Arlene Miller's Blog, page 21

It’s All About New Years Resolutions

Do you still make New Years Resolutions? 

If you want to know more about the history of New Years Resolutions, check out this blog post from 2017.

Here are some of the most popular resolutions. You might be a little surprised at #1:

Exercise moreLose weight. (I would have put that at #1 – maybe in some lists, it is.) – Always one of mine!Get organized. YupLearn a new skill. My piano is still sitting there waiting.Live life to the fullest. Covid limits that one.Save more money. I have been doing pretty well at that one.Quit smoking. Thankfully not an issue for me. Or probably most of you at this point.Spend more time with family and friends.Travel more. Covid affects this one too.Read more. How much more can I possibly read???

I looked up suggestions for fun and funny resolutions. I stopped at the first one because I loved it so much:

Order every drink on the Starbucks menu. I might try that one.

How about resolutions for book lovers?

Never be without a book to read. Done!Return library books on time. (There are no overdue fees any longer in lots of places, but I still try to return my books on time. This can be tricky because I might have ten books out with different due dates. I keep track on the library website and read them in order of due dates, renewing the ones I can if I need to.Join a book club. Still haven’t done this one.Read outdoors.  I live in Florida, so I do this every afternoon. Best part of my day except for my morning coffee.Learn your librarians’ names. Haven’t done this one.Finish books you start unless you don’t like them. Yup. Life is too short to read books you don’t like.Explore more genres.  I need to work harder on this one.Read the book before you see the movie.Have your next book ready to read. Always.Declutter your bookshelves. It’s on my list.Write to authors you like – if they are alive. I do this occasionally.Save favorite passages and quotes in a Reading Journal.Patronize your local bookstores. I live in Florida. What local bookstore?  I did when I was in California.Keep a record of all books you finish. Thank you, Goodreads.Give more books as gifts. Why books make great gifts.Visit all the libraries in your county or library system.Don’t look ahead or read the last  page before you get there.Read with others. Have a reading party. Read aloud with others, or to others.

And resolutions for coffee lovers (that’s me!)

Try a new roast.Start a coffee club.Drink as much water as you do coffee, so you don’t become hydrated. I try.Make your coffee at home. Saves money. Oh, but Starbucks…..Drink it straight – no cream or sugar or syrups. Not quite ready for that.Stop using disposable cups.

No, we didn’t forget you tea lovers:

Invest in a proper tea set.Add new teas to your repertoire.Patronize a tearoom.Try new teatime recipes – sandwiches, sweets, etc. – and see what pairs well.Create a tea escape in your house – or outside.Whatever your resolutions are, or even if you have none – HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE GRAMMAR DIVA BLOG!

Christmas Jokes and Quotes

JOKES (OK, Riddles)

 

How do you wash your hands over the holiday? With Santatizer.What do you call a kid who doesn’t believe in Santa? A rebel without a Claus.How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing. It was on the house.If Santa and Mrs. Claus had a baby, what would he be? A subordinate Claus.What goes “Oh Oh Oh”? Santa walking backwardWhat do you call a bunch of chess players bragging about their games in a hotel lobby? Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.What do you get when you combine a Christmas tree with an iPad? A pineapple.I asked my wife what she wanted for Christmas. She told me that nothing would make her happier than a diamond necklace. So I bought her nothing.A gingerbread man went to the doctor’s complaining of a sore knee. The doctor asked him. “Have you tried icing it?”What do you call a Christmas rom-com about bread? Loaf Actually.What did the third wise man say after his friends had already presented gold and frankincense? “But wait, there’s myrrh!”What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? Frostbite.What do you call a snowman who vacations in the tropics? A puddle.Why was the snowman looking through the carrots? He was picking his nose.What do you call a snowman with a six pack? An abdominal snowman.Why did the snowman turn yellow? Ask the little boy over there.How is Christmas exactly like your job? You do all the work and some fat guy in a suit gets all the credit.What did Adam say the day before Christmas? “It’s Christmas, Eve!”The three stages of man: He believes in Santa Claus. He doesn’t believe in Santa Claus. He is Santa Claus.What do you call a search engine that singes Christmas songs? Michel Googlé.Quotes

 “The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much.” — Henry David Thoreau

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller

“Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.” — Dr. Seuss

 “Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmastime.” — Charles Dickens

 “Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” — Charles M. Schulz

“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.” – Agnes M. Pahro

 “We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder

 “Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.” — Bart Simpson

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day.” — Andy Rooney

 “You know you’re getting old when Santa starts looking younger.” — Robert Paul

 

Happy Holidays to All My Readers! Thank You for Your Support Throughout the Year!

 

New Words for 2021: W

Here are some new ones for you, in this concluding post about 2021 words added to the Oxford English Dictionary:

washikong – (n) A light canvas shoe with a rubber sole; a trainer or running shoe

willie-waught – (n) A large gulp of  liquid, especially alcohol; a swig

witches’ knickers – (n) Discarded plastic bags or shreds of plastic bags that have become snagged in trees, hedges, etc.

wine (not that kind) – (n) A dance move involving rhythmic gyratory movements of the hips and pelvis (can also be a verb, to do that type of movement)

willy waving – (n) Boastful or exaggerated demonstrations of machismo, toughness, or superiority

woofling – (adj) Characterized by a low snuffling, snorting, or growling sound

wuk -(v) To dance with rhythmic gyrating movements of the hips and pelvis

witching – (n) The action, process, or technique of searching for underground water, minerals, objects

willy-boy –  (n) A weak, cowardly or frightened man

waste-youth – (n)  A stupid, contemptible, or useless young person

 

The next two posts: holiday posts

 

Paraprosdokians??

Huh? What is that? A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase (or longer discourse)  doesn’t match the beginning words; it is unexpected, a surprise.  It is often used for dramatic effect, and of course, comedians and satirists love using them. 

Paraprosdokian comes from the Greek  meaning “beyond expectation.” The word first occurs in Greek rhetorical writers of the 1st century BCE and the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, with the meaning “contrary to expectation” or “unexpectedly.” Canadian linguist and etymology author William Gordon Casselman says that, while the word is now in wide circulation, it is not a term of classical Greek or Latin rhetoric, but a late 20th-century neologism; it does not yet appear in the Oxford English Dictionary.  However, the word appeared in print as early as 1891 in a humorous article. 

Paraprosdokians are best illustrated by example:

War does not determine who is right—only who is left. – Bertrand Russell

On the other hand, you have different fingers. – Comedian Steven Wright

I sleep eight hours a day and at least ten at night. – Bill Hicks

On his feet he wore … blisters. – Aristotle

If I could just say a few words … I’d be a better public speaker. – Homer Simpson

Take my wife—please! – Comedian Henny Youngman

If I am reading this graph correctly—I’d be very surprised. – Stephen Colbert

I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it. – Groucho Marx

There are three kinds of people in the world – those who can count, and those who can’t. –Unknown

I have the heart of a small boy – in a glass jar on my desk. – Stephen King

The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education. – Einstein

Want to try making one up yourself? If you do, write one in the comments. 

 

Need a gift for a student? Someone preparing for college?  A homeschooler? A job hunter? Here are a few suggestions . . .

Double Header: New Words T, U, and Z, and Why Books Make Great Gifts!

Happy Holidays to All!Here are some new words added to the English Oxford Dictionary recently that begin with T, U, and Z:tabanca –  (n) A state or feeling of depression or melancholy, especially as a result of unrequited love or the end of a romantic relationshiptassa – (n) Usually referred to as tassa drum. A bowl-shaped goatskin drum of north Indian origin which is typically hung from the neck and played with two stickstifoso – (n) A fan or follower, especially an enthusiastic and committed supporter of a particular sport or teamtoo besides – (adv) In addition, as well, moreover, besides that (Ugh! I haven’t heard this one!)trot – (n)  A genre of Korean popular music characterized by repetitive rhythms and emotional lyricsunni – (n) In Korean-speaking contexts, a girl’s or woman’s elder sisterupful –  (adj) Inspiring happiness, optimism, or hope; cheerful or uplifting musiczami –   (n) A lesbianzom-com – (n) A comedy film featuring zombie characters (Is there such a thing as a rom-zom-com??)

 

Here are some reasons why books make excellent holiday gifts and stocking stuffers:Books are easy to get, even in a pandemic because you don’t have to leave the house.  You can get them in a store or online and you can have them delivered anywhere. You can even mail them book rate and save some money.Books are easy to wrap! No weird shapes! That helps people who wrap the way I do! They also fit nicely in gift bags.Books come in a huge variety of prices from the very inexpensive on up.You can buy books for any age recipient, from an infant to a senior — and you can generally tell, or find out, the ages the book was intended for.There are books for any gender of recipient.Everyone is interested in something, and there is always a book for that “something.” If you don’t know what that something is, there are always bestsellers that interest almost everyone.Books keep on giving. If you like a book, you can then share it with someone else, who can then share it with someone else. Then, you can donate it.Books are entertaining. Books can take you into a new world — if even for just a little while.Books are very portable. Especially ebooks. They travel well and fill time well.Books are educational. Take grammar books, for example (hint, hint, shameless promotion). Perfect for a student or someone going off to college!

NaNoWriMo 2021

What exactly is NaNoWriMo? Well, it stands for NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth, which is November. It is a national “contest” where you sign up to write 50,000 words in the 30 days of November. There is a website where you enter your project and keep track of your word count. Although you can complete a novel you have already started, you cannot count any words written before November 1. And you don’t need to finish your novel by November 30; you just need to write 50,000 words of a novel in those 30 days. In fact, you don’t even have to write a novel. No one is looking over your shoulder if you are writing nonfiction instead, and you want to see if you can write 50,000 words in a month.

How long is 50,000 words? you might ask. It is roughly 250 pages of printed text. Most novels are longer than that, but 50,000 words does qualify as a novel. Novels usually run 70,000 to 100,000. But some are shorter and some are longer.

So what do you win in this contest? And who is the winner? Everyone who writes their 50,000 words in November is considered a winner. So you are competing against only yourself. And what do you win? You can print yourself a certificate if you win. You  can also buy yourself a winner’s sweatshirt or mug from the website; you can do that even if you don’t win, but you cannot print that certificate unless you win.

Who counts the words? It used to be that you had to copy your novel into the website, and they would count your words for you. You didn’t need to copy only what you just wrote. You could copy the whole document and paste it into the website, and it would count your words and update the word count. Many have wondered if you could just type the same word 50,000 times and win. I really don’t know, but would you really want to do that?

But things have changed. Now NaNoWriMo is on the honor system. You don’t have to copy and paste any more. You just enter your current word count. When you have a new word count,  you update it with your new word count. You can update every day, twice a day, whenever you want. But you earn these online badges if you update every day for a certain number of days. Frankly, I don’t pay much attention to the badges.

You can have buddies online—people you know who are also writing–and you can see their word counts. There are geographic groups you can belong to and send messages. Frankly, however, I fine the website confusing as far as finding buddies and messaging. 

There is a thing called a “write-in.” People would go to a certain place and write together, maybe to a coffee shop or a library or a bookstore. They were prearranged, or you could also just set up your own write-in with friends. These days, most of the write-ins are virtual.

I had thought the last time I had done NaNoWriMo before this year was the first year I participated: 2011, when I wrote my novel called Trashy Novel, later renamed Girls of a Feather: The Misadventures of Four College Girls (available on Amazon).

I wrote 51,302 words that November by the 24th of the month! I was on a roll. I attended a weekly write-in, and a couple of other occasional write-ins. I made a friend who is still a friend at that weekly write-in.

Come to find out (because NaNoWriMo keeps track of these things) that I participated several other times. In 2013 I started to participate with The Best Grammar Workbook Ever. I got to 4380 words, so I don’t know quite what happened. The book got written, has done and continues to sell really well, but I decided not to write it during NaNoWriMo apparently. 

In 2017 I entered with my self-publishing how-to guide. I got to 32,940 words, which was probably as long as that book was. I did publish it, but later took it off the market because things at Amazon had changed so much for self-publishers. It wasn’t selling well enough to update at that time.

And in 2018, I won again with my dating memoir (nonfiction) When Life Hands You Frogs (also available on Amazon), although the book didn’t come out until 2021. That win was with 50,030 words.

I believe I started a sequel to Girls of a Feather in 2012, but after writing for two days, I lost my whole document somewhere in the computer black hole, and just couldn’t seem to recreate what I wrote, so I gave it up.

This November I am writing my first romance novel. I recently attended an online romance novel conference, which was excellent. I have always enjoyed reading romantic-oriented novels, so I thought I might like to write them. Very difficult indeed.

Oh, by the way, there are two primary methods of writing a novel: pantsing and plotting. Plotters tend to outline in detail before they write. Panters sit down and hope the book will write itself. Most writers are probably a hybrid of the two types. My 2011 novel was pantsed. The romance novel was going to be pantsed, but I found I really had to plan a little ahead with this one, so it is more of a hybrid. 

It is November 26, and I have written 47,000 words, so I will win this year. And I haven’t written a word yet today. I think the book will turn out to be a bit longer than 50,000 words when finished, and it is very rough, which is fine. NaNoWriMo is for rough drafts or anything else. We turn off our Inner Editor, and I have managed to do that this time.

For more info, go to the NaNoWriMo website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Words for 2021: M,N,O, P, S

It’s been a while since we talked about some of the new words added to the Oxford English Dictionary in fall 2021. Wow, it’s almost 2022, so we need to finish this up. We left off at L, so here are some words that begin with M, N, O P, and S:

 

mamaguy –  (n) Deception; insincere flattery. (v) to try to deceive or mislead, especially by use of flattery.

meet-cute –  (n) I just learned this word because I am writing my first romance novel. It is an amusing or cute way that two people meet that generally  leads to romance.

mukbang – (n) A  video, especially one that is livestreamed, that features a person eating a large quantity of food and talking to the audience. 

noona –  (n) Korean-speaking context,  a boy’s or man’s elder sister.  Also a term of endearment.

oppa – (n) In Korean-speaking contexts: a girl’s or woman’s elder brother. Also a term of endearment.

PC bang – (n) In South Korea, an establishment with multiple computer terminals providing access to the internet for a fee, usually for gaming.

powerbomb – (n) In wrestling, a throw in which a wrestler is lifted up, so as to be sitting on an opponent’s shoulders, then slammed down back first on to the mat; (v) to perform such a throw in a match.

sheg – (v) To provoke, vex, or annoy (a person).

suedine – (n) A fabric finished to resemble the slightly rough napped texture of suede; in other words fake suede?

susu – (n) An informal cooperative savings club in which each participant contributes the same fixed weekly amount, and the whole sum is taken by one participant on a rotating basis.

And now we know . . .

 

 

Take the Comma Quiz!

Comma Quiz

A few weeks ago, the post was about commas. Here is a comma quiz for you. Scroll down for the answers.

Put the necessary commas into these sentences:

 

It is a cold rainy day.

 

This book which is written by William Golding is my favorite.

 

The book that is on top of the table is next on my reading list.

 

I decided not to cook dinner and went to the movies instead.

 

I was born on August 10 1980 in Lincoln Nebraska.

 

The only four ingredients in this recipe are sugar vanilla eggs and flour.

 

Elaine the party is at my house.

 

My address is 1487 Markham Place Boston Massachusetts 01987 please send my mail there not to my old address.

 

“The meeting will be at the community center” she said “but it doesn’t start until 7 p.m.”

 

Of course I will be there.

 

My sister Jen is leaving for college next year but my sister Marie is still in high school.

 

She is tiny but very strong.

 

Are you going too?

 

Take these books back to the library and bring the books on reserve home.

 

I too would like to have pizza.

 

 

Scroll down for the answers

 

 

 

Keep going…

 

 

Keep going…

 

It is a cold, rainy day.

 

This book, which is written by William Golding, is my favorite.

 

The book that is on top of the table is next on my reading list.

 

I decided not to cook dinner and went to the movies instead.

 

I was born on August 10, 1980, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

 

The only four ingredients in this recipe are sugar, vanilla, eggs, and flour. (The comma after eggs is optional, but recommended)

 

Elaine, the party is at my house.

 

My address is 1487 Ruby Place, Boston, Massachusetts 01987. Please send my mail there, not to my old address.

 

“The meeting will be at the community center,” she said, “but it doesn’t start until 7 p.m.”

 

Of course I will be there. (Optional, but not needed after of course)

 

My sister Jen is leaving for college next year, but my sister Marie is still in high school.

 

She is tiny,  but very strong.

 

Are you going too? (No comma needed before too.)

 

Take these books back to the library, and bring the new books home.

 

I, too, would like to have pizza.

 

 

 

3 Habits to Boost Creativity While Writing

A Guest Post by Nicholas Rubright

Nicholas Rubright is a communications specialist at Writer. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys playing guitar, writing music, and building cool things on the internet.

 

Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-rubright-29225047/

 

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“No man is an island,” and when it comes to creativity, this John Donne adage rings true.

Creativity isn’t about starting from scratch or working with a blank canvas. It’s about taking what’s already available and integrating it in novel ways. Simply put, it’s about connecting the dots, but doing it uniquely and creatively.

History’s “eureka” moments have led to a misunderstanding about creativity. Those are the moments when the solutions to problems that were impossible to work out suddenly pop into clarity. But in reality, these breakthroughs are rarely a single, fleeting event—instead they’re a climax you build up to through hard work. It’s the culmination of habits of the mind and body through the years.

Creativity is a skill, and like any other skill, it too can be developed if you follow habits that boost those creative cells. To keep your writing from getting boring or reliant on cliches, try three habits to boost creativity while writing. 

Keep an Idea Journal

Myth: If something is important, you will remember it for a long time.

Image by Fathromi Ramdlon from Pixabay

We’ve all been there. You come across something intriguing. Maybe some interesting historical fact or bit of trivia that piques your curiosity. You learn a new word that sparks your imagination. Or maybe a great simile or metaphor pops into your head while you’re gardening or driving to the store.

Most of the time, these ideas aren’t something that will be useful for your current project but may be valuable in the future. You’ll remember them when the time comes, right? Unfortunately, we tend to overestimate our memory, and even if you need it in your writing session a few hours from now, that great idea may have already vanished. You may recall the overall emotion or sensation of the idea, but the specifics are hazy at best.

This is where an idea journal shines. 

An idea journal is not the same as a diary. You don’t keep a daily chronicle of happenings in an idea journal. Instead, it’s a place where you may scribble down thoughts, inspirations, observations, and even daily objectives and accomplishments.

Whether you are currently working on a project or not, consider keeping an idea journal so you can record your thoughts and ideas as they come. If you do have a work in progress, also record your observations and criticisms of the process as a whole.

As you start to collect ideas in your journal, some (or many of them) may seem implausible, strange, or too specific to ever find a home. Whatever the case, it all belongs in your idea journal. You never know what these ideas will turn into or how they may connect to other ideas in the future. Your idea journal is a private space where you can cultivate your thoughts and watch them blossom.

When you write, keep your idea journal handy, as those notes and scribbles can boost your creativity.

Get Some Exercise

As writers, we spend the majority of our time tapping away on the keyboard or scribbling in a journal. Writing is a sedentary job, but physical activity is important for your physical and mental health. Exercise has been a critical element of the everyday routines of writers throughout history.

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami runs 10 kilometers or swims 1,500 meters (or both) every single day.British author Charles Dickens would stroll 12 miles every day.Roman philosopher, orator, and writer Marcus Tullius Cicero said 2000 years ago, “It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.”

A new study backs up what prominent writers have long claimed: physical activity is necessary for writing success. Another study on the impact of exercise on creative thinking concluded that creativity was improved by physical exercise regardless of mood.

So, the habits of great writers and multiple scientific studies show that an active life is the foundation for an active imagination. Pushing yourself physically gets your mind ready for mental effort. In other words, if you want to boost your creativity, make cycling, jogging, fast walking, or going to the gym a daily ritual. You can choose whatever works best for you; just get up and move! 

Listen to Uplifting Music

It’s no secret that music relaxes us. All of us jam and groove to it, and we have our go-to playlists loaded up with our favorites. However, while we often associate music with uplifting our mood, we rarely associate it with creativity.

Music has long been known to help cognition, learning, and even memory. It’s only natural that music influences creative thinking. According to research, we should listen to happy music to facilitate divergent or creative thinking.

Researchers conducted divergent and convergent thinking tests with and without music, and the results showed that individuals who listened to cheerful, happy music did better than those who performed the same activities in silence. The group that listened to “happy” music came up with not only more ideas in general, but also more creative and original ones.

It is critical to note, however, that while “happy” music had an effect, other musical genres did not.

This habit will particularly boost your creativity when you are writing a story set in a different era or country and you listen to music relevant to the setting. For example, Led Zeppelin for the 1970s or traditional Irish music for a tale set in Dublin. It will help you immerse yourself in the story more fully.

Thus, taking up the habit of listening to upbeat music while writing can be a great way to stimulate your creativity.

 

 

Candy! It’s Halloween!!!

 

Best of the Grammar Diva – Originally Published in 2020….

I don’t know about you, but when I think of Halloween, I don’t think about pumpkins and goblins — I think about candy.  And when I got too old to go out with a pillowcase and get my own candy, I stole from my kids’ candy bags (didn’t you????). I loved candy more than they did – I probably still do. I would just take a piece at a time, hoping they wouldn’t notice.

What is your favorite candy? Of course I love chocolate, mostly dark chocolate. Nothing is better than dark-chocolate-covered creams, especially orange and raspberry, and maybe lemon. I also love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (even though mostly they are milk chocolate) and Junior Mints. Right now I don’t eat candy, but when I do, my favorites are basically sugar: candy corn, Good and Plenty, and jelly beans. Yeah, I know: you either love candy corn or you hate it, and it seems that most people hate it, but I could eat it by the bag.

Whether or not you have bought any candy for this Covid-Halloween, I thought you might be amused and intrigued by some dandy, candy trivia:

Favorite Halloween Candy – Depends on the state you live in. Candy corn is the favorite in Alabama, so perhaps I should move there! But Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Milky Way, and M&Ms are popular everywhere.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – This candy was named after its originator, Harry Burnett Reese.

Candy Corn  – The Goelitz brand of candy corn has been around since 1898. It was originally called “chicken feed,” which I am sure some people would prefer to call it now. In 2001 the company changed its name to Jelly Belly. By the way, the Jelly Belly factory is in California. They have a wonderful tour with lots of samples, and they sell bags of irregular (rejected) jelly beans for cheap — they are called Belly Flops. By the way, an opened bag of candy corn can last for three to six months. In my house it can stay for only minutes before it is gone, but I know many people would say it doesn’t matter how fresh or stale it is, it tastes the same. 

Candy Cigarettes –  I don’t think these have been around for a long time, but they were around when I was a kid.  However, North Dakota banned these candies from 1953 to 1969 because they thought the candy would encourage kids to smoke cigarettes. 

Tootsie Rolls – Every day 64 million Tootsie Rolls are made.

Tootsie Roll Pops – It takes a licking machine 364-411 licks to get to the chocolate center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. But it takes a human only 144-252 licks. I am assuming the machines are for quality assurance!

Snickers – This candy bar was named after Franklin Mars’ deceased racehorse. The horse was raised at the family farm in Tennessee; the farm was called The Milky Way.

Cotton Candy – This candy was created by a dentist (!), William Morrison, along with confectioner John C. Wharton. It was originally called Fairy Floss until the name was changed to cotton candy in the 1920s. 

M&Ms – The two Ms stand for Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie, who developed and financed them.

Image by Richard Manship from Pixabay

Junior Mints – This candy was named after the Broadway play Junior Miss, which ran from 1941 to 1943. 

Three Musketeers – This candy bar was so named because originally it featured pieces of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry candy. However, during World War II, vanilla and strawberry were hard to find, so they went with just chocolate.

Peeps – (Yuck) – Before automation, it would take 27 hours to make a Peep. It now takes 6 minutes, and 5.5 million of them are made in their Pennsylvania factory every day. (Does all candy come from Pennsylvania? Hershey does.)

White Chocolate – Doesn’t even taste like chocolate to me. And why? Because it isn’t really chocolate and contains no cocoa solids at all.

Care for Some Wine? – Wine experts recommending pairing the following candies and wines: Whoppers with Cabernet, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups with Sherry, and  Hershey Kisses with Zinfandel.

How Much Candy Is Too Much? –  According to the American Chemical Society, eating 262 fun-size Halloween candy bars would poison a 180-pound person.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween! Don’t forget your mask!

Thank you to this website for the fun info!