I just was reading this article, which talks about how holding a hot cup of coffee can make you feel better.

Duh.

It seems like a pretty obvious thing to me, and it blows me away how much research money will go into studies like this when there are so many other important things to figure out – such as, which tv channel should be left on to keep pets occupied during the day.

We’ve been doing research on this for years.  There will be many times when my daughter will take my coffee cup from me; not to drink it, but to just hold it for a moment to feel the warm.  It really does make you feel better, and put you in a more generous mood.

I’ll have to pay more attention to her behavior before and after holding the warm coffee cup, but I’m pretty sure it’s saved her life at least once or twice.

Hot Cup of Good

Right now, I’m cleaning the house so I can get a new chair.  It’s a dead-guy chair, from a guy at work who’s dad died recently.  He doesn’t want the reminder around.

Right now, I’m enjoying my day off by having cookies & cream coffee and crackers with cream cheese and mom-canned tuna.

Right now, I’m trying to figure out where to put things in a house that really should be big enough to hold what we have – but somehow isn’t.

Right now, I’m considering laying chicken wire down over where I planted garlic, so as to keep the cats out of it.

Right now, I’m waiting to hear if I got the “promotion” I have been waiting to hear about for several weeks.

Right now, I’m happy that my nephew is starting to breath on his own again, after yet another surgery.

Right now, I’m sad that my niece isn’t having a very easy time getting established as a human being, even after 18+ years on this planet.

Right now, I’m wondering if I should take a nap or get up and do what I need to get done today.

Right now, I’m tempted to do neither, but instead to go on Second Life and work on the underwater ruins beneath my shop.

Right now, I’m in the middle of everything.

For the second year, I’ve made a bunch of stuff to give away for Halloween.  I made a nice little display:

Halloween Display

Isn’t it cute?  Inside the box on the grave there is a cute little skittery spider thing and some blood drip textures.  The Pumpkin is from last year – it has candy corn fangs and bloody handprints.

Whee!

I remember this from last year, and it’s pretty damn neat this year as well. It’s the Small World Photomicrography Competition.

My favorite this year:

Swirling Dervish

Someday, I’ll find someone who thinks my wierd pictures are neat.

You made the hives on my arm stop itching, if only for a while. I should google you so as to properly quantify your attributes. Web MD…there you are!

Wait, what’s this?

Hydroxyzine is used for the short-term treatment of nervousness and tension that may occur with certain mental/mood disorders (e.g., anxiety, dementia).

Huh? Dementia? Huh???

Hmm. Let’s read on.

It is also used to treat itching from allergies and other causes.

Ok that sounds more like it. I’d forgotten I had it until I found it in a box in the garage today, and oh my I’m happy to have found it. I’ve had hives for the last week, miserable miserable hives. I get them when I internalize stress…and work lately has been stress, added to stress. And at work, I can’t very well “externalize” stress now, can I.

I do think I’ll have my doc call in a refill for me. The work stress won’t be going away any time soon.