Odd Odds and Ends

It’s mid-October. Time for my seasonal house and office cleaning. That includes a long overdue review of my overflowing e-folder of pending story ideas. As usual, it’s chock full of juicy tidbits that didn’t quite make it to full-blown stories but are too “delicious” to discard without sharing. So, without further delay, here’s a sampling of odd odds and ends.

No. 1. Odds and Ends: Produce Stickers

The first tidbit is indeed edible, although I’ll leave it up to you to decide if it is delicious.

Yes, thanks to a concerned reader writing to The New York Times, we now have the answer to a question that honestly, I — and I bet you too — have wondered about: can you ingest those little sticky labels attached to fruits and vegetables?

According to The Times, the answer is: yes, but with a caveat. Just because we can safely eat the little labels, doesn’t mean we should. They’re not harmful, but they don’t have nutritional value. Also, FYI: they’re also not compostable.

Read the original NYT reader query and response here for all the sticky whys and wherefores.

No. 2. Odds and Ends: Fat “Shaming” is In

Thankfully, fat shaming is out for humans, but this month, for one week only, fat watching is “in” for the ursine!

Yes, bear fans, October 5-11 was Fat Bear Week, and fans of brown bears turned out en masse, at least online, to vote for their favorites at the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska as the bears complete their transformations from skinny to huge in time for hibernation.

Among the 12 competitors were Holly, called “the Queen of Katmai “and 2019 Fat Bear Week champion; Otis, a four-time Fat Bear winner, Chunk “the Hunk” described as lightbulb-shaped, and Walker, a “real big guy, willing to throw his weight around.” (All descriptions compliments of Katmai park rangers.)

The contest’s purpose is to highlight conservation in a fun way. You can follow the contest and vote next year on the site Explore.org.

And who was this year’s winner? Bear Force One, weighing in at an estimated 1,400 pounds!

No. 3. Speaking of Fat Shaming

Ladies, we have a new part of our bodies — and therefore, a problem — to obsess over. The FUPA. Don’t know what FUPA is? Didn’t even know you had FUPA? Don’t feel bad! I didn’t either.

FUPA is a slang term for — and I kid you not — fat upper pubic area. It is the excess fat over the area right between your hips and above your pubic bone. It’s also called a “panniculus.”

Childbirth, aging, rapid weight loss, and genetics can all contribute to fat in this area. Fat can also accumulate after abdominal surgery, like a cesarean delivery. So, of course, it’s mostly a women’s problem. Thanks, once again, Mother Nature.

Exercise and diet can help reduce this pesky problem you never knew had, but it’s a stubborn spot to tackle. Still, take heart! No less of a goddess than Beyonce has embraced her FUPA. In a post-pregnancy Vogue magazine profile, Queen Bee said, “Whenever I’m ready to get a six-pack, I will go into beast zone and work my (butt) off until I have it. But right now, my little FUPA and I feel like we are meant to be.” The Queen has spoken and Twitterdom has rejoiced — or so I’m told!

No. 4. Misery has a Name!

Does the sound of someone popping gum or tapping their fingers drive you insane?

What about the slurping of soup? Does the “slurp, slurp, slurping” sound release a primal urge to deploy a soup ladle as a lethal weapon?

If so, be comforted, you’ve got misophonia — a little-known syndrome characterized by strong negative emotional reactions to certain sounds (or visual) cues.

Reactions can range from mild (anxiety, discomfort, and/or disgust) to severe (rage, anger, hatred, panic, fear, and/or emotional distress).

I have no real jokes about this because I confess I am sensitive to sounds, although happily, I’ve never tossed a ladle at a soup-slupper! Tempted I admit, but never have I done the ladle-tossing deed!

No. 5. Odds and Ends. Fun for Couples?

I’m so uncool! I keep missing out on all the hot trends. First, for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what “coastal grandmother chic” was until summer ended. (FYI, in case you “missed” it too, it mostly means/meant wearing white linen clothes.)

But, even though I’m uncool individually, I vowed Handsome Hubby and I could make it as a cool duo. So, I’ve been watching all the Hollywood power couples for a trendy trend we could emulate.

We were too late for matching tattoos. Too squeamish to drink vials of each other’s blood.

But recently I read of a promising new trend that I thought we could handle— matching manicures!

I mean I knew it was a bit of a stretch for HH, but since he does go for an occasional pedicure to deal with bunions, I thought it might be possible to talk him into it.

Leading the matching manicure march were Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox who celebrated their January 2022 with chrome nail art created by a Los Angeles celebrity nail artist. Then newlyweds Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian wore nail art featuring each other’s initials in Old English script to the 2022 Met Gala. So chic! So romantic!

As for us …

Well, I thought Handsome Hubby and I could get my manicurist Natalee to paint French fries and billiards balls on our nails which I think would create quite the buzz at the local pool hall the next time we play 8 Ball.

I’ll let you know how the matching manicure idea goes, although I admit now that I’ve put this into writing, I’m not feeling that optimistic. Oh, well! I guess, as they say in pool, that’s the way the 8 ball rolls!

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Illustration Credit: The Washington Post