It’s official: watching cat videos helps you feel more energetic and less stressed out — especially at work!
I don’t think we needed a study to know that, but an assistant professor at Indiana University Bloomington took it upon herself to get proof positive that watching cat videos gives people an endorphin rush. Turns out that cat videos decrease negative feelings and increase positive ones and that most people who watch the videos at work only do it for the little “pick me up.”
And it’s not like there’s a shortage of videos to watch. Felines are the most popular category on YouTube with 26 billion cat videos viewed last year alone. That’s billion. With a B!
Assistant Professor Myrick says, “Even if they are watching cat videos on YouTube to procrastinate or while they should be working, the emotional payoff may actually help people take on tough tasks afterward.”
So take a short break and watch some Grumpy Cat. It’s good for you. And if you get caught? Refer your boss to Professor Myrick’s study.
Your “Purrfect Procrastination” Gift Guru,
Linda
July 4th isn’t just about bright fireworks and backyard cookouts. It’s one of the biggest days in American history — the day we celebrate our independence from the British!
We all learned a lot about the holiday in school, but I dug up some little-known historical facts about America’s Big Day to help you impress everyone at the BBQ:
Though John Adams wasn’t happy with the date, it was his idea to celebrate with “pomp and parade, with shews [shows], games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”
John Adams might not have gotten his way about July 2nd, but he did get to choose the way we would celebrate Independence Day — to this day and and “forward forever more.”
Your “Fun Fourth” Gift Guru,
Linda
June is National Camping Month! The weather is perfect, the kids are already bored without their classes and homework and Mom needs a break from televisions, phones, computers and indoor cooking. So it’s time to inspect the tents, get out the camp stove and find a tree limb to hang our straw hats on for a week or so.
Now…the big question…where to go? The National Park Service has tons of activities going on all over the country, but that makes it even harder to choose! The kids never agree on anything and my dear husband is no help with his mumbled, “wherever you want” answer.
So I came up with an idea: why not leave it up to chance? I’ll have everyone in the family (including dear hubby!) write down two places they’d like to go on scraps of paper and then we’ll have a disinterested third party draw our campground out of a hat. We could end up anywhere from the Kenai Fjords in Alaska to the Everglades National Park right here in Florida!
Wherever we go, I’ll be happy to sleep under the stars, make up some S’mores and ditch the devices for a while.
Your “Camping by Chance” Gift Guru,
Linda
Monday (June 8) is National Best Friends Day.
No one seems to know how or when it started or even who started it, but BFFs everywhere agree on the purpose of the holiday: to be thankful for your best friend.
Best friends are like soulmates. Even if they’re not by your side, they’re on your side. No matter what. Even after long separations, best friends meet again and pick up their last conversation like they had never been apart. They are the keepers of your secrets and you theirs. In short: they are priceless.
Best Friend’s Day isn’t a well-known holiday. It’s not a widely-celebrated holiday. In fact, lots of people probably don’t even know about it…yet. So help me spread the word and spread the love for best friends all over the world.
Your “Happy Besties Day” Gift Guru,
Linda
