QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In Emma, Jane Austen wrote, “You must be the best judge of your own happiness.”

Happiness looks different for everybody. For some, it’s in a room full of their closest friends, having fun without a care in the world. For others, it’s peacefully enjoying a good book or relaxing in the sunshine. Maybe it’s success in whatever you’re most passionate about. For me, it’s enjoying a cool Vermont morning in the summer, drinking an iced coffee, and enjoying the company of my loved ones.

Whatever it is for you, and you’re the best judge of your happiness, make time to do the things that make you happy. It’s important to enjoy the good moments in life, especially as stresses begin to pile up.

THIS WEEK AT FALVEY

Monday, September 11

Mindfulness Monday | 1-1:30 p.m. | Health Services Building 200 | Virtual Option | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to Villanova Students, Faculty, & Staff

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Tuesday, September 12

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Wednesday, September 13

Fall 2023 Falvey Forum Workshop: Introduction to Digital Humanities | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual | ACS-Approved | Free & Open to the Public | Register Here

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Thursday, September 14

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Sunday, September 17

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

HOLIDAYS THIS WEEK

If video games are one of your favorite pastimes, tomorrow, Sept. 12, is National Video Games Day. No matter what game you’re into, whether it’s The Sims, Minecraft, GTA, or World of Warcraft, this is your opportunity to let loose and enjoy some video games.

Photo by Eaters Collective on Unsplash

If you need an excuse to let your inner child relive some happy moments, Roald Dahl Day is this Wednesday, Sept. 13. Roald Dahl was a children’s author who wrote memorable classics like Matilda, The Witches, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can browse Falvey’s collection of Roald Dahl books, articles, and adaptations here. Personally, I will take any excuse I can to re-watch Matilda, available through Falvey’s DVD Collection. As a bonus, check out my blog on the library in Matilda, as a part of our Libraries Go to Hollywood series.

A great candidate for a PA state holiday, this Thursday, Sept. 14, is Eat a Hoagie Day. If you need a great on-the-go meal, you can celebrate by grabbing a hoagie (and, if you really want to roll with the regional vibe, grab one from Wawa).

Friday, Sept. 15, is the start of Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month, a month dedicated to honoring the contributions of Hispanic Americans in history and celebrating the diverse Hispanic and Latine cultures around the world. Be on the lookout for Falvey’s upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month events on our Events & Exhibits page here.

Annie Stockmal is a second-year graduate student in the Communication Department and Graduate Assistant in Falvey Library.

Courtesy of Rajesh TP: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sandwich-and-slice-of-lemons-1603901/

By Shawn Proctor

Meatballs or veggie. Italian or American. Perhaps no city loves its take on the venerable sandwich as much as Philly loves the hoagie.

And as another Hoagiefest dawns, courtesy of that other beloved Philadelphia mainstay Wawa*, we sing a song in praise of this classic, portable meal. Where did the term hoagie originate? Well, that origin is as twisted as a pretzel.

According to Jeopardy!, the answer could be one of several possibilities. In 1986, a clue suggested the nickname came from the workers who at them for lunch at Philadelphia’s Hog Island shipyard. In 2000, another piece of trivia said it was synonymous for pig.

Rachel Wharton and Kimberly Ellen Hall note in their book, American Food: A Not-so-serious History (available in the Falvey collection), they trace the name from linguist Howard Robboy who interviewed Italian jazz musician Al DePalma. According to DePalma, the original name was hoggie, an indication of the kind of appetite needed to eat the sandwich and he changed the spelling to hoagie, since everyone pronounced it that way already.

“Robboy’s primary goal in writing his paper, by the way, was to show that the American language-and by association, our culture- wasn’t collapsing into homogeneous conformity,” the authors note. “On behalf of all big-sandwich lovers out there, I am happy to report he’s still right.”

If you want to learn even more about the history of foods, including hoagies, I recommend checking out Discovering Vintage Philadelphia: A Guide to the City’s Timeless Shops, Bars, Delis & More, available as an ebook through Falvey.

So get out there and enjoy some Philadelphia food. Sample some jawn. Taste a jawn. Or savor a bunch of jawn. As they say in Philly (or they should): “Bone appetite!”

*Note: According to another Jeopardy! clue, aired in 1998, the term Wawa comes from Ojibwa and means goose. Likely the reason the Wawa logo features the wild bird so prominently.

Shawn Proctor, MFA, is Communication and Marketing Program Manager at Falvey Library.