Episodes

Not all that long ago, just about everyone had a landline home telephone. It had one phone number and everyone in the house used that number. Things sure have changed. How have they changed? This episode begins by discussing ...

Interruptions can be infuriating - especially at work. They can ruin your concentration and your productivity. However, there may be an upside to getting interruptions that balance out those negatives. I begin this episode wi...

Even though you know money is filthy dirty, it can still make you feel good. This episode begins by explaining how the simple act of handling money can make you feel a lot better if you are feeling a bit down. And the weird t...

Do you hold hands with your mate? If you don’t, you probably should. This episode begins with a brief discussion on the benefits of holding hands - and I bet you haven’t heard them before. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/f...

If you are not a celebrity, how do you get a table at a busy restaurant that is all booked up? This episode begins with some advice that can often work wonders in getting you that table - if you do it right. Source: Frank Lun...

Selling items on eBay can be fun and profitable. And there are a few little tricks than can make it even more profitable. I begin this episode by revealing some strategies above and beyond good photos and descriptions that ca...

Ever watch a TV chef put seasoning on food? Often, they sprinkle the herbs and spices from high up? This episode begins with an explanation of why they do that and why you should to. https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5...

“Sometimes you need a good cry.” How many times have you heard that advice? So what does the science say? This episode begins by looking at whether crying is really good for you - or if that is just something people say. http...

When it comes to easing traffic congestion, sometimes the solution is worse than the original problem. This episode begins with a tale of how trying to ease traffic tends to cause more of it. It’s all about “build it and they...

Everyone likes to laugh, and it turns out there are some real health benefits to laughter. This episode begins with how laughing may just be the best medicine. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19968254/live-laugh-love/ D...

Some people always seem to look great in photographs. How do they do it? This episode begins with some simple tricks that will make anyone look better in any photo - every time. https://www.diyphotography.net/seven-tricks-hel...

While we tend to be very good at noticing our failures, keeping track of all your victories is a much better idea - even the little victories. This episode begins with an explanation of why those little victories can propel y...

Everyone doodles. It is just something we do, especially when listening to a boring speaker. Yet doodling is actually not a distraction - it can really help your memory. Listen as I begin this episode by explaining how. https...

Do you like your signature? What message does it send to the people who see it? This episode begins with some insight into how other people might make assumptions about you based solely on how you sign your name. https://grac...

We can all do a little bit to improve our driving skills. For example, do you turn your headlights on when you drive during the day? You should – and that is just one of several things I discuss that can instantly make you a ...

Wi-Fi is great except when the microwave oven is on. At least that is the case in my house. Whenever we turn on the microwave oven in the kitchen – it screws up the Wi-Fi. Why is that? And is there anything you can do to prev...

A common ingredient listed on perfumes, colognes, soaps and lotions is “fragrance.” That doesn’t tell you much. This episode begins with an explanation of why manufacturers don’t have to list more detail than that and why you...

Everyone know that texting and driving is dangerous. But why is it so much more dangerous than driving and drinking coffee or driving and talking to a passenger or driving and tuning the radio? This episode starts with what t...

In the last several years, a lot of different kinds of salt have popped up on store shelves. It used to be just salt and kosher salt. Now there is sea salt, Himalayan salt, pink salt and a million more it seems. So what’s the...

You have probably noticed that aluminum foil has a shiny side and a dull side. Why? What’s the difference - and why do some recipes call for it to be either shiny side up or shiny side down? This episode begins with an explan...

Anyone who travels knows you often don’t sleep well on the first night at your new destination - especially if you have travelled across time zones. This experience is so common it has a name – it is called the “First Night E...

When you order something online, do you then track the package to see where it is and when it is coming? This episode begins with the results of a survey about how people track their orders and why and how they hate it when a...

You’ve washed your hands a million times. Yet there is a pretty good chance you are probably doing it incorrectly. Over the last year and a half we have all learned that hand washing is important - still people often to spend...

Are you neat or messy? You most likely have a preference for either a neat or a cluttered work environment. There is a general assumption that neat is better - but is it? It apparently depends on what type of work you are doi...