“How many bugs in a box?” It’s a stupid little song that has been going through my head for years. When I’ve finished writing this post (because I don’t want to stop) I’ll look it up and if I can, insert it so that everyone can be tormented by it.
It’s from an animated game for the computer that my kids used to play when they were little. The game was called “How Many Bugs in a Box” and it was a counting/math/number/pattern recognition game. Why am I writing about this? Because every time – and I mean EVERY SINGLE TIME – I try to write a blog post I think of that sentence. The question has been plaguing me now for around fifteen years. Fifteen years of wondering how many bugs are in the damned box!
Why is it that songs get stuck in our heads, anyway? There’s a name for it now: ear worm. Usually it lasts a morning, or a few hours after we either think of a song or hear it after not having heard it for a long time. It doesn’t usually happen – at least in my experience – when it’s something that’s on the radio or my playlist all the time. I think my worst ones to date have to be “C is for Cookie” by the Cookie Monster, or “The Song that Never Ends” by whatshername with the lamb puppet. (Holy crap, “whatshername” didn’t get a red squiggly line underneath it!)
Anyway, by finally writing “how many bugs in a box” in a blog post, I’m hoping to dispell the magic that keeps me wanting to come back to it. I’ll let you know if it worked in another post. Maybe in next week’s SoCS post.
(Phew! Got my Stream of Consciousness Saturday post in just in the nick of time!)
April 29, 2014 at 9:04 am
I refuse to watch the video incase I get infected!! 😉 xxxxxx
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April 29, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Nobody wants bugs! 🙂 Good idea, Willow!
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April 28, 2014 at 4:18 pm
I ain’t even gonna listen to this song: Got me enuff earworms already.
😉
Loved the post Linda.
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April 28, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Well, hey! There’s nothing like another song to get rid of the one that’s already stuck in your head! haha
Thanks, Lance.
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April 28, 2014 at 7:38 am
I gave it a whirl, and I turned it off, because that is truly an unfortunate earworm. I find commercials from television find their way into my head. Although I rarely watch them, I hear them. Recently, I’ve wondered where a song in my head would come from, only to see it on the television. Which is all the more reason the other people in my house should watch less television!
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April 28, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Oh yes, commercials are the worst! Stupid jingles! Though most of mine come from the radio – it’s one of the wonderful things about having a Deaf kid – don’t have to listen to his shows!
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April 28, 2014 at 4:34 pm
Bonus. No terrible Dora or those dancy monster people then….wow, that is a perk.
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April 28, 2014 at 4:36 pm
It is! Especially the part about not having to listen to Barney’s horribly grating voice.
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April 28, 2014 at 4:39 pm
Ugh, Barney. It’s been 15 years since Barney. I never let the little two watch him! *bad mama*
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April 28, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Don’t blame you a bit. *excellent mama* 😉
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April 27, 2014 at 7:20 am
Oh I shouldn’t have listened to it…I’m doomed now! Using this comment to ask if you would like to participate to How do I write? Writing Process Blog Tour. i’m going to publish the post tomorrow and your turn will be on the next Monday! Can I mention you?
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April 27, 2014 at 10:01 am
I’ll have to check it out first to see how much time it requires. If you could give me a link to see how it works that would be great. 🙂
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April 27, 2014 at 2:30 pm
It’s not that long. This is the blog that tagged me…well I volunteered! http://melfka.com/en/
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April 27, 2014 at 9:00 pm
I was tagged for this this morning by someone else! Not sure if I’ll have time though, what with two A-Z posts to do on Monday.
It’s up to you, but I can’t promise anything. Might be better if you pick someone else. But I appreciate the thought! Thanks very much!!
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April 27, 2014 at 6:07 am
I don’t dare to watch the video….. you know why :-)))
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April 27, 2014 at 10:24 am
Don’t blame you. 🙂
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April 28, 2014 at 2:26 pm
🙂
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April 27, 2014 at 6:06 am
Ear worm is a new English word? Ohrwurm (German translation) is a really old word where I come from. Funny that. I hope it works for you and you lose the song somehow. I have that strange thing that phrases or words bring up songs and out of nowhere I start singing, confusing people profoundly…. never mind 🙂 (Oh as an explanation. I started another wordpress acccount by accident. This one is my original one 🙂 its still me: the bee 😉 )
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April 27, 2014 at 10:24 am
“Ear worm” is more of a trending phrase than anything. 😛 Thanks – I hope I can put it to rest now too!
How do you start a WP account by accident? haha
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April 28, 2014 at 2:26 pm
Gravatar and another email address 😉 ~ call me Confused.com 😉
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April 28, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Haha! You and me both, my dear. 🙂
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May 2, 2014 at 3:26 pm
we could start a self-help group for profoundly confused.coms lol
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May 2, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Ha! No one would ever find it! Hahaha!
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May 2, 2014 at 3:28 pm
we could ask comparethemeerkat.com to be so kind and list us 😉
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May 2, 2014 at 9:46 pm
True!
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April 27, 2014 at 12:53 am
I’d never heard of that game and had never heard the song. Now I’ve heard of the game and I’ve heard the song. And I’m especially sorry to have heard that song. I’m going to go to bed tonight counting bugs in a box. Thank you very much.
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April 27, 2014 at 10:17 am
You’re so welcome. It’s nice to have company. 😉
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April 27, 2014 at 7:18 pm
bahahah – was laughing at this ” I’m especially sorry to have heard that song…”
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April 27, 2014 at 9:02 pm
Yeah, about that… I must have been feeling particularly sadistic last night. haha
Happy you got a laugh out of the post though 😀
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April 28, 2014 at 1:38 am
I enjoy your blog – I am only a recent follower – but really enjoy it thus far – 🙂
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April 28, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Thanks very much! 🙂
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April 27, 2014 at 12:45 am
this was so fun – and ear-worm you say? that sound alike a fitting name for this experience – and my songs are different – but I have a list too! ha! what a fun post – and by the way, we used to have the pop-up book titled “how many bugs in a box” and it was a well-made pop-up that had art and allowed the kids to count and follow each page. Loved that little book – and did not know there was a song…. ha! but you sure knew…. haha = jk…
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April 27, 2014 at 10:15 am
When the kids were playing the game I used to walk around the house singing it. *sigh* The game was actually one of the best and most entertaining ones they ever owned.
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April 26, 2014 at 11:53 pm
Good Linda that you have been able to address this question as I imagine many parents would wonder the same. Enjoyed reading your frustration at this question. Well done.
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April 26, 2014 at 11:55 pm
Thank you, Michael. 🙂
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