As I have gotten older, I am not as easily excited about things that I used to be. What still really actually excites me, however, are those “aha” moments when you learn something new or discover something that you did not know before. There still is and always will be some common knowledge that is not so common.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS I DISCOVERED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS…..
Artichoke (Fold)
OK, artichokes are not just a vegetable but a description for a type of napkin fold, an Artichoke Fold. The Chef where I work made chicken pot pies and of course, they were very hot when taken out of the oven. He recommended putting them in “artichokes” to keep them warm. You can find the YouTube Video showing you how it’s done.
Rubber Band and Paper “Weight” Refers to Thickness
Ordering rubber bands for an office staff is not as easy as you think.
Just check out this online chart for the real skinny on rubber bands. 
My first attempt at purchasing these little necessities yielded an exhaustive search on the many types and sizes. To order, you need to know the width of the rubber band, the stretch capacity and the “weight” which refers to the thickness.
The same holds true for paper. The paperweight refers to the thickness and sturdiness of the paper, not the actual weight of the sheet. Paperweights run from 24 lb. (light office copy paper) to 140 lb. (heavy-duty card stock).
Which Side of the Car is the Gas Tank?
How many times have you pulled into a gas station in a rental car and wondered – which side is the gas tank on? Instead of having to get out of the car to check for the gas tank, there is such a thing as a “Dashboard Fuel Pump Icon” that shows you which side of the car you will need to fuel up. Check out the t-shirt photo (left) for the icon and check your dashboard in your car.
Budapest, the Capital of Hungary, is Really Two Cities: Buda and Pest.
I found this out this summer when we visited the “city”. Our hotel was on the Pest side and most of the night life and fun was on the Buda side. Over the years, the boundaries between the two cities have blurred. Now, the Danube River divides the two towns that are really one:
Buda + Pest = Budapest.
E • gress – Huh?
Sorry to admit this, but I did not know what this word meant. After hearing “egress” this past summer over and over again as the organization I worked for planned crowd control transportation, this word came up frequently. According to Websters, the definition of Egress is:
the action of going out of or leaving a place.
“direct means of access and egress for passengers”
Men’s and Women’s Shirts Button on Different Sides
The few times I ironed this summer, I wondered why the buttons on my husband’s had buttons on the right side and the buttons on my shirt were on the left. Apparently, this is a leftover from the Victorian age that still rings true. Mens’ buttons are on the right side because men have always tended to dress themselves and most men (and women, for that matter) are right-handed.
Womens’ buttons are on the left side because years ago the women who could afford fancy clothing with numerous buttons would rely on maids to help dress them. So, if a servant (most of whom, naturally, would be right-handed) was going to routinely button up a shirt/dress for someone else, that servant preferred to have the buttons on their right side (which would be the left side of the garment).
It is NOT Illegal to Remove Your Mattress and Pillow Tags
I abided by this rule my whole life – living in fear that the mattress police will come by and tag my mattress as not having the “illegal to remove” tag still on it. The warning that it is unlawful to remove the tags from a mattress or pillow is not for you! It is for pillow and mattress sellers only.
This became the law in the early 20th century when the US government responded to concerns that some of the materials used in pillows and mattresses easily conducted illnesses or harbored pests such as lice.
Do you have any “don’tcha know’s” you would like to post? Comments welcome!
Life Experiences Add Up 