What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0188

9351.  Helpful criticism is about making the world a better place.  Unhelpful criticism is about making yourself feel better;
9352.  From a young age, many of us learn unconsciously that being critical of other people is an effective strategy for feeling better about ourselves;
9353.  Criticism of others is often a distraction, a form of procrastination that lets you focus on other people’s problems instead of doing the hard work of looking at your own issues;
9354.  When you ignore your own insecurities by pointing out other people’s flaws, it temporarily feels good, but that only allows your insecurities to grow.  As they grow, they become more and more painful, which means you need to use criticism more and more in order to temporarily feel better;
9355.  When you ignore your own insecurities, you get addicted to criticism as a shallow strategy for feeling better;
9356.  Ignoring your feelings often leads to relief in the moment, but, in the long run, it’s a setup for emotional insecurity and poor resilience;
9357.  Just because something feels bad doesn’t mean it is bad;
9358.  Many of the most important things in life require feeling bad initially in order to feel much better later;
9359.  If you habitually avoid things that feel bad, you miss out on the opportunity to feel much better in the future.  This is true of finances, health, relationships and your own emotions;
9360.  If you habitually avoid anxiety and nervousness, you miss out on the opportunity to grow and take advantage of new opportunities;
9361.  If you habitually avoid sadness, it’s very hard to connect empathetically with important people in your life;
9362.  If you habitually avoid anger and frustration, it’s very hard to become assertive and decisive;
9363.  Dwelling on past mistakes or losses gives us the illusion of control(, which is why we get addicted to it);
9364.  Even though dwelling on past mistakes makes us feel excessively guilty or sad or ashamed, it also makes us feel in control.  If, deep down, the bigger fear is lack of control and helplessness then accepting a lot of sadness and chronic guilt might be a worthwhile tradeoff if it lets you avoid an even more painful feeling like helplessness;
9365.  If you want to let go of past mistakes and failures and get on with your life, you must be willing to confront and accept your helplessness and lack of control;
9366.  The last thing you want (to see) is a puppy/dog leaping at your penis/cock after getting out of the shower (naked);
9367.  A puppy/dog has hit my bare/naked penis/cock with its nose and face;
9368.  Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there;
9369.  Charlie (Dog) likes sand;
9370.  Dreams don’t work unless you do;
9371.  The butter chicken pizza at Chicago’s Pizza With-A-Twist (ChicagosPizzaTwist.com) in Arlington is pretty tasty. . . . So is the chicken curry (pizza);
9372.  Don’t try 7 stouts in a row (specifically The Virginia Beer Company’s Evil Santa spiced milk stout, Three Notch’d Brewing’s Biggie S’mores imperial stout, Angry Chair Brewing’s Loaded French Toast imperial stout, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery’s gingerbread stout & Christmas Pancakes imperial mild stout, Old Bust Head Brewing Company’s Peppermint Caramel Macchiato stout & Hi-Wire Brewing’s 10W-40 imperial stout) . . . just don’t . . . it’s too much;
9373.  Treat others the way they want to be treated;
9374.  In a recent study published in the journal The Cochrane Library, researchers from the United Kingdom conducted an elaborate review of data from nearly 100 studies and they found that people consistently consume more food and drink (i.e., more calories) when offered larger-sized portions, packages and tableware compared to when smaller-sized portions are offered;
9375.  The researchers found that adults, on average, consume about 15% more or about 250 calories, when offered larger serving sizes.  An excess of that magnitude could equate to upwards of a 10-pound weight gain over the course of a year;
9376.  (In 1838, 272) slaves were sold by the (Maryland) Jesuits to help pay for the debts of Georgetown University (then Georgetown College);
9377.  Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings;
9378.  The filet mignon at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse is big . . . and so good. . . . The sautéed mushrooms are pretty tasty too;
9379.  The Capital Wheel in National Harbor is (kind of) a disappointment. . . . There’s (really) not much to see;
9380.  The Winery at Bull Run (WineryAtBullRun.com) is (literally) next door to the (Bull Run) battlefield;
9381.  Dogs shouldn’t eat almonds.  They aren’t as toxic as some nuts, but it’s one of the food’s dogs can’t digest as easily as humans;
9382.  Apparently, pecans, walnuts and macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs;
9383.  Cinnamon toast tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch (cereal) . . . shocker;
9384.  It’s usually not the criticism from outsiders that holds you back.  More often, it’s your own mind worrying about what other people are going to think;
9385.  We often procrastinate not because of hurtful comments from others, but rather from our own fears about what others are going to think;
9386.  Internal fears and (internal) criticism/dialogue often hold us back from achieving our goals and many times they stop us from even getting started;
9387.  It can take a lifetime to learn that just because people criticize you it doesn’t mean they actually care about your choice to do something different;
9388.  Haters often criticize and move on so that means you can safely ignore them and continue doing your thing;
9389.  Criticism is almost always in your head;
9390.  The tendency to hold onto negative criticism is natural for most people;
9391.  According to researchers at Florida State University, we remember negative emotions (much) more strongly and in more vivid detail;
9392.  Even happy people remember more negative events than positive ones;
9393.  Scientists say that it takes about five positive events to make up for one negative one;
9394.  “Don’t look at the wall.  Your car goes where your eyes go;”
9395.  Criticism and negativity from difficult people are like a wall.  If you focus on them then you’ll run right into them.  You’ll get blocked by negative emotions, anger and self-doubt.  Your mind will go where your attention is fixed.  Criticism and negativity don’t prevent you from reaching the finish line, but they certainly can distract you from it;
9396.  If you focus on the road in front of you and on moving forward then you can safely speed past the walls and barriers that are nearby.  If you’re dealing with criticism then don’t let the wall keep you from seeing the road.  Focus on the path ahead.  Ignore the boos (they usually come from the cheap seats);
9397.  Don’t be the hater.  Don’t be the person who tears down someone else’s hard work.  The world needs more people who contribute their gifts and share their work and ideas.  Working up the courage to do that can be tough.  Support the people who display that courage;
9398.  Arkansas is the biggest producer of rice in the U.S.;
9399.  Sake is (Japanese) rice wine;
9400.  Charlie (Dog) likes to play with onions;

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0187

9301.  Others know they can’t prevent bad things from happening, but they wonder and worry about them anyway.  Their worries ultimately waste their time and energy because worrying doesn’t do any good;
9302.  Focus on your influence.  You can influence people and circumstances, but you can’t force things to go your way.  In other words, you have control over your actions and behaviors, but you can’t control the outcome; concentrate on what counts;
9303.  Identify your fears.  Ask yourself what you are afraid will happen.  Usually, the worst-case scenario isn’t as tragic as you might envision.  There’s a good chance you’re stronger than you think;
9304.  Differentiate between ruminating and problem solving.  Ask yourself whether your thinking is productive.  If you are actively solving a problem, keep working on solutions.  If you’re wasting your time ruminating, change the channel in your brain;
9305.  In seeking truth, you have to get both sides of a story;
9306.  Grapes/raisins/wine are poisonous to French bulldogs;
9307.  Apparently, French bulldogs love cantaloupe;
9308.  You shouldn’t feed lemons or limes to French bulldogs.  The psoralen compounds and aromatic oils can upset their stomachs;
9309.  French bulldogs should not eat tomatoes.  Tomato plants (i.e., their stems and leaves) contain a substance called solanine that can be dangerous if dogs eat it in large quantities.  As tomatoes ripen, the solanine metabolizes meaning the toxicity is removed;
9310.  The brick oven pizza (specifically the primavera with grilled corn and sun gold tomatoes) at Palette 22 (Palette22.com) in Shirlington is pretty tasty;
9311.  Apparently, Elizabeth is friends with Dan Humphrey’s (i.e., Penn Badgley) wife/baby mama (i.e., Domino Kirke);
9312.  The person who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won’t succeed.  You must have a larger ambition;
9313.  Our DNA differs from that of chimps and bonobos by roughly 1.6%, making us closer to them than a dog is to a fox, a white-handed gibbon to a white-cheeked crested gibbon, an Indian elephant to an African elephant or a red-eyed vireo to a white-eyed vireo;
9314.  DNA evidence indicates that the last common ancestor for apes and monkeys lived about 30 million years ago;
9315.  Anthropologist Marvin Harris argues that bonobos get a “reproductive payoff that compensates theme for their wasteful approach to hitting the ovulatory target.”  The payoff is “a more intense form of social cooperating between males and females” leading to “a more intensely cooperative social group, a more secure milieu for rearing infants and hence a higher degree of reproductive success for sexier males and females.”  The bonobo’s promiscuity confers significant evolutionary benefits on the apes;
9316.  Monogamy is not found in any social, group-living primate except us;
9317.  I am not my thoughts.  My thoughts are not a prison that I can’t escape.  Once I notice them, I can either let them go or change them.  The same goes for my beliefs.  They don’t define me;
9318.  Blaming other people is a futile exercise that doesn’t solve anything.  It creates anger and resentment and it does nothing to push you forward;
9319.  If someone wronged you, work on letting go of those bitter feelings.  Forgive.  Move on.  Focus on your actions instead;
9320.  When you start taking action, you take more responsibility for what happens in your life;
9321.  While there’s an infinite number of things you can worry about, there are only a handful of things you can control starting with your attitude, actions and behaviors
9322.  You can’t change what others say or think and you can’t decide the actions other people take.  What you can do is decide what your next step is;
9323.  There are few things more disappointing than when someone makes a promise and never delivers.  Eventually, the person’s words lose their meaning and the person herself/himself becomes devoid of trust;
9324.  If you want to help someone, think carefully about what that entails before offering to do so;
9325.  The people that speak the loudest often end up doing the least;
9326.  The next time you want to do something, take initiative and help out.  Let the results speak for themselves;
9327.  Chimps are reported to be power-mad, jealous, quick to violence, devious and aggressive.  Murder, organized warfare between groups, rape and infanticide are prominent in accounts of their behavior;
9328.  Many scientists have assumed chimpanzees are what humans would be like with just a bit less self-discipline;
9329.  Bonobo: Egalitarian and peaceful, bonobo communities are maintained primarily through social bonding between females although females bond with males as well.  Male status derives from the mother.  Bonds between son and mother are lifelong.  Multi-male-multi-female mating
9330.  Chimpanzee: The bonds between males are strongest and lead to constantly shifting male coalitions.  Females move through overlapping ranges within territory patrolled by males, but don’t form strong bonds with other females or any particular male.  Multi-male-multi-female mating;
9331.  Human: By far the most diverse social species among the primates, there is plentiful evidence of all types of socio-sexual bonding, cooperation and competition among contemporary humans.  Multi-male-multi-female mating;
9332.  Gorilla: Generally a single dominant male (the so-called “Silverback”) occupies a range for his family unit composed of several females and young.  Adolescent males are forced out of the group as they reach sexual maturity.  Strongest social bonds are between the male and adult females.  Polygynous mating;
9333.  Orangutan: Orangutans are solitary and show little bonding of any kind.  Male orangutans do not tolerate each other’s presence.  An adult male establishes a large territory where several females live.  Each has her own range.  Mating is dispersed, infrequent and often violent;
9334.  Gibbon: Gibbons establish nuclear family units; each couple maintains a territory from which other pairs are excluded.  Mating is monogamous;
9335.  Primatologist Craig Stanford found that while the chimps at Gombe are “utterly nepotistic and Machiavellian” about meat distribution, the chimps at Tai share the meat among every individual in the hunting group, whether friend or foe, close relative or relative stranger;
9336.  While data from the chimps studied by Jane Goodall and others at Gombe appear to support the idea that a ruthless and calculating selfishness is typical of chimpanzee behavior, information from other study sites may contradict or undermine this finding;
9337.  Cultural historian Morris Berman explains that if we “change things such as food supplies, population densities and the possibilities for spontaneous group formation and dissolution, . . . all hell breaks loose – no less for apes than for humans;”
9338.  Recent findings in comparative primate intelligence have led researchers Vanessa Woods and Brian Hare to wonder whether an impulse toward cooperation might actually be the key to our species-defining intelligence.  They write, “Instead of getting a jump start with the most intelligent hominids surviving to produce the next generation, as is often suggested, it may have been the more social hominids (because they were better at solving problems together) who achieved a higher level of fitness and allowed selection to favor more sophisticated problem-solving over time.”  Humans got smart, they hypothesize, because our ancestors learned to cooperate;
9339.  Though bonobos surpass even chimps in the frequency of their sexual behavior, females of both species engage in multiple mating sessions in quick succession with different males;
9340.  Among chimpanzees, ovulating females mate, on average, from 6-8 times per day and they are often eager to respond to the mating invitations of any and all males in the group;
9341.  Describing the behavior of female chimps she monitored, primatologist Anne Pusey notes, “Each, after mating within her natal community, visited the other community while sexually receptive.  They eagerly approached and mated with males from the new community;”
9342.  I was disappointed with Safeway’s “Signature Café” firecracker chicken sandwich;
9343.  The brick oven pan pizza at Mia’s Italian Kitchen (MiasItalian.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria is pretty tasty. . . . I think it’s the same crust at Palette 22. . . . They’re both owned by the same restaurant group (i.e., Alexandria Restaurant Partners);
9344.  For bonobos, female status is more important than male hierarchy, but even female rank is flexible and not binding;
9345.  Bonobos have no formalized rituals of dominance and submission like the status displays common to chimps, gorillas and other primates;
9346.  Although status is not completely absent, primatologist Takayoshi Kano, who has collected the most detailed information on bonobo behavior in the wild, prefers to use the term, “influential,” rather than “high-ranking,” when describing female bonobos.  He believes that females are respected out of affection rather than because of rank;
9347.  Joe Biden is (a Roman) Catholic;
9348.  Time offers opportunity but demands a sense of urgency;
9349.  You only struggle because you’re ready to grow, but aren’t willing to let go;
9350.  You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending;