There's so much to love about Fall; the beautifully colored leaves, the crips fresh air, eating apples straight from the tree and, of course, celebrating Halloween. If those aren't reasons enough to be happy that fall is here, check out this October Calendar. I'm sure you and your family and friends will find loads of reasons to cheer that october is finally here.
OCTOBER CALENDAR
1. National Hair Day, Fire Pup Day, National Homemade Cookie Day, National Consignment Day, National Child Health Day.
2.   Name Your Car Day, National Custodial Workers Recognition Day.
3.  National Coffee With A Cop Day, National Techies Day, National Boyfriend Day, National Walk To School Day, National Pumpkin Seed Day.
4.   National Taco Day, National Golf Lover's Day.
5.   National Body Language Day, National Get Funky Day, National Do Something Nice Day, National Apple Betty Day.
6.    National Plus Size Appreciation Day, National Mad Hatter Day, National Noodle Day.
7.    National LED Light Day, National Inner Beauty Day, National Frappe Day.
8.   National Fluffernutter Day (that's a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff or cream sandwich), National Online Bank Day, National Kick Butt Day.
9.   National Leif Erikson Day, National Moldy Cheese Day.
10.  National Curves Day, National Angel Food Cake Day, National Cake Decorating Day, National Handbag (purse) Day, World Mental Health Day, National Emergency Nurses Day, National Bring Your Teddy Bear To Work/School Day, National Stop Bullying Day.
11.  International Day Of The Girl Child, National Sausage Pizza Day, National Coming Out Day.
12.  National Savings Day, National Freethought Day, National Farmers Day.
13.  I Love Yarn Day, National Train Your Brain Day, National No Bra Day, National Chess Day, Navy Birthday, National Costume Swap Day, National Motorcycle Ride Day.
14.  National Dessert Day, Be Bald and Be Free Day, Clergy Appreciation Day.
15.  National Cheese Curd Day, National I Love Lucy Day, National Grouch Day, National White Cane Safety Day, National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day.
​16.  National Dictionary Day, Global Cat Day, Department Store Day, Boss's Day.
17.  National Edge Day, National Mulligan Day, National Pasta Day, Black Poetry Day, Hagfish Day, National Fossil Day, National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day, Medical Assistants Recognition Day.
18.  National Chocolate Cupcake Day, National No Beard Day, National Get Smart About Credit Day, Get To Know Your Customers Day.
19. National Seafood Bisque Day, National LGBT Center Awareness Day, National Mammography Day.
20.  National Youth Confidence Day, National Sweetest Day.
21.  National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, National Reptile Awareness Day.
​22.  National Nut Day, National Color Day.
23.  National Boston Cream Pie Day, National Mole Day, National Talk Show Host Day, Swallows Depart From San Juan Capistrano Day, iPod Day.
24.  National Food Day, United Nations Day.
25.  Sourest Day (I guess if sweet can have a day, so can sour!), Chucky The Notorious Killer Doll Day.
26.  National Day of the Deployed, National Mule Day, National Pumpkin Day, National Frankenstein Friday, National Breadstick Day.
27.  National Black Cat Day, National Make A Difference Day.
28.  National Chocolate Day (Isn't that every day???), National Mother-in-Law Day.
29.  National Cat Day, National Oatmeal Day, National Hermit Day
30.  National Speak Up For Service Day, National Publicist Day, National Candy Corn Day.
31.  National Caramel Apple Day, National Knock-Knock Joke Day, National Magic Day, Girl Scouts Founders Day and, of course, HALLOWEEN!
I told you there was a lot to celebrate this month! Wow! This must be one of the busiest months of the entire year. With so many great things to celebrate, how does one choose? It won't be easy, but I'll whittle done my list to manageable number, then head to the store for my supplies. Whatever days you choose to celebrate, have a great month and be sure to come back on Monday. Until then, have a great weekend, stay safe, and
                                                                    PEACE.

Do you think animals have emotions? Do they feel things in a similar way to humans? I may not be the best frog to ask since I might be considered biased on the subject. But if you love animals, and especially if you're a pet owner, you may well feel that "animal sentience-the ability of animals to feel and perceive things-is clear." I mean after all, what pet parent hasn't seen their dog or cat exhibit fear, surprise, happiness, and anger. Scientists, however, always more concrete proof. They want more evidence. And there has been. Over the past few years, there have been several studies on animal sentience. There are five, in particular, that I think are worth taking a look at. I'll do my best to keep this brief and give you only the highlights of each study. Okay, so here we go.
1.  A University of Chicago (Illinois) study proves empathy in rodents. This study showed that rats who were not trained to do this freed (all on their own) other rats who had been restrained. They do this out of empathy. A similar study found that chickens, too, showed empathy.
2.  A dog sentience study at Emory University. Gregory Burns, a neuroscientist and author at Emory conducted a study on dog sentience and found that "caudate activity (in other words, the part of the brain that signals information about things that make us happy, like love or food or music or beauty) in dogs increases in response to the same comfort-driven things that it does in humans: food, familiar humans, and their human pet parent who had stepped out for a bit and then returned." (It's how you feel when your BFF goes away on vacation and then returns.) This may prove that dogs might experience positive emotions just like you do!. How did Burns accomplish this? He acclimated the dogs to MRI machines and then monitored caudate activity. Pretty cool, eh?
3.  Scientific studies on dolphins.  Through the years, many studies have been done on dolphin brains. A recent study shows that dolphins may come in second in their intellectual capacity to humans.  They show a high level of self-awareness and the ability to suffer trauma and suffering. Just like with the dogs, this study was conducted using MRI scans. "Dolphins can also solve problems and associate parts of their anatomy with humans. They may even create individualized whistle noises for different members of their pod."
4.  Studies of Great Ape empathy. Great apes are viewed as closely related to humans so many studies have been done on these animals. One study found that bonobos apes exhibit the same kind of contagious yawning that many humans do. This is an indicator of empathy. "Though not as scientific, there is also anecdotal evidence that apes feel emotions otherwise attributed to humans, such as the desire of Koko the gorilla to have a baby communicated through sign language and play."
5.  Studies on elephants. Jeffrey Mason is the author of the book When Elephants Weep. a fascinating collection of essays about the emotional lives of elephants. For example, elephants have been known to stay with their sick or injured comrades, even when that elephant isn't a member of their family. They also appear to grieve the loss of their own.
Animal rights and welfare activists are constantly frustrated that there is even still a debate going on as to whether animals are sentient beings. Most of us here know, I'm willing to bet, that animals have a great capacity for love, understanding, and empathy. We also know that animals must be treated better...more humanely and with compassion. Studies on animal sentience will continue for years to come, thank goodness. And, hopefully, more and more humans will get it that we're not just "dumb animals that don't feel things."
I invite you back here tomorrow for my October calendar of special days. But until then, I wish you
                                                                       PEACE.

​Nowakowski, Anjali. "The Emotional Life of Animals." ThoughtCo, Jan. 10, 2018, thoughtco.com/animal-sentience-studies-4157527.

Fall is officially here. With shorter days and cooler temperatures, it can make getting up each morning in the dark a little more difficult. That's what happened to me this morning. Add to that, I spent most of the day doing deep fall cleaning around the ol' lily pad. I was "plum tuckered out" and slept like a log last night. When I did manage to get myself out of bed and breakfast started, I was running kind of late.
My wise teacher and friend, The Dharma Frog who comes for my life lesson every Wednesday morning, is hardly ever late and he's never late when I could really use the extra time. Like today. But he arrived right on schedule, as usual, and as he looked around my pad, his eyes went immediately to a large pile of stuff on the floor just outside of a small closet. "What's all this, my young friend?" Dharma asked. "Well, Sir, I was doing my fall cleaning yesterday and got very tired before I could finish cleaning out that closet. I left the mess and had intended to get up early and finish it before you arrived. Needless-to-say, Sir, that didn't happen," I replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. Dharma didn't respond right away...I could see the little wheels turning in his head. Finally, he said, "What will you do with all your old items, Irwin?" "I had planned to find a way to get everything back into the closet, only neater." "Have you thought about recycling or repurposing some of these things? You know, Tadpole, one frog's junk is another frog's treasure." And before I knew what hit me, Dharma had started on my lesson for the week.
We sat down to our breakfast and I poured the tea. Dharma spoke about the need to unload some of my treasures. "Purging ourselves of unwanted, old, or unnecessary items is a great way to simplify our lives. Stuff, my young friend, can consume time, energy, and resources...especially money. Our treasures all need to be organized, stored and kept in a safe place. This not only requires a great deal of time and energy, but also increases our 'flipperprint' on the world. Our belongings, no matter how much we treasure them, can often have a negative impact on us. We mistakenly believe that we'll need that 'doo-dad' at some point, even though it's been over a year since we used it last. Often, we tell ourselves that we simply just don't have the time to clean out the storage area. Other times we, and humans do this to excess,  actually rent outside storage units to put all our stuff in. We pay monthly rent on the unit and, more often than not, forget what's even in it...all while paying the rent. More times than not, the monthly rent, at the end of the year, winds up being more than the value of all of the stuff that's in it! And we certainly don't want to throw stuff in the landfill, so what do we do?"
The answer was pretty simple, donate all the usable item. Dharma laid out a few suggestions for places to unload all those unwanted and unnecessary items. Some you may have thought of; others you may not have. Each of these places will put your items to good use helping others and will keep your items out of public landfills. You win and so does the environment. 
1. Clothing and household items can be donated, of course, to charity shops. But many other nonprofits want these items, too. Some diabetes and kidney organizations will take household items. Profits from the sale of these items go toward life-saving research on cures for this diseases. Too, there are resale stores where your better quality clothing can actually net you a little extra cash.  These stores are a great place to rid yourself of outgrown but still wearable children's clothing, including school uniforms, dance costumes, winter outerwear, as well as toys and books. Dress For Success takes good workwear and gives it to those who are entering the workforce and may not have the funds for professional clothing. And don't forget about women's shelters. These wonderful organizations help women and their children who have escaped abusive relationships and need to start a new life. They often leave with just the clothes on their backs. Starting over for them means literally starting from scratch. Local churches, too, often will take certain items like winter outerwear and they distribute it to the needy within their communities.
2. Sporting goods. It's pretty easy to find a home for this stuff. Local schools can use the equipment as well as some churches who have sports teams. Sporting goods resale shops abound. And, again, don't forget the shelters; both women's and homeless shelters can use your equipment to help others,  Local sporting associations would also be a great place to donate your used equipment.
3.  Electronics. Every place is different, of course, but most communities have old electronic equipment collection days. These collections help to keep electronics and computers out of landfills. Some nonprofits will take these items and refurbish them either to sell inexpensively or to donate to those in need.
4.  Old cell phones. The best thing to do with these is to donate them to shelters. Women's shelters give them to their clients for making emergency calls. 911 always works even when there isn't any real service on the phone. And for those folks who are homeless and can afford even minimal service, these phones can help them find jobs and keep track of their children.
5.  Furniture and building supplies. Like clothing and household items, these things can find new homes in many places. Habitat for Humanity reStore is one of the best places to take these items. Goodwill and Salvation Army, for those of you in the US, will take furniture and may even come to pick it up for you. Call and ask. Shelters often need furniture as do nonprofit organizations. Especially needed is office furniture. 
And let's not forget our pet friends. Pet food dishes and water bowls, towels, newspapers, pet bedding, dog houses, etc can all be donated to your favorite no-kill animal shelter, These items will be put to good use. Often, shelters will take other used items, too. Many area pet shelters have semi-annual rummage sales to raise money for their worthy cause. The money then lets them help more animals and provide better medical care to the animals in their charge.
After Dharma left this morning, I began tackling my own pile of stuff. I can that some things I can repurpose and continue to use, while other items I will donate to a few of my favorite charities. The best part of donating your unwanted items is that they get a new life by providing joy, entertainment, and hope for others.
Please join me back here tomorrow. Until then,
                                                                        PEACE.

Does the word math strike fear in you? It does me. I'm terrible at math and freeze up when faced with the prospect of having to solve a math problem that's more than simple addition, subtraction, or multiplication. You know, the basic stuff. My little brother Quigley is pretty good in math and seems to enjoy the challenge. He gets that, I guess, from our dad who works as a CFA (certified frog accountant) and spends his days playing with numbers. Why am I mentioning all this? It's because the 25th of September is Math Storytelling Day. 
Everyone enjoys a good story. And telling stories using math is one of the best ways to get students, and yourself perhaps, interested in a subject that can be challenging to learn. In fact, the task of learning mathematics seems remote from anything to do with storytelling. But it isn't. I bet you had word problems in school. I did. Math storytelling is simply an extended version of those old word problems. And math storytelling sound must nicer than word problems. Who wants problems anyway? But stories can spark interest. Students want to know more. "Creating interest with a story is an important initial step. Describing a chain of events may engage students, create excitement, mystery or suspense, and motivate thinking about a particular problem. Stories may convey passion and enthusiasm. They may also introduce ways of thinking and acting like their heroes, create empathy, and make the material more accessible and memorable. Stories in which students identify with the heroes may also make the lesson more relevant and more vivid. Stories that involve specific examples may help students relax as they provide something to hold to when moving to general theory or technical detail. In general, a classroom story can serve as a purposeful break from the routine, creating a refuge to return to and to seek more stories." 
Math stories are entertaining and can, in their own unique way, make learning mathematics almost seem fun!
Math Storytelling Day began in 2009 by Maria Droujkova after she read a blog post by Seth Godwin entitled, "What Should I Do On Your Birthday?" Seth encouraged his readers to think bigger than themselves when making birthday suggestions to friends and family. Math stories had been around for a long time, but the suggestion by Mr. Godin prompted Maria and her daughter to share these math stories with others...a kind of birthday gift for everyone...on September 25th, which just happened to be her own birthday. It's a very cool idea!
How can you celebrate this wonderful day? Explore math stories, share them with your family and friends. Maybe make up a few math stories of your own. And don't forget to post them on your social media using #MathStorytellingDay.
​I used to be able to embed links into this blog but I don't seem to be able to that any longer. Darn. There are a couple of neat websites I want to share with you, though, that will tell you more about math storytelling. https://www.sensepublishers.com/media/1019-teaching-mathematics-as-storytelling.pdf
One has a few really great examples of math stories. My favorite is Hilbert's Infinite Hotel.
https://naturalmath.com/2014/08/math-storytelling-day-resources/
​This is the best I can do, but perhaps you can copy and paste these links into your browser if you want to learn more..
Tomorrow is Wednesday and I invite you to hop back here for another wonderful life lesson from my dear friend and teacher, The Dharma Frog. Until then, I wish you Happy Math Storytelling Day and
                                                                         PEACE.

Once upon a time, there were four dragonflies hovering over a lily pad where two frogs were sitting in the sun.....

Do you have trouble corraling your thoughts? I sure do! My mind wanders all over the place. I have trouble maintaining focus. Meditation has helped with that but. still, problems linger. I read something over the weekend that says if you meditate and only train your focus...breathing, your body, wandering thoughts, and feelings...you may be missing out on something very important meditation benefits. This new skill is called open awareness.
You might be asking, "Okay, Irwin, what exactly is open awareness?" I'm glad you asked! Open awareness is "where we simply rest in the awareness of awareness, feeling what it’s like to be conscious without paying attention to anything in particular. In everyday life, open awareness means approaching situations with fresh eyes, letting go of our habitual reactions and our expectations for the future." While open awareness is certainly is one of the most advanced contemplative techniques, it offers us, the practitioners, a greater potential for more freedom, more peace, and more healing. Sounds pretty good to me!
​The idea of being aware of awareness can, on the surface, seem a bit weird. Some humans find it disorienting, confusing, and even difficult to hold on to. Some might even say it's bizarre. Dan Siegal, MD, and author of the book Aware discusses open awareness and its benefits. As the inventor of open awareness, he says that it's helpful to not compare open awareness to other experiences. Instead, he offers, try to simply describe the feelings you experience with open awareness. According to journalist Daniel Goleman and neuroscientist Richard Davidson, the brains of longtime meditation practitioners actually look different when they're practicing open awareness. It does change the human brain. And for the better! "Gamma waves—which, for most of us, occur briefly and in one spot of the brain—are elevated all across their brains, corresponding to the sense of vastness and spaciousness they feel. Neuropsychiatric researcher Judson Brewer and colleagues also found similar electrical patterns during a range of meditative practices that are called 'effortless awareness'—a state of being aware of whatever arises as it arises." Another social neuroscientist also found that attentional states are associated with neural firing in primitive brain stem regions that are associated with the most basic processes of life - awe, gratitude, joy, an inner sense of vitality, and relational connection to the world around. Humans, then, can propose that open awareness naturally gives rise to the subjective experience of joy, awe, and peace—of meaning, love, and connection. How cool is that?
"Neuroscientists commonly call the brain an 'anticipation machine.' To predict and get ready for what is going to happen next, it constructs a perceptual filter that selects and organizes what we actually become aware of based on what we’ve experienced before. Filters shape what we focus on, which in turn influences the information our brains receive." And filters help humans survive by helping you to make sense of life; to feel safe and secure when the world around you feels turbulent and unsettled. The downside of filters, however, is that they can prevent you from experiencing new things; of seeing life in new ways or from finding new solutions to old problems. Filters equate stuckness. And they can even make life seem dull. Children aren't "stuck" and that is one big reason they are able to find joy and wonder in things that adults often take for granted. 
The challenge then is to find new ways of thinking; new ways of seeing and of being. Open awareness helps to make your filters less rigid, it can open you up to seeing life in a whole new way, thus clearing out the cobwebs and randomness of your thoughts.
I googled open awareness and found many links to articles on the subject, should you wish to know more. or you might choose to purchase Dr. Siegal's book or borrow it from your local library. 
I hope you found this information helpful...or at the very least, informative. Much of my free time is spent reading and learning about subjects that interest me. When I find things that are intriguing, I then pass that information on to you in a somewhat condensed fashion.
Please come back tomorrow when I'll share some interesting information on storytelling using math. It's a lot more fun than you might think! Until then, I wish you all
                                                                       PEACE.

Information and quotes from The Greater Good Magazine - "How to Gain Freedom from Your Thoughts."

​Tomorrow is the official start of the fall season. The air has a different feel to it. It feels crisp and clean. Fall is the perfect time for outdoor activities like time for picking apples, hiking, and scouring the pumpkin patches for the most perfect specimens. School has been back in session now for a few weeks, much to my mom's delight. Fall is also the time when school sports really flourish. The cooler weather is perfect for  for more physical activities. And those students who don't play sports are looking for new after-school and weekend activities. My little brother Quigley is no different. last year, as you may recall, I took him to see a Tai Chi tournament here in Lily Pad. And while he didn't think he wanted to take up learning this ancient martial art, he did have a great time watching the participants. Again this year, young Quigley has asked me to take him to watch the masters perform. The competition begins this weekend and the two of us have front row seat when the first round of the competition begins on Saturday. 
Tai Chi is based on Qigong and martial art techniques from thousands of years ago. Yang style Tai Chi is the most common but in recent years, Sun style has become better known in the western world. It is also easiest to learn regarding its physicality. Tai Chi is also known as Shadow Boxing. Its name is derived from the philosophical term Tai Chi which first appeared in the Book of Changes over 3000 years ago. In this book it says 'in all changes exist Tai Chi, which causes the two opposites in everything.'  Tai Chi means the ultimate of the ultimate and is often used to describe the vastness of the universe.
The essential principles of Tai Chi are based on the ancient philosophy of Taoism, which stresses the natural balance in all things and the need for living in spiritual and physical accord with the patterns of nature. According to this philosophy, everything is composed of two opposite, but entirely complementary elements...the yin and yang....both working in a relationship which is in perpetual balance. It is this balance that makes Tai Chi so effective. Chen is the oldest and Sun is the youngest of the five major Tai Chi styles. Sun style is the form of Tai Chi little Quigley will study, at least to start with.
The creator of Sun style Tai Chi, Sun Lu-tang, was about 50 years old when he developed this new system and was already a well-known expert of two other internal styles. Sun style, while being new, also embraces these other to styles as well. Sun style has a higher stance as well as less kicking and punching which makes it perfect for older practitioners, as well as those looking for a milder form of exercise. And while it may not be as spectacular in its outward appearance, once a practitioner passes through the surface it is easy to get hooked by its depth.
Using the mind to direct the movements, both the Chen and Sun styles emphasize Tai Chi as an internal art with the Yi (conscious mind) directing the Qi (energy), and the Qi to control the internal force  or Jin, and the internal force to move the body. Tai Chi's inner power is elastic and spiral.  With Tai Chi, the body posture is upright without being tense, the chin is slightly tucked in, and the crown of the head is gently pushed upward, loosening all the joints.
Tai Chi strengthens both the body and the mind and is considered to be a healthy form of exercise. To be efficient in martial arts, one must be strong to deliver force and be able to absorb incoming force. The head needs to be clear to concentrate. Being strong with a clear head is something I think would benefit most frogs, and humans, in today's world. I am so excited to attend this competition on Saturday that I am thinking seriously of taking up Tai Chi myself, even if my little brother isn't interested in trying it out. As I get older, I can see the value of keeping my mind clear, my joints limber, and my posture straight. Tai Chi seems like a fun way to accomplish of those things.
Whatever your plans are for this first fall weekend, I hope it includes some time outside and, perhaps, a little physical and mental exercise. Now, I'm off to get a head start on practicing my Sun Salutation. I invite you back here on Monday so, until then, stay safe and
                                                                  Peace everyone.​
PS. This is a great weekend for all kinds of celebrations. Fall officially begins tomorrow. Saturday is also Elephant Appreciation Day.

It is me, or is the world becoming increasingly more divided? Everywhere I look, I see humans at odds with one another; left vs. right, rich vs. poor, male vs. female, white vs. every other color, and all religions claiming to be the "only way to worship." From a frog's perspective, it all just seems crazy. That said, I have been doing some reading on the subject and there does seem to be a choice of answers as to why this is happening. Let's be clear here, even after all my research, I am just as confused as ever. But the good news is, there is one central theme on how to repair the problem, a theme that was constant throughout all the reports and documentation. And it's moral elevation.
What is that exactly and how can humans achieve it? It's pretty simple. Always take the high road for the low road can get very muddy. Moral elevation is that 'warm, uplifting feeling that people experience when they see unexpected acts of human goodness, kindness, courage, or compassion,.'  Stories abound on the courage, compassion, and kindness of others. We simply need to look for them; for they are almost always buried underneath the dark and dank headlines for the day. When any of us experience moral elevation we have that desire to help others...human or animals...and become a better person (or frog) in the process.
So we know that moral elevation is the best way to narrow, then diminish the differences between humans. How does that happen? Here are three ways moral elevation makes a difference.
1.  Moral elevation increases your sense of common humanity - and may decrease bias toward outgroups. "When people are prompted with stories of moral exemplars—people engaged in morally excellent behavior—their bias toward out-groups can go down. One study showed that people who experienced moral elevation after witnessing exemplars in action decreased their belief in a social hierarchy—where some groups are better than others—leading them to be more willing to donate to charities benefitting other social groups." Research suggests that this effect may extend beyond the groups specifically represents in the moral story.  A review of research conducted on moral elevation shows that humans tend to have a more favorable view of humanity and to think better of others after they experience moral elevation.
2.  Moral elevation induces you to want to help others. When humans experience moral elevation, it seems to inspire them to engage in moral behavior and to embrace having a more moral attitude toward others, in general. Witnessing or experiencing moral attitude seems to make humans want to engage in better behavior themselves, causing them to take a closer look at their own beliefs and actions. This mirroring effect causes humans to act kinder, inspire admiration for those who help, and even increase their own sense of gratitude.
3.   People who tap into moral elevation more intensely may have a stronger moral identity.  What this means is that the more you tap into your own more elevation, the more you can identify with that good moral behavior. Research tells us that this feeling of having a good moral compass then, in turn, causes them to act in ways that are kinder and more helpful. What is most interesting is that the effect of experiencing moral elevation appears to last well beyond that initial exposure. And it does have a cumulative effect.
"This suggests to me that we all could benefit from actively pursuing experiences of moral elevation, by seeking out (and sharing) stories of goodness that inspire us to be our best selves. Not only would that make us feel good, but it would also likely increase our sense of connection and generosity toward others, no matter their background, helping to bridge divides. And, given the current state of world politics, there may be nothing more important than finding ways to embrace our common humanity."
​I couldn't agree more! Why not start work on building that bridge today. It can be as easy as giving someone a hug, especially if that person is someone you don't normally associate with. A smile, a kind word, lending a helping hand by opening a door; these are all small but significant signs of good moral elevation. For me, that means I am going to work on keeping bad news at bay, being kinder to others, and to be more understanding of those who may be different than myself.
I hope that if you've read a few of my blogs or follow me on Twitter, you know that my main goal is to promote positivity, while, at the same time, I try to educate and inspire people of all ages, races, and cultures.
Tomorrow is Friday and it's also a very special day for several reasons. I hope you'll come back for a fun Friday blog to get your weekend off to a good start. Until then, my dear reader, I wish you a wonderful day that's filled with
​                                  PEACE. (And I send each of you a big cyber hug!)​

What a morning it's been! The internet's been out since I awoke and between fiddling with that and preparing for Dharma's visit well, let's just say, I've been pretty busy.
Dharma arrived just as I'd finished preparing breakfast. As we sat down to eat, he immediately began my lesson for this week. "Tadpole, only the frog who has hopped down the road knows where the holes are, Do you understand what I'm saying?" "Uh, I think so," I replied. "We need to watch where we step when we're on an unfamiliar road?" Dharma chuckled. "No, my boy, although what you say is true enough. But what I was getting at is this. We must stop worrying about what lies in front of us. We can't know where the problems, or holes, on our path until we actually come upon them. We can do a little preliminary planning but we cannot prepare for every eventuality." And so Dharma, with all his wisdom, laid out for me four important reasons to stop worrying about the future.
1.  You can't predict it. No one can predict the future. We can make educated guesses, but until the future is present, we won't know for certain what will happen. It can feel kind of scary not knowing what potholes lie ahead on our journey through life. Life is much more complex today than it was 20, 30, or 50 years ago. That much is true. But doesn't it make more sense to spend your time working on making something happen than to worry about something that is out of your control...like the future? Worry doesn't really fix anything.
2.  You can't control it. Just like not being able to predict the future, none of us can control it, either. Luck, randomness, and chance contribute so much to the unpredictable nature of life that it is just unrealistic to think you can control things.  You can’t.  What you can do is plan the best you can, for the future you want by taking the necessary steps. Then, we must accept whatever is handed to us and work from there. While the randomness of life can seem a bit frightening, it can also be exhilarating, too. Sometimes we plan on getting a single rose but, instead, life sends us a whole bouquet!
3.  You miss out on life.  When we spend time worrying about the future, we miss out on the good things that are happening here in the present. If you've got your eyes closed, bracing for some imagined storm, there's a good chance you'll miss the sun shining. The best things in life happen in real time, not in the future. So quit worrying about the future, open your eyes and enjoy all the beauty that each day has to offer us.
4.  The worst isn't always as bad as you had imagined. How many times have you thought to yourself, "When it happens, I know it's going to be bad!" And then when "it did happen, it wasn't terrible at all. In fact, it might have been even pretty good. Life has lessons to teach us...sometimes over and over, so instead of dreading every little thing embrace the idea of change. Go with the flow.  Wade through that pothole in your personal road and learn from the lesson. There's always a lesson...something to be gleaned from the experience. Some lessons are small. Others are great and powerful. But whatever the lesson, learn from it and try to be a little grateful. Most problems can be overcome with time and a little creative thinking.
Dharma hung around after my lesson and helped me tidy up my kitchen. And just as he was readying himself to leave, my internet came back on all by itself! yes, it was going to be a good day after all.
I hope you found Dharma's lesson helpful...or at least a helpful reminder that all we have is the here and now. Accept it, embrace it and, maybe even love it. Whatever is going on. Problems are only potholes and, before you know it, you be through them and back on high ground again. I invite you back here tomorrow, so until then...
                                                                      PEACE.

These days you'd be pretty hard pressed to find someone without at least one microwave in their home. Even I have one....I've named it "Chef Mike." And we all know that we probably shouldn't microwave anything that's not food. That being said, kids have been known to place some kind of weird things in the home microwave oven, just to see what will happen. Hopefully, it'll be nothing bad. But here's a list of seven things you never ever want to place in the microwave. For some very good reasons.
1.  CDs and DVDs - it can be tempting to microwave these 2 items...they do give off a pretty cool plasma display. Unfortunately, they can cause a fire, release toxic fumes an, at the very least, ruin your microwave.
2.  Grapes.  No, microwaving grapes won't make the raisins you need for those oatmeal cookies. What you will get is fire. Grapes are mostly water so you'd think they'd be okay, but it's not so. "However, the roughly spherical shape of the grapes, combined with their waxy peel cause the microwaves to generate plasma." Basically, what you're creating are mini-plasma balls; a spark can jump from one grape to another or to the innards of your microwave, essentially killing "Chef Mike."
3.  Matches and toothpicks. Just like the little grape, matches and toothpicks, if stood up inside the microwave, can create a plasma display. The end result is fire and/or a destroyed microwave.
4.  Hot peppers.  Ever been tempted to dry hot peppers in the microwave? Don't do it!  Heating peppers release capsaicin into the air which the fan then disperses into the room. And from there?  it goes right into your eyes and lungs. Heating peppers won't hurt your microwave but you will pepper spray yourself and anyone else in the nearby vicinity.
5.  Light bulbs. Why anyone would try this is beyond me, but apparently someone has. What happens if you do this? The energy from the microwave will actually light up the lightbulb. Cool, right? Again, no. Light bulbs also contain metal that will generate sparks, typically shattering the bulb and ruining your oven. If it's a fluorescent bulb, it's even worse! Microwaving those releases highly toxic vapors into the air. These vapors are poisonous! DO NOT MICROWAVE light bulbs of any kind. Please!
6.  Eggs in their shells. You probably cook eggs in your microwave all the time. That's fine to do, as long as the egg has been removed from the shell. Cooking eggs in their shell makes them cook faster but also creates little egg-bombs. Not only will you have a big mess to clean up, but there's also a good chance that the explosion will blow the door right off your microwave. And, finally...
​7.  Water. Wait, what? Water is okay to microwave...but there are times when you shouldn't. You can run into problems when the water gets superheated. This means water gets higher than the boiling point without actually boiling. "When you disturb the water, it suddenly starts to boil, often explosively. People get burned every year, sometimes seriously, from superheating water in the microwave." How can you avoid this? Ovens with a turntable prevent superheating by jarring the water enough that it should boil when it gets hot enough. No turntable? Then be careful to not heat the water longer than is necessary and avoid reheating water that you've forgotten about. This is because the air bubbles that cause it to boil will have been "driven off" by the first round of heating. It's better to simply start over with fresh water.
This was a fun look at some pretty wild, scary, and incredible things that can happen when you put things in the microwave that don't belong there. it's fun to read about them but, please, those of you at home don't try any of these just to see if the frog's right. I am. Don't believe me? You can learn more from the citation listed below.
Don't forget, tomorrow is Wednesday and that means a visit from Dharma Frog. I wonder what lesson he's got "cooked up" for me this week? (Get it? Cooked up as in microwaved!)
Until then, stay safe and I wish you
                                                                    PEACE.

​Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "List of Things You Shouldn't Microwave." ThoughtCo, Aug. 1, 2018, thoughtco.com/things-you-should-not-microwave-607458.

As many of you know, I always try to spend a little of my weekend reading. You just never know when you'll come across an article with information so interesting, it can be used as the basis for one of my blogs. Such was the case this weekend. Interestingly enough, the article I read was on the subject of reading.
You might think there's only one kind of reading but, in fact, there are a couple. The first one is skimming, something I do quite a bit. Skimming, like the name implies, is when you quickly look over something to glean the important parts. Skimming is good enough to get the general gist of whatever it is your reading. The problem with skimming is reader retention. Generally, skimming is good for short-term comprehension and memory of the subject.
The next one, and the one we'll look at more closely is a term that was new to me; deep reading. Sven Birkerts coined the term in his 1994 book, The Gutenberg Elegies. In it, he says, 'Reading, because we control it, is adaptable to our needs and rhythms. We are free to indulge our subjective associative impulse; the term I coined for this is deep reading: the slow and meditative possession of a book. We don't just read the words, we dream our lives in their vicinity.'
Many humans say they devour a good book. In fact, that is pretty much what happens when humans deep read. They become immersed in the subject. Deep reading utilizes a wide array of "sophisticated processes that propel comprehension" that include deductive and inferential reasoning, analogical skills, critical analysis, reflection, and insight. Expert human readers need only milliseconds to execute these processes. Young and inexperienced brains need years to develop them. "Both of these pivotal dimensions of time are potentially endangered by the digital culture's pervasive emphases on immediacy, information loading, and a media-driven cognitive set that embraces speed and can discourage deliberation in both our reading and our thinking," say Maryanne Wolf and Mirit Barzillai, authors of The Importance of Deep Reading.
Humans, and frogs too are required to develop their skill of attention to detail; to be fully and thoughtfully aware, if they want to deep read. Deep reading is not a form of escape, like playing video games or watching TV.  Instead, deep reading allows us to immerse ourselves in the writer's work. We discover how we are all connected to the world and to our own ever-evolving stories. "Reading deeply, we find our own plots and stories unfolding through the language and voice of others."
Do you mark up books when you read them? I do quite often. I discovered from the article that I was reading that writing in the book can be a good a thing, just so long as it's yours. In fact, writing in the book doesn't just mean that you're awake, it means you're consciously aware of what you're reading. it also shows active thinking which expresses itself in words, either spoken or written. Additionally, writing in the book helps you remember the thoughts you had at the time you read it, as well as what the thoughts the author expressed. So go ahead, write in your book. It shows you're paying attention!
Deep reading involves time and effort, something many readers (and most students) would rather avoid. Deep reading is by no means a passive activity. It is, however, an activity that is both beneficial for the better functioning of the brain, it can give us more enjoyment out of what we read.
I found this article enlightening and I hope you found it useful, too. Skimming is perfectly good for many of the things humans read, but it isn't appropriate for everything. Before starting that article or turning the pages in that book, think about what you're reading and what you want to get out it. If deep reading is your goal, take your time and don't rush. Oh, and don't forget to get your highlighter and pencil ready. You may want to make a few notes!
I invite you back here tomorrow for an interesting and kind of weird blog. I think you'll enjoy it. Until then, I wish you
                                                                        PEACE.​

​Nordquist, Richard. "A Guide to Deep Reading." ThoughtCo, Sep. 7, 2017, thoughtco.com/what-is-deep-reading-1690373.