Blogs Archives

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Couples have definitely spent a lot more time together in the last year – and it seems the majority really liked it. In fact, a recent survey found that 68% said they have “adored” spending more time with their partner over the last year. Even more interesting — 24% said they are worried about getting separation anxiety from their partner when things get back to normal. And it seems that spending all that time together has strengthened relationships – with 60% of couples saying it has confirmed that they are perfect for each other.

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A new survey found that we think really highly of ourselves. 46% of respondents said they are the best person they know. Men were more likely to think highly of themselves than women (86% vs. 67%).

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If you’ve wanted to celebrate getting your COVID vaccine jab by going out for a celebratory drink, go ahead – it’s actually good for you. A survey published in the New York Times says that moderate drinking post-jab isn’t likely to hurt. In fact, some studies have even found that over the longer term, small or moderate amounts of alcohol might actually benefit the immune system by reducing inflammation.

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The American Society of Plastic Surgeons released data that showed, of course, that there were big drops in cosmetic procedures in 2020 due to COVID. Their findings found that despite the drop, procedures like Botox and fillers remained popular. But this is surprising … Seems the biggest increase in cosmetic surgery in the last year was for butt implants. Apparently working from home and spending so much time sitting left people with the dreaded “pancake butt” and wanting a little lift in their behinds. (Bloomberg)

It’s also Cinco de Mayo . . . and it’s really the first party holiday since huge numbers of people got the vaccine.  So I’m thinking LOTS of people are going to want to live it up today . . . even if they don’t know WHY they’re living it up.

A survey just asked people what Cinco de Mayo is actually about.  And only 10% of people knew the correct answer:  Celebrating a major Mexican battle win.  The victory was over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862.

39% of people thought Cinco de Mayo was Mexico’s Independence Day . . . 26% thought it was just a general celebration of Mexican-American culture . . . 13% admitted they had no idea . . . and 13% said it’s, quote, “an excuse to drink.”

The survey also found almost three-quarters of Americans said they planned to do something to celebrate.

59% will eat Mexican food . . . 32% will drink margaritas . . . 17% will drink Mexican beer . . . 14% will go to a party . . . and 8% will go to a bar.

And finally, 8% of people say they’re going to use today to read up on Mexican history.

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Do you pets have more friends than you do? A new survey of pet owners found that more than 50% say their dog has more friends than they do — and 66% believe their dog has a “better social life” than they do. 57% said that their friends and family are more excited to see their dog than them. And your dog is definitely more popular with your co-workers. 63% of those surveyed said their pup is the “uncontested star” of their Zoom calls.

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There’s no question that streaming services like Netflix helped us get through the last year. What would we have done with all those shows to watch and characters to care about? But what happens when you finish binge-ing a series you really loved? Do you get a little sad that it’s over? How about when you loved a season of a show and were anxiously awaiting the next season, only to find out the show has been canceled?

There’s even a name for it: PSD (Post-Series Depression). It’s defined as “the sadness felt after reading or watching a really long series or story. The bitter feeling when you know the journey is over, but you don’t want it to end. (Urban Dictionary)

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Tired of being rushed out of restaurants before you’re ready? That might be a thing of the past, thanks to one New York City place that’s encouraging people to stay all day – and bring their laptops, too! Kindred, in Manhattan’s East Village, cooked up a plan to bring back customers after the pandemic lull. For $25-per day, per person, you get an all-day table reservation and WiFi — plus unlimited coffee, cold brew and tea. Food is extra, and you can even stick around for happy hour – if you buy a beverage. (New York Post)

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Not all pets can be taken outside for a walk or a drive in the car, but one Japanese company has created a new carrier that will allow fish-owners to do just that. The Ma Corporation has designed the “katsugyo bag.”  It’s a portable, tube-shaped fish tank with a handle so you can carry your fish on a walk through the park. Or, you can take your fresh catch home alive from the lake. The carrier is more than just a portable fish tank. It also has an oxygen gauge and a device that delivers food to the little swimmer. The katsugyo bag isn’t available for sale yet, but it’s already gaining a lot of interest in Japan. (Oddity Central)

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Well, this is … gross. A new survey out of the UK found that 30% of respondents said they only washed their sheets … once or twice a year. No joke. FYI: You’re supposed to wash them at least once a week. (Best Life)

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When you see someone yawn, it tends to make YOU want to yawn, right? Well, a new study found the same thing also happens with our PHONES. Researchers in Italy wanted to see how many people would check their phone if they saw someone else check theirs.  So they tried it with 184 people who didn’t know they were being watched. And HALF of them picked up their own phone within 30 seconds. My first question was . . . well, don’t a lot of us check our phone every 30 seconds now anyway?  But when people in the study didn’t see someone check their phone, less than 1% picked their own phone up. It’s a phenomenon called the “chameleon effect.”

Today is National Paranormal Day, so if your walls start bleeding or your kid starts saying things in a flat, creepy voice, don’t say I didn’t warn you. In a new survey in honor of the holiday . . .

1.  80% of Americans say they believe in ghosts.  That includes 45% who believe but have never seen one . . . and 35% who believe BECAUSE they’ve seen one.

2.  90% of people say they’re scared of paranormal activities.

3.  12% think the U.S. government knows more about aliens than it’s revealing.

4.  And 4% think they live in a haunted house.  (National Today) 

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A lot of people got green thumbs during the pandemic … A new survey found that 52% of respondents invested in new plants and garden upgrades over the last year. I was definitely one of those people. I think I’ve purchased at least one new plant a week in April…

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A hard seltzer brand wants to make lemonade – out of your lemon of a car. Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer wants you to send them pics of your lemon of a car. The person with the worst lemon could win $25,000 to put toward a new car – as well as a year’s worth of Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer. Check out the Vizzy website for more details. (Delish)

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Red Lobster wants to make students’ prom extra cheesy this year … by turning their Cheddar Bay biscuits into a matching Cheddar Bay biscuit corsage and boutonniere. No joke. They even have instructions on Twitter for how to do it, in case you’re realllly interested. (Food & Wine)

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Have you been thinking about a social media detox? How about if you got paid to do it? According to research by HowNow, a learning platform, the average person spends 58 minutes a day on Instagram. Well, they want people to use that time to learn something new instead. The company is recruiting three people to replace their social media time with learning a new skill of their choosing. And they’ll pay the people selected $692 a month for three months to do it. “Instead of scrolling, the successful candidates will dedicate that time to their new chosen skill, in an attempt to find out what can be learned when social media use is reduced or replaced,” HowNow said a statement. Find out more here. (Travel & Leisure)

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Today is National Honesty Day.  And we’re gonna celebrate it the right way:  With a survey where clearly a ton of people lied.  The survey asked people how often they tell lies. And the top answer is . . . NEVER.  27% of people say they never lie.  That is a lie. 18% of people say they lie once a year or less.  That’s also a lie.  And another 18% say they lie a couple of times a month. On the other end of things, 6% of people say they tell around one lie a day, and 6% say they tell a bunch of lies every day. The survey also found 3% of people say they’re compulsive liars.

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Listen up smokers, you’re about to have one less option. The feds made it official…moving to ban menthol cigarettes today. They’re also planning to scrap flavored cigars. They’re trying to make smoking less appealing to kids – besides, the stuff in menthols is basically poison. Shelves won’t be empty for a while; the rule change could take years to kick in.

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It’s amazing most of us go half our life stressing about this stuff:  Someone asked 2,000 people aged 55 and up when they finally stopped worrying about what other people think of them.  And the average is 46 years old.

They also asked about work, relationships, and looks.  Here’s what people said . . .

1.  We finally feel okay about our appearance in our mid-30’s.  For men, it’s 34.  For women, 36.

2.  The average person feels settled in and okay about their relationship at 37.

3.  We don’t truly feel good about our career until we hit 40.

4.  In general, we feel comfortable in our own skin at age 42.

5.  We don’t feel like we can really speak our mind until our early-to-mid 40’s.  For men, it’s 40.  For women, 45.

6.  We finally start to relax about finances at age 50.

They also asked about life events that make your more confident.  The top five are becoming a parent . . . getting married . . . retiring . . . traveling . . . and getting your driver’s license.