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…. It pays to read!

Batboy Says the day!One of the favorite things my wife Laura and I enjoy reading could be best classified along the lines of  ‘news of the weird’. It doesn’t matter if it is the ‘true tales’ of Bat Boy or a diddy about the potent antifungal and antibacterial properties of Garlic…. it is all so much  fun to pour over!

Now, I know most of you probably don’t read ‘New Scientist’ , it’s really only a light version of science and it’s more on the line of ‘Psychology Today’. It’s more sizzle than substance, but nevertheless , it has some redeeming features… like it’s own version of ‘news of the weird’. Here are a few from the latest issue:

1) Why do the preformed hamburgers you buy in stores change from a circle to an oval when cooked? The answer we are told is simple, the fibers are stretched in the direction of the conveyor belt in which they travel and revert after cooking (anisotropic). Hand made hamburger patties are not so stretched and maintain their basic configuration ( they are isotropic). I can see it all now… you stand over the neighbor’s grill and smirk over his store bought patties and say, “hmmmm. I prefer the isotropic properties of my cooked hamburgers… yours are unfortunately anisotropic.”

Garlic is a gift from God2) Why do we have garlic breath when other substances are more beniegn? It has to do with the ‘potent’ antibacterial and antifungal properties of Garlic. Garlic produces Allicin which is not very stable and converts to a bunch of smelly sulfur compounds that eventually makes its way back through your lungs and then out to your breath. Aaaaaah, but I am never giving up garlic!

 

 

3) Companies that produce music speakers have an interesting challenge. The cabinet of the speaker must be constructed in such a manner that vibration is minimized. This is often accomplished by using the hardest wood available. It was discovered that whisky soaked wood was incredibly hard, even breaking off several drill bits in the evalution phase. What the scientists discovered by accident was soaking the left over shavings produces a wonderful whiskey all it’s own!

whiskey shavings and add hot water ... produces whiskey!This isn’t really all that new, enterprising folks on ‘ebay’ are already marketing barrell shavings for your enjoyment! In fact there is quite a selection!

So I thought from now and again I would post dsome of the real … but fascinating stuff… that is out there… if all we do is take some time to read!

Roger Freberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Unlocking your Imagination to a world of new choices!

Daydreaminf by Calvin!

Have you ever met someone who knows they CAN’T do something… even though they have never tried? In fact this is rather a typical attitude among many people faced with having to attempt something new and different. You might ask them,” could you jump out of a plane with a parachute?”  Of course they ‘could’… but they would reinterpret the question by substituting ‘WOULD you jump out of a plan with a parachute?”.. which is a very different question for many.

What I am suggesting is that many people have a tendency to put both feet on the brakes before they have really evaluated any concept or choice laid before them. In fact, these same people tend to start limiting their options from the very beginning… leaving themselves with one less than satisfactory outcome. However, there is a better way.

For example, we ended up taking the children to New Zealand, Australia and the south Seas in 1993 instead of Disney World when we discovered — much to our amusement — that our Australian trip was less expensive, more educational and a whole lot more fun. However, we almost didn’t look at this trip because …. it just seemed as though it had to be ‘out of our reach’. We do all this a lot to ourselves… we limit, restrict and misevaluate our options in life…. when — if we keep our minds open — there is so much more.

So, what should we do? How to we keep ourselves from ‘self-limiting’ our choices from the beginning? First, we must approach each challenge as a new product marketer would do…

1) First, we throw out a bunch of ideas without evaluating their worthiness… Where to vacation at home and abroad? List every possibility and invite the entire family to contribute.

2) Next, once we have satisfied ourselves that we have a full universe of choices, we begin to sort them based on whatever criteria we feel is most important. As for vacations… price, time alloted and potential fun maybe three factors. We research each option to insure that we have accurate information regarding how the trip relates to our criteria.

3) Finally, we have reduced our choices to a select few that best meet our criterias. At this point we may be surprised to find that a one week trip to Roratonga sounds better to us than a month long trip to Barstow with Aunt May and her 6 cats, or a trip to Yellowstone will be better than a week on the beach (or not). If you have thought honestly about your choices… a clear winner should emerge.

By not restricting your choices and considering more alternatives… you will be harnessing your imagination to develope better choices… and better choices is what makes life more exciting and fulfilling.

Me and Kristin fishing off of the Avila pier

Sometimes, our best experiences are our simplest ones…. enjoy them as they cmoe.

Roger Freberg

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Dear Dad presents: Hints to make your hubby happy!

the Good Wife from Good HousekeepingSomeone — who happens to be someone I love — forwarded an article posted on an internet site for unhappy academics & losers. (was that over the top — I can’t really tell?) 

You will first notice that the linked article — which first appeared in a 1955 Good Housekeeping Magazine — is full of underlining and unspoken feminist commentary. The article was entitled “The good wife’s guide.”

Rather than provide a critique on the article, which seems rather quaint by today’s standards, I will comment on the underlined passages by our feminist authority.

1)…”catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.”

Hmmm…. on the flip side, I don’t think there is a guy on the planet who doesn’t understand the saying,’ you know… you can’t be happy, UNLESS, she is happy!”

So, what is she saying? “Catering” to someone is degrading? Somehow, I visualize this woman as hopelessly single with 12 cats. (HINT: she is a Psych Professor — so she’s half way there)

2) …”show sincerity in your desire to please him.”

Where’s she been? This is the oldest lesson on the planet. Hey, when I have daughters sitting on my lap, feeding me chocolate chips cookies and telling me they looOoove me!… I know where this is going. I just say,”hun, what can I do to make your life better?” Cash works good and they’re on their way. Actually, my girls don’t have to work even that hard…. and my wife even less.

As for pleasing someone you care about, I can’t see anything wrong with that.

3) …”remember his topics of conversation are more important than yours.”

Well, everyone gets their turn in a fair world.

 Fortunately for me, I married someone who likes to talk about the Superbowl and not the Oscars… but if she did, I’d probably listen and be ‘in a happy place.’ Continue reading “Dear Dad presents: Hints to make your hubby happy!”

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Can a couple be honest with each other? … Can you both take it?

Pregnant Angie with childAdvice from Women is just that and why do we expect any more than that? 

Today, I was reading an advice column about a woman who had an ‘active social life’ ; however, now, she is attracted to a man with no or little past experience. They have discussed what went on before they got together and she has been somewhat forthcoming… but incomplete. Here lies the understandable conflict. 

The female advice provider was basically taking the position that it is ‘none of his business’ regardless of how many ‘notches are on her belt.’ The ‘it’s his problem’ is a very typical comment by women of men as it absolves them of any responsibility in being open and honest. (It’s funny how some women who profess the need to be with men who will talk/listen to them… can suddenly become silent on subjects in which they lack self confidence, have guilt or fear rejection.)

Continue reading “Can a couple be honest with each other? … Can you both take it?”