Original Leisure & Entertainment

From human beginnings, swimming and bathing were done naked. During the 1500-1700s, swimming was considered immoral and had to be justified on health grounds. Modesty in the 1800s Victorian era was an issue at home as well as at the beach. . . Read More

After graduating from the University of Notre Dame and then earning a master’s degree from Northwestern University, I was pretty cocky! But back in the mid-1960s after completing college, I was subject to the military draft, so I enlisted in the . . . Read More

Soon it will be Father’s Day. Have you purchased a tie for dad or that special father figure in your life? If you have, you aren’t alone. According to Grand View Research’s market analysis, “The global neckwear market size was valued at USD . . . Read More

Growing up in Indiana I had always wanted to attend an Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Even as a youngster I listened to the race on radio every Memorial Day weekend and then continued to follow the popular sporting event on television. . . Read More

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When we started watching Nonnas on Netflix, I told my husband I thought it was about a cabal of grandmothers. My hopes for the movie were pretty modest because it looked like a mediocre comedy bringing together an all-star cast to make a cash grab . . . Read More

I was recently looking through a counted-cross stitch book of projects celebrating lesser-known holidays. Among them was a pattern celebrating a specific railroad. It piqued my curiosity if there was a specific holiday to celebrate trains. . . Read More

Over two centuries ago, the first cans were designed to sustain military campaigns. In 1772, the Dutch Navy carried salmon that had been cleaned, boiled in brine, smoked and placed in tin-plated iron boxes. . . Read More

Usually, when I come home from the theater, I want to tell my husband all about the movie. After seeing Drop, however, I would only say that it was great and I couldn’t wait for him to see it so we could talk about it. . . Read More

As Easter approaches, those of us who take the Journal Gazette will be sure to see Ray Billingsley’s cartoon character, Curtis, once again sitting in a church pew next to his younger brother Barry admiring the church ladies walking down the aisle . . . Read More

Like me, you may have wondered how in the world the Easter story of Jesus’ death and resurrection ever evolved into also including a bunny delivering eggs on Easter Sunday morning. . . Read More

A new type of fastener, VELCRO, was marketed in 1955. It revolutionized the fastening industry. VELCRO is the Brand name of a company, not a general term for all the scratchy fastening systems. . . Read More

by local poet, David Sowards The time of year when you can say.What you don’t mean – April Fool’s Day!Whatever you say, whatever you do.Someone may say, “April Fool’s on you.”Make . . Read More

As the days get longer and the sun dries out the wet earth, soon it will be time for cattle drives to begin. Recently, due to the popularity of the TV show Yellowstone, cowboys and ranching are back in popularity. . . Read More

March was the name of the first month in the original Roman calendar. Along with January, May and June, March is one of several months named after a god.The Roman ruler, Numa Pompilius, is traditionally credited with adding January and February . . . Read More

The roulette wheel is a spinning horizontal wheel divided into 38 or 39 numbered and colored slots. The bowl, traditionally made of mahogany, is a fixed part of the roulette wheel. . . Read More

Valentine’s Day is here, and many people are knocking themselves out looking for that perfect gift, booking a reservation at the perfect restaurant, finding the perfect card to make the day oh so perfect. . . Read More

The designated National Day is on the first Friday of the month, February 7. If you’re reading this after that date – you missed it! But, you can still participate at home any day. . . Read More

I was recently asked if the Dunce Hat was real. Here is the answer: Originally the Dunce hat was a symbol of high intelligence. It was worn by the respected scholars who followed John Duns Scotus (c. . . Read More

Happy new year to all my readers. As it does, every new year brings anticipation as to what will happen to make the year memorable for better or worse. This year, for the first time, I plan to attend my high school reunion. . . Read More

Did you celebrate National “Do Nothing Day”on January 16? This day is an ode to all the couch potatoes out there, providing them with a guilt-free excuse to embrace their inner sloth and avoid any form of productivity by grabbing their favorite . . . Read More

A few years ago, my brother Richard Levihn was volunteering at one of the Community Harvest Food Bank sites when he got to talking to a fellow volunteer, Dennis Claymiller. During one of their conversations, Richard mentioned that I owned a quilt/fabric . . . Read More

The European holiday customs centered around St. Nicholas; a charitable Catholic Turkish Bishop born in the 4th century. St. Nicholas was associated with gift giving to children on December 6, St. . . Read More

As I wrap my screening of this year’s holiday movies, I enlisted my daughter to help me evaluate two new children’s films: That Christmas on Netflix and The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland on Hulu and Disney+. . . Read More

“O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches…” But when my wife and I hear those lyrics, while charming, we recall some harrowing memories. That’s because when we hear the carol about the fir tree’s evergreen quality of . . . Read More