Sunday, November 29, 2009

Unhappiest Day of the Week?

Tyler Cowan over at MR posts today that Sunday is apparently the unhappiest day of the week. I personally find the day to be most helpful as the rest of the week, for me at least, is uber-busy, full of deadlines and a demanding schedule. Sunday seems to be the day that provides much needed balance, time to communicate/spend with family and dear ones, as well as time to reflect and ponder. I suppose the study TC is quoting is premised on commercial purchases and spending. Be that as it may, it's good food for thought.

A paragraph says:
"It is Sunday, at least according to one study conducted in Germany, by Swedes. Could it be because there is much less to buy? Because the cities empty out? Because walking in nature is overrated? Because you are supposed to go to church or are supposed to spend more time with family? Indeed the effect is stronger for married people. For former East Germans there is not a significant Sunday effect."







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Yams, Thanksgiving, and Good Sociality


I don't really eat sweet potatoes. I rarely consume the normal ones, actually. I tend to go for steamed food, for the most part, so potatoes don't always make the cut.
But this Thanksgiving holiday I learned something surprising about myself. I approve of yams and sweet potatoes. Funny that! I especially like them when they're cooked just so. Which is what my friends are experts in. After the first helping, I turned to my party and said, 'I'm definitely having seconds. Maybe even thirds.' 'Thirds?' 'Heck, yeah. These are out of this world!' And that's what I did. I had seconds and then thirds.
I don't know what the combination of herbs consisted of or how they managed to be so silky smooth. What I know is I experienced my full conversion to my newly found friend, the sweet potato.

Good thing I suggested road biking as a mode of transport to the party as I anticipated some heavy work-out would be necessary afterwards.The ride entailed passing through one of my favorite trails as well as some uphill areas in the city of Upper Arlington. Ventura and I hit 25 mph at some point of the trail at which point I could revisit the taste of the beautifully cooked sweet potatoes. I don't know how the friends cooked the sweet potatoes. What I know is that it was in a way that made me miss them after I was done consuming them. And generally I'm not a foodie and I don't miss food.

So, the tip of the hat this Thanksgiving goes to culinary expertise that is just so, good friends to watch Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush wish, and, of course, riding the trail almost free of traffic and distractions.





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graph per google images