Give Us Free! (In Cinque's (Djimon Hounsou) voice from the movie Amistad)

No living being appreciates being caged up, and a bear at the Minnesota Zoo proved this yesterday when it picked up a big rock with both paws and repeatedly slammed it against the glass until it shattered.  The bear probably caught a glimpse of “Planet of the Apes” on some kid’s iPhone and decided to gain its freedom.  Maybe the bear thought to itself, “If one more beady-eyed human walks past my cage, I’m gonna grind their bones into dust!”  

Thank God it was a five pane glass barrier!  The glass stayed in place to the bear’s supreme disappointment.  No aminal or human was harmed.  Potential bear weapons are supposed to be in a secured place.  A representative from the zoo said they’ll have to make sure everything is anchored down correctly. The bears were pulled out of the open air exhibit that will remain closed to the public until repairs are made.

To learn more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com. 

Source: startribune.com 

Sit Down and Chill Out

Did you know that sitting down and chilling out at least once a day can help you live a healthier happier life?  Meditation isn’t a mystical thing.  It’s simply a continuous contemplation on something or absolutely nothing!  It’s quieting of the body and mind in order to reflect on self, the world around you, or spiritual matters. It’s good for you because it can:

•  lead to a deeper level of physical relaxation
• enhance energy, strength and vigor
• bring body, mind, spirit in harmony
• build self-confidence
• help with focus & concentration
• increase creativity
• increase emotional stability
• increase ability to solve complex problems
• provide peace of mind, happiness and deeper understanding of yourself and others 

There are many ways to meditate.   You can sit down, quiet yourself, and use your imagination or you can focus on something while you relax and breathe.  You can listen to soothing music, pray, think, or just be still.  Do whatever makes keeps you calm and quiet.  Taking time out to free yourself of stress can increase your lifespan and raise you happiness meter.  So take a seat!

To learn more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com. 

It's Real If You Think It's Real...

Your thoughts are very powerful, so powerful that they can determine your physical and mental health.  This is proven by studying how placebos work.  A placebo is a prescribed pseudo-medication such as a sugar pill or salt water injection that is given to a patient under the pretense that it is real medication.  Studies have shown that patients feel better because they think they are being treated when in all actuality, they are not.  The belief that the placebo is real medication causes the brain to release morphine-like chemicals called endorphins to relieve their pain. 

On the opposite spectrum of things, people can experience an equally strong nocebo effect.  If patients are told that the placebo will cause negative side effects, people will start to experience negative side effects even if there is no scientific reason why those side effects should occur.  In one study, placebos were given to patients and told that the side effect was vomiting, by the end of the day, 80% of the patients were vomiting.

The mind is a powerful thing.  It is very true you are what you think you are, and you feel how you think you feel.   Keep mind over matter.  I hope this encourages you to stay positive!  

To learn more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com. 

Cool Cool Kids

 Children are such fascinating creatures.  I have three on them and they never cease to amaze me.  From their off center questions to their surreal dance moves, children make adults find it hard to imagine we were ever that small and full of wonder. Kids are a lot cooler than we could ever imagine.  That’s a big deal for me to admit because I think my children are the coolest kids in the world.  Here are ten cool things about children I bet you didn’t know.

•  Between birth and 3 years old, is the fastest stage of human development.
•  Children have 300 bones at birth but 206 in adulthood because many bones fuse together as the child gets older.
• The average 4 year old asks over 400 questions a day.  (I think that’s low balling!)
• In the 1600s, in England, boys and girls wore dresses until they were about 7 years old.
• Pharaoh Ramses II had over 160 children.  (Talk about being fruitful and multiplying!)  
• At birth babies have no knee caps.  (Since I’ve gained a few pounds, mine has disappeared as well.  Does that mean I’m looking younger? LOL)
• 60% of the energy a baby uses in the brain. (The world would be a better place if never grew out of this!)
• Alex Martin became the youngest card-carrying Mensa Member at age 3.
• Youngest children usually grow up to have creative careers.
• Watching TV can act as a natural pain killer for a child. (Step one in becoming a zombie.)

Hopefully these fun facts will give you a new appreciation to the little ones in the world.  Just another reason to love them even more!

To learn more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com. 

Sources:

http://www.10-facts-about.com/Children/id/22

http://onlinenursepractitionerschools.com/40-truly-amazing-facts-about-babies/

http://milwaukee.uwex.edu/files/2013/04/fast-facts-about-childrens-brain-development.pdf

http://www.firsttimemomanddad.com/2014/07/10-fun-facts-about-childhood-development.html

http://thestir.cafemom.com/being_a_mom/171824/9_surprising_scientific_facts_about

Got Milk?

Painters and artists should be proud to know that their craft has been appreciated for at least a quarter of a billion years (according to Past Horizons and sciencedaily.com) or 125,000 years ago in South Africa (according to archeology.org).  Yes, you read correctly.  People have been wagging their brushes for eons and now a new paint mixture has been discovered.  The earliest form of paints were made of ochre which is any of various natural earths containing ferric oxide, silica, andalumina that are used as yellow or red pigments.  Now a research team led by the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa has discovered a milk-and ochre-based paint.  It is said to date back 49,000 years. 

It is unclear what paint was used for.  Some speculate it could be used for body decorating, painting objects such as wood and stone, or some sacred significance because of the use of the milk.  What every the use, it’s good to know that artist have been doing their thing since the dawn of time! 

To learn more about Violette, visit www.violettemeier.com.