Thank You for Toilet Paper: A History of the Little Things

Have you ever smelled a particularly strong cheese and asked yourself, who first decided to eat this? I have. Many times. It is time to find the answers! Let's learn about cheese making.

Did you ever wonder how mugs got their nickname? Or how we made the transition from drinking out of cups made of wood and bone to customized mugs with pictures of cats? Let's find the answers in today's episode as we take some time for a little bit of gratitude for mugs.

For Odysseus, they saved his crew from imminent doom, for you and me, they might send us soundly off to dreamland. We've come a long way from using beeswax to block out unwanted sounds. Time for a little gratitude for earplugs and all the snoring they've silenced over the years. 

Who doesn't need a little more kindness in their life? Let's start the new year right with a little more kindness and gratitude--turns out it is even good for our health!

It’s time to put a button on the old year as we look forward to the New Year! Let's take some time for a little gratitude for buttons!

Did you know that stealing a knitting machine used for making socks was, at one point, a crime punishable by death? From Christmas stockings to toe socks, to becoming a reason for skipping Sunday services, socks have a rather interesting history.

Be sure to take a pair of these with you on your puddle-splashing adventures! Let's take a little time for a little gratitude for the footwear that keeps us safe, dry, and clean on a rainy day.

We all need a light in the darkness, and for hundreds of years, humanity has been lighting cold, dark winter nights with warm lights, love, good company, and traditions. Let’s take some time to talk about the magic of holiday lights.

Whether you’re toasting them over an open fire, using them to sweeten some hot chocolate, or finding them in your cereal, marshmallows have been a fun, gooey, part of the human experience for years. Maybe even thousands of years. Let’s take a moment for some gratitude for the marshmallow!

It’s given us french fries, dumplings, donuts, pretty much all the delicious fried foods our hearts wish we’d stop eating. Let’s take a moment for some gratitude for Cooking Oil! Welcome back to Season 2 of Thank You for Toilet Paper!

Do you hear that? Listen closely and this episode we'll talk about the benefits and practices of effective listening. And while we're at it--THANK YOU for listening to this podcast!

The Day of the Dead! A time to celebrate family and loved ones with good food, good stories and a few skeletons. Let's take some time to learn about how this holiday went from Aztec roots to modern-day family traditions.

Humans have left messages on walls for thousands of years--each individual wanting to leave their mark. Or simply share an observation or taunt a rival lover. With the movement of Street Art, however, between artistic expression, social commentary and on and off again "vandalism" (depending on local laws), we find the history of a city. Time for a little bit of gratitude for the art you can see wi...

From Cinderella's carriage to scaring off evil spirits, to medicinal cures and pies, pumpkins have done some heavy lifting over the years. Pumpkins have been a favorite for humanity long before the pumpkin spice latte. Now let's take a moment for a little bit of love for pumpkins.

If raindrops keep falling on your head, then you're going to love this handy tool! They allow us to sing and dance in the rain, so let's show a little love and gratitude for umbrellas! (So grateful they no longer weigh 10 pounds...)

From Aztec Lords to cologne bottles, salsa has had an interesting journey on its way to the United States’ #1 condiment. Time to learn a little bit more about why we can be grateful for the salsa that gives life a little spice.

While batteries may not be included in this episode, stories about batteries certainly are. Let's learn about the history of batteries; from dead frogs to lithium-ions, we have many reasons to be grateful for the invention that allows us to just keep going with our adventures and activities in our everyday life.

From ancient Egypt to chicken coops to bumpers, stickers have had quite the journey to get to where they are today: decorating our water bottles and laptops. Let's take a few minutes for a little bit of gratitude for stickers.

If you've got your head in the clouds, then you're not alone! Let's take a moment to appreciate clouds--the ones that look like strange dragons and the ones that bring us rain, and so much more!

You may have heard, "Don't Cry over Spilled Milk" or perhaps even, "Big Boys or Big Girls Don't Cry". While it may not always be comfortable, crying actually has so many benefits for your mental, emotional and physical health. So let's take a few minutes to appreciate a good cry.

Whether they populated your school lunches for years or were your main source of food for long road trips, sandwiches have been a great on-the-go option for ages, even back to the Industrial Revolution. Let's take some time for a little bit of gratitude for sandwiches.

With ancient roots in almanacs used to track the movements of the stars, and more modern roots as a means for self-transformation and business management, planners have helped humankind keep track of the details of our lives--big or small. Time for a little gratitude for the tool that helps us keep it all together.

It took Alice to Wonderland and has allowed us to see through walls, under the sea, and into space. Let's take some time to show a little bit of gratitude for the many wonders of glass.

From refreshing drinks to toothpaste, mint has done more than just kept our breath fresh. With roots in mythology and hospitality, it's time to learn a little bit more about mint.

It's helped clean up cuts and grime; it's given us a clean slate and has protected us from germs, allowing us to keep moving forward. From sacred rituals to animal fats to taxes, soap has been a part of human life for thousands of years. Let's take a little bit of time for a little bit of gratitude for soap.