Words Smiles and Pleasantries

SMILING
Quite some time ago I read, probably in my favorite American Heritage Dictionary, that a smile is a "horizontal lengthening of the lips." The definition should add, and maybe does, that a smile includes the turning up of the corners of the lips as well.

LONGEST WORD
"Smile," as no doubt, many know, is the longest word in the dictionary. After the first letter, and to the end of the word, it is a mile.

SMILING BENEFITS US
Years ago, and today, psychologists find that it's possible to "smile our troubles away." Try smiling now and see how it feels. Feel a little silly? Try a few little "ha's ha's, just for good measure. Or some muffled guffaws. Feel a little more light-hearted?

HEART :
Heart seems a good word to explore the usage of. We could make a train of heart words: ++heartless--heartbroken--heavyhearted--lighthearted--heartfelt--hearty--Chuga Chuga Chuga, Choo! Choo!

A SONG
A song says : "Heart and soul, I fell in love with you!" Author unknown. What about the eyes? the hair? the smile?

Thinking of the heart: Does the mind, alone, judge matters? right? or wrong? or May the heart, with its feelings, judge as well: Is a deed loving? or unloving ? I wonder if human beings, alone, judge one another. In my presence. to date, my beagle, has cast no aspersions upon any other canine or feline!

GOOD MEASURE
What does good measure mean? In a recipe might we fill a cup with sugar and put some extra in for good measure? The dictionary says good measure means adding a little more than what is required, but I doubt if that's wise, in a recipe.

Pennies
I'm out of touch with family practices now. Do pennies mean anything to children now? Is there's such a thing now, as "penny" candy?

Words are of great interest to me! or are they of deep interest to me?

Paul Ekman and co-workers, years ago, were given credit for discovering that the facial expression accompanying each emotion causes a particular change in the involuntary nervous system. The article said we can experience benefit just by mimicking a pleasant emotion. Say "Cheese" everyone. No laughing, please.! Do not, under any circumstances, laugh! Laughing has not yet been called for. You may laugh now or if already l-------, stop!

AUTOGRAPH BOOK, 65 years ago
Someone wrote, and I still hold in memory:
"The songs you sing and the smiles you wear
will make you welcome everywhere. "

Someone also wrote,
"When you slide down the banister of life,
remember me as a splinter you met on the way !"

A SONG FOR OLDER FOLKS
Keep your sunny side up, up,
Let your laughter ring through, Do!
Stand upon your legs!
Be like two fried eggs!
Keep your sunny side up! Author unknown....

I wonder if young folks today have ever heard of having a egg cooked, "sunny side up." I would consider such eggs undercooked, but then I like my eggs well cooked and on both sides Or delbmarcs..... oops, that's scrambled.


My Brother Mahlon's puzzlement

He wrote: There are three kinds of people, those who are good at
mathematics and those that are not.

I looked at that statement twice and three times I didn't get it, but I think now, for the first time, I get it.


MAKE A WHISTLE-- Revised 4/20/06
With your two hands, clasped tightly together, you can make a whistle. Fold your hands (fingers interlocked ) tightly against each other. (all around your hands) Place your thumbs against the index finger they touch, but leave a hole between your thumb, from your knuckles to the bottom of your thumbs. When everything is fully pressed together, place your upper lip atop your fingernails and whistle down through the hole. I seem to send my breath sideways. I'd like to hear from successful whistle makers.


Someone must have said it, because my mind holds its words.
"A little levity is a good thing"--- Author unknown