What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0078

3851.  A 2008 study, conducted at the University of Illinois, found that consuming the amount of caffeine found in two to three cups of coffee one hour before a 30-minute, high-powered workout actually reduced muscle pain.  Less pain means a greater ability to push yourself, leading to better gains;

3852.  A Japanese study from 2013 had participants drink five-ounce cups of either regular or decaf coffee, then tested blood flow (via the finger) to gauge the effect on small-blood-vessel function.  Researchers found that the people who drank caffeinated coffee experienced a 30 percent increase in blood flow over a 75-minute period.  When it comes to exercise, that’s a significant advantage because better blood flow means more oxygen for your muscles – meaning an ability to get more out of your workout;

3853.  Sports scientists at Coventry University found that caffeine consumption can help to protect muscles from deteriorating, which means it could also help to prevent age-related injuries while exercising;

3854.  Running around in a “bubble ball” is (rather) tiring;

3855.  Researchers followed people who lifted weights once a week, twice a week or not at all for a year and then compared their brain scans.  They found that the twice-per-week group had less of a type of brain lesion that is a common sign of aging;

3856.  I hate buttery caramel corn;

3857.  Do not borrow to consume.  Use cash for luxuries and only borrow for productive assets and resources or necessities;

3858.  It doesn’t make any sense to start paying extra on loans until you have at least three months of income, and ideally six months, in a liquid savings account.  This creates safety;

3859.  If you have no cash reserves, what happens when you pay down your loans, but then experience an unexpected cash flow crunch?  You simply increase your loan balances again or even worse, miss payments and hurt your credit score, therefore, getting charged more for future loans;

3860.  You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him;

3861.  Success and likability go hand in hand for men; however, a woman’s likability goes down as her success goes up;

3862.  Shirley Manson (the lead singer of “Garbage”) likes to dance onstage only when she’s in D.C.;

3863.  “Garbage” has played in D.C. every time they’ve gone on tour;

3864.  Apparently, Shirley Manson had her first orgasm at the age of 13 thanks to a sex book;

3865.  The drummer from “Garbage” (i.e., Butch Vig) produced Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album;

3866.  A study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine proposes that while marriage can make you healthier, a less-than-happy – but not actually unhappy – union might be taking years off your life, thanks to higher blood pressure and the cardiovascular problems that come with it.  Researchers at Brigham Young University studied a group of married people and found that the quality of your marriage might matter more than being hitched in and of itself;

3867.  Research has proven that exposure to cold water – either through taking a shower or by drinking a glass of ice water – can activate the sympathetic nervous system and boost your adrenaline;

3868.  How do you blow up a pumpkin?  The answer is: Dry ice in a Gatorade bottle;

3869.  (I can say) I’ve been hit by pumpkin shrapnel;

3870.  The universal consensus seems to be that airfares tend to be lowest for flights that depart on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Some sources, including Fodor’s, add Thursday, and others, add Saturday;

3871.  Expedia concludes that, for long-haul flights, leaving on Thursday and returning on Monday costs around 20 percent less than leaving on Friday and returning on Saturday.  The lowest in-and-out combinations tend to include outbound flights on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday with return flights on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or Thursday.  For short-haul trips, Expedia’s lowest-fare groupings are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday both ways;

3872.  Several sources publish data on the correlation between advance purchase period and airfares.  The ideal time to buy a domestic ticket is 54 days in advance, says CheapAir, or seven weeks ahead, says Expedia, which are essentially the same findings.  For international trips, the ideal period is 171 days ahead of departure, according to the same Expedia report.  CheapAir refines the estimates: 96 days before trips to Europe and 96 days prior to Latin America trips.  Both sources indicate that you can come close to the absolute lowest price over a wide range of dates: CheapAir’s “window” for good deals on domestic tickets is 27-114 days in advance; Expedia’s window is 50-100 days;

3873.  Avoid booking too early and too late.  Too late is especially bad; you pay a huge premium for buying within a week or two of departure – even on airlines that nominally assess no advance-purchase limits;

3874.  Many airlines tend to announce sales on a Monday, leading other airlines to match certain fares the following day, but this is not a hard and fast rule;

3875.  With almost all U.S. airlines, you can cancel your ticket within 24 hours of booking at no charge.  Even if you’ve already bought your fare, you can keep looking for a better offer within that 24-hour window;

3876.  Popular metasearch agency, Fare Compare, is pretty sure that the best day of the week to book airfare is Tuesday (and to be even more specific, Tuesday around 3:00 PM EST);

3877.  Joshua Radin lived one summer in Foggy Bottom (during college);

3878.  Joshua Radin is a whiskey drinker;

3879.  Joshua Radin doesn’t own a CD player only a record player;

3880.  You can look to others for inspiration and guidance, but you must define your own path to success;

3881.  Success requires soul searching and learning what you need to be happy;

3882.  Try your best each day, but don’t chastise yourself for having an imperfect day;

3883.  Your definition of success can evolve as you evolve.  Wanting different things at different points in life is part of being human;

3884.  You have to shed society’s definition of success in order to find your own;

3885.  Dollars follow value;

3886.  No one shrinks their way to wealth;

3887.  The greatest tax shelter in the world is to earn another dollar;

3888.  Fundamentals first, tax savings second;

3889.  Automate your savings; be deliberate with your investing;

3890.  Wallets are expensive;

3891.  (RumChata) Horchata (con Ron) and pumpkin cheesecake isn’t a bad combination;

3892.  Being spoon fed (RumChata) Horchata (con Ron) and pumpkin cheesecake by Amy isn’t bad either;

3893.  Researchers completed a preliminary study on vitamin D and found that if you do happen to get enough of this essential vitamin, it not only reduces the risk of heart disease, but also helps you exercise more strenuously, while simultaneously exhibiting lower signs of exertion.  In layman’s terms, vitamin D helps you exercise harder without becoming more tired;

3894.  What you do today can improve all of your tomorrows;

3895.  For lunch on weekdays, Restaurant Eve has the “Lickity Split” (from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM).  You can get any two items from this (special) menu for $14.98, but only in the bar and lounge (area);

3896.  The price creep for iced tea and soda at sit-down restaurants is getting out of hand;

3897.  You can find charities that are the most effective at doing the most good with your money at “Give Well” (GiveWell.org), “Animal Charity Evaluators” (AnimalCharityEvaluators.org) and at “The Life You Can Save” (TheLifeYouCanSave.org);

3898.  Life is like a camera; focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, just take another shot;

3899.  The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it;

3900.  Apparently, your stomach is about the size of your fist when it’s empty and it can stretch up to the size of a gallon of milk when it’s full;