Posts by Trisha Leigh Zeigenhorn

True crime shows and podcasts like Serial, Making a Murderer, Unabomber, and a slew of others have found new and increasing popularity in recent years (not that they’ve ever really gone out of style). Fictionalized shows like CSI (and many, many others) are also perpetually popular for the networks, which means that more and more people are...

Those of us who surround ourselves with books have always known that it makes us happy, though we probably have never really stopped to think about why. In fact, new research reported in Pacific Standard says that buying loads of books is totally justified because growing up around lots of books makes us better humans. If...

Riddles are a great way to pass the time and keep your mind sharp! Below are 6 that will get those juices flowing (and a few that are easy enough to boost your confidence along the way)! #6. Jelly bean math. Continue reading when you want to check your answer!

If you saw the Oscar-nominated The Imitation Game, the one that celebrated Alan Turing, then you’re familiar with Bletchley Park, a British installation where he and other codebreakers worked against the Nazis in WWII. In 1939, a man named Geoffrey Tandy was summoned there by the Royal Navy Reserves in the hopes that he would...

“Clean your plate! There are starving kids in Africa, you know!” If this was a saying that colored your childhood dinners (the ones where you started down at a bowl of creamed corn and felt your stomach turn), well…let’s just say you’re not alone. While it may seem emotionally manipulative, its generally recognized that wasting...

If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, there’s basically no chance you were unaware of the Lisa Frank empire, consisting of colorful, whimsical stickers, folders, pencil cases, binders, backpacks and notebooks. Their tag line, “You Gotta Have It,” pretty much summed up our existence, after all. Despite the loudness of her school accessories line,...

Sure, it worked for Monica and Chandler on Friends, but if one of these gelatinous, stinging marine animals stings you at the beach one day, should you rely on the same sort of slightly awkward kindness? It turns out the answer is no. In fact, peeing on a sting could actually make the pain worse, not...

No white after Labor Day. Having to hug relatives you’ve met once in your life. Acting as if you like your friend’s boyfriend so she won’t hate you forever. There are a million things we do (and don’t do) every single day because it’s “appropriate,” and while most of them are harmless, they can seriously...

We have this idea that a soulmate is someone we meet, grab onto and never let go. Sometimes, however, that’s not what happens. Some people don’t end up with their alleged soulmate for any number of reasons. And whether it’s your own fault, poor timing or just that the universe had different plans for you,...

It’s almost that time of year again — Christmastime! There’s a good chance that if you’ve got a standard holiday movie rotation in your home, Love Actually is in there. It’s spirited, it’s romantic, it’s poignant, it’s full of wonderful performances…it’s a can’t miss, really. And an added bonus: It contains some seriously great lessons about...

Riddle lovers unite! These 5 questions will get you thinking and just maybe feel like the smartest person in the room…for awhile, anyway. #5.Totally committed. Continue reading when you want to check your answer!

As someone who grew up in the United States, I can honestly say I’ve never given it much thought. You memorize the states, the geography, their individual impacts on history (somewhat), their capitals, but you don’t really stop to ask why there isn’t just a Carolina and a Dakota on the map. Now that I’ve...

In the 1880s, a man named James Edwin Wide worked for the railroad, where his main job was to listen for the whistle of approaching trains and change the track based on the specific sequence, which was a signal for where they were headed. One day, James was visiting a South African market when he...

People tend to think of sexual harassment as something a man does to a woman, but it’s important to remember that it happens to men, too. And regardless of who it happens to, it’s never okay. Whether done by a man or a woman, another human being making you feel uncomfortable or violated is an...

Are you someone who is good at math? Or maybe you just think you are… Either way, these 5 riddles are designed to challenge your skills, so give them a shot! #5. If my twin lives at the reverse of my house number, and the difference between our house numbers ends in two. What are...