Friday, December 5, 2008

Did we really need a study for this?

I sense another rant coming on. There's another study making the round of the news and it's a shocker, I'm sure. "Happiness is contagious." Really? Who'd have thought. It's a good thing that we have the researchers to tell us that.


Researchers followed almost 5000 people for 20 years to see how happiness was spread. And - the icing on the cake was that the findings were published in the respected British Medical Journal (BMJ).  Oy... did it really take that to know that happiness is spread around? How many of us didn't know already that if someone is genuinely happy and smiles at you, treats you well, that you'll often react with a lightened mood and a smile of your own?


How many of us haven't figured out yet that a really grumpy store clerk can often soften on the spot with a genuine smile and a thank you? How many of us didn't know that if we're in an unexplained bad mood, that the sight of something happy often will cause us to give a glimmer of a smile? Apparently not enough of us because we needed researchers to tell us about this.


Ok, have I been curmudgeonly enough for the day? I think I'll go smile at someone and maybe wish them a "bonjour!"


In today's news:


Experimental Vaginal Gel Doesn't Ward Off HIV


Vitamin E may up pneumonia risk in some smokers


Tip: Organizing Gift Buying for the Fibro-Fogged


Today at Seniors Support:


Living with seniors among us, what we miss without them


Looking for somewhere to live?


Trip-proofing your home for visitors - and for you!


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