Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm Andrew McGivern for November 7th.Today is National Hug A Bear Day – celebrating those faithful companions that have comforted children and adults alike for over a century.The teddy bear was born in 1902, named after President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt. After he refused to shoot a captured bear on a hunting trip, a political cartoon captured the moment, and a toy maker created a stuffed bear in his honor. The teddy bear became an instant sensation.What makes teddy bears special isn't just their softness – it's their constancy. They never age, never judge, never leave. They're there for the scraped knees, the first days of school, the lonely nights, and somehow, many of them survive well into our adult years.Writer Pam Brown perfectly captured their importance when she said:"In a world gone bad, a bear – even a bear standing on its head – is a comforting, uncomplicated, dependable hunk of sanity."Brown understands something essential: we all need something to hold onto when life gets complicated.Teddy bears don't require anything from us. They don't need to be fed, walked, or entertained. They simply exist to be there, offering quiet companionship without demands or conditions.In an increasingly complex world full of uncertainty, a teddy bear represents simplicity itself. Pick it up, and it's exactly what it was yesterday and will be tomorrow – soft, safe, familiar.That's not childish. That's wisdom.She may have been talking about teddy bears but in my neighborhood we have plenty of actual bears. Black bears galore.And we see them all the time. Walking down the street and in the trails by our house. My wife took the dog for walk a couple nights ago just after dark and there was a bear walking down the sidewalk right towards her. She didn't think it was comforting at all. But maybe if the bear was standing on it's head she would have thought that was funny. Anyway...Today, hug a teddy bear. If you still have your childhood bear, pull it out of storage. If your kids have one, respect its importance. If you don't have one, maybe it's time to get one – comfort has no age limit.Because Pam Brown was right. In a complicated world, sometimes the most sophisticated thing we can do is hold onto something simple.That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for now but I'll be back tomorrow. Same Pod time, same Pod Station - with another Daily Quote.

Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm Andrew McGivern for November 6th.Today is National Nachos Day – celebrating one of the world's most perfect sharing foods.Nachos were invented in 1943 by Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya in Piedras Negras, Mexico. When a group of military wives arrived at his restaurant after closing time, Nacho improvised with what he had: tortilla chips, cheese, and jalapeños. He named the dish "Nacho's Especiales." That simple creation became a global phenomenon.What makes nachos special isn't just the melted cheese or the perfect crunch – it's that they're meant to be shared. You don't order nachos for yourself. You order them for the table.Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis captured this beautifully when she said:"Food brings people together on many different levels. It's nourishment of the soul and body; it's truly love."Nachos are the perfect example of this truth. When that loaded platter hits the table, something magical happens. Conversations start. Hands reach in from all directions. Someone always comments on the cheese pull. Someone else warns about the hot jalapeño.Sharing nachos breaks down barriers. It doesn't matter if you just met or you've known each other for years – when you're both reaching for the same plate, you're connected.And here's what De Laurentiis understands: food is more than calories. It's communion. When we share a meal, we're sharing trust, time, and presence. We're saying, "I want to be here with you."Today, share something. Invite someone to lunch. Bring snacks to the office. Order the appetizer sampler. Better yet, actually share nachos. Watch what happens when you push that plate to the center of the table and say, "Help yourself."Because when we share food, we're practicing something deeper – we're practicing generosity, trust, and presence. We're nourishing more than bodies.So celebrate National Nachos Day by remembering: the best meals aren't about what's on the plate. They're about who's at the table.That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for now but I'll be back tomorrow. Same Pod time, same Pod Station - with another Daily Quote.

Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm Andrew McGivern for November 5th.Today is Love Your Red Hair Day and National Redhead Day – a celebration of those gorgeous, fiery locks that belong to only about 1-2% of the world's population.Redheads are truly rare gems. Natural red hair is caused by a mutation in the MC1R gene, which is a recessive trait. Both parents must carry the gene for a child to be born with red hair, making it one of the rarest hair colors in the world.Love Your Red Hair Day and National Redhead Day are about celebrating what makes redheads special – not just their distinctive appearance, but the confidence, individuality, and vibrant spirit that often comes with those copper-colored crowns.Today's quote speaks to the heart of what makes redheads special. Augusten Burroughs once said...

"Red hair is great. It's rare, and therefore superior."

This quote couldn't be more true but what about this one from Mark Twain...

"While the rest of the species is descended from apes, redheads are descended from cats."

You know what... this one makes a lot of sense too!And finally another quote from an unknown author...

"Red hair is not just a color – it's a lifestyle."

These simple statements captures something profound about having red hair. It's not merely a physical characteristic – it's an identity, an experience, a cat like way of moving through the world.Most redheads choose to embrace it. They develop confidence early because they have to. They learn to own their distinctiveness, to turn heads-turning into an advantage, to transform "different" into "distinctive."
I can relate to these quotes because today is my twin daughters' birthday. And they both have the most vibrant, beautiful red hair you've ever seen.Watching them grow up with red hair has been fascinating. From the time they were toddlers, people would stop us everywhere we went. "Look at that gorgeous red hair!" "Are they twins? And both redheads? How lucky!" "Where did they get that beautiful color?"At first, when they were very young, they didn't understand why people always commented on their hair. But as they got older, something remarkable happened. They didn't just accept being redheads – they claimed it. They owned it.They learned early that they would always stand out, so they decided to make standing out their superpower. Their red hair became a source of pride and confidence. When other kids might have felt self-conscious about being different, my girls understood that different meant special.Now, as they celebrate another birthday on Love Your Red Hair Day, I see how their hair color has become intertwined with who they are – bold, confident, unapologetically themselves. It truly is a lifestyle. It's taught them to embrace what makes them unique, to walk into any room with presence, to never apologize for taking up space or being noticed.Happy birthday to my beautiful redheaded daughters. You've taught me that the rarest things in life are often the most precious.So here's your challenge for Love Your Red Hair Day: If you're a redhead, celebrate yourself today. Wear your hair proudly. Take a photo. Share your ginger pride with the world. Remember that you're part of an exclusive club – less than 2% of the global population.If you love a redhead – a partner, a friend, a child, a sibling – tell them today how special they are. Celebrate what makes them unique. Thank them for adding vibrant color to your world.Because red hair isn't just a color. It's confidence. It's character. It's a celebration of being unapologetically, brilliantly, fiercely yourself.And to my beautiful redheaded birthday girls – you light up my world more than you'll ever know.That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for now but I'll be back tomorrow. Same Pod time, same Pod Station - with another Daily Quote.