I have found certain FB posts more than a little entertaining. For example, here is an actual public conversation between my abundantly positive, brave, albeit meddling friend; and a couple of potheads:
pc: The Other 98%
My sober friend, Willie, (first to comment on this public post): I know marijuana is not physiologically addictive. Supposedly it will not result in an overdose. I do believe it has some medicinal benefits. It even helps a lot of people relax. However, I observed that most people that like to use it are underachievers. Can it be that they value being high more than they value improving themselves? Again, this is just my observation. There are a lot of good things a person can pursue to improve themselves. It is sad when their focus is being high. Maybe, deep down they are not happy with life.
Pothead Rhonda: Some of that is true. On the other hand have you notice (sic) how people on alcohol behave? Sober Willie:Like any drugs, alcohol or even tobacco, I don't use any. i love life...If you do not enjoy your life, you tend to be destructive/abusive especially to your body. Pothead Bob(original poster):You (Willie) have no clue of what you are talking about! It is no different than alcoholics being underachievers... It can be abused like anything else. There are many good uses for it and the tax benefits are never ending. Pothead Jerry: What did he say Bob I lost my focus (sic). Pothead Bob: He said he observed people who smoke pot are under achievers. Don't even know who he is. Pothead Sylvia:Pothead Bob, Good answer to Willie. I always wonder if people who rant about the negativity of marijuana have ever tried it. Seems to me one must have some experience to be an "expert" on the subject. Pothead Mary:I've never been called an underachiever for a little smoke now and then, however I always thought I've done my best work with a little smoke here and there, but whose (sic) to say.
Pothead Bob: Same here..... lol
****
This snippet of a conversation had me ROFLMAO! Funny, yet not so funny. A cloudy haze envelopes these sorry potheads. Sad to say I am related to a couple of them.
-- RRE
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour ( 1 Peter 5:8)
Saw young Nate wearing this shirt at a restaurant in small College-town, USA.
It is certain to be a conversation starter with the youngish crowd who frequent the Coffee Shop where he works. He had his girlfriend with him. She came across as happy, content, safe. Who wouldn't be with such an in-your-face declaration of Nate's commitment to purity in their relationship? God bless you, N & S!
ETA: "Fight the New Drug" is a non-profit organization which -- I did not realize till today -- was founded by Mormons. I want to make it perfectly clear that I am a born-again Christian, and NOT Mormon, nor am I promoting their cult via this post.
Nothing turns your thoughts to beaches more than multiple days of 90-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. by C Heiser: There’s nothing quite as synonymous with summer as the beach — and we’ve got good news for those who flock to the surf and sand as soon as work lets out on Friday afternoon. Research finds that spending time by the ocean is pretty good for your wellbeing. In fact, according to an analysis of English census data published in the journal Health Place, those who live by the coast report better physical and mental health than those who don’t. And in a study published in the Journal of Coastal Zone Management, participants who live in homes with ocean views report feeling calmer than those without them.
So, it makes sense then that Hawaii has earned the ranking of happiest state in the U.S. by the annual Gallup poll six times since 2008, doesn’t it?
Research shows that most people complain once a minute during a typical conversation. Complaining is tempting because it feels good, but like many other things that are enjoyable -- such as smoking or eating a pound of bacon for breakfast -- complaining isn't good for you.
Your brain loves efficiency and doesn't like to work any harder than it has to. When you repeat a behavior, such as complaining, your neurons branch out to each other to ease the flow of information. This makes it much easier to repeat that behavior in the future -- so easy, in fact, that you might not even realize you're doing it.
You can't blame your brain. Who'd want to build a temporary bridge every time you need to cross a river? It makes a lot more sense to construct a permanent bridge. So, your neurons grow closer together, and the connections between them become more permanent. Scientists like to describe this process as, "Neurons that fire together, wire together."
Repeated complaining rewires your brain to make future complaining more likely. Over time, you find it's easier to be negative than to be positive, regardless of what's happening around you. Complaining becomes your default behavior, which changes how people perceive you.
And here's the kicker: complaining damages other areas of your brain as well. Research from Stanford University has shown that complaining shrinks the hippocampus -- an area of the brain that's critical to problem solving and intelligent thought. Damage to the hippocampus is scary, especially when you consider that it's one of the primary brain areas destroyed by Alzheimer's.
Complaining is also bad for your health
While it's not an exaggeration to say that complaining leads to brain damage, it doesn't stop there. When you complain, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol shifts you into fight-or-flight mode, directing oxygen, blood and energy away from everything but the systems that are essential to immediate survival. One effect of cortisol, for example, is to raise your blood pressure and blood sugar so that you'll be prepared to either escape or defend yourself.
All the extra cortisol released by frequent complaining impairs your immune system and makes you more susceptible to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It even makes the brain more vulnerable to strokes.
It's not just you...
Since human beings are inherently social, our brains naturally and unconsciously mimic the moods of those around us, particularly people we spend a great deal of time with. This process is called neuronal mirroring, and it's the basis for our ability to feel empathy. The flip side, however, is that it makes complaining a lot like smoking -- you don't have to do it yourself to suffer the ill effects. You need to be cautious about spending time with people who complain about everything. Complainers want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. Think of it this way: If a person were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the second-hand smoke? You'd distance yourself, and you should do the same with complainers.
The solution to complaining
There are two things you can do when you feel the need to complain. One is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. That is, when you feel like complaining, shift your attention to something that you're grateful for. Taking time to contemplate what you're grateful for isn't merely the right thing to do; it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. Research conducted at the University of California, Davis, found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood and energy and substantially less anxiety due to lower cortisol levels. Any time you experience negative or pessimistic thoughts, use this as a cue to shift gears and to think about something positive. In time, a positive attitude will become a way of life.
The second thing you can do -- and only when you have something that is truly worth complaining about -- is to engage in solution-oriented complaining. Think of it as complaining with a purpose. Solution-oriented complaining should do the following:
Have a clear purpose. Before complaining, know what outcome you’re looking for. If you can’t identify a purpose, there’s a good chance you just want to complain for its own sake, and that’s the kind of complaining you should nip in the bud.
Start with something positive. It may seem counterintuitive to start a complaint with a compliment, but starting with a positive helps keep the other person from getting defensive. For example, before launching into a complaint about poor customer service, you could say something like, “I’ve been a customer for a very long time and have always been thrilled with your service...”
Be specific. When you’re complaining it’s not a good time to dredge up every minor annoyance from the past 20 years. Just address the current situation and be as specific as possible. Instead of saying, “Your employee was rude to me,” describe specifically what the employee did that seemed rude.
End on a positive. If you end your complaint with, “I’m never shopping here again,” the person who’s listening has no motivation to act on your complaint. In that case, you’re just venting, or complaining with no purpose other than to complain. Instead, restate your purpose, as well as your hope that the desired result can be achieved, for example, “I’d like to work this out so that we can keep our business relationship intact.”
Bringing It All Together
Just like smoking, drinking too much, and lying on the couch watching TV all day, complaining is bad for you. Put my advice to use, and you'll reap the physical, mental and performance benefits that come with a positive frame of mind.
Senator McCain came back to the Senate, only to vote against the skinny repeal of OBAMACARE yesterday. What a disappointment! However, Mr McCain has another health-related issue that will take up more attention: his brain tumor.
Blausen.com staff (2014)
Senator Ted Kennedy ((February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) also had a brain tumor, but unfortunately, lasted only 15 months after his diagnosis. He was 77 ; younger than Senator McCain is now.
Senator Kennedy had Glioma which, though slower moving, has the more dire prognosis compared to Senator McCain's brain tumor, Glioblastoma. Still, cancer is cancer; things do not look good. I feel nothing but pity for Mr McCain and his family. Here's a good article comparing the two brain tumors:
Glioma versus Glioblastoma: Brain tumor is the most complex cancer of all due to its location in the most complex organ, the brain. Glioma and Glioblastoma are two different types of brain tumors. These tumors arise from the brain tissue and tend to usually occur in the fifth or sixth decade of life. They are also called primary brain tumors, that is, not secondary to any other cancer in the body and are the most commonly occurring as compared to other brain tumors.
Differences in Origin: Glioma accounts for 80% of the brain tumors and arises from glial cells, a type of supporting tissue for the brain cells. It is differentiated into three main groups according to the types of cells that it shares features with. A glioma could be arising from astrocytes (star shaped cells conducting brain activity), oligodendrocytes (forming protective layer around nerve cells) or ependymal cells (lining walls of fluid spaces within the brain). This also differentiates it into low grade or benign glioma and a high grade or malignant (cancerous) glioma. 30% of these gliomas are malignant.
Glioblastoma is the commonest of all malignant tumors of the brain. In fact, it is found to be highly cancerous containing a very high blood supply and comprising of dead tissue and cystic tissue. Due to its multiple forms, it is also termed Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). It arises from star shaped cells in the brain called astrocytes. The grade IV type of tumor arising from these astrocytes which is infiltrative and undifferentiated from other normal cells is called Glioblastoma.
Difference in prognosis: Glioma though is a slowly progressing tumor; its prognosis is not very good. There is no cure and the only aim of treatment is to bring down its growth and to manage symptoms. The survival rate from the time of diagnosis is on an average 12 months but with better modalities of treatment coming up a median survival of up to 11 to 12 years seen. Again the life expectancy depends on whether the tumor is benign or malignant with the latter carrying lesser years of survival.
Glioblastoma is a rapidly growing tumor with a survival rate of 3 to 5 months from the time of diagnosis if left untreated. But, following surgical removal a survival rate of 1 – 2 years has been observed. The years of survival reduce with increasing age. In 10% of the cases, a survival rate of 5 years has also been seen.
Summary:
It can be concluded that both Glioma and Glioblastoma are common brain tumors. Their occurrence increases with progressing age and are best treated with surgical removal after being diagnosed with the help of a CT scan or an MRI scan. The surgery is followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy to limit the growth of these tumors and to manage the symptoms arising from them. Glioblastomas arise from star shaped astrocytes while gliomas arise from any of the supportive tissue cells of the brain.
******************************** I am hoping that Mr McCain lives long enough to fulfil the rest of his term in the US Senate (ends Yr 2022). If he is unable to fulfil his duties, Arizona Republican governor, Doug Ducey, will appoint someone to fill the vacant seat. Then, an election will be held in Yr 2018 -- two AZ Senators would be running for election in the same year! Sounds ominous to the Republican-controlled US Senate, IMO. We'll have to wait and see.
As much as Mr McCain has recently left a bad taste in my mouth (re Obamacare) I will be praying that he is healed completely if it is the Lord's will.
Research Shows That Physically Complaining Rewires Your Brain To Be Depressed And Anxious
We all have that one person in our lives. The one that is spews negativity, regardless of circumstance. The one that everyone tiptoes around in social settings so as to not be the cause of their momentary disdain. They’re the eternal pessimist. They’re impossible to please.
They’re the perpetual complainer.
For the sake of this article, we’ll call our friend negative Nunny. (*feels androgynous enough, right?).
Most of us are able to adjust to Nunny. We’ve become accustomed to our role as the sounding board, and often overextend ourselves to work with their schedule so as to not be the cause of new negativity / stress. After all, we love and understand Nunny.
Unfortunately, this relationship begins to wear on you over time, sucking your energy and leaving you feeling empty. There are a couple different types of draining energies but all of them stream from one core value: Negativity.
Drain Types
The Venter: This person is always displeased, but doesn’t welcome solutions to remedy the issue at hand.
The Chronic Complainer: These folks “ruminate Instead of feeling a release after complaining, this sort of complaining can actually make things worse. It can cause even more worry and anxiety.
The Sympathy Seeker: The “woe is me” drain type may be the worst of all. No one has it as bad as they do.
According to Clemson University Professor of Psychology, Dr. Robin Kowalski, everyone complains from time to time, but should try to minimize it as much as possible. Bouts of negativity are normal and encouraged to reset our systems. But what you want to be mindful of, is if you are being excessively negative. Remember this: negativity breeds negativity.
Most of us unintentionally reinforce the nasty habit of complaining, by virtue of… complaining.
Negativity Rewires Your Brain
Donald Hebb, a Neuropsychologist, hypothesized that neurons which fire together, wire together. Meaning groups of neurons connect in our brain as a result of particular life experiences.
Whenever we think a thought or have a feeling or physical sensation, thousands of neurons are triggered and form an internal neural network. The brain learns to trigger the same neurons with repetitive thinking.
That said, we become what we think and say. If you focus on feelings / thoughts of criticism, worry, and victimization, it is much easier for your brain to call those things to the surface. This can lead to serious depression and anxiety.
Four tricks to avoid negativity:
Show thanks: Even for the little things.
Be aware of yourself: Stop yourself in a middle of a complaint. Quit complaining. Awareness is something to be proud of!
Start a new pattern: We can train ourselves to work towards positivity. The more often we consciously remember the good stuff, the easier positivity becomes.
Practice effort: Remind yourself to let go of that which is not helpful and nurture skill and productivity.
Our thought patterns wire our brains to react positively or negatively to the situations we are presented. So, why not reclaim control of your thoughts by making a concerted effort to focus on being positive? Try it. Beginning today, pay attention to the words you speak. The thoughts that run through your head. You’ll be amazed at just how many of them are negative. It IS possible to rewire your brain – practice, practice, practice!
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