Richard Lefever asked:


Curiosity killed that cat? I think they got it wrong. We’ve been laboring under the stifling, perhaps even deadly, weight of a botched adage. The ‘osity’ responsible for the feline fatality had to be of a ’serious’ not a ‘curious’ nature. The suffix “osis” according to my New American Webster Handy College Dictionary means “an abnormal condition of.” The difference between “osis” and “osity” literally “is” “ity”. “ity” along with its partner in crime “bity” amount to nothing significant. So I will use “osis” and “osity” interchangeably.

‘Curiosity’, then, is an abnormal condition of being curious, and is liable to expose you to the risks of a few bruised extremities and egos, a few startled looks of surprise, but an ever-growing knowledge of the world around you. A mild state of curiosity might just spice up your life a trifle. A rampant case of curiosity may batter and bruise, but the main risks are of a life of adventure, and a chronic smile. The curious cat is the cat that knows, or will discover, whereof he purrs. His brain cells are always on the move, and his life is comparatively rich, and mouse laden.

“Seriousity” on the other paw, is the weighty and grave state of grimaced jaws, humorless eyes, and ‘tail dragging through the litter box’ anxiety. It is the abnormal state of being serious. The mildly serious cat merely spends too much time looking behind to see what’s following him (frequently just his tail). Often quick to startle, this tremulous tabby is often referred to as a ‘fraidy cat’. Even mild ’seriousity’, if chronic, may result in ruined digestion, a less than satisfying social life (fewer rubs under the whiskers), and troublesome hairballs.

A rampant case of ’serious’, particularly the condition that is left when you take yourself too seriously, may involve a batter, just like curiosity. However, the next step isn’t likely to be curiosity’s mild bruising accompanied by learning, but a deep-fat frying, often accompanied by a devouring. Too much ’serious’ tends to reduce our mental agility. A real serious cat is much more likely to limp away from a 10 foot drop, than spryly walk away like his relaxedly curious cousin. Sufficiently serious, and the cat will bounce away from the fall, exhibiting the stock market phenomenon known as the ‘dead cat bounce’ (i.e. even a dead cat will bounce if it falls far enough).

So, how do we switch from serious to curious, and save the cat? My prescription begins like this– start with a good stretch followed by a hearty laugh. Cats are great models for this mind freeing stretch. Watch a cat stretch. They seem to be able to employ every muscle. Stretching releases muscular tensions, increases circulation, and feels incredible. So stretch, and try to involve every muscle you’ve got. Then laugh. Nothing blows through a morbidly serious mental cloud faster than the warm breeze of a good hearty laugh. If you can’t jump right into a good laugh, start with a smile, graduate into a chuckle, and finally let yourself go and laugh with your whole body. Force yourself into the smile to laugh progression, even though you may not feel like it. Pretend that you do. Follow the phony laugh with a good stretch, and laugh again. I promise by the third time you follow this recipe of stretching and laughing you’ll be feeling like you’ve dipped into the catnip, and you’ll be ready to chase a canary.

Now that you’re feeling good, it’s time to get curious. Start seriously asking yourself non-serious questions-like “…exactly how good can I feel?” and “…what opportunities are out there for me today?” Train your brain to be curious, not serious.

If you just can’t let the cat out of the serious bag on your own, you might want to explore the possibility of using hypnosis to help you with the ‘de-bagging’. A hypnotist has tools to help release long standing stress and reduce the production of ’seriousity’. A hypnotist can also help re-tune your mind to curiosity, and help prevent another morbid cat catastrophe.

This is another helpful mind management tip from Richard Lefever and the brain weavers at Quit! Check us out at www.quitsmokingoregon.com .

Mailcucan asked:


So, you’ve decided to look into this Feng Shui thing and you’ve started to make some changes around your home. You’ve rearranged a few things here, put out a few good luck charms there and you’ve adjusted your color scheme accordingly.

You’ve bought into the power of positive thinking bit and you’ve been slowly replacing items that put you in a negative frame of mind. Everything is coming together for the perfect Feng Shui home, expect for one thing. Fluffy and Fido keep treating your new furniture design like it’s a jungle gym and you’re getting orange cat fur and brown dog fur mixed in with your green and blue Feng Shui furniture.

What to do? Well, there is only so much you can do with the pet dog and cat. Here are a few pointers to help you with pets and Feng Shui in your home.

· Your pet is good Feng Shui. Really, they are! Pets are full of life, vitality and wonderment. Even if you have a big, lazy fat cat, their quiet confidence and approach to the world fills your home with positive energy and not just cat hair. If you thought you had to take Fluffy and Fido to the pound to generate that perfect Feng Shui home, think again. You might want to go to the pound for a second cat, but not to give one up.

· Cleanliness is next to Feng Shuiness – Yes, it’s true, you’ll be happier and in a better state of mind in a clean home. And nothing is better for your pets than a well taken care of carpet, water dish and cat box. If it takes a build up of cat hair to get you to drag out the vac, then consider your pets a positive influence on your Feng Shui.

· In proper Feng Shui, people and animals must be kept separate. What that means is that if you have a dog, you should make sure he or she gets the proper training to obey commands. If you have a cat, keep them off the furniture, unless it’s a piece of furniture that is specifically made for the cat or dog. Make sure you discipline them when they do something wrong and love them when they are good. This will boost your Feng Shui.

· Keep the pets out of the bedroom. Feng Shui is all about love and, as we all know, for couples, most lovemaking happens in the bedroom. Have this as a human-only space. Don’t allow the cat or dog into the room at all if you can and don’t let the pets sleep on the bed at night since it tends to separate the two people sleeping in it.

· Pets shouldn’t be the entire focus of the home. Most people love their pets as much as they love their children, but they should have a space and a place all their own. If you invite company over and the smell of the cat box is the first thing they notice, it will bring in feelings of pity and sadness into the home and that’s not going to help your Feng Shui. Neither will having guests scared to death by a big, scary dog every time they come over. Pets should know their place and not rule over the home.

· Don’t let a pet compromise your health. If you’re allergic to cats, even just a little, it’s probably time to give Fluffy to a relative. You won’t ever feel optimal if you keep pets that are making you sick around the home. Proper Feng Shui requires a clear, positive state of mind and that can be hard to keep when you’re constantly reaching for the Kleenex.

· Don’t let too much pet luck ruin you. Yes, pets, overall, are good Feng Shui due to their energy and love, but if you’re leaving the house every day covered in pet hair and you aren’t confident about your appearance, then you might want to cut down on the number of pets you own. It’s all about frame of mind. If your depressed about your appearance due to the pets, change the pet situation.

Your pet’s connection to your Feng Shui might be bigger than you think. If you were to sit and write down every aspect your pet makes to your life, the list would be much longer than you probably think.

If you think having a pet is affecting you love life, then you need to decide if having the pet is more important than finding a lover and stick with that decision. Don’t let it nag at you and bring down your level of positive chi. Having a pet can be a wonderful experience, but it only helps your Feng Shui as long as you want it to.