THE HOUSE CAT

someday we'll all grow up

2012-02-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

by Zatransis

how do you like my new mustache?

2012-01-29T07:36:00.001-05:00

banking

2012-01-28T16:10:00.002-05:00

Family Time

2012-01-28T09:50:00.000-05:00

En todas las familias hay amor.

12 Things Happy People Do

2012-01-21T09:04:00.002-05:00

by Jacob Sokol of Sensophy

“I’d always believed that a life of quality, enjoyment, and wisdom were my human birthright and would be automatically bestowed upon me as time passed. I never suspected that I would have to learn how to live - that there were specific disciplines and ways of seeing the world I had to master before I could awaken to a simple, happy, uncomplicated life.”
-Dan Millman

Studies conducted by positivity psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky point to 12 things happy people do differently to increase their levels of happiness. These are things that we can start doing today to feel the effects of more happiness in our lives. (Check out her book The How of Happiness.)

I want to honor and discuss each of these 12 points, because no matter what part of life’s path we’re currently traveling on, these ‘happiness habits’ will always be applicable.

Express gratitude. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We’re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what we already have.
Cultivate optimism. – Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. – Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates – KABOOM – our inner Kanye West comes out! If we’re ‘worse’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and dismiss all the progress that we’ve made. What I’ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself.
Practice acts of kindness. – Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What’s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what’s going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names.
Nurture social relationships. – The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that people’s mortality rates are DOUBLED when they’re lonely? WHOA! There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence.
Develop strategies for coping. – How you respond to the ‘craptastic’ moments is what shapes your character. Sometimes crap happens – it’s inevitable. Forrest Gump knows the deal. It can be hard to come up with creative solutions in the moment when manure is making its way up toward the fan. It helps to have healthy strategies for coping pre-rehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal.
Learn to forgive. – Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. You see, your mind doesn’t know the difference between past and present emotion. When you ‘hate’ someone, and you’re continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating away at your immune system. You put yourself in a state of suckerism (technical term) and it stays with you throughout your day.
Increase flow experiences. – Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. It’s when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged. You’re not hungry, sleepy, or emotional. You’re just completely engaged in the activity that you’re doing. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus.
Savor life’s joys. – Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. It’s easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace life’s enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. It’s the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them.
Commit to your goals. – Being wholeheartedly dedicated to doing something comes fully-equipped with an ineffable force. Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere. When you’re fully committed to doing something, you have no choice but to do that thing. Counter-intuitively, having no option – where you can’t change your mind – subconsciously makes humans happier because they know part of their purpose.
Practice spirituality. – When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest thing ever. It enables us to connect to the source of all creation and embrace a connectedness with everything that exists. Some of the most accomplished people I know feel that they’re here doing work they’re “called to do.”
Take care of your body. – Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Did you know that studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft? Not only that, but here’s the double whammy… Six months later, the people who participated in exercise were less likely to relapse because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

Source: Marcandangel.com

Girls Do Not Have To Wear Pink

2012-01-01T20:37:00.004-05:00

Source: Moose Greebles

apricity

2012-01-01T19:50:00.000-05:00

source: Futility Closet

buried

2011-12-31T13:40:00.000-05:00

from crosti

there is always hope

2011-12-25T11:16:00.002-05:00

christmas post secret

2011-12-25T11:03:00.003-05:00

lighter

2011-12-03T06:47:00.002-05:00

choose your weapon

2011-11-30T06:01:00.000-05:00

sower of dreams

2011-11-30T05:59:00.002-05:00

give me your hand

2011-11-30T05:57:00.000-05:00

it's getting colder

2011-11-30T05:55:00.002-05:00

yellow wall

2011-11-30T05:54:00.000-05:00

Occupy Wallstreet Poem by Zach de la Rocha

2011-11-18T20:48:00.002-05:00

The beginning spills through city veins

Into the arteries
And under powers poison clouds
We move like the shadows
Through the alley ways
Through nightmares bought and sold as dreams
Through barren factories
Through boarded schools
Through rotting fields
Through the burning doors of the past
Through imaginations exploding
To break the curfews in our minds

Our actions awaken dreams of actions multiplied
A restless fury
Once buried like burning embers
Left alone to smolder
But together stacked under the walls of a dying order
All sparks are counted
Calloused hands raised in silence
Over the bonfire of hope unincorporated
It's flame restores tomorrows meaning
Across the graveyards of hollow promises
As gold dipped vultures pick at what is left of our denial

And the youngest among us
Stare at us stoned like eyes determined
And say
Death for us may come early
Cause dignity has no price
At the corner of now and nowhere
Anywhere
Everywhere
Tomorrow is calling
Tomorrow is calling

Do not be afraid

Apple Family

2011-10-09T13:22:00.000-04:00

Zombie Apocalypse Preparation Level: Genius

2011-10-08T10:12:00.002-04:00

heart shaped eggs

2011-09-25T21:31:00.002-04:00

If I can't have love

2011-09-25T15:40:00.001-04:00

Art by Glenn Ligon

pi = pie

2011-09-24T17:51:00.002-04:00

Lady Gaga Makes a Donation

2011-09-24T17:32:00.000-04:00

Showers

2011-09-24T17:03:00.000-04:00

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/kpfsw/showers/

The Labor Pain Machine

2011-09-24T16:47:00.000-04:00

Kudos, Tesla.

2011-09-24T12:21:00.000-04:00

Read: CERN discovers faster than light particle.

life

2011-09-20T21:21:00.002-04:00

use your imagination

2011-08-28T09:42:00.002-04:00

source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/

Rap

2011-08-27T09:12:00.002-04:00

Source: http://satwcomic.com/the-world

if walls could speak

2011-08-26T17:36:00.000-04:00

Here's what I've learned..

2011-08-26T07:26:00.002-04:00

Schrödinger's Cat is alive.

2011-08-25T13:47:00.004-04:00

and very angry.

funnier: http://xkcd.com/325/

what moms think of teen-aged kids when..

2011-08-25T13:40:00.000-04:00

reddit response:

Dogs FTW!!

2011-08-25T11:09:00.000-04:00

map designed to offend everyone

2011-08-24T11:15:00.002-04:00

punk

2011-08-24T11:05:00.000-04:00

rail

2011-08-24T10:57:00.002-04:00

no mistake

2011-08-24T06:42:00.000-04:00

Source: Jonathan Harris

escape from childhood

2011-08-24T06:39:00.000-04:00

Source: Jonathan Harris

scream

2011-08-19T18:58:00.004-04:00

source: http://afternoonsnoozebutton.com

my father just disowned me.. anyone want a spare daughter?

2011-08-19T12:06:00.000-04:00

The response:

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/jnkzp/six_months_ago_my_father_disowned_me_after_i/

freedom

2011-08-18T07:55:00.000-04:00

source: http://berkozturk.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4323ol

The Secret Passage

2011-08-17T15:26:00.000-04:00

Artist: David Revoy

Yin Yang of World Hunger

2011-08-17T15:23:00.000-04:00

Artist: David Revoy

illegal immigrants

2011-08-17T15:19:00.002-04:00

funding for education

2011-08-17T15:17:00.002-04:00

Rescuing Hug

2011-08-17T15:08:00.001-04:00

Source: Kyrie and Brielle Jackson
Photo by: Chris Christo of Worcester Telegram and Gazette

illusion of beauty

2011-08-17T14:47:00.000-04:00

Orangutan on a pile of bananas

2011-08-17T14:30:00.000-04:00

tree house

2011-08-17T14:03:00.000-04:00

source: Pursuit of Sadness tumbler

Grandma Doesn't Get Chopsticks

2011-08-17T10:28:00.003-04:00

Arrgh! a werewolf!

2011-08-16T09:49:00.002-04:00

Star Wars Wedding Rings

2011-08-15T11:09:00.003-04:00

Get it here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73903093/star-wars-rings-han-leia-pair-of-solid

Young Love

2011-08-15T11:03:00.000-04:00

Futurama meets Simpsons

2011-08-15T10:45:00.002-04:00

limits

2011-07-31T07:37:00.002-04:00

being lucky

2011-07-31T07:33:00.000-04:00

be brave

2011-07-31T07:04:00.001-04:00

Do one thing brave today, then run like hell.

Source: http://www.wefeelfine.org/gallery/montage.php?id=3138

weirdos

2011-07-30T09:40:00.002-04:00

Kermit and Yoda

2011-07-27T18:46:00.003-04:00

Illustration by Peter de Seve

Source: http://www.peterdeseve.com/

When someone annoys you...

2011-07-27T18:16:00.000-04:00

Intentions Do Not Matter

2011-07-27T18:07:00.000-04:00

what is the most fucked up thing you used to think as a child?

2011-07-23T15:27:00.002-04:00

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/iwe4o/whats_the_most_fucked_up_thing_you_used_to_think/c2773qq

Plant Vs Zombies mind trick

2011-07-23T11:12:00.002-04:00

Got sick of kids losing water bottles, treating them as disposable,

so I took a Sharpie and made this:

Patriotism

2011-07-23T11:06:00.002-04:00

Norwegian Redditor reacts on the recent bombing/shooting massacre

2011-07-23T09:01:00.000-04:00

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/ixmi1/norwegian_redditors_reaction_to_the_recent/

Short & Simple Explanation on US Debt Ceiling

2011-07-23T08:48:00.000-04:00

Bobcat sitting on a 40 foot cactus

2011-07-22T17:31:00.000-04:00

Photos by CURT FONGER from news article: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/offbeat/bobcat-on-cactus-4-6-2011

friendships in Google+

2011-07-20T17:55:00.003-04:00

don't tell a dinosaur your problems

2011-07-19T21:32:00.002-04:00

watermelon sunset

2011-07-18T21:33:00.003-04:00

crazy

2011-07-18T21:32:00.000-04:00

more than meets the eye

2011-07-18T21:31:00.002-04:00

Make an Apple Pie without a Pan

2011-07-18T21:28:00.002-04:00

never give up

2011-07-18T21:27:00.005-04:00

power of imagination

2011-07-18T21:27:00.002-04:00

Gold Diggers

2011-07-18T17:58:00.000-04:00

Feelings

2011-07-18T17:54:00.000-04:00

honesty

2011-07-18T17:51:00.000-04:00

Work

2011-07-18T17:48:00.000-04:00

when water towers dream

2011-07-18T17:44:00.000-04:00

Source: Grant Snider over at Incidental Comics.

Yoda Fails to Order Pepperoni Pizza

2011-07-17T17:49:00.000-04:00

Source: http://geeks.thedailywh.at/2011/07/13/star-wars-comic-of-the-day/

Angel Affair by Michael Parkes

2011-07-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Homosexuality is out of the natural order because men have a penis.

2011-07-15T23:20:00.000-04:00

"Bitch, you're speaking to me through a bunch of silicon wafers and liquid crystals. You do not get to speak of what is and isn't unnatural."

source: http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comments/iqht4/homosexuality_outside_of_natures_order_because/

I do not approve of you, racist cat.

2011-07-15T22:58:00.002-04:00

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/iqv1m/i_do_not_approve_of_you_racist_cat/

stressed

2011-07-14T14:19:00.000-04:00

be gone, wench.

2011-07-14T13:34:00.001-04:00

source: http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/ipadj/be_gone_wench/

we can still be friends

2011-07-14T13:29:00.001-04:00

Have to Pee Vs Have to Sneeze

2011-07-13T19:45:00.002-04:00

The More I Think

2011-07-13T18:57:00.000-04:00

Source: Charonic.Org

Michaelangelo's Defiance against the Catholic Church: Creation of Adam

2011-07-10T19:53:00.000-04:00

"Michelangelo put in there as a snub to the Catholic church. They declared it illegal to operate on cadavers for scientific research, but doctors and Michelangelo himself practiced it in secret... he included the fruits of his research in this painting to elaborate on their own metaphor."

There are two theories going around:
1. "The Creation of Adam" could mean the same thing as "the thing that Adam created," NOT "Adam was created." God (and the other heavenly beings) are within man's mind, and thus portrayed within the brain.

2. The other theory is that portraying God within the brain was stating that the thing that makes man "in God's image" is not a literal physical similarity or anything silly like that, but that we have a mind like God's, capable of ration, emotion, morality, etc. God ought not be portrayed as a man with a white beard so much as he should portrayed as a mind.

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/illpk/michelangelo_put_in_there_as_a_snub_to_the/

Relevant: http://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/Fulltext/2010/05000/Concealed_Neuroanatomy_in_Michelangelo_s.1.aspx?desktopMode=true