest in the event, organizers plan to add other dangerous elements to future games.

Care and Feeding of Your Zombie

Day 71

(Whew, been a while....now, back to the show!)

There are a number of methods available for training your pet. Do not attempt these techniques on your own. Always consult with a zombie professional.

If you leave your zombies alone in the house all day, they can get into trouble if not properly trained. You'll come home to an abattoir of headless stuffed animals and all the unpleasant moldy things in the fridge will have been eaten. It's important to remember that your zombie needs three things: exercise, discipline, and brains.

A treadmill is a great way to burn off your zombie's excess energy. But this is important: never set the treadmill above the lowest setting. You want to maintain the rate at a consistent shamble. Breaking into a run is no good. It only causes ankle injuries and additional flesh decomposition. It's also important to remember that since your zombie feels no fatigue, you'll need to turn the treadmill off. But the treadmill can focus the groaning and mindless shambling of a typical zombie into a purpose. Plus, working out on the treadmill will give your zombies the edge in mob situations. They'll be the first ones to the brains. Which is always good if you want to keep your own brain right where it is.

Just a little off the top...

Day 53.1

Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be an art and is a form of living sculpture. The word derives from the Latin word for an ornamental landscape gardener, topiarius, creator of topia or "places", a Greek word that Romans applied also to fictive indoor landscapes executed in fresco. No doubt the use of a Greek word betokens the art's origins in the Hellenistic world that was influenced by Persia, for neither Classical Greece nor Republican Rome developed any sophisticated tradition of artful pleasure grounds.

The plants used in topiary are evergreen, mostly woody, have small leaves or needles, produce dense foliage, and have compact and/or columnar (e.g. fastigiate) growth habits. Common species choices used in topiary include cultivars of European box (Buxus sempervirens), arborvitae (Thuja spp.), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), holly (Ilex spp.), myrtle (Eugenia or Myrtus species), yew (Taxus species), and privet (Ligustrum species.). Shaped wire cages are sometimes employed in modern topiary to guide untutored shears, but traditional topiary depends on patience and a steady hand; small-leaved ivy can be used to cover a cage and give the look of topiary in a few months. The hedge is a simple form of topiary used to create boundaries, walls or screens.

Even the most unconventional or amateur gardener can enjoy creating a unique topiary. 

Pass the soy sauce...

Day 53

Sushi is a Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegared rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients, such as fish or other seafood or put into rolls. Sliced raw fish by itself is called sashimi, as distinct from sushi. Sushi that is served rolled inside or around nori, dried and pressed sheets of seaweed, is makizushi. Toppings stuffed into a small pouch of fried tofu are inarizushi. A bowl of sushi rice with toppings scattered over it is called chirashizushi.

The increasing popularity of sushi around the world has resulted in variations typically found in North America and Europe, but rarely in Japan. Such creations to suit the Western palate were initially fueled by the invention of the California roll. A wide variety of popular rolls has evolved since. Traditionally, sushi is served on minimalist Japanese-style, geometric, mono- or duo-tone wood or lacquer plates, in keeping with the aesthetic qualities of this cuisine.

Due to the fast pace Western lifestyle, a new hybrid fish has been developed in Japan that allows Sushi lovers to raise and make their own Sushi with little or no culinary training.  

Well, you know my name is Simon...and I like to make drawings.

Day 45

Simon is an electronic game of memory skill. Simon was launched in 1978 at Studio 54 in New York City and became an immediate success. It became a pop culture symbol of the 1980s. The device has four colored buttons, each producing a particular tone when it is pressed or activated by the device. A round in the game consists of the device lighting up one or more buttons in a random order, after which the player must reproduce that order by pressing the buttons. As the game progresses, the number of buttons to be pressed increases.

Simon is named for the simple children's game of Simon says, but the game play is based on Atari's unpopular Touch Me arcade game from 1974. Simon differs from Touch Me in that the Touch Me buttons were all the same color (black) and the sounds it produced were harsh and grating. Simon's tones, on the other hand, were designed to always be harmonic.

To play, simply press...

I do...do you?

Day 44

A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception (or in parts of England, at a wedding breakfast) after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, usually over a layer of marzipan or fondant. Achieving a dense, strong cake that can support the decorations while remaining edible can be considered the epitome of the baker's art and skill.

Wedding cake toppers are small models that sit on top of the cake, normally a representation of a bride and groom in formal wedding attire. This custom was dominant in US wedding in the 1950s where it represented the concept of togetherness. Wedding toppers today are often figures that indicate shared hobbies or other passions.

Current trends, especially in the United States, are to have the wedding ceremony actually on the wedding cake. While this allows for all events to occur at the reception (ceremony, dinner, etc.), the cake can cost a staggering amount.  The necessity for a baker to hire a carpenter to complete the structure is currently under scrutiny, due to several accidents blamed on poor craftsmanship and cheep labor.

Currently, the case of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson vs. Love My Muffins Bakery is being heard by the New Jersey Supreme Court. In this case, Jack and Jill Thompson allege that their cake began to collapse during the ceremony, wherein, Jack did fall down; breaking his crown and Jill later tumbled after. They are seeking 4 million dollars in damages. 

Anyone seen Tink lately? Anyone?

Day 43

The legend of the tooth fairy is that of a fairy that gives a child money and/or gifts in exchange for a baby tooth (also know as deciduous or milk tooth) that has fallen out. Children typically place the tooth under their pillow at night. The fairy is said to take the tooth from under the pillow and replace it with money once they have fallen asleep.

Fairy collecting is the collection of fairies for hobby, scientific study or profit. Historically fairy collecting has been widespread and a very popular educational hobby. Fairy collecting has left traces in European cultural history, literature and songs. The practice is still widespread in Japan, especially amongst the youth demographic. 


Since most types of fairies have hard exoskeletons that retain their appearance after the fairy dies, it is easy and practical to form a collection. With many thousands of colorful and attractive species known, a collection may become quite large. The collecting of tooth fairies is perhaps most popular, with pixies in second place.

Nowadays some collectors practice their hobby also by rearing some breeds of fairies, or fairy ova, to adulthood. When done well, this procreates more adults than in nature. Some of the adults are released back in the wild, thus minding the numbers of individuals in natural populations. This method has also been used in some conservation programs.

Methods of collecting vary, however most collectors use a humane, responsible method including trapping and other non harmful methods. The plucking off of wings is strongly discouraged.

Your lucky numbers are....

Day 41.1

A fortune cookie is a crisp cookie usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil with a "fortune" wrapped inside. A "fortune" is a piece of paper with words of faux wisdom or a vague prophecy. The message inside may also include a Chinese phrase with translation or a list of lucky numbers used by some as lottery numbers, some of which have become actual winner numbers.

Fortune cookies are often served as a dessert in Chinese restaurants in the United States and some other countries, but are absent in China. The exact provenance of fortune cookies is unclear, though various immigrant groups in California claim to have popularized them in the early 20th century, basing their recipe on a traditional Japanese cracker. Fortune cookies have been summarized as being "introduced by the Japanese, popularized by the Chinese, but ultimately they are consumed by Americans."

Although many people do not take the message in a fortune cookie as a serious oracular device, many of them consider it part of the game that the entire cookie must be consumed in order for the fortune to come true. Variations on this idea include not eating the cookie if a fortune seems unlucky, eating the entire cookie as well as the fortune, eating the entire cookie before reading the fortune, or reading the fortune before any of the cookie is eaten. While some people believe the fortune will not come true if it is read aloud, or read at all, other people follow rules involving how the cookie is selected—including selecting a cookie with closed eyes, passing a cookie to another person at the table, or choosing the cookie that seems to be pointing directly at you. Some people believe that there should be at least one extra cookie so that every person has a choice to make.

Regardless of your interpretation, some fortunes have had disastrous results...

Look...up in the sky!

Day 41
The Bat-Signal is a fictional distress signal device appearing in the various interpretations of the Batman mythos. It is a specially modified Klieg searchlight with a stylized symbol of a bat attached to the light so that it projects a large Bat emblem on the sky or buildings of Gotham City. In the stories, the signal is used by the Gotham City Police Department as a method of contacting and summoning Batman to their assistance in the event of a serious crisis and as a weapon of psychological intimidation to the numerous villains of Gotham City.

Keep your helmut clean.

Day 40

Body hygiene pertains to hygiene practices performed by an individual to care for one's bodily health and well being, through cleanliness. Motivations for personal hygiene practice include reduction of personal illness, healing from personal illness, optimal health and sense of well being, social acceptance and prevention of spread of illness to others.

Personal hygiene practices include: seeing a doctor, seeing a dentist, regular washing/bathing, and healthy eating. Personal grooming extends personal hygiene as it pertains to the maintenance of a good personal and public appearance, which need not necessarily be hygienic.

Body hygiene is achieved by using personal body hygiene products including: soap, hair shampoo, toothbrushes, tooth paste, cotton swabs, antiperspirant, facial tissue, mouthwash, nail files, skin cleansers, toilet paper, and other such products.

Eat or be eaten.

Day 39

So you've destroyed the brains of your first zombie. Congrats! But now what? What do you do with the festering, rotting body? It was just this question that plagued (get it?) us at Zombie Defense HQ. We thought about mailing them to someone we didn't like, but that was just too costly (and he had already been zombified, anyways). After a lot of discussion, we decided the only sensible thing to do with the re-dead undead was to eat them. A few experiments later, we discovered the only safe way to eat zombie corpses was to turn them into Zombie Jerky!

Zombie Jerky is a delicious way of dealing with the undead. Seriously, though, Zombie Jerky is really just tasty chunks of zombie - accented with green stuff. Packaged in a neato specimen pouch, Zombie Jerky will prove to everyone that you'll eat anything (and also earn you lots of grossed out looks). And all the while, you'll know it's not really infected... Or is it?!? Hey, zombies have been eating us for years - it's time for us to return the favor with Zombie Jerky.

Watch out for that pickle!

Day 38

A food fight is a form of chaotic collective behavior, in which food is thrown at others in the manner of projectiles. These projectiles are not made to harm or damage others, but to simply ignite a fight filled with spontaneous food throwing. Food fights may be impromptu examples of rebellion or violence; however, they can also be planned events. For example, La Tomatina is a regularly-held, organized Spanish food fight in which participants pelt each other with tomatoes. In organized food fights, the food "weapons" are usually all of one kind, or of a limited variety. An impromptu food fight will use whatever food is on hand.

Food fights are a common element in slapstick comedy, with the pie in the face gag being especially prominent. Food fights are frequently featured in children's television and books, usually as an example of destructive or reckless behavior. Though usually associated with juvenile settings such as schools, there are notable incidents that take place in more official locations, such as the food fight at a lunch meeting of the Legislative Yuan of Taiwan. In Europe, some food fights evolved into traditional celebrations rooted either in the recent past such as the Spanish Tomatina or in long-gone centuries such as the Battaglia delle arance during the Carnival of Ivrea in Italy.

Some would argue that the best food fights are when participants actually dress as food and begin to battle each other. Though often prohibited in schools or official locations, this practice has a large following at sporting events, state fairs, carnivals, and weddings. Weaponry is optional, though ground rules are usually set prior to a costume food fight.

Denise: I'm sorry, Rod. What were you going to ask me?
Rod Kimble: Um, I was gonna ask you who you think would win in a fight between... a grilled cheese sandwich and a taco.
Denise: Is that what you were really going to ask me?
Rod Kimble: Of course.
Denise: Well, I think the grilled cheese sandwich - in a fair fight. But if it was prison rules, I'd put my money on the taco.
Rod Kimble: Wow, that's pretty racist but correct. I'll see you later.

Hot Rod (2007)

Really? This Alan Jackson song? Really?

Day 37.1

Daddy won a radio
Tuned it to a country show
I was rocking in the cradle to the crying of a steel guitar
Mama used to sing to me
She taught me that sweet harmony
Now she worries 'cause she never thought
I'd ever really take it this far
Singing in the bars and

Chasin' the neon rainbow
Livin' that honky tonk dream
'Cause all I've ever wanted
Is too pick this guitar and sing
Just trying to be somebody
Just wanna be heard and seen
Chasin' that neon rainbow
Livin' that honky tonk dream

An atlas and a coffe cup
Five pickers in an old Dodge truck
Heading down to Houston for a show on Saturday night
This overhead is killing me
Half the time I sing for free
But when the crowd's into it
Lord it makes this thing I doing seem right
Standing in the spotlight

Chasin' the neon rainbow
Livin' that honky tonk dream
'Cause all I've ever wanted
Is too pick this guitar and sing
Just trying to be somebody
Just wanna be heard and seen
Chasin' that neon rainbow

Livin' that honky tonk dream

Daddy's got a radio
He won it thrity years ago
He said 'Son I just now we're gonna hear you singing on it someday' I
made it up to Music Row Lordy don't the wheels turn slow But I wouldn't
trade a minute I wouldn't have it any other way Just show me to the stage

I'm chasin' the neon rainbow
Livin' that honky tonk dream
'Cause all I've ever wanted
Is too pick this guitar and sing
Just trying to be somebody
Just wanna be heard and seen
Chasin' that neon rainbow
Livin' that honky tonk dream
I'm chasin' the neon rainbow
Livin' that honky tonk dream

Pass the gravy please.

Day 37

Potato mashers are used to mash a variety of foods, but most often potatoes, hence the name. They are normally used in a home kitchen, but also may be used in commercial kitchens. Commercial mashers are often of larger design (up to 32 inches in base width). Other common uses include mashing pumpkins and rutabagas for soup, making hummus, chili, baking mix, egg salad, or even purées (depending on the fineness of the ridges). The potato masher consists of an upright or sideways handle connected to a mashing head. The head is most often a large-gauge wire in a rounded zig-zag shape, or a plate with holes or slits. Basic designs made from a single piece of wood were used in Victorian times, before the more complex modern designs which are now used. The original design was patented by Lee Copeman in 1847. The idea resulted from his love of smooth, lump-free mashed potatoes.

As a murder weapon, the potato masher is hardly a wise choice. However, depending on the victim...

Pass the ketchup...

Day 36.1
The ingredients comprising cheeseburgers follow the same pattern as found in the regional variations of hamburgers. Regionally popular toppings can include bacon, avocado or guacamole, sliced sautéed mushrooms or onions, cheese sauce and/or chili. Somewhat less common ingredients include egg, feta cheese, salsa, Jalapenos and other kinds of chile peppers, anchovies, slices of ham or bologna, horseradish, sauerkraut, pastrami or teriyaki-seasoned beef, tartar sauce, french fries, onion rings, potato chips, a pat of butter, pineapple and tofu among others.

A cheeseburger may have more than one hamburger patty and more than one slice of cheese. A stack of two is a double cheeseburger; a triple has three; and a quadruple has four. The ultimate cheeseburger is made entirely or cheese. The most common combination includes swiss, cheddar, gruyere, and colby-jack.  Variations can include creamcheese, brousse, crocciu, ricotta, urda, geitost, mozzarella, havarti, munster, jarlsberg, cheshire, glouchester, edam, gouda, roquefort, feta, brie, camembert, canned and cheeze wiz.

Giddyup....

Day 36

The “rocking horse” is a child's toy, usually shaped like a horse and mounted on rockers similar to a rocking chair.Predecessors of the rocking horse may be seen in the rocking cradle, the tilting seats used during the Middle Ages for jousting practice as well as the wheeled hobby horse. The toy in its current form did not appear before the 17th century, though some conflicting sources note medieval manuscripts including references to carved rocking horses, presumably of the toy kind.

From the 19th century onward rocking horses became more commonly considered as child's toy. Mostly built by hobby woodcrafters, and ranging from relatively crude to finely ornamented, it was not until the late 19th century that the production became industrialized.

What is often unknown is the “rocking horse” was modeled after the “Equus Rubusto”  or “wooden horse”, that roamed wild in northern Europe and became extinct around 1500 A.D. Named for its rough, oak like exterior, and ability to camouflage with surrounding trees, the animal, though small in size, numbered in the hundreds of thousands before it became popular as a child’s pet. Overgrazing by sheep and cattle, along with the unmonitored capture and sale of these animals led to their extinction.

The Lone Ranger and Raji.

Day 35.1

Cowboys and Indians is a very old childhood game, with roots extending further back than even the romanticized historical period from which it springs. Its formal use has declined over the years, as sensitivity has increased regarding the historic treatment of Native Americans, but the basic tropes can be found through dozens of different variations (cops and robbers being the most obvious). Through the use of such pretend, children learn to interact with their environment and each other, as well as taking on the roles of adults in a safe and non-threatening manner.

How to play:

• Choose sides. One group of children serves as the cowboys and the other group serves as the Indians. In some cases, the sides can wear bits of costume differentiating one from the other, but it isn't necessary.
• Divide up the territory where the game is being played. It can be a backyard, a park, or anywhere that makes running around easy and fun. It represents the wild frontier, which the cowboys are trying to settle and explore, and the Indians are trying to protect from interlopers. Half the team starts out on one side of the territory, half the team on the other. Alternately, choose one part of the territory--such as a large rock or a jungle gym--for one team to "defend" while the other team "attacks." If the cowboys are the defenders, the spot can be a wagon train or a remote homestead. If the Indians are the defenders, it's their native village coming under attack.
• Try to stay hidden from the other team until you get close enough to take a "shot" at them. The object is to use the territory to your best advantage: keeping rocks, bushes and similar pieces of cover between you and them.
• If you see someone from the other team, start "shooting" at them. Cowboys should point their fingers like guns and make "bang-bang" noises, while Indians should mimic firing bows and arrows.
• Play dead if someone "shoots" at you and you're not behind cover. Make your death appropriately dramatic; arms flying up in the air, body writhing on the ground, etc. No getting back up after you're "dead."
• Continue playing until one side or the other is "dead," then get up and start the game all over again.

Warning:

• The one inviolable rule in cowboys and Indians: no touching. You can pretend to shoot someone all you want--or even engage in hand-to-hand combat with a knife or invisible rope--but the action has got to stay pretend. Supervising parents should make that clear from the get-go.
• Rules for cowboys and Indians are flexible in the extreme, and needn't be adhered to if everyone is having fun. The ubiquitous "You're dead!" "No I'm not" arguments practically go with the territory. Parents may be troubled by the violent overtones of cowboys and Indians, but it's usually quite harmless. The main concern is labeling one side or the other "bad guys," which is no longer considered appropriate (unlike cops and robbers, which has very similar dynamics, but a much more clear-cut sense of morality).

Due to increased sensitivity regarding the historic treatment of Native Americans, and a movement to emphasize historical accuracy, the role of the “Indian” has been altered to reflect a more accurate description of the word. Indians are native peoples of  India, not native peoples of North or South America, as first described by early assumptions  and misnomers of European explorers during the 15^th and 16^th century. The game of Cowboys and Indians is forever changed now favoring a standard “Cowboy” and an accurate “Indian”.