Things people want to know, but rarely ask

We all have questions on things that don’t always make sense to us. Here’s a few questions I have on life. Some are whimsical, some are serious:

–When you open a door that says “Emergency Exit Only. Door Must Remain Closed At All Times,” what really happens? Will a blaring alarm go off? Or is it just fire code and the building supervisor just trying to keep the door closed?

–Do bloggers who have “Buy me a Coffee” messages on their sites, actually make anything via one-time donations or subscriptions? I don’t consider myself very entrepreneurial. However, I would like to know if I’m missing out on my chance to make my millions.

–Why do people have to work so long, before they can retire?

–Is a hot dog a sandwich? What about a hoagie or sub? Or a cheesesteak? I feel compelled to ask. They’re all on bread. That has to make them a sandwich, right?

–Which way do most people sleep? Right side? Left side? On their back or on their stomachs? Which way helps sleepers wake up the most relaxed and refreshed?

–What excuses am I making? This is a come-to-Jesus question where you have to look inward and be honest with yourself. Oops.

–If the phrase “all dogs go to heaven” is true, then what happens to all cats? I’ve been a cat sitter, but I’ve never owned a cat. Do they go to H – E – double hockey sticks or is there some cat scratching post heaven? My guess is that they go off to some large cat scratching resort with all the fish and poultry and catnip they can handle.

–How many licks does it really take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? (If you know, you know. If not, you didn’t live in the 70s or 80s.)

–Why do “fat chance” and “slim chance” mean the same thing? Someone fell down on the job the day those two phrases got approved!

–Why can’t I remember the name of the guy I met today, but I can blurt out my childhood phone number and address without missing a beat?

–Why do we drive on parkways and byways and park on driveways?

–If you could be do anything and know that it would be successful, what would you attempt?

–If Santa Claus can magically deliver Christmas presents in one night, why’s he need all year to make the presents? What kind of lazy bum is he?

Here’s one final one. What makes you smile? When I ask this one of others, I’m always fascinated by the responses and where it leads.

So, what makes you smile?

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63 thoughts on “Things people want to know, but rarely ask”

  3. I was just thinking that these would make such fun ice breaker questions, and now I have revealed that I have spent way too long working in college housing and non-profit settings!

    What makes me smile: a quiet and sunny morning, my daughter first thing when she wakes up, when my husband makes one of our “inside jokes”, when almost anyone runs towards me to hug me with their arms open – like they just can’t wait.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I see what you mean about the questions being ice breaker questions. The funny thing is that the introvert in me absolutely abhors ice breakers. I’ve sat on too many group efforts where a leader tries to bring about instant connectivity and I’m always the guy who struggles trying to come up with something interesting to say about himself. Ha, ha. And, oh, I love your list of what makes you smile. That’s awesome. We have our “inside jokes” too and I love that we have them. Ha, ha. Here’s to an ice breaker and smiles kind of day!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. You are a deep thinker, Brian. I never understood why we had to wait so long to retire as well. I think if we retired right after college, we may not get a very hefty social security check, but than again, we don’t necessarily get a hefty check when we turn 65. On the other hand, we would be more apt to enjoy our retirement. On the other hand, we have to wait so long, that we’ll probably die before we have a chance to enjoy it. On the other hand, I’ve heard that social security will be obsolete soon, so we should retire early in order to receive something.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes, I get theoretically why we don’t retire earlier. My pocketbook shows me that. I just feel like we miss out on time. I have my father’s work ethic which is good . . . but I’ve also seen too many people lose sight of what’s important. As far as being a deep thinker . . . I’m not sure about that one. I’m just someone who has just enough bit of sarcasm and wonders why things are the way they are. Ha, ha.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. You opened several cans of worms and opened several lines of thought. Hot dogs are absolutely sandwiches. The real question is are tacos? And almost anything can remind me of something that makes me smile and often at just the wrong moment. Oh, and if I remember right from the last time I checked, it’s 37.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Well, you have SO MANY QUESTIONS I can’t possibly answer them all, so let’s get right to the important ones: first, anything with bread or bun is a sandwich. A Hamburger is one so a hot dog is as well. There, that’s done. Last, every single time I see my wife I smile. It happened the first time I ever saw her and happens every single time since.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Good answers John. You might want to keep the smile response in your back pocket for when you’re in the dog house. I could see that coming in handy. Ha, ha. I know it’s the kind of response that would bring a smile to my wife’s face. Ha, ha.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Loved this list—so many fun and real questions! The “fat chance vs. slim chance” one got me giggling, and now I’m seriously wondering why I remember my childhood address but not the name of the person I just met! Also, I think cats totally get their own fancy scratching heaven.

    This post made me smile—and as a twin mom, I’m all about the little things that bring joy. Feel free to swing by my blog for some twin chaos and toddler giggles!

    With smiles,
    Diya
    twinmom73.wordpress.com
    IG: @twintales2025
    TWIN CHAOS & TODDLER GIGGLES

    Like

  17. These made me smile! So many GOOD questions. Yeah, what’s up with Santa? Does he have a fat chance or slim chance getting it done? These questions are puzzlers so I’m glad you are getting to the bottom of them!

    Liked by 1 person

  18. What fun questions to think about. You’ve come up with some doozies. What makes me smile? Seeing Red with Mrs. This morning, I opened the back door and the two flew right up to me within a foot, chickened out and flew away. I put out seed for them and they quickly returned. Yes, it made me smile that they seemed to be waiting for me.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. these are hilarious! I think you should make a small book of them. to add to your ‘ways’ questions: why are highways sometimes low? and what about breezeways when the air is still? reading your last question should be the last question in your book – ‘what makes you smile?’ because it made me smile to think of the funny possibilities and I’ll bet did the same for all of your other readers as well

    Liked by 1 person

  20. I guess cats have nine lives so they stay out the dogs way in heaven, perhaps? And I hear ya on the retirement question, Brian! Ditto the blogger donation one. Am I missing out too? 😆

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Okay Ab, you get it!!! I came up with the whole idea for the piece because I saw the coffee donation thing and it made me wonder: does anyone make any $$$ off that? Ha, ha. And the retirement question came because a friend was telling me about a coworker who worked most of his life, retired and got ill soon after that. It just seems unfair. Yes, the crazy things that I think about in a normal day. Ha. ha.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Oof, great questions. Why do people have to work so long, before they can retire? Seeing people still working at 90 or 100 is both inspiring and a little sad. Yay they have that ability!!, but shouldn’t they be doing something fun and fabulous?
    Cats have their own personal butterfly chasing heaven, I’m pretty sure of this as I dreamed of it when our kitty passed.
    Memories are weird. Complete songs that I haven’t heard in years suddenly play in my brain for no reason. But simple words disappear midsentence in a conversation and reappear 20 minutes later… Why?
    If I could do anything successfully, short answer – save the world. Longer answer – be a pilot, run a nature training center, create my inventor’s lair, open a gluten free bake shop, a homemade stationery shop, and a beautiful bookstore filled with all the books I’ve written and all the books I love. Obviously, I’ve had too much time to think about these things… What I really need is more money, better health, bigger brains, and more time…
    What makes me smile? Thinking about the world I really want to live in and what it looks like. 😊 It’s beautiful and perfect.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes Rose, I obviously have too much time on my hands coming up with all these questions. Most just come to me. The coffee donation came to me because I saw it on another site. Wondered if anyone does that? The retirement one. Yes, I have the same thoughts as you, why do we have to work so long for such a short period of retirement. Ugh. And I’m with you. Here’s to “more money, better health, bigger brains, and more time…” Ha, ha. Thanks for stopping by Rose!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Love the questions. I can relate to many of them. I remember my house address where I grew up, but not the address of the place I lived at before moving to my present home. What’s up with that?

    Like

  25. Pingback: Things people to want to know, but rarely ask – AUTHORESS DIVINE

  27. I agree with Beth’s idea, a small book of these, Brian! This post made me smile! These are too, too funny! The question about blogging cracked me up, so let me know if I’m missing out on my millions! And the one about retirement, sigh. And dogs and cats and heaven? What a great post and idea, and I’m a side-sleeper, fyi. 😁

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, what a nice thing to say. I’m glad they touch you in some way. I’ve written this before: I’m a bad judge of what is silly or something that will make others laugh and really mean something to them. I’m not a good judge of that so I find it best to put it out there and see where it goes. Anyway thank you! I appreciate it.

      Like

  29. I wrote a whole blog post once debating whether a hot dog was a sandwich. My conclusion? It is not (though as I recall, readers were pretty evenly split in their opinions).

    The first rain after a long dry spell makes me smile.

    Liked by 1 person

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