August 12, 2026

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On The Upside with Marley

The Joy of Being Curious

One of the wonderful things about children is that they’re constantly asking questions.

Why is the sky blue? Where do birds sleep? How does a rainbow work? They aren’t embarrassed to admit they don’t know something. In fact, discovering the answer is half the fun.

Somewhere along the road to adulthood, many of us lose that curiosity. We begin to think we should already know the answers, so we stop asking questions. Before long, our days become routines instead of adventures.

Curiosity is one of life’s greatest gifts because it keeps us growing.

It encourages us to try a new recipe instead of making the same supper every Tuesday. It nudges us to visit a town we’ve never explored, read a book about a topic we’ve never considered, or strike up a conversation with someone whose life experiences are completely different from our own.

The remarkable thing is that curiosity doesn’t require youth. It only requires an open mind.

Every day offers something new to discover if we’re willing to notice it. Perhaps it’s identifying a bird you’ve never seen before, learning why a favourite saying exists, or finally understanding how something you’ve used for years actually works.

The people who seem youngest at heart aren’t necessarily the youngest in age. They’re simply the ones who never stopped wondering.

So this week, ask a few more questions. Wander down a street you’ve never taken. Watch a documentary about something you know nothing about. Learn one new fact simply because it interests you.

Life becomes far more enjoyable when we remember that we never stop being students.

Stay curious. The world still has plenty of surprises waiting for you.

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The Secret Ingredient

Ask almost anyone about their favourite family recipe and they’ll tell you it’s impossible to duplicate exactly.

It isn’t because the ingredients are secret. Most recipes have been written down for years. The difference is the person preparing them.

A grandmother knows exactly when the dough “looks right.” A grandfather flips pancakes without using a timer because experience tells him when they’re ready. Somewhere between the recipe card and the dinner table, instinct takes over.

That’s true for much more than cooking.

Whether it’s woodworking, gardening, music or raising children, experience teaches things no instruction manual ever could.

Perhaps that’s why meals prepared with love always seem to taste just a little better.

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Why We Love Local Festivals

Summer festivals have a wonderful way of bringing communities together.

You might go for the music, the food trucks or the artisan booths, but you’ll often leave remembering something entirely different—a conversation with an old friend, watching children dance without worrying who was watching, or hearing a local musician who deserves a much bigger audience.

Community events remind us that entertainment doesn’t always have to come from a screen.

Sometimes the best memories are made just a few blocks from home.

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The Cause Of My Divorce

Why did I get divorced? Well, last week was my birthday. My wife didn’t wish me a happy birthday. My parents forgot and so did my kids. I went to work and even my colleagues didn’t wish me a happy birthday. As I entered my office, my secretary said, “Happy birthday, boss!” I felt so special. She asked me out for lunch. After lunch, she invited me to her apartment. We went there and she said, “Do you mind if I go into the bedroom for a minute?” “Okay,” I said. She came out 5 minutes later with a birthday cake, my wife, my parents, my kids, my friends, & my colleagues all yelling, “SURPRISE!!!” while I was waiting on the sofa… naked.

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Our Failing Memories

There was an elderly couple who in their old age noticed that they were getting a lot more forgetful, so they decided to go to the doctor. The doctor told them that they should start writing things down so they don’t forget. They went home and the old lady told her husband to get her a bowl of ice cream. “You might want to write it down,” she said. The husband said, “No, I can remember that you want a bowl of ice cream.” She then told her husband she wanted a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream. “Write it down,” she told him, and again he said, “No, no, I can remember: you want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream.” Then the old lady said she wants a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top. “Write it down,” she told her husband and again he said, “No, I got it. You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.” So he goes to get the ice cream and spends an unusually long time in the kitchen, over 30 minutes. He comes out to his wife and hands her a plate of eggs and bacon. The old wife stares at the plate for a moment, then looks at her husband and asks, “Where’s the toast?”

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The New Priest

A newly ordained priest was nervous about hearing confessions, so he asked an older priest to listen and offer some advice.

After a few minutes, the older priest suggested, “Try folding your arms, rubbing your chin occasionally and saying things like, ‘I see,’ ‘I understand,’ and ‘Yes, go on.'”

The young priest practised each suggestion carefully.

“Much better,” said the older priest. “Don’t you think that’s more appropriate than slapping your knee and saying, ‘No way! What happened next?'”

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Marriage Made In Heaven

On their way to get married, a young Catholic couple is involved in a fatal car accident. They find themselves sitting outside the Pearly Gates, waiting for St. Peter to process them into Heaven. While waiting, they begin to wonder: Could they possibly get married in Heaven?

When St. Peter finally appears, they ask him. He replies, “I don’t know. This is the first time anyone has asked. Let me go find out,” and he leaves.

The couple sits and waits… and waits. Two months pass, and they are still waiting. During that time, they begin to wonder what would happen if things didn’t work out. Could you get a divorce in Heaven?

After yet another month, St. Peter returns, looking somewhat bedraggled. “Yes,” he informs them, “you can get married in Heaven.”

“Great!” says the couple. “But we were just wondering—what if things don’t work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?”

St. Peter, red‑faced with anger, slams his clipboard onto the ground.

“What’s wrong?” asks the frightened couple.

“Oh, COME ON!” St. Peter shouts. “It took me three months to find a priest up here! Do you have any idea how long it’ll take me to find a lawyer?”

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The Mystery Pain

A man went to his doctor complaining that whenever he touched his foot, he experienced terrible pain.

To demonstrate, he touched his shin and yelled. Then he touched his thigh and yelled again.

The puzzled doctor couldn’t find anything wrong and sent him to a specialist.

A few weeks later the man returned.

“Did the specialist figure out what was causing all that pain?” asked the doctor.

“Yes,” the man replied. “My finger was broken.”

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A Day At The Zoo

A truck driver broke down while transporting a group of penguins to the zoo. He stopped a passing motorist and offered him some money to take the penguins the rest of the way.

Later that afternoon, the truck driver finally reached town and spotted the same man walking down the street with all the penguins following behind him.

“I thought I gave you money to take those penguins to the zoo!” he shouted.

“I did,” replied the man. “We had some money left over, so now we’re going to the movies.”

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Editor’s Quote Book

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

— Marcel Proust

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Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

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Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

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Breakfast Anytime

A diner advertised, “Breakfast Served Anytime.”
So a customer ordered French toast during the Renaissance.

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The Wasp

A man walked into a shop and asked, “I’d like to buy a wasp, please.”
The shopkeeper replied, “Sorry, sir. We don’t sell wasps.”
“That’s strange,” said the man. “You’ve got one in the window.”

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Charged And Released

Police arrested two men: one was drinking battery acid and the other was eating fireworks.
They charged one and let the other one off.

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Press Your Luck

Why should you never iron a four-leaf clover?
Because you should never press your luck.

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The Linguistics Lesson

A professor announced, “In some languages a double negative remains negative, but no language uses a double positive to make a negative.”
A voice from the back replied, “Yeah, right.”

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Marley’s Video Pick

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator

We’ve all put something off until “tomorrow”—only to discover tomorrow has a habit of becoming next week. In this humorous and insightful TED Talk, Tim Urban explains why procrastination affects so many of us, introducing his memorable characters: the Rational Decision-Maker, the Instant Gratification Monkey, and the Panic Monster. It’s funny, relatable, and may even inspire you to tackle that project you’ve been avoiding.

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The Last Word

“Life doesn’t become interesting because everything is perfect. It becomes interesting because we’re always learning, laughing, and discovering something new along the way.”

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