ODDS, ENDS & INSPIRATION

z Austrian philosophical author Robert Musil once observed: “It’s not the genius who is 100 years ahead of his time but average man who is 100 years behind it.”

z When America’s National Association of Professional Organisers was formed in 1985, it had five members. Today there are more than 3500 registered organisers with the group.

z Despite many people’s assumptions, the word “bayou” (as in the Linda Ronstadt song “Blue Bayou”) doesn’t come from French; it’s from the Native American Choctaw word “bayuk”.

z Those who study such things say that in tunnels that have lighting on the sides rather than above, the placement of those lights can influence the likelihood of people speeding. Evidently, the farther apart the side lights are placed, the faster drivers go.

z There’s a species of orchid that smells so bad that it’s been known to make bees sick. It’s called the Violent Stench.

z In February of this year, a Japanese man named Yuya Yamada broke his own Guinness World Record for the largest hula hoop spun around the body three consecutive times – the hoop in question measured 5.4 metres in diameter.

z It was England’s Prince Albert who originated the boutonniere. It seems that while they were courting, Queen Victoria offered a small bouquet of flowers to her future husband. Prince Albert used his pocketknife to cut a hole in the lapel of his jacket and put the stems of the bouquet through it.

NOW HERE’S A TIP

z “You set a curfew and a bedtime for your children because you know that kids need a good amount of sleep to keep those little bodies growing and their minds happy. Do you do the same for yourself? It’s tempting to stay up late zoning out after the kids are (finally) in bed, but make sure you get your rest, too. Set a bedtime and stick to it.” – T. z Love your pod coffee maker but hate the waste? Almost every brand has some sort of reusable filter that you can purchase. They are cost-efficient and much better for the environment. As a bonus, just add those used coffee grounds to your compost pile or sprinkle them in your garden. z “My grandma came to visit and left behind a box of bunion pads. Since she didn’t want them back,

I used them on the bottom of my kitchen chairs to keep them from scraping up the floor. They are self-stick, and they worked like a charm.” – E.S. z Self-care tip: Sometimes taking care of yourself means saying yes, and sometimes it means saying no. Turn off push notifications from smartphone apps and email when they aren’t absolutely necessary. You’ll find it easier to focus, and odds are good that you won’t really miss anything important. Schedule check-in times through the day if needed. z “I have found a great second use for a coffee-can lid. Use it to catch paint drips when you’re painting a ceiling or the underside of anything. Just cut a slit in the lid and slip it over the brush handle. That way, the paint drips on the saucer, and saves you a sleeve.” – O.J.