Wordy Wednesday: Cyclopean

Spending some time in the dictionary is one of the easiest ways to learn something new, and it's super easy/accessible! Here's a word I learned today: 

Cyclopean. Cyclopean is a great word to use in everyday conversation, and it's easy to remember because you can just think of Cyclops, and then think of how huge Cyclops is in real life. I'm pretty sure Cyclops is real, right?

Word: Cyclopean

Definition: Grand, vast, etc.

Earliest known use: 1582

Use it in a sentence: Those cyclopean creatures at the corn maze were nicer than they seemed.

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Banana-Peach Smoothie

Smoothies are my go-to Sunday snack. I usually eat a pretty big meal after church, sometimes I take a Sunday nap (more often than not), and sometimes I make a Sunday smoothie a couple hours after I ate that huge lunch because -- let's face it -- a girl's gotta eat. 

I usually make my smoothies with plain yogurt, but I didn't have any at the time, so I used the fancy greek yogurt instead. Y'know what I learned? It was better. 

Easiest Smoothie Ever - Serves two, or one really hungry individual

1 Banana

8 oz. Peach Nectar - You can use anything, but I used this Jumex Peach Nectar

1 Cup Greek Yogurt - I used Chobani Peach

Blend it up, and enjoy!

Yesterday was gorgeous in Springfield, so I sipped my smoothie outside.

Smooth sailing, friends!

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Storing Perfumes

Once upon a time, I read that the best place to store your perfume is the refrigerator. Um, what??

Perfume, the smell-good stuff people spray on their bodies, just chilling there next to some turkey. Or margarine. Or leftover meatloaf. No, no, no. That doesn't seem right at all.

As I researched this suggestion, it turns out there is some rationale behind the idea. Here's why some people put perfumes in the fridge:

The two biggest things that could affect perfume shelf-life and scent are light and heat. Too much light and/or heat can cause the fragrance to expire faster, and it can also cause the scent to give off different tones than when you first purchased it. I'm no chemist, so I have pretty much zero clue as to why, but I learned that's just how it is. To be honest, if you asked me to think of a cool, dark place, my first thought would probably be Alaska in the winter. My second thought would be the fridge, though, so I kinda see why people think that's a good idea. But only a little bit.

If you're like me and think cold-fridge-perfume is just too weird, here are some other "cool" ideas for storage:

Since the sun gives off both light and heat, keep your perfumes out of direct sunlight.

Put your perfumes in a darker location, perhaps in a dresser drawer. Bonus: If you put your perfume by your socks, maybe your socks will smell good. It's worth a shot.

Keep perfumes out of your bathroom, since the humidity can also affect how long your scents last.
Remember to keep the bottle tightly closed!

If you choose to store your perfume in the fridge, more power to you. But my fridge is already full of food!

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