News; birthdays/events; a customer in the UK was interested in buying an antique owl at a store...only to discover it was real!! have you ever been in a store where an animal got in?;
word of the day.

News; Ashley got invited to go to coffee and it turned out to not be for coffee....has this ever happened to you?; game: kids singing backup on famous songs; have you ever knocked over a display at a store and made a huge mess?

News; do you customize ringtones for people in your phone list (Landman-Billy Bob Thornton); game: Brad reads the lyrics to songs Ashley can't place; could you tell the difference between slight hues in colors (for things like accent pillows etc) or do you even care?

News; do you sleep with door open or closed?; game: harmonica songs; goodbye/fun facts....National Middle Name Pride Day --Middle names were born as a means to commemorate older, or often, dead family members, or godparents. However, some people don't know much about their middle names. This is the perfect day to ask our parents about them. Middle names first appeared in English-speaking countries, but records indicate that the practice may have been used in higher class, wealthy families first. In fact, at the time, it was common for those of high birth status to have many names–sometimes several middle names. This is still the practice in modern royal families. Some beloved cartoon characters even have middle names: Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy.

News; birthdays/events; what do you think about mandating manners? should someone put out a list of 'common sense' things?; word of the day.

News; women take notice when men are....and aren't well groomed. (list of things women notice); national grammar day...mistakes people make; game: mindtrap.

News; have you seen something on sites like FB marketplace or OfferUp and it sparked your interest (Ashley sfa); would you watch/particpate in the "fish doorbell"?; game: I should have known that.

News; if your name (first, middle, or last) is Lyndon you can do this for free; game: everybody knows; goodbye/fun facts....national nametag day...We live in a world of well over seven billion people, meaning we are surrounded by individuals constantly. During World War II, branches of the U.S. military began putting external name tags on uniforms so that aircrew and soldiers could be quickly identified, and by the Korean War cloth name tapes with surnames had become a standard feature of many combat uniforms. In the mid‑20th century, department stores, hotels, and restaurants began standardizing employee name badges as part of a professional uniform...and in 1959 the popular "Hello, My Name Is…" name tags are introduced by C-Line Products---just don't forget to take it off before you wash your clothes!

News; birthdays/events; game: is Ashley as smart as a 5th grader?; word of the day.

News; latest survey of the lease and most fit states...(Colorado has fallen from first to fourth!); game: Brad reads the lyrics to songs Ashley can't place; Finance Buzz says there are some really risky places to give out your SS#...but what if they say you have to?

News; pets have been shown to lower anxiety levels...they are on college campuses now---some employers are now allowing employees to bring their pets to work...would you bring yours if you could?; game: cover songs on the banjo; most overrated careers.

News; when you're the driver....how much do these things bother you? does it make a difference if it's family or friends in the car?; do you store these things in your garage?;
goodbye/fun facts....national pound cake day..Made from the standard cake ingredients of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour, a pound cake lives up to its name as the equal ratio of all the ingredients...yes...a pound of each--so it's a bit of a heavier/richer cake...but of course, you can adjust the ingredients to make it lighter if you'd like. Nowadays baking soda or baking powder is incorporated to induce leavening during baking to make a less dense pound cake and vanilla, almond, orange, or lemon extracts can be added to change the flavor profile a bit too. Of course you can buy it premade...Sara Lee held the gold standard for decades but culinary experts rate the Costco/Kirkland version as the closest to homemade.

News; birthdays/events; an airport psa that was a 'joke' is gaining traction as a serious subject...what's your take?; word of the day.

News; game: word ladder; we talked last week about if you've ever been chased by a wild animal...funny follow up; from the "life isn't fair" file...how do you feel when you work so hard for something and others just seem to have success come to them?

News; game: what kind of eyes trivia song; would you go skydiving or swim with sharks? what's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?; if these things send you into a rage...you might be more stressed out than you realize (list)

News; game: general trivia; most annoying sounds at work?; goodbye/fun facts....Caregiver Appreciation Day--Caregivers show up for others in ways that can be both practical and deeply personal: managing medications, offering mobility support, coordinating appointments, cooking meals, keeping someone company, and noticing small changes that can signal a bigger health issue. Being a caregiver is often physically taxing but also emotionally taxing...so if you know a caregiver--let them know how much they are appreciated...you could get them something to pamper themselves (a massage, pedicure, etc) or a gift card to their favorite restaurant, a day off, helping them with some of the chores, or making a donation in their name to a charity they love.

News; birthdays/events; do you stop and watch/listen to street performers?; word of the day.

News; feedback fatigue....it's a catch 22; what does March have in store for us? (beside the Academy Awards); would you tailor your car dashboard to something custom? (Hyundai is offering a Pokemon themed infotainment system)

News; interview with life coach Sidney Avalos; game: quiz; game: feud.

News; game: calendar trivia; blue eyed people have these personality traits (A&B are both blue eyed); goodbye/fun facts....national banana cream pie day...Historians have traced back the origins of pie to the Neolithic Period, around 6000 B.C. It has been discovered that during this period, ancient Egyptians made a version of pies called 'galettes,' which were rustic free-form pies, made from oats, wheat, rye, and barley. The crust was filled with honey and the galettes were then baked over hot coals. In the 1700s, American women cemented the tradition of serving pies with every meal and as more settlers moved to other parts of the continent, various kinds of regional pies were created. In the 1950s, banana cream pies became the favorite dessert of many American soldiers. The British version of this is the Banoffee pie, which is made using bananas and toffee. Whether enjoyed at a family gathering, at a local bakery, or made from scratch at home, today reminds us to appreciate the simple joys in life.

News; birthdays/events; list of funny lapses in common sense...what was your most recent "I can't believe it did that" moment?; word of the day.

News; game: 3 word beverage descriptions; innocent things kids in school got in trouble for;"old" technology is the new 'in' trend...Ashley LOVES this!!

News; game: song lyrics read by Brad; have you ever found an ancient artifact by accident? a guy in Israel just found a sword from the crusades!!; rude behaviors...how many will you admit to on this list?

News; game: classic rock songs on the banjo; did you see that sinkhole in Omaha?;
goodbye/fun facts....Strawberries have grown in the wild for thousands of years, and it was the French who first brought this delicious red berry into their gardens for cultivation in the 14th century. Not long afterward, English Archbishop Thomas Wolsey created the winning combination of strawberries and cream for Henry VIII's court that so many people still enjoy today. However, the early species of strawberries were very different from those we feast on now. It wasn't until 1712 that a French excursion to Chile resulted in the mixing of different types of strawberry plants, and the garden strawberry we know today was born. If fresh strawberries aren't at their best in your grocery store, don't forget the many accessible forms you can always get your hands on. Frozen and dried strawberries can help in a pinch too.

News; birthdays/events; mistakes while getting dressed: leaving tags on clothes, wearing them inside out, 2 different colored shoes etc; word of the day.

News; a new way to tell if a public bathroom stall is available; game: Brad reads 80's song lyrics; it's adorable watching babies fall asleep when they are eating...but what about adults? funny list of where grown ups have fallen asleep.

News; funny or scary: would you control something in your neighbors house if you could? (Ashley had a friend that did something similar with garage clickers); game: 5 second rule;
work habits that make you UNlikable!

News; best french fries in America; game: 80's/90's trivia; goodbye/fun facts....National Pistachio Day celebrates this popular nut which is native to the Middle East--cultivated some 9,000. Some historians have said that the famous hanging gardens of Babylon probably contained pistachio plants. In fact, pistachios are only one of two nuts that are actually mentioned in the Old Testament. By the 1st century AD that pistachios made their way to Europe as they traveled there with the Romans then eventually to the U.S. in the 1800's. For several decades, the producers and importers used red dye to hide flaws and try to make them more appealing to american consumers. By the1980s the dye went by the wayside and now they are sold in their natural color. The largest producer of pistachio nuts today is Iran but they are also grown in other warmer areas of the world, including California and Mediterranean Europe.

News; birthdays/events; Max Greyserman made a hole in one...have you? know anyone who has?; word of the day.

News; are you making a conscious choice to change the kinds of toys you're buying for your kids/grandkids? the NYC toy fair has taken note of this trend!; Buzzfeed list of "this will be funny someday" stories of things that totally ruined your day; game: 80's song lyrics read by Brad.

News; Jack Hughes got 3 teeth knocked out during the gold medal hockey game (and he was wearing a mouthguard!_ have you ever gotten teeth knocked out or broken your nose playing sports?; game: mind the gap part 1; game: mind the gap part 2.

News; rudest states in America; cringe-worthy names guy call ladies and names women like;
goodbye/fun facts....Inconvenience Yourself Day invites people to choose a small, deliberate detours from comforts in your life to make life a little smoother for someone else. We live in a world where people are busy and more disconnected from each other --we usually operate on autopilot to do things as easier as possible on ourselves which can sometime inconvenience others...so this day shifts focus from our own lives to putting the focus on other people first. Friends, co-workers, strangers etc...Handle the tiny tasks at work nobody else wants to: refill printer paper, wash the shared coffee pot etc...it's similar but still a bit different than random acts of kindness...but all acts of kindness really do have positive ripple effects on our lives!!