10 Facts About Avocados

1. The name avocado comes from the Nahuatl word ahuacatl which apparently meant testicle and was a reference to the shape of the fruit. Aren't you going to think about that now every time you eat an avocado?

Interestingly enough, the word guacamole comes from ahuacamolli which is basically avocado sauce. Or you know, testicle sauce.

2. 100 grams of avocado is roughly 160 calories. About 75% of that is from fat. Avocados also have more fiber than any other fruit and more potassium than bananas. They are also good for your cholesterol. Yay.

3. Avocado can be dangerous to dogs, cats, birds, horses, and other animals. It can cause colic in horses when large amounts are consumed, which can lead to death if not treated. This kind of makes me mad at avocados, because in the grand scheme of things horses = more awesome than avocados, although it's a close race sometimes depending on the ripeness of the avocado and whether or not horses behave.

4. Avocados are most common used as a base in dips like guacamole, on toast or in sandwiches, in sushi rolls, in omelettes, or eaten plain.

5. A single avocado plant cannot bear fruit unless it has another plant to cross pollinate with. So if you're growing them, best to plant two.

6. California produces about 90% of the avocados grown in the US. The US produces about 40% of worldwide avocado exports. Mexico and Indonesia produce the most avocados a year, with the US coming in third.

7. Avocados are also referred to as "butter pears" or "alligator pears."

8. The avocado tree is in the same family as cinnamon. Can't you see the similarities? Although apparently some people think they taste good together.

9. After it is picked an avocado takes 7-10 days to ripen. Putting it in the fridge will slow this down, while putting it in a bag with other fruit will speed this up.

10. Avocados had a long history as a sexual stimulant and used to not be purchased or eaten by people who wanted to appear sexually pure. So guacamole was only for the sexy people. Yum.

Avocados are awesome. If you want more random facts, and to read some of these again, look here.

Cat Calls

That whoo-whoo noise. If you live in a city and are a reasonably well shaped woman you know what I'm talking about. Also apparently referred to as a wolf whistle.

I do not understand this phenomenon. According to urban dictionary:

When a guy gives the wert whirl whistle or yells at a babydoll for the purpose of getting attention and in hopes of a future hookup. This is usually done out of the window of a car. Typically a Pontiac Firebird, or Camaro. 99.9% a hookup never arises and it's just the thrill that keeps these going.

This definition is in interesting in its specificity, but accurate in my experience. This definition however...

Stereotypical whistle in which a male uses to convey his pleasure he has undergone simply from glimpsing upon an attract female visage. Usually leads to sexual intercourse.

-Caution-

DO NOT use on cats.

Ignoring the author's lack of knowledge of the English language, this post is redeemable based on the warning at the bottom. Really, if it wasn't for that comment I would have gagged on the grammar and run away. I doubt this person's grasp on reality though. Usually leads to sexual intercourse? Really now....

Why do people whistle at women like this though? Are they really expecting a "hookup?" Should I be flattered or worried for my safety? Also why does this occur so often when I'm biking? Are women on bikes sexy? Explanation please!

7 Things Guys Can Do To Make Girls Happy

Sometimes I think relationships are like holidays. They're supposed to be awesome and often suck. So here's a list of things that, in my opinion, guys can do to make girls happier in a relationship. Because we all know that boys are happy when their girl is happy, and happy girls lead to other... happy things. Take or leave what you will.

1. Let her know you're thinking of her. This is especially applicable if you're in a situation where you don't see each other much. Send a short email, text message, or something that lets her know you're thinking of her. It doesn't have to be deep and it doesn't have to be cheesy, she'll be happy just knowing you miss her and you care.

2. Compliment her every day. It's a little know fact, but compliments expire every night. No matter how much you tell her she is beautiful one day, she'll still wake up the next morning afraid you'll see her bed head and walk away. And no matter how confident she is, she still will love a compliment every day. Any kind of compliment will do, whether it's how much she makes you laugh, how beautiful she is, or how much you love her cooking. Take the time to point out what you like about her and you'll make her happy.

3. Get her small gifts. Women aren't all selfish and materialistic, but everyone will love a small spontaneous present, whether it is a single flower, a balloon, a little plastic toy, something you stole from the supply room at work, or something completely random. She'll appreciate the thought and every time she sees the present she'll think of you. Trust me, this is a good thing.

4. Be affectionate in public. Some people hate PDA, so make sure you know your girl, but most appreciate you showing a little affection when you're out and about, especially if you are with your friends, and especially if these friends are females she doesn't know well. It'll show her you care about her as more than a friend and send a signal that you're not into your other girl friends. Hug her around the waist from behind or hold her hand and she'll know you care about her and aren't ashamed to be with her in public.

5. When you make plans, put thought into them. Doing something doesn't have to be a big commitment, but show her that you care by planning a little ahead of time. If you're going out to dinner, make reservations. If you are planning something spontaneous, let her know ahead of time that you'll be doing something, but don't tell her what it is. She'll love the surprise. Even if you're doing something casual, set it up to look like you put time into it. She'll enjoy it no matter what you do.

6. Initiate time together. Don't let her be the first to start up a conversation or let her plan all of your time together. It'll make her feel like she's doing all the work and that you don't care. It'll also make her feel like she's bothering you with plans and make her feel desperate, and no woman likes feeling desperate.

7. Share your secrets. I know, girls share everything and guys are closemouthed, but try to share important events with her. Let her know what matters to you and what makes you excited or happy and she'll be happy too.

Sensing a theme? It's all about the small things, done often. Why'd I list 7 things? Because I could probably list a million, but Google searching will bring those up for you if you really care. This post also has a great list of specific small things to do for your girl.

Shockingly enough, this post seems to be me offering an explanation instead of asking for one. So here's a question: what should girls do to make a guy happy (aside from the obvious sexual things, because those are, well, obvious)?

Taylor Swift

I hate Taylor Swift's music. Nothing against the girl in person, but I really can't stand her songs. I could deal with it when all we heard on the radio was "Love Story" even though the lyrics imply no knowledge of the actual play Romeo and Juliet.

"Romeo save me they're trying to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say yes"

She does realize that Romeo and Juliet end up dead at the end, right? Still, I could have dealt with that song had it not been for "You Belong With Me." It's basically a song about a girl wanting to steal a guy away from another girl because she thinks they are a better match together. How selfish is this? And why is the entire nation obsessed with this song? Are we all secretly dreaming about breaking up our friends' relationships so we can have them for ourselves? I'm sure many people have someone out there that they secretly adore and feel like they belong with (I see one on FML almost every day) but do we really want to go to the lengths of breaking up other relationships to have someone?

I know, it's just a song and I shouldn't read too much into it, but lyrics are important. I have friends like the couple in the song and I have friends like the narrator of the song, and I root for the couple, which makes me against the narrator, which is why I hate Taylor Swift. Relationships are hard and no one outside the people in them can ever really know what is going on, even very close friends. And I would think people, especially my friends in relationships, would get this. But of course, they're big Taylor fans. Explanation, please!