I am probably the most blessed person in the world. Why? Because I sneeze a lot. And let me just tell you, it’s not
fun.
You see, the thing with me is that I can’t sneeze just
one time and be done with it.
Instead, I have to sneeze and say thank you to whomever said “bless you.”
Then I sneeze again, and the cycle repeats about five or
six times.
I remember when I was in middle school,
I realized that not everyone sneezes five times in a row. I was so envious of
those who only sneezed once, and, honestly, I still am.
One night my roommate and I were on vacation, and we were
both awakened by my sneezing.
I probably sneezed 25 times in a row. I couldn’t stop. We
laughed, and then I started sneezing again.
It can be quite a dangerous thing, especially when
driving. I wish I had one of those “Caution: Baby on Board” stickers on my car.
Mine would be “Caution: Sneezer on Board.”
Yes, I am the girl in class who the teacher has to stop
the lecture for because I am disturbing the entire class. Most of the time I
try to sneeze quietly, but other times I just can’t help it.
I have to carry Kleenex everywhere I go because
inevitably a sneezing attack is bound to arise.
Since sneezing and I go hand in hand, here are some fun
facts about my favorite hobby, sneezing:
Let’s start with what a sneeze is. According to
http://www.intelihealth.com, a sternutation, or
sneeze, is “a complex reflex involving nerves in the nose that detect swelling
of the nasal membranes, particles of a certain size, or substances to which you
are allergic.”
Some particles exiting the nose have been recorded at 100
mph, so cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze.
Sneezing does not stop your heart from beating, and with
some effort you could keep your eyes open while you sneeze. Those eyeballs of
yours are securely in their sockets and aren’t going anywhere.
The tradition of saying “Bless you” or “Gesundheit,” which means “health” in German, originated
from superstitions that sneezing was a sign of approaching danger.
According to http://www.allergy.org, the world record for
sneezing is held by Donna Griffiths from Worstershire
in the
I guess she puts my record 25 sneezes to shame.
Sneezing induced by sunlight or a bright light is
estimated to occur in 18 to 35 percent of the population, according to an
article on http://www.sciam.com. This is known as the photic
sneeze reflex and is “genetically mediated.”
Jordan Marshall is a senior journalism major from