What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0077

3801.  Most people could increase their happiness by devoting less time to making money and more to non-pecuniary goals, such as family life and health;

3802.  According to Orbitz, the best time to book holiday flights is the week of October 5^th.  That’s for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve travel;

3803.  When to book Thanksgiving flights: Orbitz says the best day for those who haven’t booked yet will be October 6^th;

3804.  When to book Christmas flights: Because it’s the holiday with the greatest number of people taking to the skies, the sweet spot to book cheap Christmas flights is much earlier than the actual travel date: October 9^th, to be exact.  You may also get a second chance at a reasonable (though slightly higher) fare if you book on November 6^th or 7^th;

3805.  When to book New Year’s Eve flights: Solidify your New Year’s Eve plans by October 10^th – the best day to book flights averaging in the $362 range for the last holiday of the year.  The latest you can book and still expect to see some savings is December 2^nd.  If you end up booking after Thanksgiving, you’ll be competing with half of all travelers;

3806.  Education that is not put into action is a waste.  Knowledge without action is pointless.  To achieve anything, you must take action;

3807.  Education is key, but remember that part of your education should be doing;

3808.  Education doesn't stop at books, you need to take action and apply what you've learned.  That is when the most powerful learning happens;

3809.  That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do it is increased;

3810.  That which we resist in doing becomes harder for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do it is decreased;

3811.  We can try to change the system or we can change ourselves;

3812.  The way to win is to learn to play the game a better way.  Better not to worry about trying to change the game – just learn to play it well;

3813.  Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference;

3814.  Ultimately, blaming and complaining will not improve your situation.  You may have a valid point and your complaints may be justified, but complaining will not help fix your problem;

3815.  (The) parking at the Birchmere (Birchmere.com) is weird;

3816.  It’s (kind of) weird going to a concert and sitting at a table next to strangers without any seats between you;

3817.  Some pretty famous musicians (i.e., Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, etc.) have sung at the Birchmere;

3818.  Matt Nathanson has 13 guitars. . . . He doesn’t name them;

3819.  Matt Nathanson shops at Whole Foods (Market), including the store in (Old Town) Alexandria;

3820.  Hope is what we stand on when we have no control;

3821.  When you marry, your credit report stays the same.  The only information on both spouses’ reports is joint accounts and accounts where the other spouse is an authorized user;

3822.  How to organize your kitchen: Keep pots and pans in one cabinet and cookie sheets, muffin tins and cake pans in another cabinet.  The pots and pans should be in an area that is more accessible than the bakeware because you use them every day;

3823.  It’s a terrible thing in life to wait until you’re ready.  Actually no one is ever ready to do anything.  There is almost no such thing as ready.  There is only now.  And you may as well do it now.  Now is as good a time as any;

3824.  Fear is just an illusion.  It’s not real;

3825.  Once you figure out what is keeping you in fear, you can take action to produce real results.  Identifying what makes you afraid should help you to release it.  If this is not the case, consider that you may not have identified the root of the fear or it may be layered;

3826.  Once you figure out what is keeping you fearful, the trick is to turn that feeling or emotion into an act of courage.  Think of one step or a series of steps that you can take rather than stay paralyzed in fear.  Make a list.  Ask yourself, if I had no fear, what would it look like?  What would the actions of a brave person be?  Write them down and pick one.  It can be baby steps;

3827.  Without fear, there would be no bravery;

3828.  Allow fear to occur as an opportunity for bravery.  Consciously choose actions that would be brave.  If you’re not totally buying it, just do it anyway.  Fake it until you make it.  Courage is measured in actions.  It all looks the same from the outside;

3829.  Life is a mirror: Things show up based on how you are vibrating.  You cannot attract what you don’t reflect.  Say you find yourself dating a partner who can’t commit to you; I would ask, where in your life are you not all in?  Your job?  Why is this showing up?  You get what you put out in the world;

3830.  In the U.S., 47 percent of women over the age of 50 are single;

3831.  I can say I’ve taken a class taught by the Director of the F.B.I. (i.e., James “Jim” Comey);

3832.  Scientists at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina found women need more sleep than men;

3833.  Professor Jim Horne, director of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, England found women need 20 minutes more shut-eye because of the “female multi-tasking brain;”

3834.  Women tend to multi-task – they do a lot at once and are flexible – and so they use more of their actual brain than men do.  Because of that, their sleep need is greater;

3835.  Women’s health is compromised more than men from lack of sleep too.  They have a higher risk of heart disease, depression and psychological problems, including extra clotting factors in their blood, which can lead to stroke;

3836.  If you find it impossible to get enough sleep at night, then sleep expert, Dr. Mchael Breus suggests taking strategic naps of either 25 minutes or 90 minutes long; anything longer than this will make you feel worse when you wake up;

3837.  Some experts estimate that the average American consumes 350 to 440 calories of added sugars – the equivalent of 22 to 28 teaspoons – every day.  And pretty much every medical professional agrees that it’s contributing to our weight gain, high blood-sugar levels and record-high diabetes rates;

3838.  According to recent research published in JAMA Internal Medicine, a sugar-filled diet can increase your risk of death by heart disease – even if you aren’t overweight;

3839.  Eating significant amounts of sugar from any source – be it table sugar, honey or orange juice, can compromise your immune system’s ability to fight viruses, bacteria and parasites, according to Debra Nessel, R.D.N., C.D.E., a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator with the Torrance Memorial Medical Center in California;

3840.  A 2015 study from the U.S.D.A. Agricultural Research Service (funded by National Honey Board) found that honey, table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup all have similar effects on the body;

3841.  Some research has linked high sugar intake to cancer;

3842.  In one Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience study, rats that consumed the popular artificial sweetener saccharine for 14 days ate more food and gained more weight than rats that ate sugar.  Plus, their core body temperatures actually dropped and their metabolisms slowed. That may be because artificial sweeteners are up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar, which cannot only trigger your body to crave more of the sweet stuff, but also damage your body’s ability to gauge how many calories you’ve consumed – and how many more you should crave, according to the Harvard School of Public Health;

3843.  Current research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine shows that people who consume two or more diet drinks daily are 30 percent more likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes and are 50 percent more likely to die from heart disease compared to those who never or rarely drink diet drinks.  The bottom line is that even small amounts of artificial sweeteners can play tricks on your body, causing it to over respond to signals from your taste buds, in many cases leading to weight gain;

3844.  Apparently beet juice contains a molecule that provides a “dramatic boost” to your muscle power. . . . . Nine people with heart failure were recruited for a recent study, which appeared in the September issue of Circulation: Heart Failure journal.  Each subject was given 140 milliliters or about two thirds of a cup of concentrated beet juice.  The upshot was that the subjects’ muscle power was boosted by an average of 13 percent almost immediately after drinking it.  According to Andrew Coggan, a study coauthor and assistant professor of radiology at Washington University, this improvement is equivalent to what a person can expect after two to three months of resistance training.  The magic element is nitrate, also found in high densities in spinach, which is converted into nitric oxide when ingested;

3845.  Your thoughts control your feelings, and in order to become a happier person, you need to think happier thoughts.  While it seems simple, it actually takes a lot of practice because you need to retrain your brain.  A good example that a lot of people can relate to is the thought or idea of not being enough – not skinny enough, rich enough, smart enough and the list goes on. When you begin to tell yourself – and realize – that you are enough, you can experience abundance;

3846.  Whether you need to forgive yourself or someone else, it’s important to recognize that until you can forgive, you’ll never be fully liberated and able to live life to its fullest;

3847.  Money is going to come and go your entire life.  You’ll make it, spend it, lose it and invest it.  What is the thing in your life that’s only going to go?  Time.  When you’re retired and looking back on your life, you’ll wish you spent your brief time on this Earth as preciously as you’ve spent your money.  Be responsible in preparing for the future, but don’t overlook the importance of enjoying the present while you’re at it;

3848.  Not only is traveling physically harder as you age, but logistically it becomes more difficult the older you get.  Growing more established in your career, buying a home and starting a family are all things that won’t make travel impossible, but will certainly make it more complicated than it is when you are young and untethered;

3849.  Apparently, they do give out gift cards for filling out (restaurant) customer surveys;

3850.  A recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition found that athletes who consumed 4.5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight before exercise burned about 15 percent more calories for three hours post-exercise than those who ingested a placebo.  For a 185-pound man, that comes out to about 378 mg of caffeine – roughly the amount in about 16 ounces of brewed coffee;

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0076

3751.  A study published in The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that subjects who wore white coats they thought belonged to doctors performed better on tests than those who wore regular clothes.  They found that the symbolic meaning of the clothes and the experience of wearing them impacted the psychology and confidence of the wearers;

3752.  The way you enter a group and first interact with those around you shapes your enduring status among these people;

3753.  Research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that the secret to achieving any goal requires confidence and confidence is bolstered by recalling times you succeeded in a similar endeavor or simply felt genuinely powerful and respected.  The catch, researchers found, is to not recall too many of these instances or else you might become complacent.  So, focus on a time you felt truly powerful, respected and/or charming and that feeling will likely be replicated;

3754.  According to research led by Professor Dennis Y. Hsu of Northwestern University and published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, music, especially bass-heavy music, makes us feel powerful – and also behave powerfully!

3755.  If you want to feel confident throughout your entire life, never stop learning.  Research by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has found that learning boosts self-confidence and raises an individual’s aspirations;

3756.  According to Psychology Today, swearing gives us a greater sense of power and agency.  Feeling empowered boosts our self-esteem and confidence;

3757.  Apparently, I wear a size 6 ½ ring if it’s a thin band and a size 7 if it’s a thick one;

3758.  Apparently, if your ring has a thick band, you should go half a size bigger than if your ring has a thin one;

3759.  Mike Isabella (i.e., former contestant on “Top Chef”) (and his wife) eat(s) (brunch) at Del Campo in D.C.;

3760.  According to a 2015 study conducted at the Netherlands Centre for Human Drug Research, men who drank the equivalent of just two drinks (i.e., 20 grams of alcohol) increased their subsequent food intake by 19 percent;

3761.  People tend to prefer high fat, savory and salty foods after consuming alcohol;

3762.  If you’re set on having a bottled juice or smoothie, first check the ingredients label and make sure it contains no more than 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving.  Ideally, it should only contain one serving of fruit.  The rest should be vegetables;

3763.  Many veggie chips are just as fattening as the potato chips you’re likely trying to avoid;

3764.  When you remove the gluten out of a food product, you’re taking away the ingredient that provides that delicious, chewy texture in breads, muffins, cakes, pasta and more.  To make up for the loss of flavor and texture, food manufacturers often add in other fillers, including sugars, fats and other chemical additives.  Ultimately, your gluten-free snacks end up with more calories and sugars and don’t even taste as good;

3765.  Far too often, “smart,” “whole grain” and “healthy” cereals aren’t all that different from the sugary stuff you ate as a kid.  On average, foods displaying the yellow “Whole Grain Stamp” contain more sugar and calories than do whole-grain foods that don’t sport the label, according to research from Harvard University.  Instead of looking at the front of the box to make your selection, you should look at the back.  The cereal should contain fewer than 10 grams of sugar per serving, at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and contain bran in the ingredients;

3766.  The fiber in bran has been shown to help reduce cholesterol, regulate blood sugars and contain beneficial antioxidants.  However, commercially produced fiber like resistant starch, polydextrose, indigestible dextrins and inulin may not provide the same benefits of plant-based fibers like wheat and oat bran;

3767.  Many protein bars contain as much sugar as a candy bar but with a few extra grams of protein;

3768.  Many quinoa pastas contain more corn flour, a cheap gluten-free flour, than anything else.  The result: It contains just as many calories, more carbs and fewer grams of protein than if you just stuck with wheat pasta.  Before buying any quinoa pasta, flip over the box.  Look for brands that contain one ingredient: quinoa flour;

3769.  Multigrain breads only indicate that the bread contains multiple grains.  It says nothing about their degree of refinement.  Refined grains have been extensively processed, and their bran and germ, the fiber-, vitamin- and mineral-containing part of the grain, have been removed, leaving only simple carbs that spike your blood sugar and promote weight gain.  Look for breads that have some sort of whole grain – whole wheat, whole rye or whole oats – as their first ingredient;

3770.  Some nut butters, even those labeled as natural, contain added sugars or trans fats, harmful fats that increase bad cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol.  Before you buy, make sure the only ingredient is nuts.  And even if your nut butter doesn’t contain additives, you still need to limit serving sizes.  A single tablespoon contains nearly 100 calories;

3771.  A typical six-ounce fruit-at-the-bottom yogurt container contains 29 grams of carbs and 24 grams of sugar.  That’s the equivalent of a candy bar.  Opt for buying plain yogurt and adding in fresh fruit;

3772.  Many prepackaged salads you’ll find at restaurants, airport terminals and supermarkets contain upwards of 1,000 calories.  Meanwhile, the cheese, croutons and meats pack a ton of sodium, which is used both as a preservative and to boost the salad’s flavor.  Unfortunately, many prepackaged salads don’t come with ingredient or nutrition labels.  If that’s the case with whatever salad you’re eying, don’t buy it.  Look for ingredient labels and make sure neither calories nor sodium is through the roof;

3773.  Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing, the people around you have nothing to do with you, just do your own thing and stop.  Everyone has this tendency to mark themselves against other people and the world just does not work that way;

3774.  The Friday night concert series at Yards Park (in D.C.) is like “Jazz in the Garden” (at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden) except there’s more space . . . and you can still bring your own booze;

3775.  Unrequited love is just as valid as any other kind.  It’s just as crushing and just as thrilling.  You love someone purely because you love them and not because you think you’ll ever have your affections reciprocated.  You are admiring something for its beauty without needing to own it;

3776.  The Shakespeare Theatre Company hires some (pretty) accomplished actors/actresses;

3777.  Sara Topham (of the Shakespeare Theatre Company) is rather attractive in person;

3778.  Apparently, they had carni(val) food (i.e., funnel cakes, pie on a stick, smoked turkey legs, etc.) during the Renaissance;

3779.  Smoked turkey legs taste like ham;

3780.  Smoked turkey legs are rather tough. . . . They’re (really) chewy with a lot cartilage and gristle;

3781.  Apparently, there’s no tax for groceries in D.C.;

3782.  Apparently, I’m not as clever as I thought. . . . I wouldn’t make a very good assistant for Sherlock Holmes.  Just ask Cuba, Ireland and New Zealand;

3783.  Sun-kissed is a good look . . . sun-scorched, not so much;

3784.  Strength training primarily works your fast-twitch fibers, which is contributed to high-intensity, short-duration exercises.  In response to training, the fibers get stronger by becoming bigger and growing in number – which is to thank for any size gains in your biceps;

3785.  Endurance exercise primarily trains your body’s slow-twitch fibers, which are responsible for fueling low-intensity, high-duration exercises like running, swimming, and biking.  They are tiny, and while they are vital to sticking with any cardio class or endurance event, they don’t really add to your body’s muscle bulk;

3786.  While strength training largely leaves slow-twitch fibers alone and lets them do their thing, there is some evidence that cardiovascular exercise can convert fast-twitch fibers into slow-twitch fibers;

3787.  Cardio can also disrupt the growth of fast-twitch fiber through what’s called the interference effect.  During exercise, your body sends out both anabolic (muscle-building) and catabolic (muscle-breaking) signals, and it’s believed that aerobic exercise can promote a more catabolic environment;

3788.  On Mondays( all day), you can get a Black Angus steak (with mashed potatoes and a side salad) for $10.95 at Overwood Wood-Fired American Kitchen (TheOverwood.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria;

3789.  If you want to roast a pig, Seth’s your man;

3790.  Have a mind that is open to everything and attached to nothing;

3791.  Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.  O “divine master,” grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved, as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  Amen;

3792.  If you follow the herd, you’ll end up stepping in shit.  The shit is living with yourself when you ignore what you know to be right and true and instead follow the instructions of others who are afraid to leave the herd and want you to be just like everybody else;

3793.  A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that subjects who drank both water and beer after an hour-long run were equally as rehydrated as those who drank just water, suggesting that beer isn’t quite as dehydrating as previously thought (probably due in part to the drink's, well, high water content).  That said, if you’re trying to lose weight, water is still the better option;

3794.  Research shows that sports drinks aren’t any more effective than water at preventing dehydration and most varieties are also high in calories and sugar (some contain the equivalent of 10 teaspoons);

3795.  It turns out stretching before a workout won’t keep you from pulling a muscle after all; in fact, one 2004 study found that stretching before activities such as cycling, jogging and swimming actually did nothing to prevent injuries;

3796.  According to one 2012 study by McMaster University, muscle protein synthesis may continue for 24 to 48 hours after exercising (as opposed to one hour, as commonly believed), but you don’t want to wait too long after working out to eat, as this will cause your body to go into starvation mode;

3797.  Stopping doesn’t mean apologizing.  Stopping doesn’t mean you can’t do something else or try again later (unless that’s what s/he’s asking you to stop);

3798.  The measure of love is not in saying you love, the measure of love is the time that you take toward the showing of love and the actions of love;

3799.  Money buys comfort; comfort is not happiness or satisfaction.  While it is good to be comfortable, it is more satisfying to be happy;

3800.  According to a study, rich kids have a higher risk of depression, anxiety and substance abuse than their less affluent peers.  Financial abundance usually provides more security, assets and opportunities, but research by professor Suniya Luthar of Arizona State University, published in the Journal of Development & Psychopathology, shows that young people whose parents have a combined income of $160,000.00 per year or more experience twice the standard national rate of depression and anxiety than those from less well-to-do families;