When you talk to people about their dreams or about their bucket list, a very common one you’ll hear is: “I want to write a book one day”. Your average person who has this dream knows that they want to write because they feel like it, and they leave it at that, not giving it much deeper thought. This article is for anyone who is looking to understand their own dream if they have an urge to write a novel, or for anyone who doesn’t share the desire to write a book and is looking to understand this dream that some people have. Continue reading →
Ever wondered why you’re presented with chopsticks rather than a knife and fork at Chinese restaurants and in traditional Chinese households? Continue reading →
With the popularity of emails, SMS messages, online chat and the TV show Gossip Girl, it’s very common to see people signing off with “x kisses” or xoxo hugs and kisses. But have you ever stopped to wonder the origin of the xoxo hugs and kisses symbols? Continue reading →
Have you ever wondered why the Queen wears a crown? Would you be surprised to hear it has a religious origin?
Continue reading →
If you live in the United Kingdom or have recently visited, you may have noticed that British red post boxes have some writing on them. There are two most common post boxes that can be categorized by their embossed writing:
- The GR post box
- The ER post box.
What is the meaning of these letters on the postboxes? Continue reading →
Guest article contribution co-written by Richard Keane & Li-Or
Most of us in the Westernized world are familiar with the dentist’s office, and many of us are equally familiar with the butterflies and unease that accompany an impending visit to the dentist. For these people, they may find themselves asking: “Do I have to go to the dentist?” This article looks a little into why a visit to the dentist can be useful and important. Continue reading →
When you start seeing pumpkins showing up in unusually copious amounts everywhere, you can safely bet that Halloween is round the corner!
But what’s with all the pumpkins? And how did the whole Halloween pumpkin carving / Jack-o’-lantern tradition start? Continue reading →
Since the late 1800s when the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club was founded there has been a strict dress code: competitors in their Tennis Championship games could wear any color… as long as it was white! But every time I watch Wimbledon I can’t help but wonder why this rule was established. Why do tennis players wear white at Wimbledon?
It seems that there are quite a few theories in circulation regarding this time-honored tradition. The following four reasons are the most often touted ones: Continue reading →
One of the prettiest things that can be seen in the Christmas season is the beautiful array of lights adorning trees, street lamps and streaming across the top of homes. Christmas lights have evolved a lot over time and they continue to evolve.
These days, with an emphasis on saving energy and on being more aware of our environment, inventions like LED Christmas lights are being used more and more. Because LED lights use up less energy, don’t get hot like traditional lights and last longer, their use has changed the face of Christmas lighting and lighting in general. But when did the idea to put lights up for the holidays first arise? Continue reading →
