Music Moods
"Greensleeves” shares a melody with this Christmas carol.
What is “What Child Is This”? Both songs evoke deep emotions. “Greensleeves” is an old folk song dating to the 16th century, most likely originating in England.
One of the world’s favorite flavors of ice cream, its source is a bean pod.
What is vanilla? Vanilla bean pods come from the vanilla orchid, a vine native to Mexico and Central and South America.
Perform a random act of this.
What is kindness? It can be something simple. If someone can’t reach an item on a shelf in the grocery store and you can, grab it for them. They will appreciate it, and you will feel good about helping.
This American city is known for being windy in more ways than one.
What is Chicago? While Chicago gets its nickname for its political “wind,” Antarctica is one of the meteorologically windiest places in the world. Antarctic winds consistently exceed 100 miles per hour (160 kph) each winter.
Traditionally, the Broadway curtain rose at 8 p.m. unless you were seeing one of these afternoon performances.
What is a matinee? The word originally comes from the Latin matins, meaning “morning prayers.” Today, Broadway matinees start between 1 and 3 p.m
This is another term for church songs.
What are hymns? Hymns are religious songs sung during worship. The word hymn comes from the Greek word hymnos, meaning “a song of praise.”
Mama mia! This is the word for ice cream in Italian
What is gelato? Gelato’s fat content is lower than ice cream’s because it contains less cream and more milk. It is softer with fewer ice crystals and is generally served at a higher temperature than ice cream.
Write down your innermost thoughts in one of these
What is a diary or journal? Jotting down thoughts on your device is a good start, but did you know the act of writing by hand can make you feel better due to the heart-to-hand connection? It also improves memory.
While snowstorms blanket the United States and Europe, in the Middle East they have these storms, which also reduce visibility to next to nothing.
What are dust storms? They’re also known as dust devils. They sound and feel like hailstorms, and they can ground airplanes.
In the afternoon, avoid a beverage containing this so you can get a good night’s sleep.
What is caffeine? Enjoy a decaffeinated version of your favorite beverage, or help yourself to a tall, refreshing glass of lemonade.
A patriotic tune on both sides of the Atlantic, the English version is “God Save the King/Queen,” and its American counterpart is this.
What is “My Country ’Tis of Thee”? It’s no accident that the songs share the same melody. American colonists deliberately chose the melody of “God Save the King/Queen,” the British national anthem, and added new lyrics as a way of trolling the Crown.
This military genius and king of Macedonia enjoyed a primitive form of ice cream flavored with honey and nectar.
Who is Alexander the Great? On his orders, soldiers would go into the mountains and gather ice and snow to make the delicious treat
This is the quickest—and toothiest—way to release dopamine into the body.
What is a smile? Dopamine is the “feel good” chemical. Smiling also reduces cortisol, the stress hormone. Don’t wait to be happy to smile; smile to be happy.
This first weather-measuring gadget is still in use today.
What is a rain gauge? It dates to 500 BC, when the ancient Greeks used it.
On a bicycle built for two, you are riding in this manner.
What is tandem? Couples who want to ride a tandem bike must be synchronized, which means that the back rider must put full trust in the front rider, who has control of the bike. The front rider is called the captain; the back rider is called the stoker.
This is the term for performers singing without instrumentation.
What is a cappella? Cappella means “chapel” or “choir”; a cappella means “in a church or in a choir.” Gregorian chants are performed without instrumentation.
This fruit flavor makes up one-third of Neapolitan ice cream.
What is strawberry? We can thank Italian immigrants from the 19th century for introducing the U.S. to this tri-flavored treat from Naples.
A deep one of these can whisk away that “fight or flight” feeling
What is breath? Take a few more breaths to deepen the feeling of relaxation. Breathe in through your nose, down to the deepest parts of your chest, and hold it a few seconds before exhaling through your mouth.
Move over, Florida; the sunniest place in the world is in this U.S. state.
What is Arizona? It averages 11 hours of sunlight per day.
Late afternoon is the time for this formal British tradition served at a table with guests seated at high-backed chairs.
What is high tea? The earlier afternoon tea is served in a less formal setting, such as comfortable seating or in the garden. Food for both includes scones, sandwiches, and small fruits and cakes.
Often sung at funerals, this is the term for a mournful song of grief
What is dirge? Dirges are traditionally somber, minor-key tunes. New Orleans breaks with traditional funeral events and holds jazz processions—one from the funeral to the burial and one leading away from the cemetery. The first procession plays more traditional dirges, and the final procession features upbeat music
The inventor of Good Humor Bars also invented these
What are ice cream trucks? Harry Burt of Youngstown, Ohio, introduced both inventions to the world in the 1920s.
Give one of these positive freebie remarks to another person.
What is a compliment? Look someone in the eye and give them a word of appreciation and a smile. Then watch them light up. When you give a sincere compliment rather than flattery, you’ll lift yourself as well as the other person.
Before we had meteorologists, some people relied on this creature to tell the temperature.
What is a cricket? Crickets chirp faster when it’s hot. Dolbear’s law is a formula that calculates the temperature based on the number of chirps per minute
This afternoon dance originated in the early 19th century as a way for the wealthy class to socialize.
What is the tea dance? The formal ballroom dance has evolved somewhat, but each event still enforces a dress code and etiquette