★~ From Abigail Adams to Anne Sexton to Maya Angelou, History’s Finest Letters of Motherly Advice.

In Letter to My Daughter (public library), which also gave us her beautiful meditation on home and belonging, beloved author and reconstructionist Maya Angelou writes to the daughter she never had:

You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.

Never whine. Whining lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood.

Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.

★~ 8 Ways Happy People Start Their Mornings

★~ Joys of Jell-O: Vintage and Fun!

★~ 10 Golden Rules for Making the Perfect Cup of Tea (1941)

★~ The People You Meet at McDonald’s

★~ Real-life Houses That Look Like They Belong in the Shire:

Would you like to live in one? J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit has inspired generations of fantasy creators. But it’s also been an inspiration to tons of architects and designers. Here are all the most breathtaking Hobbit-influenced houses from around the world.

★~ The One Video I Guarantee You’ll Watch Twice

[youtube]http://youtu.be/Ahg6qcgoay4[/youtube]

★~ Nicholas Carr on What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains

[youtube]http://youtu.be/cKaWJ72x1rI[/youtube]

★~  Head em up…..move em out!   Rawhide!  *thanks Odd Friend Carol Smith

[youtube]http://youtu.be/yJ4hmKGKjbM[/youtube]

★~  Speaking of Shoes….This is Fun *thanks again on-a-roll Odd Friend Carol Smith

. Take your shoe size.(only whole sizes, if say 4 1/2 go to 5)

· 2. Multiply it by 5.

· 3. Add 50.

· 4. Multiply by 20 ..

· 5. Add 1013.

· 6. Subtract the year you were born.

· The first digit is your shoe size while the last 2 digits are your age.

★~  Shower Power! 

 Ever wonder why some of your best ideas seem to come out of the blue (while you’re in the shower, for example)? Creativity, while seemingly a very vague activity, is actually a distinct process triggered by a few key factors. Essentially, our brains give us our best ideas when:

~ A lot of dopamine is released in our brains. Triggers like exercising, listening to music, and, yes, taking a warm shower, contribute to increased dopamine flow.

~ We’re relaxed. When we have a relaxed state of mind, we’re more likely to turn attention inwards, able to make insightful connections. We’ve seen before how being drunk and sleepy are great for creativity.

~ We’re distracted. Distraction gives our brains a break so our subconscious can work on a problem more creatively.

A dopamine high, relaxed state, and distracted mind: No wonder great ideas happen in the shower.

However if you’re like me (and countless other I’ve talked to), while you best ideas may come to you in the shower you’ve never devised a good system for capturing your epic shower ideas. Sure we try to remember them and record once we dry off, but more often than not our brilliance has slipped down the drain. Recently I found a solution! Aqua Notes, are a waterproof notepad that allows you to record your great ideas while you’re in the shower. It’s so durable you can even write underwater. Really. They’re recyclable, environmentally friendly, and the notepad is printed with soy-based ink.

Would you like your very own Aqua Notepad? Just leave a comment below for a chance to win an Aqua Notepad of your very own! I will throw all the comments into a hat and draw one lucky winner, who will be announced on Odds and Ends next Saturday.

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That wraps Odds and Ends for this week….

Wait!

Some last minute wisdom I must share with you before the week starts in ernest:  If anyone ever tell you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life!

I know you love me!

Odd Loves Company!