You can search online for information on just about any topic. Recently there was an interesting article posted on the Reader’s Digest website regarding some topics you probably shouldn’t search. This episode begins with a fun look at some of those topics that might be better the less you know. https://www.rd.com/list/things-never-google-search/ You likely have a sense that when you watch TV or a movie, it has an impact on you. What you probably didn’t realize is how big a deal those influences ...
Oct 23, 2023•48 min•Ep. 960
Seems like everyone hates passwords. If they are too random, you forget them. If they are too obvious, you could be hacked. This episode begins with a quick and easy formula to create passwords that are easy to remember and no one else will ever guess. Source: Eran Katz author of Where Did Noah Park The Ark (https://amzn.to/3at5fmx). When you make a choice – any choice, your decision is influenced by so many factors. For example, the order the options were presented to you and who presented them...
Oct 21, 2023•53 min•Ep. 959
Wi-Fi being what it is, sometimes it slows down and things get glitchy – shows stop streaming, games glitch out and other weird things seem to happen. Wouldn’t it be great if you could prioritize which devices in your house get first dibs on the bandwidth? Well actually there is a way. This episode begins with an explanation of how to do it. https://www.popsci.com/diy/prioritize-devices-on-your-wifi-network/ What is the difference between joy and happiness? They are definitely not the same thing...
Oct 19, 2023•49 min•Ep. 958
Every PC owner has probably wondered what the difference is between RESTART and SHUTDOWN – or if there really is a difference. Actually, there is. And if you are having trouble and need to reboot your PC, one is a much better option than the other. Listen as I explain. https://computer.howstuffworks.com/restarting-shutting-down-computer.htm What stops you from doing the important things you say you want to do? If they are so important, why do they remain undone? And how does that impact the rest...
Oct 16, 2023•51 min•Ep. 957
Is taking a daily multivitamin a good idea? It seems to make a lot of sense – like an insurance policy. This episode begins with a discussion about what the science says about taking a multivitamin and what it does or doesn’t do for you. https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/releases/2009/02/multivitamins.html Dating is hard. So you might think dating apps would make it easier. After all, you can meet an endless number of people you would likely never meet otherwise. And therein lies the problem. Ma...
Oct 14, 2023•51 min•Ep. 956
If you went to your backyard and took a pinch of dirt in your fingers, you would be holding a piece of a shocking underground world you never knew about. Listen as I explain what lives in that world. Source: David W. Wolfe author of Tales From The Underground” (https://amzn.to/3tvUBIk) Whether you are talking to people in a small group or at a large formal event, it can be intimidating and sometimes scary. However, with some simple techniques, you can make speaking less stressful and make your m...
Oct 12, 2023•49 min•Ep. 955
If you are buying candy for Trick or Treaters this year, what kind will it be? Well, if you want to hand out the candy that kids really want, listen as I start this episode with the Top 10 list of the most popular Halloween candies. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2023/10/03/blow-pops-win-title-ohio-favorite-halloween-candy/71041875007/ Believe it or not, there is an oyster that has lived over 500 years. There is another creature that doesn’t seem to age at all – ever! What if we ...
Oct 09, 2023•50 min•Ep. 954
Have you heard of the Pink Tax? It’s when the women’s version of a product (like razors) costs more than men’s even though they are the same – except maybe the packaging and the color. It happens with a whole host of products from children’s toys to clothes to deodorant and yes, razors. Listen to hear why this “tax” exists and why women might be smart to pick the men’s version of the same thing instead. https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_all-about-america_does-pink-tax-force-women-pay-more-men/617778...
Oct 07, 2023•50 min•Ep. 953
When you are faced with a tough decision, some common advice is to “sleep on it." By sleeping and waking up you may have a new and different perspective that will make your decision easier. Is that true? Is it good advice to sleep on it? This episode begins with a brief discussion. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/does-sleeping-on-it-really-work Are you a victim of your circumstances or can you build the life you want? According to Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey, your life is your...
Oct 05, 2023•49 min•Ep. 952
How many married couples sleep in separate beds? A lot more than you may think. This episode begins with a discussion about why couples sleep separately and how it used to be a common and recommended practice not so long ago. https://www.newsweek.com/marriage-couple-sleeping-separately-husband-wife-1742874 The interesting thing about fear is that it is an emotion that serves us well. Without fear, we’d all be dead. Yet, sometimes fear gets in the way. We can often be more afraid than a situation...
Oct 02, 2023•47 min•Ep. 951
Why is the most popular pencil the #2 pencil? What happened to the #1 pencil? This episode begins with some interesting facts about pencils such as how the #2 pencil got so popular, how many words the average pencil will write, why yellow is the most popular pencil color and more. https://www.straightdope.com/21343238/how-come-you-see-2-pencils-but-no-1-pencils You often see stories in the news about people who “snap.” Sometimes it is road rage or some guy wrapping a golf club around a tree – we...
Sep 30, 2023•53 min•Ep. 950
What makes happy people so happy? It is partly due to their attitude and behavior. This episode begins with some of the essential ingredients to create a general sense of happiness. They definitely work if you give them a try. http://www.biopsychiatry.com/happiness/ Who doesn’t love accomplishing all the things on their to-do list? But there is also a cost to doing that when it becomes your primary focus. It just may be that being a little less efficient will actually make you more content accor...
Sep 28, 2023•50 min•Ep. 949
As people age, they may have trouble remembering recent events. If you know older people who seem to forget things, it is important to realize that memory loss isn’t all inevitable. There are a couple of reasons people become forgetful that you can do something about. This episode begins with an explanation and strategies that can really help. Source: William Cone, PhD author of Stop Memory Loss (https://amzn.to/3PNKIOX). Your negative emotions get triggered by a lot of things in life. How you h...
Sep 25, 2023•51 min•Ep. 948
You know when you call a customer service number and you hear, “Your call is very important to us…”? What that usually says to me is – “Get comfortable, this is going to take a while.” Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to make your customer service experience shorter and less frustrating? Listen as I begin this episode with some solid advice. frustrating experience. So, this episode begins by discussing how to make that experience a little bit smoother. https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-ca...
Sep 23, 2023•52 min•Ep. 947
It is conventional wisdom for people taking a test that if you are stuck – go with your first answer. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining why that is such terrible advice Source: Joseph T. Hallinan author of Why We Make Mistakes (https://amzn.to/44PV4SQ) We have all felt awkward and embarrassed at times. It feels terrible. Still, it happens to everyone and so often it isn’t as big deal a deal as YOU think it is and maybe it isn’t a big deal at all. That’s the message from Henna Pryor. S...
Sep 21, 2023•47 min•Ep. 946
Why do people get hiccups and what is the best way to get rid of them? This episode begins with an exploration into the causes and cures of hiccups - some that work and some that don't. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiccups/symptoms-causes/syc-20352613 One thing is for sure – your life is going to change in ways you never expected or planned for. Unexpected change happens to everyone and by its nature can really cause turmoil in your life. So how do you plan for the unexpected c...
Sep 18, 2023•49 min•Ep. 945
A lot of prescription pill bottles come with a ball of cotton inside, on top of the pills. What’s it for and should you take it out or leave it in there? This episode begins with an explanation. https://www.businessinsider.com/why-huge-cotton-ball-comes-pill-bottles-medicine-health-pharmacy-prescription-2017-5 There has likely been a time in your life when you wanted to ask someone to do something for you were reluctant and decided not to. It seems almost human nature to hate to ask people for t...
Sep 16, 2023•48 min•Ep. 944
How do you define love? What is it exactly? Listen to the beginning of this episode and you will hear one of the best definitions of love ever. Knowing this definition will make it clear as a bell what you have to do to get more love in your life. Source: Dr. Pat Love author of The Truth About Love (https://amzn.to/3r7Rzcu) While we all know humans are social creatures, we have actually become much less social than in previous generations. People have fewer friends, more people than ever do not ...
Sep 14, 2023•49 min•Ep. 943
There is a perceived advantage to reading fast. However, reading slower may actually be more beneficial for a lot of reasons. This episode opens with some important reasons to slow down your reading for maximum impact. https://www.bustle.com/p/7-reasons-slow-reading-is-actually-a-good-thing-because-being-a-speed-reader-is-overrated-73092 The average person has 22 goals they want to accomplish. So what’s the best way to go after them? Here with a refreshing and exciting take on setting and achiev...
Sep 11, 2023•49 min•Ep. 942
Every day, you make a countless number of decisions, from what to have for dinner to what detergent to buy. This episode begins by looking at how humans make decisions and choices in life and how to recognize which ones you are probably wasting too much time on. https://fs.blog/2014/09/the-history-of-cognitive-overload You likely spend a good portion of your day in conversation with other people. Yet, we seldom detect what is happening “under the radar” in those conversations – and there is a lo...
Sep 09, 2023•49 min•Ep. 941
I am certain that many times in your life you have had “one of those days.” Those are the days when nothing seems to go right, everything seems to be a problem and you tend to dwell on how horrible everything is. This episode begins with a quick and effective technique for the next time you have “one of those days” that will help you snap out of it. Source: Judith Orloff, M.D. author of Positive Energy (https://amzn.to/2KHzr3K) It's hard to imagine anyone going through life without being embarra...
Sep 07, 2023•44 min•Ep. 940
Walking is good exercise and the pace at which you walk can make it even better. This episode begins with a brief discussion on the rather remarkable benefits of a brisk walk over a casual stroll. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/people-who-walk-faster-tend-to-live-longer How do you get good at something? Some people think it takes experience or lots of practice. Well, there is another way – a more effective way to improve your abilities at anything you choose to do. That is what Eduardo B...
Sep 04, 2023•48 min•Ep. 939
Admit it, you have likely snooped or eavesdropped on someone at some point in your life. In fact everyone has done it. This episode begins by discussing why humans and most other creatures on the planet eavesdrop and the important purpose it serves. Source: John Locke author of the book Eavesdropping (https://amzn.to/3l7rIud) When you think about all the tasks you do each day, there are likely some you could do better and easier. And if you listen to my guest, you will discover how. Erin Ruddy i...
Sep 02, 2023•51 min•Ep. 938
Take a guess… how many times does the average American check their cellphone in 2023? I don’t know your guess, but I bet you are way off. This episode begins with some amazing stats regarding how and how much we use our phones. https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction/ We spend a lot of time agonizing over decisions that really don’t matter. That’s just one of the revelations I discuss with Annie Duke. She is a speaker and consultant on the topic of decision making, a former professio...
Aug 31, 2023•48 min•Ep. 937
People who are confident and powerful tend to exhibit a few critical behaviors to create that impression of power and confidence. This episode begins with a quick list of things anyone can do to present the image of power to others. Source: Robert Greene author of The 48 Laws of Personal Power (https://amzn.to/3EaogJs) There is compelling evidence that your mind and your thoughts can impact your physical health. It isn’t all mystical and magical as you might think. In fact, a lot of it is quite ...
Aug 28, 2023•48 min•Ep. 936
It’s become trendy to fill your car tires with nitrogen instead of plain old compressed air. In fact, there are now green caps for the valve stems to indicate that a tire has nitrogen in it. It can cost over $10 to fill up a tire with nitrogen so this episode begins with a quick discussion on whether it not it is worth it. https://www.consumerreports.org/tire-buying-maintenance/should-you-use-nitrogen-in-car-tires-a6260003694/ Science is learning more and more about human DNA. And the latest res...
Aug 26, 2023•51 min•Ep. 935
There is this weird thing that happens to a lot of people (including me) and that is, we often wake up on our own just before the alarm goes off. Why is that? Listen as this episode begins with the interesting reason why this seems to happen to so many people. https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/why-do-we-wake-up-right-before-our-alarm/ There is so much you never knew about your neighborhood - From the phone poles that hold up your power lines, to the cement your sidewalks are made ou...
Aug 24, 2023•53 min•Ep. 934
How can doing something embarrassing in front of people be good for you? This episode begins by explaining how making a fool of yourself can actually have benefits and make you happier. Maybe not in the moment but overall. https://exploringyourmind.com/making-fool-yourself-makes-you-happier/ When you tell a lie, there are consequences – especially if you get caught. Because if you are caught lying, you are now a liar and that can be a difficult label to shake. And that is just the tip of the ice...
Aug 21, 2023•49 min•Ep. 933
As relationships mature, holding hands seem to become less of a priority. And that could be a big mistake. There are real benefits to holding hands and this episode begins by explaining what those benefits are. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/fashion/05hands.html We may not like to admit it, but just about everyone enjoys a juicy bit of gossip. In fact, we all gossip at least once in a while and that turns out to be a good thing. Gossip serves a lot of useful purposes in life. Frank McAndrew,...
Aug 19, 2023•48 min•Ep. 932
How many times have you heard that exercise is good for you? But specifically, how? This episode starts with an explanation of precisely how exercise benefits you physically and mentally – and they are pretty compelling benefits. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389 When you worry, it is often because you are expecting the worst. We imagine trouble and danger are brewing about something that has yet to happen. Often times that worry is completely un...
Aug 17, 2023•47 min•Ep. 931
