What I Learned in November

1. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/words/what-word-contains-the-five-vowels-a-e-i-o-u-in-the-right-order
We had a guest speaker at the Jackson Woman's Club meeting from Kentucky Monthly Magazine and he said that the word  facetious had a claim to fame- the only word in the English language with all five vowels in correct order. According to Oxford Dictionary, there are a few others... but this is the only one I've ever heard. 
2. How lobbyist got its name- http://www.welovedc.com/2009/06/09/dc-mythbusting-lobbyist-coined-at-willard-hotel/
In my policy class, we discussed lobbying during the November session, and my professor told us the origin of the word lobbyist.  According to story, Ulysses S. Grant used to like to go to the lobby of the Willard Hotel and smoke cigars and drink.  While there, he would be aggravated by men wanting legislative favors.  He termed them "lobbyists".  However, according to the website above, lobbyist was used long before then... It's thought that it was used as early as 1640 in the British parliament.  Interesting stuff, I know. 

3. The picture of the Newsboys cover for "God's Not Dead" was actually a real picture from when Titanic sunk. Caleb Bates showed me this... he has an amazing memory.  He is also slightly obsessed with Titanic history, and he was leafing through a book and saw the image.  Which led to us googling the other image.  And there you have it.

 4. Nothing stays the same.  Ok, this is another case where I knew that... but I was reminded of it this Thanksgiving.  Every year for at least the past 10 years, the guys in my Mom's family gather to have the annual Turkey Bowl. This year, it was freezing cold and there was snow on the ground...and they bypassed tradition.  Some of them felt too old. Landry has been sick and was not allowed to play.  And it was a little sad... but they made up for it by pulling out a classic and watching it, from 2004.  Where Caleb is only two, and he's loudly proclaiming he wants to go , "Outkide.  Mine wants to go outkide." He wants to go outside to watch, "The Bocats.  Mine watch Bocats." And it might have slightly broken this Mama's heart to see that cheesy grin when the camera switched to his face.
Another break in tradition?  Southern Lights... we usually go on Thursday night, but this year we waited to go until Friday.  I ran into Barnes and Noble to pick up a book, heard someone call my name, and got to see my best childhood friend, Olivia.  His timing is good.  I also got to go out and see her grown-up Sophie, who has a great personality, and her precious bundle of joy Abram.  So, breaking tradition isn't that bad, because if we had went on Thursday I wouldn't have gotten to chat with her.  And we are going to get together in December... because it has been WAY too long!!!

5. Once you have a best friend, it kind of stays that way.  Those few minutes in the parking lot at Barnes and Noble... catching up... well, we can chat just like we saw each other yesterday.  So many memories!

6. I really love basketball.  I forget how much I miss it until it starts back again.  Oh, sure, I'll complain and gripe about late nights and endless talk of plays and stats and scouting... but I love it.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.

7. I am slightly addicted to Facebook.  I took a break and it has been kind of nice.  I did notice that the first day, I caught myself thinking in terms of facebook statuses.  I think we have all kind of gotten like this, if we use social media at all.  My break was good for me.  I caught up on some reading, and sleep... lots of sleep.  I'm fired up to get back to work and school and finish up this semester.