Barb Best

Cheer Up!

A noxious mood state is a nice place to visit, but you don’t want to live there all winter.

Experiencing the arctic vortex or a rash of flash flooding and mudslides can put the sunniest of us souls in a sour mood.

Musings

We all agree – watching the news is about as much fun as chewing on foil.

If my professional medical detection dog and my certified therapy dog have puppies… will the puppies be guaranteed jobs in healthcare? I hope so.

Sure, a hand blender looks like a vibrator, but that doesn’t mean you can bake your cake and knead it, too.

Reminder

A severe case of scabies can make you count your blessings, Missy!

Practice selective self-care. Chug those vitamins and supplements down with a glass of crisp Chardonnay.

There are no 1st world problems that a wood chipper can’t solve.

Suggestion

Consider whole body cryotherapy only as a last resort.

Say Bye Bye to Winter Blahs

Tweet Tweet

See you on Twitter! I’m @HaBarb

No Kidding! 5 Reasons You Are Anxious and Depressed

Minimalism: A few thoughts

First, the word “minimalism” – for God’s sake, it’s 10 letters and 5 syllables!

Why the #&!# not a shorter word…

… for a concept and practice that embodies simplicity and “less?”

If you are one hot mess short of being a certified hoarder, minimalism may be the answer.

What Is Minimalism?

It’s a thriving movement. It promises the average packrat “joy” through simplicity.  […]

There are many lessons to be learned when evacuating from an active wildfire zone.

Wildfire

“Wind’s in the East…mist coming in.

Like something is brewing, about to begin.

Can’t put my finger…on what lies in store, but I fear what’s to happen all happened before.”

– Bert in Mary Poppins

Breathe

Remember to breathe!  But only with a N95 respirator mask so you can screen out hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, acrolein, and random farts.

Soot happens. You’ll likely resemble Dick Van Dyke as Bert the chimney sweeper in Mary Poppins.

[…]

Look for the Helpers

Photo Credit: By Dr. François S. Clemmons – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41429120

Mr. Rogers had good advice…

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'”

YO!

Often, these special people will seek you out.

They will take you in, comfort you, and shower you with kindness, generosity, and love. […]

I need a fitbit for my brain, not my feet

We have fitness trackers that measure steps taken, miles logged, territory traversed.

Wearable technology enables us to monitor and access a vast world of valuable information.

For instance, a tracker will tell us if we’re a slacker when it comes to physical exercise.

That’s dandy, but…

Why not a tracker for our brain activity?

I want to track my daily thoughts, ideas, creative bursts, flights of fancy, feelings, dreams, and left brain vs. right brain activity.

How about measuring memories made and recovered?

Daily monitoring of moods and musings?

Instead of steps, how ’bout depths? Concepts? […]

Are you a worry wart?

Guatemalan Worry Dolls

15 Things I’m NOT Worried About… Yet

• Ebola growing in my Brita filter

• Pumpkin spice is back with a vengeance.

[…]

Testing… 1 – 2 – 3… Testing

There is available at-home genetic testing for likely traits such as cilantro aversion, earwax type (wet? dark-colored? sticky? Gross!), photic sneeze reflex (whatever that is), asparagus odor detection, and unibrow.

Seriously, do you need a DNA test to confirm your hair color (unless you actually can’t recall your original color) or remind you that you can smell asparagus in your pee?

Traits We Really Want To Know If We’re Carrying

• Smart Ass gene
• Propensity to drown in credit card debt
• Pathological Liar
• Lucky in love

[…]

Too much reading or watching the news is hazardous to your health.

Too much information, too much commentary will surely make you ill.

There should be a warning label on TV remotes:

“Watching TV cable news can be dangerous to your health.”

Forget opioid addiction – news junkies are now checking into rehab centers by the scores.

Take a break from breaking news!

Before your head explodes,

may I suggest some pleasure reading? […]

Technology is amazing.

Timesaving.

Stimulating.

Empowering.

Entertaining.

Seductive.

BUT…

• Must you count every step you take? Fascinating at first, mundane after a week.

• Do you desire a smart house? If you want to be surrounded by a superior intelligence – get a cat!

• Seriously… do you need a motion-activated, glowing LED illuminated toilet seat?

[…]

Alternative Uses for your $350, 15 Pound Anti-Anxiety Blanket

Anti-Anxiety blankets for adults are all the rage.

They come in varying weights – heavy and heavier.

They are advertised as being the solution to all of your problems with insomnia, anxiety, depression, Asperger’s, chronic back pain, red velvet cupcake cravings, extreme couponing, and the bovine blues.

Plus, they are more FUN than a strait jacket!

However

If for some reason, your weighted blanket doesn’t calm you, but instead causes sleep paralysis or nightmares that you’re being suffocated by a colossal beanbag…

Eureka!

Alternative Uses for your $350, 15 Pound Anti-Anxiety Blanket

1. Functions as a saddle when giving young children horsey rides or for your own equine pleasure with consenting adults.

2. Great for muscle toning. Pump like barbells. It’s never too early to fend off osteopenia, pop a neck vein, or jerk yourself a hiatal hernia.

[…]