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We are just two short weeks away from Valentine’s Day, and I am already excited about the Elks Lodge Love Boat dinner dance. We will have Colleen with us. She might be a little late, as it is her mother’s 80th birthday and they plan a celebration. It is going to be a luncheon since it is well known that old bats do not stay up late, so the party should end early and Colleen can join us!
Speaking of the upcoming shindig, Mary has picked out her dress for the Elks Valentine’s Dinner Dance themed “Love Boat”, which should go great with my red sequined coat! I need to find Mary a red captain’s cap to go with the dress, perhaps from Amazon?
Mary was going to attend a CME class tomorrow, Friday, but sitting in a classroom environment for eight hours will not work given her back condition, so she cancelled her session. We were going to stay overnight in Pasadena and then go to the Huntington for afternoon tea. If I can arrange for a courtesy cart to drive from the front gate to the tea house, we may try going out; otherwise, we will stay home and reschedule.
While surfing the web, I came across this remarkable but little-known fact that you might find interesting to discuss at your next cocktail party! Just think: you could approach a new acquaintance and ask, “How is your philtrum today?” or lean forward and say, “Did you know your Philtrum is showing?” or “Would you like to hear about my recent Philtrum operation?” The possibilities are endless!
The philtrum is the vertical groove between the nose and upper lip, present in most mammals. It serves as a scent-enhancing, moisture-trapping structure in animals and as a remnant of facial development in humans. While crucial for canines’ sense of smell, it is a vestigial feature in humans.
Key Philtrum Facts:
- Animal Function: In dogs and many mammals, it is a “vegetal groove” that uses capillary action to transport saliva from the mouth to the nose, keeping it moist to better trap scent particles.
- Human Purpose: In humans, it has no apparent active function but serves as a “vestige of evolution,” marking where the facial components fused during early development.
- Origin of Name: Derived from the Greek philtron (meaning “love charm”), it was historically considered an attractive or arousing part of the body.
- Medical Significance: A smooth or flattened philtrum is a recognized clinical feature associated with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), often used for diagnostic purposes.
- Mythology: A Jewish legend suggests an angel taps a baby on the lip before birth, causing the groove and making them forget all the secrets of the universe learned in the womb.
- Cosmetic Alteration: A “lip lift” surgery can be performed to shorten a long philtrum, creating a more youthful or defined facial appearance.
- Appearance Varies: Philtral columns can be parallel, triangular, or concave, with specific shapes being more common in different genders, according to research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
It’s 8:00 am and Manual just showed up to wash the fleet. Mary is still sawing logs and I will use this time to work onm the garage since both cars oare out.
