Welcome to The Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for August 6th.
Today is National Root Beer Float Day, and honestly, is there a more perfectly nostalgic treat? The root beer float – or as some call it, the "brown cow" – is pure Americana in a glass. It's that magical moment when fizzy root beer meets creamy vanilla ice cream, creating something that's greater than the sum of its parts.

The root beer float was invented in 1893 by Frank J. Wisner, the owner of Cripple Creek Brewing in Colorado. Legend has it that the snowy peaks of Cow Mountain inspired him to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to his root beer, creating what he called a "Black Cow." And just like that, a summer classic was born.

There's something beautifully simple about a root beer float – it doesn't need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques. Just two things that taste great together, combined with a little bit of fizzy magic and a lot of childhood wonder.
Which brings us to today's quote from Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets, who once said:"Life's like a movie, write your own ending, keep believing, keep pretending."Now Jim Henson understood something profound about keeping that childlike sense of wonder alive. He spent his career creating characters that reminded adults what it felt like to see the world through young eyes – full of possibility, imagination, and yes, simple pleasures.

A root beer float is exactly that kind of simple pleasure. It's the kind of treat that makes you feel like a kid again, even if you're ordering it at a fancy restaurant or making it in your own kitchen at age 45. There's something about that first sip – the way the foam tickles your nose, the perfect balance of sweet and fizzy – that takes you right back to summer afternoons and simpler times.

Henson's quote reminds us that we get to choose how our story goes. We can be the adults who say "root beer floats are just sugar and calories," or we can be the adults who say "let's make this Tuesday a little more magical with some vanilla ice cream and root beer."

The beauty of a root beer float – and life, really – is in the combination. Neither ingredient is revolutionary on its own, but together? They create something that brings joy, nostalgia, and a little bit of effervescent wonder to an ordinary day.But for me, even now when I see root beer floats on a menu I feel a little nostalgia as I remember the fizzy creamy goodness.So today, whether you actually make yourself a root beer float or just hold onto the memory of one, remember Jim Henson's wisdom. Keep believing in the simple magic around you. Keep pretending that ordinary moments can be extraordinary if you approach them with the right spirit.Life's better when you remember to add a little sweetness and let it fizz.

That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for now but I'll be back tomorrow, same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.