On Monday, for instance, I spent the better part of an hour learning about the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi and his suite Ancient Airs and Dances.
Other days I've plunged into the history of long-shot Kentucky Derby winners or the geopolitics of the Iron Curtain.
What do these topics have in common? Absolutely nothing ... except that, for a few moments in the morning, I had time to learn about them.