An eclectic blend of a conversational Coffee Klatch with a sense of wonder, discovery, and intellectual playfulness, much like the historical Cabinets of Curiosities that housed rare artifacts, oddities, and treasures.
In this weekly miscellany, each issue opens a drawer to reveal something fascinating, funny, or thought-provoking. It’s part archive, part adventure!
Cabinet Drawer of the Week
In the early 2010s, Thomas Dambo began the “Trail of a Thousand Trolls” project, which aims to build a thousand giant wooden trolls made from recycled materials and install them all over the world. He is from Copenhagen, Denmark, but so far, he has installed almost 200 trolls in 20 different countries.
Here are some photos:
Source - his website
Source - Wikipedia
Source - map of his troll installations
Source - info
Source - info
Word to the Wise
Misophonia – (,mi-so-‘fo-ni-a) n. a condition in which one or more common sounds cause an atypical emotional response in the person hearing the sound. Examples: the ticking of a clock causes distress, another person chewing causes anger, etc.
Thoughts from the Nook
The Beast of Busco, affectionately named “Oscar,” is a legendary, 500-pound alligator snapping turtle said to inhabit a 7-acre lake in Churubusco, Indiana. It was first reported in the late 1890s.
Trivia Espresso Shot
Lasso is pronounced different in Australia and the UK than it is in the USA.
Virtually all Americans today say LASS-oh.
In the UK and Australia, they say lass-OO.
Reference Desk
The most common names of cities/towns in the United States are:
Washington
Springfield
Franklin
Greenville
Bristol
Clinton
Fairview
Salem
Madison
Georgetown
There are some differences between the top city names and top town names .
Dad Joke Cupboard
What’s a bacon lover’s favorite horror movie?
“Frankenswine”
Composer Corner
William Basinski is and American avant-garde composer from Los Angeles. He was born in 1958 in Houston, Texas.
Basinski is a classically trained clarinetist, and studied jazz saxophone and composition at the University of North Texas in the late 1970s. In 1978 inspired by minimalists such as Steve Reich and Brian Eno, he began developing his own musical vocabulary using tape loops and old reel-to-reel tape decks. He developed his meditative, melancholy style experimenting with short looped melodies played against themselves creating feedback loops.
Basinski is best known for his four-volume album The Disintegration Loops (2002–2003), constructed from gradually decaying twenty-year-old tapes of his earlier music. He continued on to create almost 30 studio albums and one film score, Pursuit of Loneliness (2012).
Disintegration Loops | Lamentations | Cascade | Watermusic | A Shadow in Time
Food Holidays This Week
Sun, Jun 7 - National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
Mon, Jun 8 – World Gin Day, National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day
Tue, Jun 9 – National Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Day
Wed, Jun 10 – National Egg Roll Day, National Black Cow Day, National Iced Tea Day, Herbs And Spices Day
Thu, Jun 11 – National German Chocolate Cake Day, National Corn On The Cob Day
Fri, Jun 12 – International Falafel Day, International Cachaça Day, National Jerky Day, National Peanut Butter Cookie Day
Sat, Jun 13 – National Rosé Day, National Cupcake Lovers Day
Sun, Jun 14 – National Strawberry Shortcake Day, National Bourbon Day, National Old Fashioned Day
Puzzle Pause
I always have a jigsaw puzzle going at home. Here’s a photo of the current state of my current puzzle.
Recipe Card
Ultimate Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Skip the mayo altogether by relying on fresh, bold Mediterranean ingredients to provide both flavor and moisture.
Ingredients
1 can (5-6 oz) of high-quality tuna
1.5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (for a bit of creamy texture, optional)
2 Tbsp finely diced red onion
2 Tbsp chopped Kalamata olives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or basil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove minced garlic (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Drain the canned tuna, then place it into a mixing bowl and gently flake it with a fork.
Add the olive oil, Greek yogurt (if using), lemon juice, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Mix gently.
Fold in the red onion, Kalamata olives, and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the sandwiches. Best options are whole-grain sourdough, whole-wheat, or a multi-grain baguette, toasted if you like.
Makes 2 sandwiches.
Voting Brackets
We’re currently voting on our Favorite Anthony Hopkins Movies. Round Three starts tomorrow.
Our Voting Brackets are open to anyone in the world, and we have a website for it: https://votingbrackets.com/. New rounds begin every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
We have completed more than 160 brackets over the last 7.5 years. Here is a full list of all the results back to the beginning.
The Pfunny Page
Marginalia
“In a country as rich and remarkable as the United States, it is shameful that so many hardworking people have to ration their medicines, skip prescription refills, and make other tough tradeoffs about their care because they cannot afford the medication they need to stay healthy.”
– Sen. Raphael Warnock
The Index
Today’s curated list: Top 10 Movie Quotes
There are from the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest Movie Quotes.
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” – Gone with the Wind (1939)
“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” – The Godfather (1972)
“You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.” – On the Waterfront (1954)
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” – The Wizard of Oz (1939)
“Here’s looking at you, kid.” – Casablanca (1942)
“Go ahead, make my day.” – Sudden Impact (1983)
“All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” – Sunset Boulevard (1950)
“May the Force be with you.” – Star Wars (1977)
“Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” – All About Eve (1950)
“You talking to me?” – Taxi Driver (1976)
Source: American Film Institute
Next Time in the Klatch
Littoral Caves
Until next time, stay curious!