Kiss and FAIL

How much does a bad first kiss affect a relationship?

If you’re wondering how important that first kiss is – the answer is VERY. According to a smooching survey – 59% of men and 66% of women have actually abandoned that potential relationship due to a bad kisser. Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of “The Science of Kissing,” says kissing is one of the most intense emotional triggers we experience. Even just a brush of the lips stimulates a large part of the brain. If something is off with that first kiss – the negative reaction can be just as powerful.

Least Favorite Color

Not many people would list mauve or taupe as their favorite color.

There’s a good reason blue is the most common favorite – we associate that with clear skies and clean water. Scientists say that most people are naturally attracted to the colors of things that are good for us. Odd or muddy colors are at the bottom of the favorites list because our instincts might associate them with biological waste or rotting foods. The least favorite colors is yellow-green – it signals toxicity for most people.

Enough About Me...

Enough about me – let’s talk about me...

If you know someone whose favorite subject is them – it can be exhausting. Miss Manners, Judith Martin, has four words for them. “How nice for YOU.” If you’re stuck with a bragger as a friend, co-worker or family member – consider sticking to that line and emphasize the word “you.” Eventually – they should get the message and realize the conversation is one-sided and boring for the other person.

Don't Click That!

Have you been clickjacked lately?

You’ve probably seen some of those links posted on Facebook or Twitter with shocking news regarding that school teacher, the tsunami whale or Miley Cyrus. If you clicked on those – you’ve probably been clickjacked! Clickjacking is the latest technique used by hackers to get your information, passwords, contact lists and basically screw up your computer. There’s not much you can do to avoid it – other than NEVER clicking any links which is not very realistic. The software that’s been developed to block clickjacking does work – but unfortunately it prevents most legitimate links from working too.

The security firm Sophos recommends deleting any entries on your news feeds related to links that seem a bit off or unfamiliar. Also – double check your profile and info pages to be sure no links or pages have been added by someone other than you.

Bee Friendly

You may have heard that honeybees are hurting. YOU can help!

Honeybees are critical for pollination – and their population has plunged over the past few years. There is something we can do to help – we can make our spring and summer gardens bee-friendly. Bees LOVE stripes and see them as little landing strips. Some bee favorites are striped varieties of snapdragons, petunias and lilies. Bees also love purple cone flowers and red blossoms like roses, hibiscus and zinnias.

Measuring Up

You don’t have to be a star athlete or an A student to get a scholarship – if you’re tall...

If you know any tall high school students – make sure they know about the Tall Club International scholarship – it’s worth $1,000 for girls over 5’10” and guys over 6’2”. Not tall? How about a lefty? The Juanita College in Pennsylvania has a scholarship for that.

If you’re handy with duct tape – check out the “Stuck at Prom” contest where $3,000 scholarships go to applicants who create couples’ prom outfits entirely out of duct tape. And if you see dead people – the Parapsychology Foundation has scholarships and travel packages for students attending their conferences.

Source: FinAid.org

Diet Friendly Carbs

Avoiding carbs to for weight loss gets a lot of press – but some carbs can actually HELP you lose weight.

If you like carbs – you’ll LOVE this diet. Health.com has a list of foods with resistant starch which helps us eat less, burn more calories, feel more energized and less stressed, and even lower cholesterol. Here’s what’s on the menu:

 

• Bananas

• Oatmeal

• Potatoes

• White beans

• Whole wheat pasta

• Brown rice

The trick to using resistant starch for weight loss is to get enough – most of us don’t. Try to get 10 to 15 grams of it into your diet each day.

Happy Pill

If you’re in a bad mood – you probably have a pill that can help. ..

The next time you’re in a crummy mood – try popping a Tylenol. University of Florida researchers say it helped people who were lonely or had their feelings hurt feel better. Acetaminophen affects the part of the brain that governs emotions. 500 mg. in the morning and again at night is the recommended dosage – but for no longer than 10 days.

Old Skills

Do you know how to drive a stick shift?

When is the last time you hemmed a pair of pants or sharpened a knife? Here are some more basic life skills that we’re NOT teaching our kids:

• Drive a stick shift

• Cook from scratch

• Check the oil in the car

• Sew on a button

• Simple carpentry
• Cut hair

• Penmanship

When baby boomers were newlyweds, 80% of them knew how to make a roast – less than half of today’s newlyweds know how to do that. In the 1970s – 70% of men learned basic home repair skills from their dads – now it’s less than 40%.

Over-Brushing

Could you be brushing your teeth too much?

If you brush your teeth for more than two minutes – you could be dulling them. According to the Newcastle University School of Dental Sciences – two minutes should be the max. Brushing for any longer can actually thin out the protective enamel layer that helps keep our teeth bright and shiny.

Twice a day should be enough – and always use a soft bristled toothbrush. It’s not necessary to brush after every meal – but if you can, rinse with water after after eating or drinking during the day.

Love Letter

When is the last time you wrote a love letter?

Modern life and instant communication has taken a toll on one romantic classic – the love letter. According to Brett McKay, author of “The Art of Manliness,” there is no substitute for a tangible love letter. We write, touch, exchange and hold it – and no email or text could ever compete with that. While actions speak louder than words – a love letter is a great tool for expressing what you feel and might not always say. Chances are it will be saved and cherished. What if you break up? That love letter will come in handy again – for tearing, burning or lining the bird cage.

Plug It In

If you’ve gone wireless – and don’t even know where that Ethernet cord is anymore – you might want to dig it up.

There are a few things we do on the computer that will go a LOT smoother when you’re really plugged in. Video chatting is the most noticeable one. According to PC World - wireless connections work about 30% SLOWER than cables in most homes and offices. You won’t really notice that lack of speed much with regular browsing on your computer – but if you’re chatting, downloading or streaming – a cable connection is the way to go.

Precious Sleep

What’s more important – food or sleep?

If we were forced to choose between food and sleep – sleep would win. The average person can go a LOT longer without food than without sleep – as long as a month or two, depending on the factors. The longest recorded time someone has gone without sleep is only 11 days. If we’re deprived of food – we’ll be miserable – but sleep deprived people experience radical personality and psychological changes after just a few days.

Start to Finish

If you’re trying to tackle a big project – ask yourself this...

If you dread STARTING that big spring cleaning project – try FINISHING something instead. Julie Morgenstern, author of “Shed Your Stuff,” says the key is completion. She suggests asking yourself “What can I finish?” instead of “What can I start.” Big projects are much more manageable when we break them down into smaller tasks we know we can complete. The same rule applies to work – bosses and co-workers like to hear what you’ve done – not what you’re working on.

What's the Password?

When is the last time you changed your passwords?

We’re supposed to change our passwords every few months – and they should all be different. If remembering them seems like a challenge – try some word association. If Facebook reminds you of college – there you go. If paying the bills is a pain in the neck - there’s a banking password in there somewhere. It’s okay to keep track of your passwords by writing them down – just be sure you’re the only one who knows where that is – marking the words in a dictionary is a good option, just don’t leave that sitting next to your computer.