Move over pumpkin latte, gingerbread and eggnog are in town.

‘Tis the season, for holiday themed drinks and treats. 

Dunkin’ Donuts has already rolled out it’s seasonal favorites like the Red Velvet Drizzle Donut and the Holiday Star. They’ve also got two new winter wonders this year, the Red Velvet Latte and the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

Starbucks is celebrating the season early too, already serving their signature drinks in holiday red cups. The eggnog and peppermint lattes are back, as are the gingerbread and caramel brulee drinks. New to the menu are some trendy toppings, including spiced whipped cream and real molasses drizzle. 

Do you giggle when somebody falls down. Don’t feel bad.

Do you feel the urge to laugh when someone else fails? 

While that might seem a little harsh, it’s a perfectly normal reaction. It’s a phenomenon known as shadenfreude. That’s a German compound word meaning damage and joy. Research from Princeton University found that most of us feel a sudden mix of emotions at the misfortune of others from time to time. It’s a reaction triggered by a sudden boost of self esteem or victory at someone else’s expense. 

So are you evil if you giggle at someone else’s blunder or fall? Not necessarily. Blame shadenfreude. That simultaneous feeling of superiority and concern can manifest itself in the form of seemingly inappropriate laughter. 

How about a little rat hair with your meal?

The right spices can make or break a recipe - but wait until you hear what we might be shaking into our food. 

A new FDA report, “Pathogens and Filth in Spices,” says 12% of our favorite spices are actually contaminated with exotic extras like bug parts, rodent hairs and worse. About 7% of the imports were found to tainted with salmonella. 

Most of our spices are imported from far away places, and the complex chain of supply and packaging is difficult to monitor. As disgusting as it sounds, very few people actually get sick from the creepy ingredients. However, the FDA says it’s hard to know for sure because people don’t often consider the spices they’ve consumed when they do come down with some sort of foodborne illness. 

To make a really good impression on a job interview - you MUST do this first...

You’ll need to brush up on more than your handshake and eye contact for your next job interview. 

In order to make a lasting impression, you’ll need to do some research ahead of time. The experts at GlassDoor suggest you dig a little deeper than the company’s website. You’ll want to look into their competition, target audience, customers or clients as well. It’s also a really good idea to check out any social media they participate in. Knowing what’s trending and important in their world will give you the upper hand in the interview and show them you’re ready to hit the ground running. 

If you know who you’ll be interviewing with, don’t be afraid to do a little stalking there too. Checking their LinkedIn or social media will give you a sense of who you are and help you connect with them on a more personal level.

If you’ve just got to have that midnight snack - have this...

Midnight snacking is a bad habit - so you might as well make the best of it. 

According to Danielle Omar, a registered dietitian, a bowl of cereal is your best bet at bedtime. She says eating that combination of carbohydrates and protein helps trigger the production of melatonin and might actually help you get to sleep. Some other good choices are cheese and crackers, cottage cheese and fruit, oatmeal with milk or a banana. 

You’re a better person in the morning than at night.

You may wake up a good person, but it’s all downhill from there.

It’s known as “morning morality” in psychological circles.  Studies have found that most of us experience our morality peak in the morning hours.  That’s the time of day we’re least likely to cheat, lie or cut corners.  As the day goes on, life’s distractions tend to desensitise our moral fiber a bit.  When the sun goes down, we’re naturally less inhibited, which could trigger immoral behavior.

If you’ve got a big decision to make, you’re more likely to make a more responsible choice after breakfast - but before lunch.

Don’t sit up straight. Why that’s actually bad for your back...

We’re told from an early age to sit up straight - but some experts say that’s bad advice for your back. 

Dr. Waseem Bashir, of University of Alberta Hospital in Canada, says sitting straight up in a chair puts strain on the spine and ligaments, and over time, that can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness.

This doesn’t give us permission to slouch or lean forward, that’s even worse. The best position for your back is leaning slightly back, at an angle of about 135 degrees. If you work at a computer, give your back a break and recline a bit. And don’t forget to get up and walk around often. It’s one of the best things you can do for your back.

It’s Movember again - but don’t ditch your razor just yet. The hairy rules...

Movember is here. 

Lots of men will start growing their mustaches this month, raising awareness for men’s health. If you’re tempted to ditch the razor, hang on, there are some rules. You have to start clean-shaven. No beards allowed. You’re not supposed to let your sideburns touch your stache either. You’ll also have to trim and groom your mustache for the whole month. 

There are a lot of styles to choose from including the Trucker, the Boxcar, the Abracadabra, the Rock Star, the Connoisseur, the Wisp, the After Eight and the Undercover Brother. You can register for Movember on your own or as part of a team. Just go to Movember.com or check Movember out on Facebook or Twitter. 

Are you passive-aggressive? WhatEVER!

Whatever. That’s a passive aggressive statement. 

A lot of us make them every day - and here is a list of the most common offending phrases that suggest your a PAP - a passive aggressive person:

* "I'm not mad." Denying feelings is typical PAP behavior.

* "Fine." "Whatever." Shutting down or sulking is a favorite strategy for PAPs.

* "I'm coming!" Passive aggressive persons will often verbally comply with a request, then slow down on completion.

* "I thought you knew." or “I told you that.” PAPs would rather make the other person feel at fault than admit their own.

* "Just kidding." Backhanded compliments or sarcasm - classic PAP.

The first thing people notice about you are your eyes. What they see next...

Your eyes are your most important feature when making a first impression. Your teeth are next in line. 

According to a study by Kelton Research, not only do we notice people’s teeth, we form subconscious opinions about them. People with straight teeth are perceived as happier, friendlier, more popular and more trustworthy than those with crooked teeth. 

If you’ve got crooked teeth, lets hope you have a good complexion, that’s what we notice next, followed by your nose.

Your sick? Please DON’T go to work.

If you’re sick, please stay home from work or school. 

It’s a request from your co-workers - and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They’d like you to stop running errands too when you’re sick. Of course those sick days could add up. If you must go, do the rest of us a favor and take these precautions:

* Let people know and keep your distance. It’s easy to forget when you’re touching community stuff - but at least give your co-workers the opportunity to protect themselves.

* Wash your hands a lot. Show your colleagues you’re making an effort and have plenty of tissues and hand sanitizer within reach at all times.

* Clean and disinfect the surfaces you’ve contaminated - and you’re less likely to be blamed for spreading your cooties. Don’t forget the doorknobs and don’t share pens. 

Feel a cold coming on? Black pepper to the rescue!

The next time you feel a cold coming on, use black pepper - LOTS of black pepper. 

Black pepper acts like an expectorant that helps to thin mucus and reduce congestion. The piperine in black pepper is a known antioxidant with anti-fever and pain-relieving properties too. 

Black pepper is chock full of healthy elements, including vitamins A and C, zinc, iron and folic acid. There are lots of ancient black pepper cold remedies, but just using it generously on your food at the onset of a cold can help to lessen severity and provide some symptom relief.

Happy birthday! Where to find your presents...

You may have missed a few presents on your last birthday. 

Make your next one extra happy with some free stuff. A lot of retailers have secret birthday specials just waiting for you to open on your big day:

* Stores like American Eagle, Old Navy, Sephora, Payless Shoes and Victoria’s Secret All have birthday discounts - and AMF 

* Restaurants like Denny’s and IHOP have a free birthday breakfast, Black Angus has your free steak dinner and Baskin-Robbins has your desert!

* After dinner, bowl for free at AMF Bowling or maybe even take in a free movie at your favorite theater. 

For a list of birthday surprises, just search birthday freebies online, browse this year’s selection and plan your celebration.

Do you get gas for your mower or blower at the gas station? That could be a problem.

Don’t be surprised if you start seeing new signs at the gas station that say “LOOK BEFORE YOU PUMP!” 

Those signs are intended to raise awareness that we shouldn’t be putting “car” gas into our lawn mowers, leaf or snow blowers, or other small engines. According to Consumer Reports, since the EPA has approved the sale of E15 gasoline, with 15% ethanol, most of don’t see the small warning sticker on gas pumps regarding small engines. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute has stepped in with the new “Look Before You Pump” campaign.

So where should you get gas for your mower or blower? Ethanol-free fuel can be found at some home centers such as Sears, Home Depot and Lowe’s. It costs about $5 to $8 a quart.

Somebody wants your leftover Halloween candy. How to treat the troops...

If you’ve got leftover Halloween candy, some U.S. Troops would be happy to eat it for you. 

Operation Gratitude’s Halloween Candy BuyBack program is underway and dentist offices across the land are collecting Halloween candy to treat the troops. To find a participating dentist near you, go to HalloweenCandyBuyBack.com and enter your zip code. Most programs run through mid-November. You can also donate on your own or check out their Facebook page at Halloween Candy BuyBack Program.

No candy left? No problem. Operation Gratitude is also accepting donations of dental hygiene products such as toothpaste and toothbrushes, mouthwash, dental floss and commercially-sealed lip balm to help keep your troops smiling.