Friday Afternoon Archives - Kowalski Heat Treating

In Full Bloom

March 13, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Over the past few months, I’ve really enjoyed the bulb flowers that Jackie cares for during the winter season. We’ve had nice blooms from our cactus and holiday plants, especially Amaryllis– some around Thanksgiving, some around Christmas, and some into the new year. I’m fascinated by how they seem to sit dormant, and then “pop” with brilliant colors and cool shapes. As spring is approaching (hurry up!), I’m anxious for our lawn and gardens to come alive and start to bloom. (I forget what’s been planted and then smile when I see newer bulbs popping). Looking at the plants, it got me thinking about how bulbs are managed, cultivated, and shipped, and I found out it’s a highly specialized industry that blends agriculture, logistics, history, science, and global distribution – with roots (get it!) both in ancient and modern times. Today, the tradition relies on amazing, advanced technology, strict quality control, massive farms, really cool specialized machines, and scheduled shipping networks. Here’s an overview of the industry and fun facts I think you’ll like. Thanks to Wikipedia, YouTube, and Google for the info. Enjoy!

Test Time in the 1800s

March 6, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

The other day, I was reading an article about the decline (yet again) in national math scores, and how “children today” are not properly prepared for college courses. I think we can all agree it’s a shame and something that needs attention. It made me think about my own studying for tests as a kid, the pressures of test days, and how my parents would work with each of us (we had 18 in the family!!) to learn our words and vowels and “rithmatic”. I always loved getting a perfect score, especially on the “words” tests – my teacher used to add stars and happy faces to the paper, and Mom would hang them on the fridge – truly a place of honor. Jackie and I continued that tradition with our girls, full disclosure, though, Jackie was/is a much, much, much better student and teacher than I!! Things today are quite different on the test-taking side – more verbal, laptops and iPads, group problem solving, participation awards (ARRGGHH), and more – all to teach the young ones how to think and recall core concepts. I came across an article I wanted to share – a New Common School Question Book test from the late 1800’s. I’ll admit, it’s hard! It’s a fun read and a good test of your knowledge. Good luck and enjoy!

It’s C-C-C-C-Cold Outside

February 27, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

As thermal processing experts, we know a thing or two about temperatures and solving your PIA (pain in the @%$) Jobs! For those of us incredibly lucky folks living along the beautiful North Coast, we also know about frigid weather – bone chilling winds and finger tingling cold. Add to that unpredictable “snow bands” – sort of like lines of snow that start over the lake and then make their way onto our driveways. Once you add some wind, you’ve got some nasty weather. Of course, rather than just staying inside, we venture out – walking, skiing, snowboarding, hiking and more, trying hard to insulate our bodies to the cold and wind chill – remember to layer! But sometimes, it’s not quite enough, as our human body is constantly working to maintain a healthy internal temperature, roughly 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. When we get hot, regulating body temperature is a relatively simple fix: we sweat, the sweat evaporates, and our body cools down. But the opposite problem, holding onto heat when it’s cold out, isn’t as straightforward. Our bodies have a built-in mechanism that rushes to protect our “core” from the nasty elements. (I firmly recommend running in place to stay warm but admit it looks funny sometimes.) Here’s some fun info on how our bodies cope with the elements. Special thanks to Britannica.com, health.harvard.edu, clevelandclinic.org, uclahealth.org, mayoclinic.org, npr.org, and princeton.edu. Enjoy!

The @ Symbol

February 20, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Here at KHT, we operate around a driving principle – namely an obsession to tackle and solve your PIA (Pain in the @%$) Jobs! As I was typing this in an email to a potential customer, it struck me that we’ve used the “@” symbol in our promise for decades, to help us communicate not just what many of our customers feel (more fun than aaarrrggghhh!) but also what makes us tick as a thermal processing service provider to so many industries (thanks Dad for supporting me as we pursued this!!). Being the curious type, I jumped onto the internet and found a whole bunch of fun info on early text symbols, and fun 🙂 symbols called emoticons. Teaser – the @ symbol was invented more than 400 years before email! Here’s some really great info about text symbols, along with some of my favorite emoticons. I wasn’t able to find an emoticon that reflects my kids rolling their eyes! Enjoy! – or should I say { ^.^ }

Conversation Hearts

February 13, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

With Valentine’s Day coming up, you can show your love in a bunch of different ways – a dozen red roses, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a home-cooked meal, a candlelight dinner night out, a love letter (not email!!), or a classic gesture, a little sweeter … a box of Sweethearts conversation hearts. These classic treats are the only ones to state right on the candy how much you adore that special person in your life, sharing simple messages such as “Kiss Me,” “Be Mine”, “Love U,” and more with your valentine. I still remember as a kid having these candies around the house and at school (they sort of taste like sweet chalk). My girls would bring them home from school, organize them by saying and color, and then begin trading! My grandkids enjoy looking through the bowl for just the right one, running over to say “hey Grandpa”, showing me what they found, then quickly eating it while running away giggling. Of course, I need to do the same while adding chasing, yelling, and tickling to the mix! Originating in the mid-19th century, these little “messages” remain one of the most popular ways to share a Valentine’s Day “kiss”. Here is some history and facts about the candies, and the meaning behind signing cards with “XOXO”. SMOOOCH – Enjoy!

Winter Words

February 6, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

“Winter” means different things around the United States. Here in Cleveland, it is associated with snow scrapers, salt trucks, slush (Ugh!), heavy coats, and frozen faces. Folks in New England can almost guarantee they’ll have lots of snow, while Floridians might see a few flurries every few years. On the West Coast, in Los Angeles, temperatures might not even dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit most days- that would be so boring! As regions across the country experience winter weather very differently, weather forecasters have developed special language for winter weather occurrences (my favorite is bomb cyclone, but I think that is a little dramatic)! I did some research and found some of the more popular storm names and definitions, along with winter words no longer in use. You will really be able to impress your friends with some of the following words! Stay warm and enjoy!

Wham-O & The Pluto Platter

January 30, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Just the word Wham-O, and I immediately think of my childhood and fun toys – hula hoops, super balls, slip n slide, hacky sacks, and of course, frisbees. There are not many toys out there as easy, fun, and everlasting as a frisbee. Before it was a staple of college quads, picnics, beach days, and backyard games, it was actually just a pie tin. My kids and now grandkids love throwing/trying to throw the frisbees – especially AT Grandpa and Grandma! Read more

Drifting Away

January 23, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Growing up and living most of my life in Northeast Ohio gives me a somewhat unique perspective on snow, snowstorms, and snow drifts. I can’t count how many times I’ve ventured down the driveway to shovel, only to find a big drift wrapping around the car or garage. Part PIA (pain in the @%$) and part beauty, I find myself slice carving sections out with my shovel to then throw the snow onto the lawn, clearing the driveway (for a little while). I can remember, as a kid back in 1978, before I-480 was opened, we were driving down Brookpark Road by the Cleveland Hopkins Airport – the snow was so high that we could not see over the fences on either side of the road, just a long white tunnel! That year, we also had drifts of almost 40’! For those of you who live in the northeast, you’ve likely noticed how storms are less severe than years ago (“when I was a kid, we walked 8 miles to school, barefoot, against the wind both ways, without jackets…”). Even though I’m fascinated by the drifts, at times, I must admit, sometimes they are a “pain”. These days I have a very nice snowblower, which allows me to occasionally start at my driveway and proceed down to the corner of the street and come back!! Yup -a man with his toys! Here’s some cool science about snow and drifts I think you’ll find fascinating, along with a bit of big storms trivia. Stay warm and enjoy!

Body Beautiful

January 16, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

It’s easy to take our bodies for granted, but if you stop and think about it, they’re home to an array of wonders. Consider, for example, that our eyes can see distant galaxies, our hair contains traces of gold, and our veins could stretch for 60,000 miles if laid end to end (that’s enough to go around the world twice). I did some fact-finding and gathered some fascinating facts about the human body. Now I realize that this post is much longer than most. I couldn’t help myself; there are so many incredible facts! Perfect for wowing your friends or, in my case, making my girls and Jackie just shake their heads! Enjoy!

Time To Step Up

January 9, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Now that we’ve turned the corner on 2026, you’re likely thinking about starting the year off right with better exercise and diet. Did you know next Wednesday is National Take the Stairs Day? It’s a quirky, uplifting celebration that encourages everyone – office workers, students, and public officials alike – to skip the elevator and climb the stairs for a healthier lifestyle. For me, I’m lucky that my office is on the second floor here at KHT World headquarters (that’s fun to write!). So often during the day, I scoot down the back stairs, onto the shop floor to check on your PIA (pain in the @%$) Jobs! It’s not a long descent or climb, but it does get me out of my chair and moving. In the town I live in, I’m blessed to have stair access to Lake Erie. Jackie and I love to head over to the lakefront and make our way down to the sand and surf. I’ll admit, the walk back up does test my lungs every time I do it! I can feel it in my calves too! At first, I thought the celebration day was a bit silly, but thinking a bit more about it, it made sense to share. Here’s some fun info on the day, and more about “steps” I hope you enjoy – I sure learned a lot doing my research. Enjoy!