Afternoon Drive with Jeff & Carly

When I was a child, our family rarely ate in front of the television.  The only TV in the household was downstairs in the rec room, so unless it was a Friday night and the Christmas specials were on, we ate upstairs.  When I was in Grade 6, we moved to a house with an open floor plan (you gotta love the 80’s).  This home didn’t have a finished basement, so the boob tube moved into the living room, which made it visible from the dining room.  Since we usually ate around 6 o’clock, sometimes the news was on during dinner on a weeknight.

I bring this up because researchers at U of T  have discovered that watching television while you eat can lead to increased food consumption.  Children who ate lunch in front of the TV consumed 228 calories more than those who dined with the set off.  I guess you eat more because you’re distracted or engaged in a mindless activity?  I would tend to think that kids who don’t eat in front of the television might be more inclined to go outside and play (i.e. exercise) after they were done than those who were glued to a TV program.

Do you eat in front of the television?  Are there particular shows that you watch at mealtime?  If you have a “no television during meals” rule, do you ever make exceptions?  Share your experiences by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is BOOBTUBE.  It’s good until July 11th. 

Merriam-Webster has added one hundred new words to its Collegiate Dictionary.  Here are some of the recent additions:

• dirty bomb — bomb designed to release radioactive material
• edamame — immature green soybeans that are eaten 
• infinity pool — outdoor swimming pool that seems to flow into the horizon
• kiteboarding — riding on a small surfboard propelled by a large kite
• malware — software designed to interfere with a computer’s functioning
• mental health day — taking a day off from work to relieve stress
• netroots — grassroots political activists who communicate online
• pescatarian — a vegetarian who eats fish
• subprime — a type of loan that has a higher interest rate than the prime rate and is especially given low-income borrowers
• Texas Hold ‘em — popular poker game

Subprime, Texas Hold ‘em, infinity pool, edamame and mental health day are all words and expressions I have heard and could define without the use of a lexicon.  But pescatarian?  Malware?  Does the average person actually use these words or even know what they mean?

What new words do you use?  Which ones rub you the wrong way?  Do you “Google”?  Do you “Facebook”?  What leaves you in “shock and awe”?  Do you know someone who makes up words or misuses vocabulary like Ricky from The Trailer Park Boys?  For example, Ricky say he’s not a pessimist, he’s an optometrist. :)  Jeff Brown coined a phrase just the other week - “quack pot”.  As far as I know, it’s someone who is a cross between a quack (charlatan) and a crackpot (lunatic).  Not a good combination!

Your thoughts are welcome, just click on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is QUACKPOT.  It will score you points until July 10th. 

From left: Dave Wagner (winner) with Kevin and Ryan

Thanks to Kim Jones, Jack Nation member Dave Wagner’s better half, for sending me this photo. :)  Dave won the Jack FM Canada Day Patio Party at the Wolf and Firkin.  From the “sober” looks on the guys’ faces, it appears they did some “serious” celebrating in honour of Canada’s 141st birthday.  For other Firkin opportunities, check out 925jackfm.com. 

It got me thinking about luck.  Some people seem to win every lottery and draw they enter.  Others, well, should probably just give up.  What’s the biggest prize you’ve ever won?  Were you able to share it with others or did you keep it all for yourself?  Share your hard luck or good luck story by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is HARDLUCK.  It’s good until July 9th.

Do you think businesses that don’t sell food and drink should be obligated to provide washrooms for the public?  City Councillor Howard Moscoe does.  He’s championing a proposal that has been approved by Toronto’s Licensing and Standards Committee and would force stores to grant the public access to their washrooms.  City Council will now be examining this topic.

I guess the real issue is who is going to clean these toilet facilities?  Many businesses that do sell food and drink and therefore must provide facilities limit the traffic traipsing through their washrooms to paying customers.  Presumably part of the purchase price of your item goes toward maintenance of said facility.  By increasing the volume, the washrooms will need more frequent upkeep and there won’t be extra cash to pay for the cleaners.  We could always go back to the days when you had to pay to use the washroom.  Remember that?  It would take a dime or a quarter to open the stall door.

What’s your take on this issue?  Do you feel comfortable walking into a fast food joint and using the toilet without purchasing anything or do you at least buy a coffee?  Do you think you should be entitled to use the washroom at a hardware store or a pharmacy?  Many of the big box stores already allow this, but they’re not usually located downtown.  And I’m assuming that city councillors, whose salaries are paid by our taxes, already share their washrooms with the public, otherwise it would be hypocritical of them to suggest private businesses must do so.  Weigh in on this issue by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is THELOO.  It’s valid until July 6th.  

P.S. Come out and celebrate Aren’t We Naughty’s 25th Anniversary with me on Saturday, July 5th.  I will be at the Brampton location between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.  I’ll also have an extra bonus code handy, so hope to see you there.  Find out more at arentwenaughty.com. 

You don’t really think much about your nose - until it’s blocked.  Hopefully as an adult, that only happens when you have a cold, which is uncomfortable to say the least.  It’s difficult to breathe and your sense of smell all but disappears.  Now think back to when you were a kid.  Your nose was probably plugged on numerous occasions and not necessarily by mucus.  I’m not sure whether the motivator is curiosity or boredom or a cry for attention, but children are fascinated with sticking objects up their nostrils.  As a result, Babyzone.com has published a list of the Top 10 Things Kids Stick Up Their Noses.  Here’s the list:

1. Crayons
2. Beads
3. French Fries
4. Fingers
5. Marbles
6. Spaghetti
7. Tissue (Bits of Kleenex)
8. Cheerios
9. Small Toys (Like Lego)
10. Beans and Peas

Do you remember sticking anything up your nose as a child?  Have your kids done it?  Were they able to blow the object out or did the incident result in a trip to the emergency room?  Share your story by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link at the bottom.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is NOSINESS.  It’s valid until July 5th. 

A friend of mine was hoping to host a garage sale this past Saturday, but she cancelled it when it rained that morning.  Although you can’t control the weather, there are some things you can do to be better prepared for a yard sale.  I’ve re-printed what I think are the Top 5 from TheNest.com.

• Drum up business ahead of time. Take out a classified ad in your local paper, post a notice on a local Internet message board, and canvass the area with flyers. Identify the date of the sale plus the start and end times.
• Don’t get personal with pricing. As you’re surveying your pile of saleable goods, start pricing each item to sell. Remember, just because it pains you to part with your precious (and well-loved) New Kids On The Block T-shirt collection, it doesn’t mean it’s a collector’s item and worth $200.
• Set the mood. The idea is to make some cash, but it doesn’t mean you have to be all business. Cue the music, tie up some balloons, and create a festive atmosphere. Remember, you want to remain available for questions and have the opportunity to say hello and goodbye to everyone — even if they don’t end up buying.
• Slash prices at the halfway point. As your yard sale starts to wrap up, consider cutting prices in half. Make up a sign ahead of time and then bring it out a few hours before you’re ready to wrap up. You’ll increase your sales if people think they’re getting a better deal — everyone loves a bargain.
• Keep the Salvation Army on standby. Inevitably, you won’t sell everything at your yard sale. But don’t commit an organizational sin by dragging all of that stuff back into the house. Arrange a pickup by your favorite local charity and have the remaining stuff hauled away.

Have you ever hosted a garage sale?  Was it successful or did you only make ten cents?  Any words of wisdom to share with others?  Are you a “garage saler” (sailor?) yourself?  What was your best find?  Boast away by clicking on the No Comments/Comments link below.  Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is GARBAGESALE.  Yes, there is a “b” in there because one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. :)  The code will score you points until July 4th.