How Many Hours Are In Your Day?

By Leo Babauta

This is just a quick note to everyone.

How many hours do you have in your day?

Theoretically(THēəˈredək(ə)lē), there are 24 in mine. Yours might be different.

But I sleep about 6 hours a day. Maybe 2 hours are spent eating. Another 2 hours for grooming(ˈɡro͞omiNG) and driving. Another 3 hours for getting stuff ready for my kids, cooking, cleaning. Another 5 hours doing routine(ro͞oˈtēn) stuff at work and with the blog. Maybe another hour doing errands(ˈerənd), paying bills, going to the grocery(ˈɡrōs(ə)rē) store, or whatever else needs to be done. Another 2 hours doing communication: email, IM, phones, etc.

24 hours – 6 – 2 – 2 – 3 – 5 – 1 -2 = 3 (minus(ˈmīnəs) equal)

3 hours left over for doing stuff I’m passionate(ˈpaSH(ə)nət) about, for pursuing(pərˈso͞o) my dreams, for doing new projects that will change my life, for writing the Great American Novel, for exercise, for spending time with loved ones, for myself.

I’m guessing most of you have about that much time in your day for these kinds of things, give or take an hour or so.

What will you do with your 3 hours?

https://zenhabits.net/how-many-hours-are-in-your-day/

A Poem(ˈpōəm) for Father’s Day

By 王渊源John

We waited for so long
Then you came into our lives
Your smile brings us joy(joi)
I can’t believe you’re five

Joe

You’re our new little boy
A great friend to your bro
You explore the world around you
Still crawling(krôl) to and fro(frō)

Alex

We build our lives together
You nurture(ˈnərCHər) our two sons
Your love surrounds us always
And you’re my only one

Catherine(ˈkaTH(ə)rin)

We live so far apart
I miss you more than a tad(tad)
You’re kind and smart and loving
You’ll always be my Dad

Alex

Moving Through the Day with More Ease(ēz)

By Leo Babauta

I recently did dozens of video calls … and at first, it really exhausted(iɡˈzôstəd) me.

I shared that with my Zen teacher, and we had a discussion(dəˈskəSH(ə)n) about leaning(ˈlēniNG) into the calls (which feels very tense(tens) for me) vs. leaning back and allowing some space. The latter approach helps me feel more at ease.

This practice helped a lot, and I shifted what I’ve been doing lately to moving through the day with much more ease.

Basically, the idea is this: instead of having a grasping(ˈɡraspiNG), tense attitude about whatever you’re doing … you can lean(lēn) back a little, and be more relaxed.

You can try it now: see where you are holding tension(ˈtenSHən), take a few breaths, and release the tension. Come to a place of ease, peace, openness. It might take a bit of practice, but most of us are holding tension in what we do, much of the time.

If we can get to a place of ease, of not grasping or leaning into everything we’re doing … the things we’re doing all day can be more restful and we can finish the day feeling more refreshed(rəˈfreSHt).

Talking to someone on an hour-long video call? No worries, it’s a lovey(ˈləvē), relaxing time with a beautiful soul.

Have a bunch of messages and tasks to take on? Not a problem – take each one on with deliberate(dəˈlib(ə)rət) care, giving it your full attention, while having a restful attitude toward the message or task.

One thing at a time. Full attention and devotion(dəˈvōSH(ə)n) to that task, conversation, message. An easeful, peaceful attitude as you move through it.

One more thing that helps me: letting myself feel nourished(ˈnəriSH) by everything around me. As I walk outside, I can be caught up in my thoughts of everything I have to do … or I can open to the nature around me, and feel nourished by it all. I can let myself soak(sōk) in the beauty of the person in front of me, or think of the people I’m doing a task for and feel care for those people. Feeling nourished by everything around us, by the mundane(ˌmənˈdān) and the sublime(səˈblīm) alike … helps us to not feel so drained(drān) by everything we have to do.

Feeling grateful to be alive helps as well.

How would you like to move through the day with more ease? Try it today, and bring curiosity(ˌkyo͝orēˈäsədē) for what that might be like.

https://zenhabits.net/easeful/

Why We Have So Many Problems with Our Teeth

Our choppers(ˈCHäpər) are crowded, crooked(ˈkro͝okəd) and riddled(ˈridl) with cavities(ˈkavədē). It hasn’t always been this way

By Peter S. Ungar

I sat(sat) at an oral(ˈôrəl) surgeon’s(ˈsərjən) office waiting for my daughter. The scene(sēn) called to mind an assembly(əˈsemblē) line. Patients went in, one after another, resigned to having their third molars(ˈmōlər), commonly known as wisdom(ˈwizdəm) teeth, taken out. They left with bandages(ˈbandij), specially(ˈspeSHəlē) form-fitted with ice packs, wrapped around their heads. Each carried a gift T-shirt, preprinted(ˌprēˈprin(t)id) home care instructions, and prescriptions(prəˈskripSH(ə)n) for antibiotics(ˌan(t)ēbīˈädik, ˌanˌtībīˈädik) and pain meds(med).

Removal(rəˈmo͞ovəl) of the wisdom teeth is almost a rite(rīt) of passage(ˈpasij) for young adults in America today. From my vantage point, however, there is something very wrong with this tradition. I am a dental(ˈden(t)l) anthropologist(ˌanTHrəˈpäləjəst) and evolutionary(ˌevəˈlo͞oSHəˌnerē) biologist and have spent 30 years studying the teeth of living and fossil(ˈfäsəl) humans and countless other species(ˈspēsēz, ˈspēSHēz). Our dental issues are not normal. Most other vertebrate(ˈvərdəbrət) creatures do not have the same dental problems that we do. They rarely(ˈrerlē) have crooked teeth or cavities. Our fossil forebears(ˈfôrber) did not have impacted wisdom teeth, and few appear to have had gum(ɡəm) disease(dəˈzēz).

Indeed, the teeth of modern-day humans are a profound contradiction(ˌkäntrəˈdikSH(ə)n). They are the hardest parts of our body yet are incredibly fragile(ˈfrajəl). Although teeth endure(inˈd(y)o͝or) for millions of years in the fossil record, ours cannot seem to last a lifetime in our mouths. Teeth gave our ancestors(ˈanˌsestər) dominance(ˈdämənəns) over the organic(ôrˈɡanik) world, yet today ours require special daily care to be maintained(mānˈtān). The contradiction is new and is limited largely to industrial(inˈdəstrēəl)-age and contemporary populations. It is best explained(ikˈsplān) by a mismatch between today’s diets and those for which our teeth and jaws evolved. Paleontologists(ˌpālēˌänˈtäləjəst) have long understood that our teeth are deeply rooted in evolutionary history. Now clinical(ˈklinək(ə)l) researchers and dental(ˈden(t)l) practitioners(prakˈtiSH(ə)nər) are also starting to take notice.

…
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-we-have-so-many-problems-with-our-teeth/

Getting out of a bad state of mind

By Derek Sivers

The last time I was in a really bad state of mind, I used these five steps to get out of it. I’ve shared this with a few friends in a similar situation, and they said it helped. I hope it works for you too.

1. Ask myself what’s wrong in this very second.

Am I in physical pain or danger? No. I’ve got mental(ˈmen(t)l) pain, but that’s just me imagining things or remembering things. None of it is real.

If I put aside the mental torture(ˈtôrCHər) I’m giving myself, the only thing that’s real is this physical moment. Is it so bad? No. It’s not perfect, but not horrible(ˈhôrəb(ə)l). I look around and appreciate that I’m not in hell(hel). It’s a nice place, nice trees, nice food, and has some nice people.

Of course the mental anguish(ˈaNGɡwiSH) is still there, but this question is a nice reminder that the pain is all in my head.

2. Observe(əbˈzərv) now. Act later.

When I’m feeling cloudy(ˈkloudē), my decisions and actions will be cloudy too. So I wait a few days before acting on anything. I watch the emotions pass by like a thunderstorm(ˈTHəndərˌstôrm). And the longer I wait, the smarter I get.

3. Raise(rāz) standards. Say no to anything less than great.

When I’m down, I avoid anyone who doesn’t rejuvenate(rəˈjo͞ovəˌnāt) me. They’re not allowed in my life right now, not even for a minute. No big explanation(ˌekspləˈnāSH(ə)n) needed. No compromise(ˈkämprəˌmīz). No favors.

Everything I’m doing that isn’t good for me. Everything I’m eating or drinking that isn’t making me more healthy. People who are “fine” or who I “kill time” with, but don’t actually love and enjoy? Nope. Not good enough. I say no.

Raising the bar not only gives me a huge feeling of self-worth, but also empties my time. Empty time helps me think clearly, because there’s more time to process and reflect(rəˈflekt).

Empty time has the potential to be filled with great things. Time filled with little things has little potential.

4. Focus on my goal

The empty space from #3 helps me remember what I’m really doing with my life.

Creating, learning, improving, whatever. It’s the ten-year-plan type of stuff. Clearing the clutter(ˈklədər) helps me see the horizon(həˈrīzən).

It’s a huge energy-filled feeling of “Oh yeah! That’s where I’m going! I had forgotten! I can see it now! Let’s go!”

Focus helps me say no, because once you can clearly see where you’re heading, you’re less likely to let anything get in your way.

5. Do all the necessary stuff

When I’m upset, I don’t feel like doing anything but wallowing(ˈwälō) in it.

But despite feeling that way, I brush my teeth, make healthy meals(mēl), take the kid out to play, do the dishes(diSH), pay the bills, take my vitamins(ˈvīdəmən), clean up, and go to bed early.

These tasks are so mundane(ˌmənˈdān), but they help me to feel on top of things. When everyday responsibilities are done, my mind is less distracted.

When I ask, “What’s wrong right now?” — and I see this clean house, paid bills, and happy child — I can answer “nothing!”

Going through the motions, even though I don’t feel like it, is peaceful. I think and process in the background as I am going about real life.

It’s a great reminder that I have to eat, even if I’m not feeling hungry. I have to clean the house, even if my mind is a mess. I have to sleep, no matter what!

Like #1, above, this step separates(ˈsep(ə)rət) the mental anguish from the physical reality. It keeps me focused on what’s real versus what I’m just imagining.

https://sivers.org/bad

we partner with the parents

Parent and Teacher, Together

By Henry H. Walker

when it works,
we teachers see the child in the present(prəˈzent,ˈprez(ə)nt),
and see the child in futures(ˈfyo͞oCHər) that beckon(ˈbekən),
we love that present and future
calling the best within them
that hopes to be born
within the alchemy(ˈalkəmē) of choice and circumstance(ˈsərkəmˌstans),

when it works,
the parent sees the child
and the possibilities inherent(inˈhirənt, inˈherənt) within them,
even better than the educator(ˈejəˌkādər),
yet with overwhelming feeling,

both parent and teacher knowing
that love and circumstance alone can’t let the future
become what we hope it might be,
in this world, free will thrives(THrīv) within our young,
and each of them chooses every moment
between paths(paTH) forward, or back,
that seem best to them,
with the present reality often
overwhelming the possible future,
the woods not so much trackless(ˈtrakləs)
as filled with beckoning tracks,

I was given a great gift today
by the mother of one of my students,
a student with whom and for whom
I have done my best
to see her, to know her,
to support the best in her
that labors(ˈlābər) to be born,
that mother described me as a helper(ˈhelpər) in the journey(ˈjərnē) forward
that drove(drōv) her to have a child and to do her best
to allow and facilitate(fəˈsiləˌtāt) that child becoming the best she can be,

I am heartened(ˈhärtn), and gratified(ˈɡradəˌfī),
when I can partner with a parent,
when I can help her and them
to support that young person
take steps forward into the power that calls to them.
https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2020/05/we-partner-with-parents.html

Review of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs(dwôrf)”

By Roger Ebert

If Walt Disney’s(ˈdiznē) “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” had been primarily(prīˈme(ə)rəlē) about Snow White, it might have been forgotten soon after its 1937 premiere(-ˈmi(ə)r,prēˈmyer), and treasured(ˈtreZHər) today only for historical reasons, as the first full-length animated(ˈanəˌmādəd) feature in color. Snow White is, truth to tell, a bit of a bore(bôr), not a character who acts but one whose mere(mi(ə)r) existence(igˈzistəns) inspires(inˈspīr) others to act. The mistake of most of Disney’s countless imitators(ˈiməˌtādər) over the years has been to confuse the titles of his movies with their subjects. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is not so much about Snow White or Prince(prins) Charming(ˈCHärmiNG) as about the Seven Dwarfs and the evil(ˈēvəl) Queen–and the countless creatures of the forest(ˈfär-,ˈfôrəst) and the skies, from a bluebird that blushes(bləSH) to a turtle(ˈtərdl) who takes forever to climb(klīm) up a flight(flīt) of stairs(ste(ə)r).

Walt Disney’s shorter cartoons(kärˈto͞on) all centered on one or a few central characters with strongly-defined personalities(ˌpərsəˈnalədē), starting with Mickey(ˈmikē) Mouse himself. They lived in simplified landscapes(ˈlan(d)ˌskāp), and occupied(ˈäkyəˌpīd) stories in which clear objectives were boldly outlined. But when Disney decided in 1934 to make a full-length feature, he instinctively(inzˈtiNG(k)tivlē, inˈstiNG(k)tivlē) knew that the film would have to grow not only in length but in depth. The story of Snow White as told in his source, the Brothers Grimm(grim), would scarcely(ˈske(ə)rslē) occupy(ˈäkyəˌpī) his running time, even at a brisk(brisk) 83 minutes.

Disney’s inspiration(ˌinspəˈrāSHən) was not in creating Snow White but in creating her world. At a time when animation(ˌanəˈmāSHən) was a painstaking(ˈpānzˌtākiNG,ˈpānˌstākiNG) frame-by-frame activity and every additional moving detail took an artist days or weeks to draw(drô), Disney imagined(iˈmajən) a film in which every corner and dimension(dəˈmen(t)SH(ə)n, dīˈmen(t)SH(ə)n) would contain something that was alive and moving. From the top to the bottom, from the front to the back, he filled the frame.

…
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-1937

Everyday Parenting Tips

By Simon(ˈsīmən) Rich

We’ve all been there. The teeth are brushed(brəSHt), the p.j.’s are on, and the blankie(ˈblaNGkē) is in place. You’re tiptoeing(ˈtipˌtō) out of the nursery(ˈnərs(ə)rē), when suddenly you hear, “Mommy, Mommy, there’s a monster under my bed!” You sigh. Looks like that new episode(ˈepəˌsōd) of “The Bachelorette(ˌbaCH(ə)ləˈret)” is going to have to wait. :( Lucky for you, our experts are up to the challenge!

Is it normal for my child to be afraid of monsters? Yes. If anything, it’s evidence of a healthy imagination.

How do I convince(kənˈvins) my child there’s no such thing as monsters? Be patient(ˈpāSHənt). By five, your child should understand that the monsters she’s afraid of are not real.

What if the monsters she’s afraid of are real? Unfortunately, this is becoming more common in the aftermath(ˈaftərˌmaTH) of the Great Monster Uprising(ˈəpˌrīziNG) that occurred earlier this year. Ever since the creatures descended(dəˈsend) from the Dark Place, their presence(ˈprezəns) on Earth has become an unavoidable(ˌənəˈvoidəbəl) aspect of our daily lives. If your child is afraid of an actual, real-life monster, such as Gorgog the Annihilator(əˈnīəˌlādər) or Ctharga the Eater of Souls(sōl), explain to her that, although those monsters are obviously real, the likelihood(ˈlīklēˌho͝od) of them attacking(əˈtak) her is only moderate(ˈmäd(ə)rət).

Should I restrict(rəˈstrikt) my child’s media access? Most parents agree it’s wise to shield(SHēld) kids from scary(ˈske(ə)rē) content. But experts warn that it may be futile(ˈfyo͞odl, ˈfyo͞odīl) to try to stop them from seeing monsters altogether. After all, they are on page 1 of the Times every day, usually striking(ˈstrīkiNG) a menacing(ˈmenəsiNG) pose(pōz). Short answer: try your best.

…
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/05/25/everyday-parenting-tips

Before 7am

By Steve Pavlina

I love the morning magical(ˈmajək(ə)l) time. It’s my favorite time of day – before dawn(dän,dôn) when most of the city is still snug(snəg) in bed.

This morning I hopped out of bed at 4:45am, feeling happy to start another adventurous(adˈvenCHərəs,əd-) day. By 7am this morning, I had done the following:

Ran 5 miles(mīl) / 8 kilometers(kəˈlämədər)
Did 12,000 steps(step)
Listened to 4 hours of The Art of Possibility audiobook (100 minutes x(by) 2.5 speed)
Did 15 minutes of yoga(ˈyōgə) with a little meditation at the end
Made a green smoothie(ˈsmo͞oT͟Hē) (1 banana, 6 mandarin(ˈmandərən) oranges, spinach(ˈspiniCH), celery(ˈsel(ə)rē), blueberries(ˈblo͞oˌberē), maca(ə), dehydrated(dēˈhīdrāt) barley(ˈbärlē) grass(gras) juice, chia(ˈCHēə) seeds, hemp(hemp) seeds, water)
Mopped(mäp) the kitchen floor (well… assigned(əˈsīn) a robot to do it)
Started some steel(stēl) cut oats(ōt) cooking (I love the InstantPot(ˈinstənt pät)!)
Dreamed up an idea for a new course / launch

Afterwards I reviewed my goals, and now I’m sipping(sip) the smoothie and writing this blog post while the oatmeal(ˈōtˌmēl) is cooking and the robot is diligently(ˈdiləjəntlē) cleaning the kitchen floor.

Caffeine(kaˈfēn,ˈkafˌēn) isn’t part of my day by the way, nor is chocolate, caffeinated(ˈkafəˌnādəd) teas, or other stimulants(ˈstimyələnt). That would just slow me down.

When I was 20 years old, this is what my morning would have looked like (sometimes all the way to noon and beyond):

Zzzzzzzz
Yawn(yôn)
Zzzzzzzz

Then I’d drag myself out of bed and start my day very sluggishly(ˈsləɡiSHlē). It would take me at least an hour or two just to feel awake enough to function much at all. Then the rest of the day would be a blur(blər), with the main decisions being figuring out what to eat. My biggest accomplishment of the day would be going for a long walk. At least I liked to walk.

What made the difference? Really it came down to a decision. I decided I didn’t want to live like that first person anymore. I didn’t want his life or his results – because they sucked(sək)! It was a boring, low energy, depressing(dəˈpresiNG) way to live. And I decided that I could change that.

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/05/before-7am/

Silence Is NOT An Option

All of us at Ben & Jerry’s are outraged(ˈoutˌrāj) about the murder(ˈmərdər) of another Black person by Minneapolis(ˌminēˈapələs) police(pəˈlēs) officers last week and the continued violent(ˈvī(ə)lənt) response by police against protestors(ˈprōˌtestər, prəˈtestər). We have to speak out. We have to stand together with the victims(ˈviktəm) of murder, marginalization(ˌmärjənələˈzāSHən, ˌmärjənəˌlīˈzāSHən), and repression(rəˈpreSH(ə)n) because of their skin color, and with those who seek justice(ˈjəstəs) through protests across our country. We have to say his name: George Floyd.

George Floyd was a son, a brother, a father, and a friend. The police officer who put his knee(nē) on George Floyd’s neck(nek) and the police officers who stood by and watched didn’t just murder George Floyd, they stole(stōl) him. They stole him from his family and his friends, his church and his community, and from his own future.

The murder of George Floyd was the result of inhumane(ˈinhyo͞oˈmān) police brutality(bro͞oˈtalədē) that is perpetuated(pərˈpeCHo͞oˌāt) by a culture of white supremacy(so͞o-,səˈpreməsē). What happened to George Floyd was not the result of a bad apple; it was the predictable consequence of a racist(ˈrāsəst) and prejudiced(ˈprejədəst) system and culture that has treated Black bodies as the enemy(ˈenəmē) from the beginning. What happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis is the fruit(fro͞ot) borne(bôrn) of toxic(ˈtäksik) seeds planted on the shores(SHôr) of our country in Jamestown(ˈjāmzˌtoun) in 1619, when the first enslaved(inˈslāv, enˈslāv) men and women arrived on this continent(ˈkänt(ə)nənt). Floyd is the latest in a long list of names that stretches(streCH) back to that time and that shore(SHôr). Some of those names we know — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor(ˈtālər), Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael(ˈmīk(ə)l) Brown, Emmett Till, Martin Luther King, Jr. — most we don’t.

https://www.benjerry.com/about-us/media-center/dismantle-white-supremacy