Cute! Kitty gets a new home

My friend's mom passed away, and she inherited her two cats. These poor kitties not only lost their momma, but had a very traumatic flight over to Vancouver. The night they came into town I helped her get them set up, and this poor little guy refused to come out of his travel box for the whole night. Don't worry, though, eventually he came out and he is now getting to know his new momma.

Singalong! Jane Says by Jane's Addiction

My first real job was in our local movie theatre. There was a girl on staff who was a grade ahead of me and who generally seemed like the coolest person in the world: she was sort of punk, sort of goth, sort of emo, and sort of just whatever her thing was. She was really into Jane's Addiction, and would talk about them all the time. This was right around the very early of the days of downloading music (remember Napster, anyone?), and Jane Says by Jane's Addiction was one of the first songs I downloaded. It was awesome! For whatever reason I have never listened to a single other song by Jane's Addiction, but I figure since the song is about Jane and Jane is in their band name, it's pretty much their flagship song.

JANE SAYS

by Jane's Addiction

Jane says

I'm done with Sergio

He treats me like a ragdoll

She hides

The television

Says I don't owe him nothing,

But if he comes back again

Tell him to wait right here for me

Or just

Try again tomorrow

I'm gonna kick tomorrow

Gonna kick tomorrow

Jane says

Have you seen my wig around?

I feel naked without it

She knows

They all want her to go

But that's O.K. man

She dont like them anyway

Jane says

She's goin away to spain

When she gets my money saved

I'm gonna start tomorrow

I'm gonna kick tomorrow

Gonna kick tomorrow

She gets mad

Starts to cry

She takes a swing but

She cant hit

She don't mean no harm

She just don't know

What else to do about it

Jane goes

To the store at 8:00

She walk up on St. Andrews

She waits

And gets her dinner there

She pulls her dinner

From her pocket

Jane says

I've never been in love

I don't know what it is

Only knows if someone wants her

I want them if they want me

I only know they want me

She gets mad

And she starts to cry

She takes a swing man

She can hit!

She don't mean no harm

She just don't know

What else to do about it

Jane says

Jane says

Learning! What's the deal with hangovers?

It's always fun to find out about everyday things that scientists still can't really explain.  One of these things is the ubiquitous hangover.

Now, chances are you're already mentally correcting me: "no, Andrea, hangovers are not a mystery - they are caused by dehydration!"  If you are more caught up with the research, you may have replaced dehydration with acetaldehyde, a byproduct our bodies create when they process alcohol.

Well, you'd both be sort of, maybe, kind of, probably right.

The current, most favourite theory is the acetaldehyde theory.  When our bodies process alcohol, the first byproduct is acetaldehyde, a compound more toxic than alcohol itself that causes things like nausea, vomiting, and the sweats.

Other theories include the famous dehydration theory as well as an imbalance of the enzymes NAD+ and NADH.  NADH is used to process alcohol, and when our bodies convert NAD+ into NADH for such a purpose, our cells lose some of their functioning.

Sadly, both the dehydration and enzyme theories have been shown insufficient in studies.

One more promising theory is that it's an immune response, and that our bodies are producing excess cytokines in response to the alcohol we have consumed.  Since cytokines are used to fight infection by producing inflammatory responses, they could very well be making us feel like junk after a night of drinking.

Of course, this doesn't help us prevent hangovers, unless you avoid setting off all these poison-responses in your body by just not drinking at all.

Source: Smithsonian Mag

Me & Ryan Gosling at Thanksgiving Dinner

A few years ago, Ryan happened to be in town over Thanksgiving!  A good friend of mine hosts an "orphans" Thanksgiving dinner every year and even though I have family nearby and don't count as an orphan, I still got to attend.  Probably only because I was bringing Ryan, but that's okay, he's pretty much my ticket into all my friends' parties.

If something looks awkward in this photo, it's because yes, Ryan is sitting on the lap of the girl next to me.  It's cool, we were just playing a game of pass the Ry Ry.

Inspiration! Africans are tweeting beautiful pictures of their lives to fight "poverty-porn"

While I'm not sure I love the use of the word "porn" to describe anything other than actual porn, I love what is happening on Twitter right now with the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou.

To fight the completely one-dimensional image the media is perpetuating about Africa, African people are sharing images on twitter of their beautiful lives.

From these incredible, colourful outfits...

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou check colour-combination 🙌 pic.twitter.com/tWrvkE3cLb

— Poppy Mathobela (@PopMathobela) May 18, 2016

To these incredible landscapes...

The #beauty of '#Ethiopia from the Air and Ground' https://t.co/XNjpYIwOQ5 #travel #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/UCtlhPhD6y

— Ethiopian Embassy UK (@EthioEmbassyUK) May 13, 2016

These awesome celebrations of love...

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Love wins in SA!! pic.twitter.com/r5TdTxosm8

— Gaopalelwe (@Gao_Phala) May 13, 2016

South African Zulu Traditional Wedding #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/M2KdwYe4Jk

— Gaopalelwe (@Gao_Phala) May 13, 2016

And this stunning collection of images shared by @decorsecrets:

Photo shared by @decorsecrets

Be Really Prepared: Taking Chris Hadfield too far

Boy Scouts and Chris Hadfield: always ready.  Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

I just read Chris Hadfield's book where he talks about always being mega-prepared for every possible situation, planning for every detail, and practicing until you can execute a task with your eyes closed (or floating in space with zero gravity when the slightest mistake could kill you and everyone else).

This is great advice for academic and workplace success, as well as other practical endeavours like climbing mountains or learning how to repair cars or surviving in space.

I wonder, though, about other applications of is advice.  Take his example of being totally ready to jump on stage at a David Bowie concert and play Space Odyssey.  Could we go a little further down that path of being absolutely ready to make something happen, should someone else flip the switch on an event, to a place that's a bit socially uncomfortable?

What are some situations where we could take Chris Hadfield's advice a bit too far?

Getting Engaged

What if you are thinking you might get proposed to at some point in the near future?  Well, if you're Chris Hadfield, you realize that you can't control when this happens, but you can make sure you are totally ready for it.

First of all, practice your reactions in the mirror.  These days there is almost always someone secretly filming the whole thing and you don't want to be ugly crying if it goes viral.  Practice to the point where the phrase "will you marry me?" starts to sound a bit funny and meaningless.

Think about what you are wearing every time you see them: will it photograph well?

Start imagining every possible way they might propose and be ready for it.  What if they want to surprise you with a beach picnic?  Can you slip the shoes off easily?  Bring a few layers just in case it winds up being on a mountaintop where it's chillier.  Bone up on the history of your relationship - some people do extravagant scavenger hunts where you visit important places from your collective past.  Do you remember your major moments?  You might want to start going to bed fully dressed, with make up and hair done, in case they might want to do some kind of midnight kidnapping surprise.

If you are the one who might do the proposing, get ready with all your reasons why they should want to marry you, should they seem uncertain.  Be ready for both celebration and total, crushing heartbreak the night you ask the question.

Remember, preparation is what allows you to relax in the moment and enjoy life while knowing that you will be able to react perfectly in the moment.

Getting Hitched

Again, you can't necessarily control when you are in a situation when you are ready to marry someone, but you can be completely and utterly prepared to execute the perfect wedding the moment you get engaged.

Pick a selection of dates that will work depending on what time of year you get engaged, price out venues, budget, pick colour schemes, attire, decor, guest list, food, and photo booth styles.  What will be beautifully hand-crafted to look rustic-yet-picturesque?  Who will do make up?  Is there a theme?  How will you announce your engagement on social media?

"Okay, honey, we're engaged.  I've got a hold on these venues for these dates, scattered throughout the year.  Here is a list of vendors for the decor cross-referenced with price (how much is your side of the family willing to throw in?  Mine will give this much, and I figure we can spend about this much more).  I picked out three dresses for you to choose from that best suit the Magical Garden of Love theme.  Here are some sample hairstyle ideas.  My guest list options are either 30 people if we're keeping it small or 100 if we're going big.  The tux and groomsmen suits are on hold, I just need to pull the trigger!"

The Death of a Loved One

Sometimes people die suddenly, and sometimes they die in a long, drawn-out way that you see coming.  Either way, you should be prepared!

If you will be in charge of cleaning out their home, start throwing things away now.  Get rid of anything that won't be wanted as a valuable or souvenir.  Nobody is going to want that toaster, so chuck it.  If they keep buying new ones, explain that they are being very inconsiderate to your future self who will have to deal with their remains.

If you might be asked to speak or play a song at their funeral, get that ready.  In fact, just start asking everyone in your life what song they would want you to sing at their funeral.

You will have emotions to process and the only thing that helps with those is time, so you might as well start now.  Every time you see them, choke up a bit, touch their cheek gently, and say "this might be the last time I see you, so I want you to know that I love you."  When they're not around say things like, "I just can't believe they're gone."  This will help prepare you for the real thing.

Spontaneous Travel

You never know when your friend will propose a spontaneous trip to Hawaii or you'll suddenly need to go away to a conference.  Heck, being ready to jump on a plane is also part of being prepared for the death of a loved one.

How do you do it?  Easy.

Always have at least three suitcases packed: one for a colder place, one for a hotter place, and one with a bit of a mix.  Actually, you'll need at least six: a "fun" one and a "work" one for each of these circumstances.  How about, instead of a closet or dresser for organizing your clothes, just have a system of suitcases, all packed for different types of travel (maybe colour-code them so you can keep track of where different items of clothing are).

Of course, you'll need to buy multiples of most of your clothes so that your favourite or most versatile items can be in all the suitcases, and I hope I don't have to remind you to keep your passport up to date and use only travel-sized toiletries.

A Friend Moving Away

Sometimes friends move away.  This can be very upsetting to your life if you aren't ready for it.  The easiest way to prepare is to treat all your friends like they already live far away.  This means you mostly communicate with them via email, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

If you're like me, your communications will start off pretty strong and then taper off to the occasional post on each others' walls or Instagram tagging.  This is perfectly natural!

Then every time they contact you to hang out, exclaim "You're in town?!??!" and assure them you will make it work to see them whenever they want.  When you say goodbye, give them big, big hugs and say that it was so nice to see them and you are so glad they called, and you'll be sure to be in touch if you're ever near them.

A Friend Moving Back Into Town

Just as quickly as one friend will announce they are moving away, another will announce they are coming back into town.  Friends moving back can mean many things: they may need a place to crash for a few days (or weeks) before finding their own home.  They may need a lot of emotional support if they are returning due to a bad circumstance.  They may want to hang out a ton to make up for lost time.  They may be broke or have come into money.  They may need help moving or finding a place.  The possibilities are endless!

Make sure you're constantly aware of what's out there for new rental apartments.  Scour Craigslist in your free time, and contact the occasional landlord to check about things like pets, so you can let your friends know exactly what their options are when they return.

Keep your schedule pretty loose and free so that you can cancel or move things around to help them out as needed.  Of course, this won't be too hard because you're treating all your local friends as if they live far away, so you probably don't really have any plans.

A Break Up

Sometimes people dump you, completely out of the blue.  Be Chris Hadfield: be prepared!

Whatever stage your relationship is in will determine what other practical means you need to have prepared.  If you've just started dating, have a pint of ice cream, a bag of chips, and make sure you have a few friends always ready to jump in and watch a distracting movie with you (this will be tricky because all your friends live far away, but I heard one might be moving back soon!)

If you're cohabiting, then good thing you're keeping your eye on all the Craigslist apartment listings in your city and have all your things in suitcases.  Moving out should be pretty easy.  Alternatively, practice throwing all their things out onto the sidewalk.  The key is to throw them hard enough they land right in the middle of the sidewalk and get in everyone's way, but not so hard they land in the street.  That's a hazard.

Of course, there are the emotional walls to put up so that you don't risk actually having your heart broken, but most of us do this fairly naturally.  No explanation necessary.

Sure, it's possible that being constantly prepared to get dumped and proposed to at once will be tricky, but I believe in you!  Work hard!  Plan for every detail!

Cute! Gertie keeps it classy

You know how cats are so refined and elegant, sitting on silk pillows and keeping themselves perfectly clean?  Yeah.  Not so much with Gertie.  Here she is, licking an old, dry dish cloth that definitely should have been put in the wash a few days ago.

She is the very picture of class.

Singalong! Sunny Came Home by Shawn Colvin

Here's another sweet one from the late 90s! I never had any idea what this song meant, but I loved the tune and was intrigued by a song by someone named Shawn who was a lady about someone named Sunny who was also given female pronouns. I still can't really tell what it's about except a gal named Sunny who comes home and is perhaps on a mission of vengeance? I think it may be a bit more symbolic than that...  Still fun to sing along to, though!

SUNNY CAME HOME

by Shawn Colvin

Sunny came home to her favorite room

Sunny sat down in the kitchen

She opened a book and a box of tools

Sunny came home with a mission

She says "Days go by, I'm hypnotized

I'm walking on a wire

I close my eyes and fly out of my mind

Into the fire"

Sunny came home with a list of names

She didn't believe in transcendence

And it's time for a few small repairs, she said

Sunny came home with a vengeance

She says "Days go by, I don't know why

I'm walking on a wire

I close my eyes and fly out of my mind

Into the fire"

Get the kids and bring a sweater

Dry is good and wind is better

Count the years, you always knew it

Strike a match, go on and do it

Oh, days go by, I'm hypnotized

I'm walking on a wire

I close my eyes and fly out of my mind

Into the fire

Oh, light the sky and hold on tight

The world is burning down

She's out there on her own, and she's all right

Sunny came home

Sunny came home

Came home

Home

Learning! Does the moon affect our actions?

Short answer: no.

Okay, I know that a lot of people already knew/accepted the fact that the moon doesn't affect our actions, but I'm still a little bummed about another new study that has come out confirming this fact.  I don't know, I guess growing up with a mom who worked in a hospital gave me enough stories about people acting crazy on full moons (as well as packed-full maternity wards) to believe that there might be something to this full moon business.

This study looked at kids' sleeping patterns to see if sleep was at all disrupted in different phases of the lunar cycle.  They looked at almost 6,000 kids in many different countries.  The only change they found was that kids slept about 5 mins less (a 1% change) at the full moon, and more likely explained by their sample size and not the moon itself.

Well, phooey.

Fine then.

The researcher, Dr. Jean-Philippe Chaput, did say that, "Folklore and even certain instances of occupational lore suggest that mental health issues or behaviors of humans and animals are affected by lunar phases. Whether there is science behind the myth or not, the moon mystery will continue to fascinate civilizations in the years to come."

So at least I can get my hopes up every once in a while when a new study comes out.

Source: Science Daily

Learning! Does sarcasm make you more creative?

Sarcasm is a great way to let someone know you think they're an idiot.  In fact, past research has shown that people perceive sarcastic comments ("Don't work too hard, Pat") as more belittling than a direct criticism ("Hey Pat, stop playing computer games and get back to work").

New research has shown that there is an upside to sarcasm (aside, of course, from hilarity).  It turns out that sarcastic conversations can make both participants more creative.

In the study, participants were provided with scripts that were sarcastic, sincere, or neutral and entered into a conversation with a partner who did not know the script.  In later tests of creative thinking, both people who participated in the sarcastic conversation (even the person who didn't know the script) performed better than those from other groups.

So, next time you are stuck for an idea, maybe call a friend and get a little sarcastic repartee going.  It may hurt their feelings, but it will make you both more creative.

Source: Scientific American

How much money could you get for the elements in your body, and other fun facts about you and me.

Here is a fun website!  Using your birthdate, gender, height, and weight, the BBC can tell you a whole host of details about your precious little body.

Some fun facts about my soul-cocoon:

It has a magnificent 3.8 million sweat glands (that explains something).

The elements in my body are worth about $2,118.  I'll take it!

Anyone who wants to murder me: you'd only need .005-.05oz of arsenic.

If I were to wear the ant man suit, my atoms could reduce to the size of a red blood cell.

My ovaries weigh .2lbs and about 1 inch cubed in size.

I have "shed my skin" 429 times.

They say I have shed 352 fl oz of tears, but they don't know how easily I cry.

If I weren't keeping on top of it, my armpit hair could have grown 78 inches.  Sweeeeeet.

Try it out!  How much money is your body worth?  Share your favourite results.

Me & Ryan Gosling at Victoria Falls

My first Me & Ryan Gosling post ever came from our trip to Zambia almost 10 years ago.  Here's another shot from that trip, when we visited Victoria Falls.  I walked along the bridge that gets you close enough to be entirely soaked by the spray from the falls, without actually being anywhere near them.  He, of course, did not, but was prepared to give me a jacket if it was required after the experience was through.

Inspiration! The art of Kay Nielsen

I just love this art by Kay Nielsen.  See a whole bunch of it on the Hyperallergic post about her work.

Source: Hyperallergic.