Hairy Heirs ~ Pet Bequests March 17, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Animals, Life Balance, People.13 comments
Want to set up a kitty for kitty?
This article on the ins and outs of setting up a pet trust may be of interest to the animal lover in you:
What’s In The Kitty? Pet Bequests Aren’t Only For The Rich And Famous
Special considerations apply if your pet has a l-o-n-g life expectancy, like a tortoise or a parrot.
Knowing your beloved pet(s) will be cared for however long they live may provide you with the peace of mind you need to breathe easy right here and now!
Aah . . . that’s better!
No iPod Required March 13, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Happiness, Life Balance, Nature.35 comments
Have you ever noticed that bikers, walkers and runners wearing headsets look decidedly less relaxed and happy than those without cords sticking out of their ears?
On more than one occasion, I’ve noticed that those sprouting ear buds feature frowns on their faces as they move through their paces.
In contrast, those without a techno-gadget clipped to their belt, or held in their hand, seem more inclined to radiate happiness as they commune with sky, trees, water, birds, flowers, and the occasional splash of flying fish.
Connecting with nature connects us with the moment. As we tune in to the here and now, our inner bliss surfaces suffusing us with joy.
No iPod required.
Aah . . . that’s better!
A Quick Quiz March 9, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Life Balance, Mindfulness, Word Play.31 comments
What iconic landmark springs to mind when someone says:
“Architecturally and culturally speaking, it’s Miami’s Eiffel Tower.”
C’mon. Give it a go!
What world famous building or structure is worthy to be referred to as “Miami’s Eiffel Tower”?
It’s famous.
World famous.
It’s iconic.
It’s a landmark.
It’s located in Miami.
C’mon.
This should be the easiest quiz ever!
Then again, maybe, just maybe, the description threw you off.
Maybe the structure in question is NONE of those things.
Here it is . . .
Do you recognize it?
Would you describe it by saying:
“Architecturally and culturally speaking, it’s Miami’s Eiffel Tower.”
No?
Neither would I.
Maybe the inflated description used by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to describe Miami’s Marine Stadium is just ridiculous hyperbole used in an attempt to elevate the mundane to the magical.
Why do people use such ridiculous hyperbole?
To gain airspace?
To get people to tune in and listen?
To raise money for “good causes”?
To assuage low self-esteem?
More to the point ~> how can we make them stop?
I know! Maybe we need to get better at tuning them out.
Mais oui!
Exactement!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related: Miami Marine Stadium’s History and Planned Restoration
RX = Nature March 2, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Health & Wellness, Life Balance.28 comments
Now that the days are getting longer and warmer, head to the park for some R&R.
Doctors orders!
Spending time outdoors, especially in green spaces, is one of the fastest ways to improve your health and happiness. It’s been shown to lower stress, blood pressure and heart rate, while encouraging physical activity and buoying mood and mental health. Some research even suggests that green space is associated with a lower risk of developing psychiatric disorders — all findings that doctors are increasingly taking seriously and relaying to their patients.
***
The medical community is increasingly viewing green space as a place for their patients to reap physical and mental health benefits. Some physicians, like Dr. Robert Zarr, a pediatrician in Washington, D.C., are even writing prescriptions for it.
These “nature prescriptions” — therapies that are redeemable only outdoors, in the fresh air of a local park — advise patients to spend an hour each week playing tennis, for instance, or to explore all the soccer fields near their home. The scripts are recorded in his patients’ electronic health records.
To read more: Here’s What Being Outside Can Do For Your Health
Aah . . . that’s better!
3-Minute Mindfulness February 25, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Health & Wellness, Life Balance, Mindfulness.8 comments
Want to learn how to “keep calm and carry on” when life tosses you a curve ball?
David (at Raptitude) is offering a free mindfulness course with 5 simple lessons:
It will teach you:
- What mindfulness actually is
- Three ways you can practice it anytime, anywhere
- Why you might want to do that
Your homework is literally one minute a day.
Got that? Five quick lessons in five days.
Interested?
Sign up HERE by providing your e-mail address. The lessons will arrive in your e-mail box at no charge.
At the conclusion of the course, you’ll get information on signing up for Camp Calm (David’s 30 day meditation course), along with other tips and techniques to reinforce your new mindfulness practice.
There is NO obligation to enroll in Camp Calm. Per David: “If you just want to do the mini-course and leave it at that—no worries, and no hard feelings.”
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related: A Simple Trick For Becoming A Calmer Person (Raptitude)
That’s Cool! February 16, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Health & Wellness, Life Balance.23 comments
Some of you might be interested in this article from MIT Technology Review about a recently developed fabric that helps keep you in comfort:
A new fabric, developed by a team at the University of Maryland, is the first to automatically warm wearers up or cool them down as needed.
When you’re feeling hot and sweaty—when playing sports, say— the fabric lets infrared radiation (heat, to you and me) pass through. But when you’re colder and drier, it traps the heat in.
To read more: This new fabric will automatically cool you down when you get hot and sweaty
Aah . . . that’s better!
The Green Book February 11, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Life Balance, People, Travel & Leisure.24 comments
The Green Book: a Historic Travel Guide is now the focus of a movie about a black musician traveling through the country.
This video (by the National Trust for Historic Preservation) provides a fascinating backdrop to that movie:
Green means GO! Let’s keep going.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Time Flies! February 9, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Life Balance, Mindfulness.24 comments
Times Flies!
Lucky for you . . . you’re the pilot!
Aah . . . that’s better!
The Loneliest Number February 2, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Home & Garden, Humor, Less IS More, Life Balance.34 comments
The other day, the rains reminded me of heading to the bus stop in the pouring rain during elementary and high school. Armed with nothing more than school books to cover our heads, we would stand stoically in the downpour until the bus came to pick us up.
Why didn’t we take umbrellas?
Umbrellas were few and far between in our house.
Six people. One umbrella. You do the math.
A few parents took pity on their progeny by driving them to the bus stop and allowing them to dwell within the confines of the car and avoid the relentless condensation just outside the window.
Winning a seat in one of those waiting vehicles was a big win! So it paid to be friendly with ALL the kids that shared the bus stop so they would be inclined to roll down the window and invite you to join them.
Yes! SCORE!
Umbrellas were not the only staple in our household that remained in perpetually short supply. We also had ONE stapler for 6 of us. And ONE tape dispenser. And ONE pair of scissors . . . too blunt to be of any real use.
When the power went out, as it was wont to do during summer storms, we had ONE flashlight . . . and lots of candles!
My mother also rationed tissues. Around the house, we had 4 tissue dispensers. One in the kids bath. One in the master bath. One in the powder room. One in the kitchen. But only the kitchen dispenser reliably dispensed tissues. The bathroom dispensers were empty more often than not.
Maybe my mother fixated on the number ONE because she was an only child? That could be it. Or maybe she just never stopped long enough to do the math?
No matter. I have just the opposite philosophy when it comes to household staples, even though I am in all other respects a firm advocate for the “less is more” philosophy.
Between us, BFF and I have: 6 flashlights, 5 tissue boxes (all filled), 4 umbrellas, 3 scissors, 2 tape dispensers . . . and ONE stapler!
Because, after all, it’s a rare household that needs more than one stapler at a time.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Tea For Three January 11, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Less IS More, Life Balance.30 comments
On New Year’s Eve, we invited a friend over for “Afternoon Tea” (a euphemism for over-indulging on baked goods and sweet treats).
I managed to put together an assortment of pastries from a number of high caloric offerings that had infiltrated our kitchen over the holidays ~> Cherry Squares, Stollen, Brownies, Grandma’s Coffee Cake, Macademia Nut Toffee.
Not wanting anyone to O.D. on sugar, I also put out some raw veggies with garlic herb dip, chips, fresh tomato salsa, and black olives. (Not exactly a balanced meal, but not quite so lopsided as it looked at first blush.)
The good news: we managed to make it through the holidays without succumbing to a sugar coma . . . or turning into roly-poly snowmen!
Aah . . . that’s better!
