What I Learned in August

1. It's not all about me.  I  knew this... but relearned it.  It's easy to take everything seriously.  We may read a facebook status or a tweet and think it's about us.  Or feel excluded because something doesn't include us... but chances are, that person wasn't even thinking of me when they posted it.  Why get your feelings hurt about something that someone did not even mean for you? And even if it was meant for you... Grace.  =)

2. How did I live my whole adult life thus far without realizing that Post-It Notes are manufactured in Cynthiana, Kentucky?  Because heaven knows I could not have lived my whole adult life thus far without them? I saw this in someone's tweet so of course I had to look it up...  Post It Notes are a 3M product and manufacturing started in 1985. The plant in Cynthiana is 450,000 sq. ft. and also manufactures Scotch packing tapes.  And I'm so glad they expanded their line of products to include hot pink and purple =) http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Cynthiana/Plant/

3. The Kentucky State flag actually does not have a picture of Daniel Boone on it. All my life, I've looked at that seal on the Commonwealth flag.  Two men, shaking hands.  United We Stand, Divided we Fall.  One is wearing brown clothes and a coonskin cap... so of course it is Daniel Boone, right? Wrong!  I searched the internet because to be honest, I wanted to know who Daniel Boone was shaking hands with... and most of the websites said, "a statesman and a pioneer." But I'm still pretending it was Daniel Boone.  And maybe Henry Clay... both famous Kentuckians.  Not the same time period. But that's what I'll choose to believe.

4.One of the things I love about nursing is there are always new things coming out. This month, I heard about a  new pain management option being used in recovery, the On-Q pump.  This little gadget administers local anesthetic directly to the surgical site, which decreases the need for narcotic pain control.  Looks pretty cool to me!directly http://www.iflo.com/prod_onq_classic.php The On-Q pump

5. I'm reading Auschwitz: A New History.  I've been reading it all month long and am still only 25% into it, because I'm reading late at night and it is non-fiction and has lots of German names that put me to sleep.  I've always loved World War II History, though, and it is a really good read.  In that book, the different levels of the Nazi army was discussed.  I guess rationally I knew that there would be different positions, but I did not know the difference between the SS and the SA. I won't even attempt to put down what they stand for, but SS army members were the private army of the Nazi party, whereas SA troops, or Stormtroopers, did more of the day to day business of the German miliatry. SS guarded Hitler; SA went door to door removing Jews.  SS wore black, SA wore brown. There  you go.   SS vs. SA- German military history
http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007675

6. There is actually a day for celebrating the Middle child? August 12... and Lord knows Holly Chelle and other Middle siblings like herself need a day for celebration... considering all she's put up with from her big sister!

7. YMCA= Young Men's Christian Association. This was a duh moment.  How many times have I danced to YMCA??? I never knew this was what it stood for. I knew the young men's part.  And maybe I knew the rest of it... but we were visiting Kami in Lexington, and there is a YMCA very close to her apartment, and I saw the writing, and I thought... hmmm.. something I've learned today.


8. 4 H Corndogs are the best thing ever. Heaven on earth. Oh, wait, I knew that already...

Linking up with Emily Freeman at www.chattingatthesky.com, where we're all sharing things we learned this month... and this has made me aware of what I'm learning.  I'm actually seeking out learning opportunities!