Two things stand out on this day in history, both from 1792. On that day, not only did Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle pen "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem, but the first execution by guillotine, another French invention, was also carried out. As I remind my students on a regular basis, just because two things happen close to each other does not necessarily mean that one thing caused another to happen, but in a case like this you just never know. On that note, let’s play the friday5.org Friday Five!

1. What’s something you love and is quite bad for you?
Given everything I’ve gone through the past two months, I have to answer fatty foods here. Seriously, don’t even ask.

2. What’s something you hate and is quite good for you?
Vegetables. For a vegetarian, I sure don’t eat as many of them as I should.

3. What’s something that’s about equally good and bad for you?
Going out and trying to meet new people, like I did last night after work. I need to expand my horizons here, but I’m still not sure that I’m mentally prepared for that at this point.

4. What’s something you’ve been told is bad for you but you suspect is not as bad as people say?
I’d say some people who are trying to get me to really ratchet down on the carbohydates I take in when I diet. There’s no doubt that I should be getting more protein than I do, but I don’t think carbs are quite the monsters that some people make them out to be.

5. What’s something most people consider ugly but you consider beautiful?
I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that my answer may serve to bring me grievous bodily harm.