Holiday Grab Bag

It’s time for my annual Holiday Grab Bag blog. This year’s blog spotlights cookie-scented deodorant and AI obits. Ho, ho, OH! It’s an odd, jolly jumble.

Grab Bag Item No. 1: Girl Scout Cookie-Scented Deodorant!

The Girl Scouts of the USA is partnering with the personal-care brand Native for a newly launched line of shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and — yep — deodorants inspired by some of the Scouts’ most famous cookies.

Yes, you heard me, cookies plus deodorant! I mean, obviously! Who won’t want their armpits to smell like Thin Mints?

The new product collaboration will also feature cookie scents, such as citrusy Lemonade, which sounds slightly more appealing, but it might also include peanut butter. Honestly, that sounds more like a formulation designed to attract flies than guys. Oh well, to each his/her own, I suppose.

What’s even more amazing than this specific “collab” is that such crazy foody/product partnerships are on the rise.

Deals have been inked between KFC and Crocs, Nike and Ben & Jerry’s (which resulted in “Chunky Dunky” sneakers), and a Hines ketchup x Fenty Beauty makeup mish-mash mash-up. Be still, my burger-pounding lip gloss!

Moving on …

Grab Bag Item No. 2: Boiled Vs. Microwaved Water

Boiled water is boiled water is hot water, or so you would think. But there’s a difference! Who knew?

According to a 2020 study published in AIP Advances (whatever that is), liquids heated in the microwave are substantially hotter on the top than on the bottom.

The researchers who did the study found that water heated in a glass was an astonishing 14.04 degrees (Fahrenheit) different in some places.

The temperature of water heated in a teapot on the stove is more even because it is warmed on the bottom and then that heat rises. So, there are no uneven warm and cool spots.

Of course, we die-hard rush-rush-rush micro-wavers can solve the hot/cold spot differential problem by simply stirring the water before dipping in our tea bags.

Still, it is an interesting who-knew fact, agreed?

Grab Bag Item No. 3: My favorite expression of 2025 …

… was first uttered one sunny early summer morning by a frustrated Handsome Hubby as he navigated through unexpected heavy traffic en route from our home in Reno to San Francisco.

We were stuck in the left lane, you know, the PASSING lane, behind yet another slowpoke car. HH was apoplectic.

“OMG, it is just one idiot after another in the passing lane,” he steamed.

We have since adopted that expression for every frustration that comes our way. You’re welcome to use it whenever you reach the boiling point (no microwave or teakettle needed). No obscenity involved!

“Another idiot in the passing lane.”

I say it at least 10 times a day.

Grab Bag Item No. 4: AI Obits

Do you ever wonder who is going to have the last word when you die? Ever wonder (and worry) about what your loved ones are going to say about you when you pass? Well, have no fear — or alternately, have lots of fear. The last words said or written about you may be prepared by a machine!

Yes, artificial intelligence has come to the realm of the Great Beyond. Yes, nothing is sacred. Obituaries are increasingly being written by the bots.

A recent article in the Washington Post detailed the trend and noted how it eases the process for many people in grief, but to that I say, “What’s wrong with grief?”

When my brother died, the words I wrote while flying across country for his funeral were among the most profound and soothing things I ever penned. I cannot imagine turning to a machine to “summarize” in cliched terms the uniqueness of our relationship.

Yet, in fairness, here’s the argument for AI help at the time of grieving:

“You’re given this assignment to write 500 words, and you want to be loving and profound, but you’re dealing with this grief, so you sit at your computer and you’re paralyzed,” Josh McQueen, vice president of marketing and product for the funeral-home management software Passare, told the Washington Post. “If this can help get some of your thoughts and ideas down on paper … that to me is a win.”

McQueen said his company’s product has produced tens of thousands of obituaries in the past few years across the country.

Still, I dunno. What do you think?

Grab Bag Item No. 5: The Grand Finale. (Also, entitled the Middle-Aged Lady Quacks!)

Usually, I write an entire blog about holiday gifts I don’t want. This year, there’s only one item that makes the list. This is it: the Lying Flat Duck Night Light.

It’s an LED. It’s squishy. And it’s made of silicone. Plus, it’s dimmable and rechargeable.

I don’t care. I don’t like it. And I don’t want it. No. No, thank you. Bah humbug. Quack no!