Debunking Twelve Silly Myths About Cats

by Dictionary Scoop    Cats may be mysterious, but let’s not give them credit for magic tricks they don’t actually perform. Over the years, these curious creatures have picked up numerous myths—some harmless, others simply misleading. Today, we’re debunking 12 common cat myths and setting the record straight. 1-Black cats bring bad luck    Poor black cats! …

Is Small Talk A Big Help In Making Friends?

by Kevin Burton    Are we going today from sublime to ridiculous?  Or is that just my bias?    Yesterday we ran part of a Los Angeles Times story about making friends in our adult years. We finish that story, by reporter Seraphina Seow today.    Psychologists interviewed by The Times, offered five suggestions for …

Rediscovering The Lost Art Of Making Friends

by Seraphina Seow Los Angeles Times    A friend of mine has been hoping to make new friends as a 26-year-old. She’s made every effort to put herself out there: joined clubs, volunteered, initiated catch-ups.    But every time she establishes a new connection, it wanes after a few weeks. She suspects that it may be …

Things Get Better With Age, If You Let Them

By Hannah Singleton National Geographic      While aging is often portrayed as a slow decline, scientists say that view overlooks the bigger picture.    “Everyone talks about aging as this decline,” said Michelle Feng, chief clinical officer at Executive Mental Health and a licensed psychologist who specializes in geriatric psychology and medicine. “But aging …

Lean, Pray, Trust, Love, Just A Little Bit More

by Kevin Burton    I needed this today and I thought some of you might need it too.    This message is written on a 4-by-7 sheet of paper, not attached to anything else. I have it because I have helped my mother move three times in the last seven or eight years. Mom downsized …

The Bright Side, Friend, Is Exceedingly Bright

by Kevin Burton    “Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them,” writes Alistair Begg in a recent Truth For Life e-mail.    If you, like me, could easily substitute your name …

Prepare Yourself For International Kissing Day

 by Kevin Burton     OK, now I’ve got you covered, now I’ve got the goods. Here’s news you can use for sure.    Now this is something worth celebrating. Sunday is International Kissing Day, according to  Nationaltoday.com.    And see, I didn’t do something lame, like posting about it the day of International Kissing Day. …

Putting Sharks And Problems In Their Place

by Kevin Burton     My good friend Tracy sends out riddles and brain-teasers that challenge the mind, thoughts that make me ponder.    This one made me laugh out loud.    It was a trick question, under the heading “Drowning”:    “Imagine you are in a sinking rowboat surrounded by sharks. How would you survive?” …

Singing Good For Baby, Mommy And Daddy

by Kevin Burton    Lullabies or otherwise, sing to your baby. It’s good for all involved.    That’s the finding of a team of scientists who conducted a recent study.     This should be no surprise to anyone. Adding music to just about any setting improves the mood and atmosphere. And who knows, you parents …