Rhinotillexomania

A famous fellow nose-picker

I am a firm believer that everyone picks their nose. If you're reading between the lines you'd know that was a confession, yes I pick my nose too and I'm not even embarassed. Sometimes there are really stubborn ones that just don't come out with the socially accepted blow-into-a-tissue procedure. I even pick Adelyn's nose for her when she get's dry ones that the scary blue boogie sucker can't get. I do, however, know there are certain social rules and so I don't do it in public. But many people do. Some do it openly, unashamed, not caring if people see. Other's are embarassed and try to hide their public nose-picking. I remember once, in sixth grade, our school bus was stopped at the light right outside of school, and another kid (who's mother had picked her up) was in the car stopped next to us. One of the bus riders saw that the girl was picking her nose and yelled for everyone on the bus to immediately come see for ourselves. That poor girl, finger still in nose, looked over to an entire bus load of classmates laughing at her. I'll bet that may have been one of the most horrifying moments that girl ever experienced. You might be thinking she deserved this public humiliation since she risked doing something deemed gross. Yes, I can agree that it is a disgusting habit, but I still think my theory is correct that everyone does it (publicly or not, often or not.) So I've begun wondering, why must we, as a society, persecute these public-pickers?

You wouldn't think this is the sort of thing that would be researched at our institutions of higher learning...think again. Scientists (who like to give things really hard names that simple folk can't pronounce or remember) refer to nose-picking as rhinotillexomania. Rhino=nose, tillexis=habit of picking at something, mania=obsession with something. Believe it or not, there was actually a study on rhinotillexomania published in 1995 in the Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers had 1000 random residents of Dane County, Wisconsin fill out questionaires. Below are the results:

Of the 1000 surveys mailed out, only 254 were completed and returned to the researchers.

• 8.7% claim that they have never picked their nose. (In other words, they are liars or they can't remember doing it as a kid.)
• 91% stated that they had picked their nose in the past and were still actively practicing this habit. Yet, only 49.2% of the respondents actually thought that nose-picking was common in adults.
• 9.2% rate their pickin' as "more than average." 25.6% actually pick their noses daily, 22.3% do it 2 to 5 times each day, and three people admitted to doing it at least hourly.
• 55.5% spent 1-5 minutes, 23.5% spent 5-15 minutes, and 0.8% (2 people) spent 15-30 minutes each day cleaning their nostrils. One lone soul claims to devote over 2 hours each day to this ritual
• 18% reported nosebleeds, while 0.8% claimed perforation of the nasal septum from their nose-picking.
• 82.8% had picked their noses to "unclog the nasal passages", 66.4% had done it to relieve discomfort or itchiness, 35.7% to avoid the unsightly appearance of a booger hanging from their nose, 34.0% for personal hygiene, and 17.2% picked out of habit. 2.1% (five people) claimed to pick solely for enjoyment. To no one's surprise, one perverted person picked his/her nose for "sexual stimulation."
• 65.1% use their index finger, 20.2% use their pinky, and 16.4% use their thumb as their instrument of choice.
• Most people (90.3%) disposed of the goop in a tissue or a handkerchief, while 28.6% used the floor, and 7.6% stuck it to the furniture.
• 8% of the respondents ate the end product and report that it is quite tasty.

-This information taken from the site "Useless Information"

While I know that this survey had a small sample size, I think that the results represent a more generalized population. And what I conclude from these results is that, if not everyone, most people (and by that I mean everyone) are or have been nose-pickers, even if they won't admit it. Secondly, boogers taste good. And lastly, a possible reason researchers haven't found a cure for things like cancer and AIDS, is because they're wasting time researching rhinotillexomania and other useless information.

OK, so I say, let's be kind to those daring enough to pick their noses in public. If you are ever lucky enough to catch someone in the act, don't gawk or laugh or get everyone else to look...simply remember that you probably do it to, even if its in private. Though you do have my permission to be grossed out if the public picker leaves their booger on something you have to touch or sit on, or if they flick it on you in church :)

Twilight Fans!

The Butterfly Effect

The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in a certain location. The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale alterations of events. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different. (Thank you wikipedia!)

Have you ever asked yourself "Why am I here?" Why do I live in this house, in this city, in this state? Why do I go to this school? Why am I with this person? Why do I have this job? Why am I doing whatever it is I'm doing right now? Believe it or not, there is an answer to any of these questions. Usually if you look back to yesterday, to last week, to last year, to last decade...you will find your answer somewhere. I find it very interesting to think about the tiny (or large) decisions that have led to where we are now. Cause and Effect, Domino Effect, Chain Reaction, whatever...you get where I'm going with this. For every choice there is a consequence, for every action there is a reaction, so if you really want to know why...simply look at the reaction (your current situation) and rewind to the action.

My question: Why am I mommy to Adelyn? Let's find out...

Keep in mind this is going to be a VERY simple breakdown since we might not be good enough friends to really get down into the nitty gritty. Also, this is as direct a line of events as I could think of. It could actually break off into lots of little chains, such as past relationships, why I chose to go to BYU and other details...but I'm trying to keep this short and like I said...less personal, so you can just deal with that.

• Adelyn was born because I got prego
• I got prego because...well I think we all know that one- let's jump to getting married
• Jared and I got married because he proposed and I said yes
• He proposed because we fell in love
• We fell in love because we were dating for a year (and we're both awesome)
• We were dating because at the end of our terrible first date, Miles invited us to the boys house to watch a movie at which point the date got better
• We went on that first date because Rebekah set us up
• She set us up because she didn't want to go on a blind date alone
• She picked Jared because I had just wrapped up a different relationship so I didn't have a date
• She wanted me to go because she liked me and we were friends
• We were friends because we went on Rob's boat together and became friends
• I went on the boat because I was friends with Rob and Kevin
• I was friends with them because I met them first when I moved to King Henry
• I moved to King Henry because my friends Cami and Rachel wanted to move there
• We were friends because me and Cami were roommates at the dorms and Rach lived next door
• Cami and I were roommates because we didn't have anyone else to room with at BYU freshman year :)
• We knew that because we became aquintences over AIM after we met when I went to homecoming in AZ with Brendan, senior year of high school
• I went to homecoming with Brendan because he didn't have a date (probably cause he and Cami had broken up) and I was his mysterious penpal that he hadn't seen since 7th grade
• I was his penpal because we met in Los Angeles when we were in the same honors choir in middle school
• I was in that choir because my mom and dad paid for lots of singing lessons (not to mention dancing/gymnastics/theater/cheerleading/baseball/etc) growing up
• They did that because I liked to sing and they love me
• They love me because they are my parents
• They are my parents because I was born to them
• So basically I am the mother of Adelyn, because I was born :)

So now that we know WHY!...we come to what this post actually started about, the Butterfly Effect...what if we went back and changed just one of those tiny little choices. What if I had never gone to Los Angeles to the honors choir many many years ago? I never would have met Brendan, who introduced me to Cami, who picked King Henry, which led me to Rebekah, who sent me to Jared, who gave me my Adelyn. And I suppose I could be a million other places instead...but that's what did happen and here I am.

Magic vs Miracle

Last night Jared and I rented the movie "Next" from the RedBox (one of the best inventions ever by the way) and it inspired this post. I'm actually not going to talk about the movie at all, just what it made me think about.

Do you believe in "magic?" Do you believe that there are people who can see the future, or read minds, or levitate, or move things with their minds, or that have any other sort of supernatural ability? And if you do believe that these people can/do exist, where do they get their abilities? Could they possibly be gifts or talents from our Heavenly Father meant to be used for good? Or are they "gifts" from Satan given to those who have "sold their souls?" I think that I do believe in some things...I just don't understand what they are.

If you read the Bible there are many stories about miracles. Jesus turned water into wine, raised people from the dead, healed the sick, etc. We know about when Moses turned his staff into a snake and about the plagues of Egypt. Joseph of Egypt saw the future in his dreams. These are all men of God, priesthood holders. Are miracles the same as magic? There are also stories about darker powers like when King Saul went to a witch who told him about his future downfall. She saw the future too, but surely her power didn't come from the same place as the others. Could it be the same type of situation that there is in Star Wars with the force...a good side and a dark side? I just don't know the answers.

I suppose that like the question, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?" The world may never know.

P.S. Forgive me if this is blasphemous.