Bits and Pieces

Okay, things have been piling up again in my Yet to be Written and Posted file. So here goes.

• And speaking of piling up, I would be remiss if I didn't note that December in these neck of the woods (and elsewhere) was a snowy and cold month. We had the third snowiest month in history. And on top of that it was colder than average. This is now two Decembers in a row when things were cold and snowy, but this was worse. We had below average temps for the middle of January- in December. Of course all global warming unbelievers will be quick to point out the irony in that. But climate change is not the same as local temperature ups and downs. But here in Minnesota a little bit more of it would sure be welcome.


• Guilt levels decreased the other week when I read a news story indicating that we need to take naps. (Well, maybe "need" was my interpretation of the article.) It seems that taking naps helps us remember. What they call "slow-wave" sleep is important to the uploading of information to our permanent memory- and that is the kind of sleep we get in naps. I wonder if my wife would believe it if I told her I had to go and remember something for the next 90 minutes?


• Ever wonder about where names come from? No, not last names, but first names? Well I came across a website that answers all the questions you have ever had about names. It's Behind the Name. There I learned that the study of names is called onomastics which includes etymology (i.e. name origins), history, culture, etc. So, to answer your burning question (with appropriate links):

BARRY

Gender: Masculine

Usage: Irish, English

Pronounced: BAR-ee, BER-ee

Anglicized form of the Irish name Bairre, which is a diminutive of FIONNBHARR. It is also used as an Anglicized form of BEARACH. (Fionnbharr: Means "fair hair", derived from Gaelic fionn "white, fair" and barr "head". Saint Fionnbharr of Cork was a 6th-century bishop who supposedly performed miraculous cures. The Barry Islands off Wales were named for him.)

Just thought you'd like to know.

• And finally something you may see more of here later. There is a website called Day Zero: The Home of the 101 Things to Do in 1001 Days Project. It is a neat idea that is somewhere between a bunch of New Year's Resolutions which we all ignore and a life list/bucket list. I am working on my list of 101 things to accomplish in 1001 Days (about two and a half years.) More will be forthcoming.