~★~♥~♥~★~ El Morno! ♥~★~★~♥ ~
September 11, 2012

★~ Today’s Quote:  I Remember…

★~ Make your bed day:

Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit” writes, making your bed every morning is correlated with better productivity.  Apparently, making your bed  is something called a keystone habit. Keystone habits are those routines that, if you can identify them, spill over to other habits. According to Duhigg, changing or cultivating keystone habits “helps other habits to flourish by creating new structures, and they establish cultures where change becomes contagious.” A keystone habit is essentially a catalyst for other good habits.

Best-selling author of The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin has this to say about bed-making: “When I’ve asked people what happiness-project resolution has made a big difference in their happiness, many people cite the modest, ‘Make your bed.'” The author speculated that satisfaction stems from the amount of pleasure a made-bed gives compared to the minimal work to get the job done. Outer order contributes to inner calm, Rubin observed. She also noted that sticking to any resolution breeds a sense of accomplishment. When that resolution takes but seconds and happens first thing each morning, it may set you up for a happier day.

Karen Miller, wife, mother, Zen priest, and author of “Hand Wash Cold” and “Momma Zen”, explains: “the state of your bed is the state of your head.”

My sweet mother simple told me if you don’t make your bed, you won’t have a good day. I believed her and make my bed every single day.

Now,  if we could only find someone to turn down our covers each night and put a mint on our pillow!

★~ National Hot Cross Bun Day:

Baked from a white flour base freckled with dried fruit, sugar and spices, hot cross buns were considered an indulgent delicacy in 16th century England, at a time when wholemeal breads were the norm for most people. In fact, British law at the time limited its bakers to making the dough only for special occasions; the bread itself was labeled with a cross in honor of its Good Friday consumption.

In honor of its holy background, a cross is sliced into the unbaked bun, to be filled with a powdered sugar icing after the baked bun cools. The finished pastry is typically consumed with butter or jam or paired with fresh fruit. For a particularly flavorful variety that uses raisins, lemon and orange zest, currants, cinnamon and allspice, check out Epicurious’s traditional Hot Cross Buns recipe.

If traditionally Hot Cross buns are devoured on Good Friday why then, is National Host Cross Bun Day months after Good Friday? I have no idea.  Just get your buns out there and enjoy.

★~ Today in History:

♥~ 1773 – Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Josiah Quincy this day, wrote, “There never was a good war or a bad peace.”

♥~ 1883 – The mail chute was patented by James G. Cutler, a former Mayor of Rochester, NY. The device was first used in the Elwood Building in Rochester. Mail chutes can still be seen — and sometimes, they still work — in many old office buildings

♥~ 1962 – Ringo Starr joined John, Paul, George and Andy to record Love Me Do at Abbey Road, London, England. P.S. I Love You was recorded the same day, with Andy on drums again, and Ringo manning the maracas this time.

♥~1974 – Little House on the Prairie aired for the first time. This hour-long family drama was based on books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It focused on the Ingalls family and their neighbors living at Walnut Grove, MN:

♥~ 2001 –  Today is the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks: Phones rang across the United States and the rest of the world, “Turn on the TV!” It was 8:48 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. A passenger jet had just crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Flames and smoke billowed from the tower. It was now 9:06. This was no accident. Another plane just hit the World Trade Center’s South Tower. New York was under attack,  a  plane crashed into the Pentagon. On the fourth plane, which was bound for Washington, D.C., passengers attempted to take control of the plane and it ended up crashing near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Altogether, nearly 3,000 lives were lost — all the passengers and crew on board the planes, thousands of people who worked at the World Trade Center or were near the buildings, more than 100 in the Pentagon building, and hundreds of rescue workers. For more facts about 9/11 click here.

★~Born Today:

♥~ 1862 – O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) author: short stories: Gift of the Magi; died June 5, 1910

♥~ 1885 – D.H. (David Herbert) Lawrence writer: Lady Chatterly’s Lover; died Mar 2, 1930

♥~ 1924 – Tom Landry Pro Football Hall of Famer: coach: Dallas Cowboys [1960-1988], record: 270-178-6, 20 straight winning seasons, five NFC titles, two Super Bowl wins; died Feb 12, 2000

♥~ 1926 – Alfred Slote author: The Trading Game, Finding Buck McHenry

♥~  1950 – Amy Madigan actress: Riders of the Purple Sage, Uncle Buck, Field of Dreams, Places in the Heart, Love Letters, Love Child, The Ambush Murders

♥~ 1962 – Kristy McNichol Emmy Award-winning actress: Family [1976-77, 1978-79]; Empty Nest, Apple’s Way, Baby of the Bride, Women of Valor, Dream Lover, Only When I Laugh, Little Darlings, The Summer of My German Soldier

♥~ 1967 – Harry Connick Jr.Grammy Award-winning singer: We are in Love; actor: Copycat, When Harry Met Sally

♥~ 1977 – Jon Buckland musician: lead guitar: group: Coldplay: Sparks, Fix You, Don’t Panic, Warning Sign, Clocks, Help Is Around the Corner, Everything’s Not Lost

★~ Did You Know: Now these would be interesting beds to make…or have your ed maker make. Surely at these prices these beds come with their own bed maker. 

♥~ Aquarium Bed

PHOTO: Furnitureland South/Acrylic Tank Manufacturers

Given that a third of your life is spent sleeping, it’s arguably justifiable to invest in a deluxe bed. This custom-made headboard by Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, for example, literally captures a tropical seascape. Fork over $11,500, and rest your weary head under a 650-gallon tank that sits atop matching bedside tables (reading lamps included).

♥~ Gold Bed:

PHOTO: Facebook/JADO Steel Style

Prone to rolling around in Benjamins? The Jado Steel Style Gold Bed is the one for you. This king size waterbed is coated with 24k gold and jazzed up with Swarovski crystals. Complete with a built-in plasma TV, DVD player, Bose sound system, and a PS3 game console, this bed is the ultimate in opulence. And for just $676,550, these bragging rights can be yours.

♥~ Floating Bed:

PHOTO: Facebook/Universe Architecture

Attention millionaire minimalists: The Magnetic Floating bed hovers over the ground without a frame or headboard (so pedestrian!). Magnets placed in the bed push away from magnets embedded in the floor, causing the bed to “float,” while nearly invisible wires tether it to the floor. The bed can support nearly 2,000 pounds. The price tag? $1.2 million euros.

♥~ Security Bed:

PHOTO: qsleeper.com

If you stay awake late into the night thinking of all the horrible things that could befall you, the Quantum Sleeper might help you sleep easier. This high-level security system can be customized to provide protection from forces of nature, acts of terrorism, and even stalkers. Opt for the DVD player, microwave, and fridge and this fully-equipped bed becomes all the “safe room” you’ll ever need… for just $160,000. This bed system is quite impressive, it has been featured by many security systems company websites and has gained steady popularity amongst the “prepper” communities. Don’t be surprised if you see this at your in-laws soon.

Rocking Bed:

PHOTO: private-cloud.de

Rock yourself to sleep in your own Private Cloud. Designed by Manuel Kloker and retailing for about $6,800, the bed can sway back and forth or (should travel sickness kick in) be stabilized with specially designed back plates.

♥~ Smart Bed:

PHOTO: YouTube

Nothing says luxury like a bed that makes itself. After a night in Spanish furniture maker OHEA’s “smart bed,” simply get up, press a button, and watch as the duvet is stretched back into place by robotic arms that glide slowly from the foot of the bed to the head. The pillows are lifted up by cords hidden in the head board and then gently dropped back on top of the perfectly made covers.

♥~ Adjustable Bed: 

PHOTO: Facebook/Bedup

If you’re short on space but flush with cash, the BedUp is for you. Starting at $3,800, this modern take on the Murphy bed spends most of its day clinging to your ceiling. You lower it to a height of your choosing at bedtime, and then send it back out of sight during your waking hours.

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I thought this video is a wonderful way to remember 9-11. Thank you El Morno friend Carol for sharing:

And it’s also important to remember…

2,976 people died on 9/11
2,500,000 people died in US wars justified by 9/11
91,500,000 people died from hunger since 9/11

One last link to share….. ‘Humanizing’ Is Something Humans Do’. I know you’re sick and tried of the word ‘Humanize’ but I think you’ll agree, Chicago Tribune Columnist, Mary Schmich  has different take on the word.

Have a Thoughtful Tuesday….