Today is the happiest day of the year, says British psychiatrist and sellout Cliff Arnall.
Arnall's scientifically formulated today, June 20, to be the one day out of the year that produces the best mood across the board. Of course, he conducted the study for an ice cream company - hence the sellout designation.
His formula, O + (N xS) + Cpm/T + He, weighs a person's exposure to the outdoors (O), nature (N), and social situations (S), their positive childhood memories (Cpm), the temperature (T), and anticipation of summer vacations (He).
I thought about his calculation this morning as I stood in the rain at the Camillus Farmer's Market, chatting to the single vendor about the rising prices of fuel, supplies and oxygen. It was also in the back of my mind as I crawled along 690 East, one in a long line of cars with somewhere better to be, and again when I finally sat down at my desk to conquer three days' worth of postponed tasks in three hours.
Oh, how happy I am.
How happy, to know that the next 364 days are all downhill from here, and if I don't have an exceptional day today, the odds for every remaining day of the year are that much worse.
Thanks, Cliff.
Arnall specializes in seasonal disorders at a Welsh University, and he also determined the most depressing day of the year - but I won't divulge that information, lest I be held personally responsible for your inevitably bad third Monday of January.
Oops.

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: ridiculous 'scientific' findings

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Because, eventually, I'll have to bike back home.
I don't live very far, geographically, from the Eagle office, a convenience that is sometimes lost on me as the nature of my work has me spending so many of my working hours on the other side of Syracuse.
So while it has always been tempting, it never seemed practical for me to ride my bike to work - what if news broke midday in Elbridge, and here I sit on Firestone Drive, helmet in hand and my vehicle so far away?
Then late last night I realized I was going to have to come into the office earlier than on past Tuesdays. This would have been less of an issue if my fiance and I did not share a car, work in different ends of town and have conflicting schedules - but we do.
And there was really only one thing I could do about it. The bus was not an option, the weather was good and I don't usually work out of the office much on Tuesdays.
It was time to take the bike.
And it was great - there is hardly any traffic at 4:30 a.m., and the adrenaline kept me alert enough that I didn't miss my usual two cups of coffee.
I used to ride a bike around Boston. Alright, I lied - I rode a bike around Boston once. Have you seen the way people drive in that city?
Anyway. Here I am, still alive. I made it to work in ten minutes - fifteen if you include the following five I spent gasping at my desk, hoping I would be able to breathe again sometime soon.
And all the extra work I had put off until today, causing the whole early-morning bike adventure, I finished without incident and it was a relatively successful production day. Now, I'm getting hungry and ready for a nap, (yes, I nap), and I've put in my eight hours here today, so...
I'd love to leave. But it occurred to me about two hours ago that the next time the roads will be as empty as they were when I came into work, will be 4 a.m.
The sun is shining, but it seems to be awfully windy out there - are those rain clouds?
I sent my fiance an e-mail around 11 a.m., filled with subtle hints that he should swing by and pick me up on his break and drive me home - not that I'm avoiding peddling the return trip, or anything.
He called a half hour later, laughing. He didn't offer, and I am too stubborn to ask.
It's just about 1 p.m. I think a press operator just heard my stomach growl. The weather forecast - which I've been checking in ten minute intervals for an hour now - shows no storms in Syracuse skies, for now. I need to leave, while I still can. Ok. Here I go.
Are these shakes from nerves or hunger? Either one can't be good.

CATEGORY: Vehicles

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Last week I had the opportunity to meet with Diana Sleiertin, who operates Maxman Reptile Rescue in Jordan, currently home to 35 different reptiles in need of care.
The rescue was thrown into the limelight last week when four outdoor enclosures housing various reptiles were vandalized and two animals escaped.
One of those escapees, Dante, is a 14-foot, 80 pound Burmese Python.
Dante was found two days later, lying in the swampy bank of the Erie Canal only 50 yards from his cage, and quickly retrieved by Sleiertin.
On Sunday I went out to the rescue to meet Sleiertin, Dante, and a host of other reptiles and to get Dante's side of the story.
After the interview, I was lucky enough to hold Dante, while Sleiertin snapped a photo...

CATEGORY: Curiosities & Oddities

TAGS: Dante, python, Maxman Reptile Rescue

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