Wednesday Randoms <3

Random #1

One of my favorite household tools is the paper clip. We have them stashed on both our desks, in a couple of places in the kitchen and even some on my dresser top.

This little fellow is a workhorse in keeping papers organized, but also has come in handy when I pull the thing apart and use it to jimmy open locked doors in the house and clean out tiny little grimy places. 

So I got to thinking about this item that we can easily take for granted and I wondered who invented and how long civilization had to go before we had access to it. 

Turns out my google search opened a Pandora’s Box.

Several inventors received patents for “wire clips” of various designs as early as 1847. However, the stand out for receiving credit from most sources was Johan Vaaler of Norway. He designed his first paper clip in 1899 and patented it in Germany that same year. In 1901, he obtained a second patent in the U.S. He did not patent it in Norway as they had no patent laws. 

Double bonus of useless information for you 

If you ever have this for a trivia question and know the answer, you are welcome.

Random #2

I see this phrase used in marketing on Instagram. It says, “You’re future self called. She said you need this ________.” Fill in the blank with a top, sweater, dress, or whatever is being sold.

Every time I see it, I get a little irked. 

If it is possible that my future self could have called me and steered me in better directions or helped me in making choices, I would hope it would be more impacting than selecting a top for summer. 

It also makes me wonder if I could call myself from the future, what I would say. This whole line of thinking leads me to every time travel movie I have ever seen and I end up exhausted every time.

Random #3

Is it just me or is there a growing population of drivers that like to ride on people’s bumpers? 

I will admit I tend to comfortably exceed the speed limit by 5 -7 mph. Unless it is 30 and then I stick right at 30…34 ish. But if the car ahead of me is going even 20, I stay back. I wrestle with anger issues, but I stay back. 

There is nothing quite as unnerving as a vehicle driving inches away from your bumper, literally pushing you down the road. 

In addition, we also are seeing more and more cars continuing through full red lights at intersections. 

Be careful out there. Take your time, look both ways and drive defensively. 

Random #4

Another useful tool that I have and love dearly is the post-it note. I have not googled the history of this ingenious product, but I consider them one of the seven wonders of the modern world. 

Recently as I was visiting with a group of ladies in a journaling class, we were given new ways to use them. There were so many, I took notes…on post it’s, of course.

I am passing along one of these helpful tips that I have adopted.

I added a packet of them to my small case of glasses and pens that I use for devotional time each morning. Now I can flag a page in my Bible or devotional reading. I jot a note as to what I want to come back and spend more time studying, praying or pondering and let it flag the page. 

Post-it’s are the BEST stocking stuffer and now come in a variety of sizes, including clear!!

Clear post it notes….

Why that matters is a rabbit hole for another day. 

Random #5

In this same class, a lady said something a few weeks ago that brought me a new level of freedom. 

Most of us attend the same church and we were discussing the new series “Cover to Cover”. This set of sermons will take us through the entire Bible as an overview for a number of weeks. 

We were provided a daily reading list to go along with the sermons. I was finding it difficult to get those readings in along with reading the Bible in a year plan that I am doing. 

My friend said something a few weeks ago about her own struggle and she decided to forego the reading plan since she was already reading the Bible this year. 

Eureka!

Halleluja!

Chains broke, bondage cleared. 

If you do attend my church and are NOT reading through the Bible on your own this year, carry on with the reading guide. But if you were like us and struggling, maybe you can just cut yourself some slack and only use the one reading plan you started with. 

Go as led <3