Useless Fun Facts

We are all way too serious. The internet is jammed with bad news, sad news, and idiots espousing that their theories and opinions are the only valid ones. 

I thought it was time for a break. Feel free to use these useless facts for fun; maybe impress your friends; to create interest; or to store in your big brain for no absolutely good reason. 

Here we go... 

Salt used to be used as currency. Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. Honey is the only food that does not spoil. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match. Queen Elizabeth II was trained as a truck driver and mechanic during World War II.

Movie trailers got their name because they were originally shown at the end of the movie. Your fingernails grow faster on your dominant hand. 

A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24 hours, and they have six legs but can’t walk. Right handed people, on average, live nine years longer than left handed people. A snail can sleep for three years. 

There's more...

Women see more colors and have more tastebuds than men. There are 32 muscles in a cat’s ear. Over a hundred acres of pizza is consumed in the US every day. The average person has four to six dreams a night. Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. 

Animals that lay eggs don’t have belly buttons. Your body contains about 100,000 miles of blood vessels. According to the Bible, the chicken came before the egg. 

Women hiccup less than men. Those metal studs on your jeans are placed on certain spots to add extra support where the denim is more likely to wear out and rip. Jupiter is twice as large as all the other planets combined. 

And this...

Riding roller coasters can help you pass kidney stones. The first email was sent by Ray Tomlinson to himself in 1971. Mosquitoes are attracted to people who eat bananas. 

Almonds are members of the peach family. Flamingos can only eat with their heads upside down. A piece of paper can be folded no more than nine times. 

It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. Bees have five eyes. The average person spends six months of their life sitting at red lights. 

Now you know.

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What is Inspiration?

You can find it in books, in music, in films, on TV and websites. It's uttered from the greatest minds of human history. If you look long enough, you can find it virtually everywhere. But what does inspiration mean to you? Does it inspire you to read about a rags-to-riches story or about someone overcoming physical challenges? Will it make you move into your truth if you view a movie where the heroine conquers all?

We know what inspiration is, but that isn't enough. We need to find a way to apply it to our lives, our situations, our challenges, or it's just a bunch of words. Inspiration is not likes on your Instagram post or followers on Vero.

words vs actions

One definition is; the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. Another is; the drawing in of breath; inhalation.

So is inspiration simply taking a deep breath? I don't think that's enough. And I don't think it's enough to know the definition. I've often said –  and often forgotten –  that inspiration doesn't appear with balloons and streamers. It happens in small increments. It could be one word or a gesture or an image that pushes us forward.

I recently posted about motivation and maybe that's an important ingredient to inspiration. If we know what we want and know how to get it but don't move, what's the point? I can post inspiring words or we could go for coffee and I could offer some advice, but will that inspire us? Inspiration is a big word but it doesn't have to be zero-sum. It doesn't take the climbing of a mountain or landing that million dollar deal for us to be inspired. Often it's the small things that matter most.

rinse repeat

We look to heroes who have done great things which inspire us but in my view the application to our own lives is the critical element. I'm going through something right now I've been through before and the same fears have crept into my consciousness.

I'm not yet through it, but I've had to remind myself the steps I took the last time, take that deep breath, and move.

we are human

In 2014, Fortune posted a list of their 50 Greatest Leaders and though there are inspirational people here, they aren't without flaws or mistakes. So perhaps the key piece of finding inspiration is within ourselves and to discover it isn't a perfect path or one single action?

So let's keep listening to that music and reading those books and watching those movies because life is a series of mistakes and actions and inspiring moments we create. Let's inspire each other with those small things so we can get to those big things.

And let's celebrate those moments when they happen.
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The Evolution of Content

The three words I use a lot are: content, context and community. Words that roll off the tongue and sound kinda cute but they are – in my opinion – essential to most of the stuff we do, create, consumer and share.

We All Have A Voice
Technorati estimates there are about 150 million blogs in the world – that number is probably low. Anyone with a laptop and an internet connection has the ability to create content and discussion starters.

There are no interviews, no one will vet you, your resume will not be scrutinized, and you may gain a sizeable audience for what you have to say.

Toys Toys Toys
The Consumer Electronics Show is on right now in Las Vegas and while the throng gawk and point and touch and fiddle with all the coolest latest stuff, the challenge remains that we need stuff to put on all these toys.

Content comes in all shapes and sizes and sounds and tastes. It’s all too overwhelming for any of us to get a handle on what is available.

You Have To Be Good
A musician without good songs can have the nicest guitar on the market and it doesn’t matter. You can spend thousands on a Hi-Def plasma surround sound system but you still need quality content or all you have are more dust collectors.

The challenge is not content – it is quality content. Quantity is a word usually reserved for items that hold no emotional value and the lowest price will usually win the day. It’s okay to search for the best price on bathroom tissue but not when you are selecting a new cell phone.

Choice Is Everywhere
I would never suggest that we don’t have gobs of excellent choices available to us. Great music is being made, top-notch movies are being produced, bright minds are finding a space in the blogosphere and the world of podcasts, and the cable companies are providing a wide choice of shows.

And if you are in the area, you should check out Podcamp Toronto February 21 and 22nd.

While we continue to feed our seemingly endless appetite for the newest and shiniest gadgets, it’s important for us to spend an equal amount of time on the content that goes on these things.

What are your thoughts?

km