What I Learned This Week - 11/1/13

1.  When running a 5k (or any race for that matter), ALWAYS high-five the little kid who puts his hand out for you. Always.
2. In a sea of 2,500+ Waldos, not all of them are funny.
3. After spending quality time with my kids makes me ask the question, “Do I HAVE to be an adult today?”
4. Scientists have invented a new low-cost method to create a safe welding flame using water as its only fuel - it basically splits water into its fundamental elements (oxygen and hydrogen), then recombines them at the nozzle to create fire.  The device title seems to be an oxymoron, “SafeFlame”. I would have gone with “hydroflame”.
5. Somewhere in the last year I made the mental switch from monitoring driving time by the number of songs played to actual driving time. I have no idea why this happened and it actually bothers me.
6. I think my new favorite music genre is “celestial cowboy music”. Sounds better than “modern rock”.
7. Scientists have “tracked down” a genetic mutation that lead to blue eyes. By “tracked down” they mean narrowed it between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. Before then, there were no blue eyes. Based on that accuracy, I can declare myself a legitimate member of the X-Men.  I’m waiting for my sweet leather suit and motorcycle.
8. I’m not a fan of physicist Stephen Hawking. I do find it remarkable that he has Lou Gehrig’s disease and is part of the 1% that has lived more than 50 years with it. 90% of people with ALS do not make it another 10 years.
9. Best unintentional humor by my kids this week, my middle child stated;  “Isn’t it WEIRD that it’s ‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’? WEIRD huh?”.
10. I don't know how many times I've called my cell phone to find it, then am immediately excited because, "Hey a missed call!!.....oh wait, it was me".
11. No matter what your age, there is a measurable quantity of panic when you discover that you are out of toilet paper and are currently hosting company.
12. Some of the best nicknames are the ones people don’t know they have.