Saturday, December 6

SOCIETY

6 things you can do to cope with boredom at a time of social distancing
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SOCIETY

6 things you can do to cope with boredom at a time of social distancing

More and more of us are staying home in an attempt to slow down the spreading coronavirus. But being stuck at home can lead to boredom. Boredom is a signal that we’re not meaningfully engaged with the world. It tells us to stop what we’re doing, and do it better – or to do something else. But, as a social psychologist who studies boredom, I know that people don’t always make the best choices when bored. So if you’re stuck at home, dutifully practicing your social distancing, how do you keep boredom away? About boredom We can feel bored even with jobs and activities that appear to be meaningful. For example, researchers have found anesthesiologists and air traffic controllers find themselves bored on the job. What this research reveals is that just because something is objectively meanin...
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Working From Home? 5 Things You Need in Your Home Office
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SOCIETY

Working From Home? 5 Things You Need in Your Home Office

When you work at home, even part time, you discover that a makeshift desk area on a kitchen counter or the dining table isn’t the best setup. Having a dedicated home office, even if it’s compact, makes a big difference in comfort and productivity. Once you’ve chosen a room or area for your home office, here are five must-haves to include in it. Janiczek Homes 1. Comfortable Chair If sitting at a desk is a big part of your workday, make sure you have the right chair for the job. This is especially important if you work at a computer. Look for an overall fit that supports your back and encourages good seated posture. Features to look for include adjustable seat, arms and back, as well as legs on rollers and a seat that swivels so you can easily get in and out of the chair and reach for ...
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Why It’s Unclear Whether Private Programs For ‘Troubled Teens’ Are Working
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Why It’s Unclear Whether Private Programs For ‘Troubled Teens’ Are Working

I first became interested in what I’ve learned is called the “troubled teen industry” more than 20 years ago, when my parents sent me away to a program they thought would help me finish high school. At that point I was skipping a lot of school and running away. Simply put, I was seeking emancipation, community and safety – albeit in a headstrong way. The troubled teen industry is a mostly unregulated collection of for-profit programs that claim to rehabilitate out-of-control youth. Between 50,000 and 100,000 adolescents currently spend at least part of the year in these facilities. Their enrollment – or confinement, depending on the arrangement or their perspective – can prevent these relatively privileged kids from joining the 48,000 youth caught in the U.S. juvenile justice system. I’m...
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No fear: 13 random facts to get you through Friday the 13th
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No fear: 13 random facts to get you through Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th can be spooky — if you’ve got paraskevidekatriaphobia. Both Fridays and the number 13 have a centuries-old tradition of being unlucky, according to Snopes, but the hubbub about Friday the 13th didn’t really get going until the 20th century. Here are 13 completely random facts about Friday the 13th to help you get through the day. 1. In 1908, a U.S. Senator from Oklahoma tempted fate by submitting 13 bills on Friday, March 13th. 2. You’re going to see a Friday the 13th at least every 14 months. That’s the way the math works. On the other extreme, there can be up to three Friday the 13ths in a year. (There are two this year.) 3. Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro was born on Friday, Aug. 13 in 1926. It didn’t appear to have affected his luck ... he lived to be 90 and survi...
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Fun & free: Summer activity ideas for the family
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Fun & free: Summer activity ideas for the family

Schedule meaningful activities to make sure children do not become screen zombies. Summer breaks are certainly necessary for down time. However, schedule meaningful activities to make sure children do not become screen zombies. Verywellfamily.com listed in September these three: - “Grandparents Camp”: Staying with grandparents for a few days or a week saves parents from spending money on an expensive theme camp and allows for quality family time. Grandparents might plan such activities as painting, baking, creative photography (printing photos and framing them) or gardening. - Pull out a different old-fashioned game each day: Twister, Slip ’N Slide, horseshoes, croquet, cornhole, ring toss, Monopoly, cards, etc. And, come up with a scavenger or treasure hunt. Printable ideas are readily a...
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SOCIETY

Right and wrong ways to do ‘voluntourism’

While vacation travelers and missionaries may be tempted to add an orphanage stop to itineraries, showing needy children empathy requires discretion For various reasons, millions of children worldwide - some of whom are true orphans - are cared for institutionally. While vacation travelers and missionaries may be tempted to add an orphanage stop to itineraries, showing needy children empathy requires discretion. Hopeandhome.org describes “orphanage tourism,” part of what is referred to as so-called voluntourism, as children in orphanages exploited as “attractions” for tourists and “projects” for volunteers. Dorothy Pearce of Jacksonville, Florida, took a 12-year hiatus from her work as a paralegal to direct a home for special-needs children in Haiti. She recalls unannounced visitors walk...
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