Saturday, October 29, 2016

Where the Wind Blows




Today feels like October. It’s a blustery day as Winnie-the-Pooh would say. I’m amazed at how the wind can be a gentle breeze or whip up into a whirling tornado. Recently weather experts found that wind bursts from clouds may be blasting into the ocean creating massive waves in the Bermuda Triangle area. Here’s the full scoop:

                                         https://youtu.be/swVs_lYHF3g

 News outlets ran with the story and reported that the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle had finally been solved after years of ship and plane disappearances in the area. But, the expert who initiated the wind burst theory denied setting out to solve the Bermuda Triangle mystery. In fact, he never made a connection between the mysterious disappearances and the wind bursts he discovered. So, the mystery remains unsolved and the research continues. You’d think that, given our technology and smarts, we would know the answers to certain things by now. What kind of mystery can you explain?




Saturday, October 22, 2016

A Friend to the End?


Our family dealt with a malfunctioning cell phone this week. You know it feels awful to leave your phone at home—double that feeling when it’s broken. It’s only when we can’t use our phones that we realize how often we rely on them for music, weather, games, videos, and whichever version of the truth we want to read. Some of us even have Siri, a customizable friend who spits out snappy comebacks to outrageous questions. Cell phones fill so many needs, it’s no wonder we develop phone addictions. Watch how several people react to a phone challenge:


                                     https://youtu.be/_qUZai-kGgA

The video’s funny, but it’s not intended to endorse a product. Consider the challenge. Could you pass it? Track the amount of time you spend on your phone. Is your cell phone your everything, and if not, what is?  


Friday, October 14, 2016

Where’s Home?


They say you can’t go home again. Our family still owns and rents  my childhood home. During the past thirty years, I’ve visited about three times and had an opportunity to roam the rooms again this week. It still amazes me how small everything looks compared to how I thought of it as a child.


                                      This is me in our kitchen at around age 6. 


While touring my former home, I recalled the places where our furniture sat, where my chalkboard stood when I played school, the heating vent I huddled beside after an afternoon of playing in the snow, and the dining room alcove where I played receptionist, taking phone messages for the family. I guess I had an active imagination, and so does this guy:    



                                     https://youtu.be/PHjvySrshVI

  

It's funny how we see things as adults compared to when we were children. This week, I saw that the flooring, paint, and wallpaper I grew up with had disappeared, but the fireplace, iron railing, and built-in kitchen counter remained. My childhood house will never look exactly like my old home, but my feelings about it are the same. When you think of your home, what comes to mind?     


Friday, October 7, 2016

The Path to Peace


 After pulling a solitary stick of gum from its package, I heard a young person sigh and say, “Last piece of happiness.”  If happiness came in a stick of gum, we’d grab onto it and never let go. How different life would be if we only needed a simple stick of gum to make us happy. Some people think happiness is just that easy to obtain. Take a look:

                                         https://youtu.be/sJ8xZtxXLc8



Searching for what makes us happy sometimes leads to everything except happiness. So many people want the easiest path. As the rate of heroine usage climbs, we see the problems with quick-fix tactics. Closing the door on short-term fixes forces us to focus time and money in healthier experiences that bring long-term contentment. They say happiness is fleeting, but joy is eternal. What are you willing to invest in to gain long-term peace and joy?

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Perfect Perspective




Ever notice how gloomy days affect our moods? Since the weather forecast calls for a few more days of rain, we’ll may see a lot more frowns this weekend, and the early setting sun might mean gloomy faces for the next six months. Even if the weather outside is frightful, we know it’s not likely to get this bad:

                                     https://youtu.be/zbgkeca1nPc

As cooler weather moves in, let’s look forward to steamy bowls of chili, mugs of sweet hot chocolate, and evenings huddled around a fireplace. We’ll make the most our gloomy skies. Everything depends on perspective, for instance, despite reports of terrorism and the divisive political climate, what’s the good news?