I became a bit of a WD-40 nerd for a few days while I was researching and writing today’s People at Work story about Garry O. Ridge, CEO of the San Diego-based manufacturer of the popular do-all product in the blue-and-yellow can.

Here’s a link to a snopes.com article debunking one of those pesky forwarded e-mails you get from your Aunt Sue. The original e-mail includes a numbered list of things WD-40 can do. Snopes asked WD-40 company reps to check the list, and they “removed the tips we do not recommend.”

Among those removed: No. 7, “Keeps flies off cows” and No. 36, “Folks even spray it on their arms, hands and knees to relieve arthritis pain.”

Here’s the official, WD-40 Fan Club list of 2,000 uses for the product. A few of my favorites:

  • Cleans peanut butter from shoestrings
  • Removes melted scotch tape from dining room table
  • Removes dog slobber from dash and seats in vehicle.

And here’s a bit that didn’t fit in my story about Ridge. He told me he lives every day with this thought in mind: Whatever I’m doing, it’d better be worth it, because I’m giving up a day in my life for it.

To that end, here’s how Ridge signs his e-mails:

– Believe in yourself
– Never give up
– Take one day at a time

We all have something significant yet to do !!!

KELLY BENNETT

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