Friday Unwind #18: Michelangelo's Secret Room; Meowza; Frozen Iguana; Enchantment; Stroke of Luck; Bwaha

After 21 Club is where Friday meets you on the way to life’s little pleasures. Reviews, recommendations, thoughts, and your comments to share with multiple generations.

Note: All subscribers get every Friday newsletter, including recommendations, reviews, podcasts, interviews, articles, access to comments, discussions, and the archives.

⭐A quick note before we get started: You can read this post on my website (instead of in email) by clicking here. As a bonus, you’ll also have special access to the After 21 Club mystery archive of posts.💚

🎨 MICHELANGELO’S SECRET ROOM

Images from the secret room of Michelangelo's drawings

In November, 1975 the director of the Medici Chapels Museum in Florence, Italy wanted to create a new museum exit. His discovery astonished the art world.

A secret room, barely 32 feet by 10 feet, had been the home to Michelangelo in 1530 while he was hiding because of death threats from Clement VII.

Two layers of plaster had been covering his drawings of figures that were made on the walls with charred wooden sticks.

While Michelangelo only hid for two months, his drawings were hidden for nearly 450 years. The room is now being opened for viewing on a very limited basis beginning November 15, 2023.

🐱😾😸😿🙀 MEOWZA: CATNIP NEWS

4 cats, each with a different expression. What do they mean?

Researchers from UCLA have been on the prowl to investigate how cats use facial expressions to communicate. Sounds like a purrfect project to me!

They recorded 276 different expressions (as opposed to chimps who can make 357 faces 🐵). Of these expressions, researchers thought that about 45% were friendly and 37% were aggressive, with 18% falling into the ‘who knows’ category.

If you have a cat, would you please contribute to this conversation?! How many expressions have you counted….you know you are counting, right?

I’m still trying to figure out what human expressions mean. We need more research!

🦎 FROZEN IGUANA ANYONE?

Now here’s a fun fact. When it gets cold in Florida, iguanas freeze. It doesn’t take much, either. A drop to below 40 degrees can cause these cute (possibly) little reptiles to lose their grip… literally.

So while many of us are enjoying the falling leaves as temperatures drop, Floridians can anticipate getting hit by iguanas falling from the trees, where iguanas usually hang out.

What to do if you are hit by a falling iguana? Do not take pity on the creature and bring it inside to thaw out. Because they will. And when that happens you’ll have a different problem.

For all of you heading to Florida for the winter…. beware. You were warned!

📚 FROM THE BOOK NOOK: Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May

Katherine May released this #1 National Bestseller in February, 2023. For anyone who has reflected on the troubling times we live in, her book can be a guide to exploring the awe and beauty that surrounds us in the simplicity of nature.

Although I’m still on my journey through her book, I’m enjoying her thoughtful and relatable story telling. This is one to read curled up by a fire with a nice cup of tea and some crumpets.

🍀SOMETIMES NOT GETTING WHAT YOU WANT IS A BEAUTIFUL STROKE OF LUCK

If you haven’t already met Neal Foard, I would like to introduce you. Neal is an advertising executive who also has done a Tedx, who also regularly produces short, kind videos. This one came out a few weeks ago. I hope you enjoy it. 🤍

For more of Neal, visit YouTube where he has a collection of delightfully short offerings.

🤣 BWAHA AND OTHER WORDS THAT AREN’T WORDS

There are words that, when we say them out loud, they make perfect sense. But when we try to write them down, that’s when things get a little squirrely. They aren’t in the dictionary. There isn’t always consensus on how to spell them. But they are soooo cool and descriptive.

Here are a few. What else can you add to the list?:

• Bwahaha: Loud laughter

• Mwah: A smoochy kiss

• Eewwww: gross

⭐PLEASE HIT THE LIKE 🤍 BUTTON⭐

If you enjoyed this post, before you go, would you please whackamole that like 🤍 button. That little kind action helps more people see After 21 Club. Plus you can take out your frustrations. Whack. Whack. Whack. Thank you.🙏

💬 COMMENTS

1. Have you seen some of Michelangelo’s work? 🎨

2. Ok, cat fans. What will you do with this stellar research information?😻

3. I-guana go to Florida this winter. Anyone else going?🦎

4. Hi-dee-ho. How’s your day today? Weekend plans?🙋‍♀️

5. Has anyone read either Enchantment or Wintering, both by Katherine May?📚

6. What strokes of luck have you had?🍀

7. Got some descriptive ‘sound’ words to add to our list? Let’s see ‘em!

Whatever your generation, if you’d like a sweet retreat where Friday meets you on the way to little pleasures…..I hope you will Subscribe to After 21 Club. You’ll get a little treat in your Inbox each Friday.

Wherever you are, I hope life is sunny. 🌞❤Heather

PS: My other publication, Kindness Magnet, has recently returned from getting a makeover. Here’s how you can subscribe (Oh, please do.). If you head on over there you can dive down the rabbit hole with me and some awesome readers…🐇