It's been raining, it's been pouring--very apt: March is National Umbrella Month, opens a new window!
So Many Types, so Many Places to Lose Them
When I think of umbrellas, I get all sentimental, recalling the umbrellas of years past. The mint green one covered in butterflies during my Vladimir Nabokov obsession. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid promotional umbrella. The clear one that enveloped my whole upper body, that made me feel like I was moving through the world in a bubble. They're gone now, lost in a cab, in the bucket at the entrance of some store, left on the counter at a bank...
What makes this device so prone to loss? Is it because black and blue umbrellas are so common, opens a new window, and we mix them up with everyone else's? Because they're black or blue they were likely chosen for functionality and are so blandly forgettable? If they were more fun or pricey, would we care more about keeping them safe? Because we live in drought-plagued California and rain (and thus umbrellas) are something we're just learning to get used to?
Fun and Weird Umbrellas
What if umbrellas got all trendy, and everyone was super into getting the most fun or weird umbrella, opens a new window? How amazing would that be? What about getting our pets in on it? Dogbrellas, opens a new window!
Random Umbrella Facts
- The word "umbrella" originates from the Latin word "umber," which means shade, or shadow.
- Black umbrellas are actually the best at blocking UV rays if you use umbrellas for sun protection, opens a new window.
- Wirecutter, opens a new window has reviews of the best umbrellas out there. Read about Wirecutter, opens a new window and its reviews using your handy new SMCL library card New York Times free login!
- The Atlantic magazine, opens a new window reports that Americans spend $350 million on umbrellas each year.
Umbrella Books for Kids
Here's a roundup of umbrella books for kids!
What kind of umbrella do you have? Let us know in the comments below!
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