New Blog for Ramen Noodles, Rent, and Resumes
Wed 23 Apr 2008 – 13.51
Hey, remember when I talked with Kristen Fischer about her book, Ramen Noodles, Rent, and Resumes: An after-college guide to life? Well, now the book has a blog, where you can keep track of the latest news and reactions, and get in touch with Kristen and the others working behind the scenes. Check it out!
•• RRR blog »
posted by Scott in careers, education, health & fitness, life, personal finance, podcasts, real estate.
Daily Caffeine ‘Protects Brain’
Thu 03 Apr 2008 – 11.18
Well, the internet said it, so it must be true.
The BBC is reporting on a new study that says how caffeine has magic brain powers to prevent Alzheimer’s and other diseases.
“Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky,” said Dr Jonathan Geiger, who led the study.
It’s a bit more sciencey than that, so check out the article »
I didn’t need an article to tell me that caffeine is good for the brain, it makes us smarter! Have you ever played Tetris while your riding high on a caff wave? It’s awesome.
posted by Scott in coffee, health & fitness.
Wed 05 Mar 2008 – 10.21
We’re seeing signs of Spring here in New York. This time of year always encourages me to get out and re-invigorate myself towards some practice or other. I’ve been focusing on networking this Winter, but Spring seems like the time to be more social. My March resolution, as it were, is to get out more and have more fun. Is that such a bad thing?
What are you doing this Spring to change your life?
posted by Scott in health & fitness, life.
Sat 23 Feb 2008 – 19.14
Let’s be honest, you’re not the healthiest eater. But switching to a diet of lettuce and Crystal Light isn’t for everyone. From ZenHabits comes a sensible list of 12 ways to eat better and feel better. Here’s a sample:
7. Nuts instead of chips. If you normally snack on chips, try unsalted peanuts or raw almonds.
A pretty good plan since the calories in nuts are split between carbs, fats, and proteins as opposed to potato chips which are almost all fat calories. As an amateur nutritionist I say go for one step at a time. I reckon if you can knock down 8-10 you’ll be fine … at least until your 30th birthday! Have a look.
posted by Scott in health & fitness.
College Students Demand Organic, and Stuff
Wed 20 Feb 2008 – 7.35
Advertisers and marketers love watching college students because in spite of having no money, their spending habits are an indicator of how the next generation thinks as consumers.
In this article from AdAge, we see that more and more college students are demanding better food, often from local and organic sources. Unfortunately, the lines are still somewhat blurred as they don’t often know the true definition of organic, local, seasonal, etc.
Worth a read. Via Brand Noise
posted by Scott in education, health & fitness.
Caffeine Content, by the Numbers
Mon 11 Feb 2008 – 11.55
We’ve covered this before, but in case you haven’t bookmarked a similar page, here is a list of various drinks and their caffeine contents:
As you may guess, a Starbucks regular brew (grande) tips the caff-scale at 320mg. Ouch.
via LVHRD
posted by Scott in coffee, health & fitness.
How to Stay Awake at Work or School
Fri 25 Jan 2008 – 10.51
It goes by many names, the “lull”, the “itis”, the “valley of fatigue” to name a few, but by any name we all know the feeling of getting totally exhausted during the day. Whether a student or a worker, the need to sleep can conflict directly with your day’s to-do list. I have often remarked that falling asleep in class is the oldest college tradition; fuck road trips! Of course it can be a problem because most workplaces place sleep as the #1 cardinal sin, right behind porno. Drinking? I have at various points been offered beer, wine and hard liquor during the work day, but I have never been offered a nap. And while sunglasses may hide you in a crowded lecture hall, they rarely work when the boss comes around to your desk.
OK, so how do we stay awake during the day? Aside from the obvious points about getting enough rest the night before, eating breakfast, etc. a few good tips turned up on a post from Dumb Little Man, yet another rediculously named blog about general life. Here’s one that sounds reasonable:
8. Get Help from Colleagues. If you have some buddies at work, confide in them that you need their help with staying awake. See if there are any things you can work on together. Talking with co-workers will help keep your mind engaged and alert.
I’ve been there. I’ve been there. Jessica and I used to throw crumpled up post-its at one another when we’d see the head starting to bob.
The tactic I like to employ at work, school, and on the road (although don’t fuck with falling asleep behind the wheel!) is simply to drink loads of water. Get yourself a gallon, or at least a litre bottle, and start drinking! When was the last time you fell asleep having to pee like mad? Yes, you’ll have to take a trip to the toilet every ten minutes, but the walking will also help to wake you up. And if that fails, get yourself an apple. The effort required to eat an apple is sure to keep you going, to say nothing of the natural sugars, etc. And the odd thing about apples is that you have to eat them in a certain amount of time or else they turn brown, so no dozing off between bites!
Coffee also does the trick. That is, if you don’t use it every half hour.
Check out the article and add your comments about what keeps you awake during that afterlunch dip.
posted by Scott in careers, coffee, health & fitness.
Caffeine Doubles Miscarriage Risk
Tue 22 Jan 2008 – 10.28
Eeek, no more buying coffee for the ladies, turns out caffeine can double the likelihood of miscarrying. A new study out of Chicago has shown that drinking two cups of coffee while pregnant is a terrbile thing to attempt. In fact, caffeine of any type, including soda, tea, etc. can be problematic and should be avoided.
“Women who are pregnant or are actively seeking to become pregnant should stop drinking coffee for three months or hopefully throughout pregnancy,”
—Dr. De-Kun Li, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
So ladies take note, if you’re trying to have a baby, you need to phase out that morning cuppa and take it slow for a year or so. And chances are you’ll need that caffeine once the baby is borne, so best not to have a high tolerance, you know.
It’s a short, but interesting article.
posted by Scott in coffee, health & fitness.
Snacking Tips for All-Night Gamers
Wed 09 Jan 2008 – 22.54
In my 26 years I have spent many a night hour with friends (and alone) playing video games. It does strange things to one’s physiology — we forget to eat, ignore the need to sleep, tune out external stimuli, and somehow eradicate the need to use the bathroom. But since we’re not teenagers anymore, it might be a good idea to maintain proper diet and health, even when fiending a game to it’s end.
Check out this article about 23 snack foods that will keep you going without too much effort. Warning, this will make you hungry, so best to read it on a full stomach.
One of my personal favs:
Bagels and cream cheese. This combo is satisfying if you’re feeling more than peckish but not all-out hungry. You have lots of flavors to choose from, and you could replace the cream cheese with smoked salmon (above), or tomato or cuke slices sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper.
posted by Scott in health & fitness, movies & media.
Tue 08 Jan 2008 – 14.00
The start of a new year brings with it new optimism and resolutions, which often mean hitting the gym. If you are among the masses that flock to the gym in January, or as I call them, “The Jannuarians”, take a moment to read this article from ABC News.
Based on Better Business Bureau findings, gyms and health clubs are often crafty buggers who have long, intricate contracts aimed at swindling you out of your cash.
One national chain holds customers to their contracts unless they are gravely ill, badly injured or move more than 50 miles from the nearest branch of the gym. Can you imagine driving 50 miles to work out? I have some exercise gear in my basement and I have a hard time summoning the willpower to use it.
The bottom line is simple: do some research and ask questions. Gyms are like any other endeavor, you don’t want to be attached if it turns out to be a bad move.
posted by Scott in health & fitness, personal finance.