The Power of Music ~ A Poem by John Feltcher

The Power of Music

John Fletcher

Orpheus with his lute made trees,
And the mountain-tops that freeze,
Bow themselves when he did sing:
To his music plants and flowers
Ever sprung; as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring.

Everything that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by.
In sweet music is such art,
Killing care and grief of heart
Fall asleep, or, hearing, die.

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Healthy Foods: Early Bird or Night Owl? Here’s When to Eat So Your Fork Doesn’t Sabotage You


We all know what we eat matters—but when we eat might matter just as much. If you’re a morning person, your metabolism hums like a Tesla at dawn. If you’re a night owl, your body’s still hitting snooze until mid-morning. So instead of forcing everyone into the same food schedule, let’s play matchmaker between your body clock and your calorie timing.

⏰ For a Typical Adult (2,000–2,400 Calories/Day):

Let’s split the pie based on your chronotype:


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If You’re a Morning Person (aka Team Sunrise)

You rise early, peak before noon, and fade fast after dinner.

Suggested Caloric Breakdown:

  • Breakfast: 35–40% 🥑 Think big: avocado toast, tofu scramble, steel-cut oats, smoothie with protein
  • Lunch: 35–40% 🥗 Balanced: hearty salad with grains, lentils, or lean proteins, veggie bowl with olive oil
  • Dinner: 20–25% 🍲 Keep it light: vegetable soup, stir-fried greens, small protein portion

Why it works:

Morning folks tend to have better insulin sensitivity early in the day, so loading your calories in the A.M. gives your metabolism high-octane fuel when it actually wants it.


🌙 

If You’re a Night Owl (aka Team Moonlight)

You hit your groove late, are groggy in the morning, and peak around 7–9 PM.

Suggested Caloric Breakdown:

  • Breakfast: 15–20% ☕ Light & slow: yogurt alternative with fruit, protein bar, or just coffee with almond milk
  • Lunch: 35–40% 🌯 Fuel window opens: whole grain wrap, Tex-Mex veggie bowl, plant-based burrito
  • Dinner: 40–45% 🍛 Hearty but healthy: grilled fish or tofu, quinoa, roasted veggies, dark chocolate square

Why it works:

Evening folks tend to eat less in the morning anyway and often snack at night—so this plan strategically embraces your rhythm while focusing on healthy choices instead of a bag of cookies and regret.


⚖️ Bonus MacGyver Tip:

If you’re trying to lose weight or stabilize blood sugar, regardless of being early or late riser, try this tweak:

Front-load protein and fiber earlier in your eating window, taper carbs as the day ends.

You’ll stay full longer, have fewer cravings, and sleep better. That’s a triple win.


🏁 Closing Line:

So whether your spirit animal is a rooster or an owl, don’t just watch what you eat—watch when you eat it. And remember, it’s not about eating less… it’s about eating smarter for who you are.


Healthy Tips: Play a Song You Hate and Try Not to Lip Sync

You want to stop thinking? Blast that song that easily gets stuck in your head—the one that lives rent-free in your head anyway—and dare yourself not to sing along. It’s mental judo.

Tip: Engage with an annoying earworm. It distracts and occupies your brain with focused resistance, forcing it to rally all its resources for a harmless mental standoff. Think of it as cognitive CrossFit

Confessions of a Produce Aisle Fugitive: Stalking the Perfect Avocado While Dodging the Produce Police


I don’t go to clubs. I don’t gamble. But send me into the produce section and suddenly I’m James Bond on a mission—one squishy avocado, two stalks of broccoli, and a produce manager who’s probably live-streaming my every move. Welcome to my weekly fruit-and-veggie heist, where the stakes are high, the bananas are judgmental, and aisle 5 never forgets.

I am a fresh fruit and veggie guy. For the most part, fruits and veggie’s make up 90 percent of what I buy each week. When I go to the supermarket I spend most of my time in the produce section. I look at the produce section much like I look at a trip to a Vegas slot machine, i’m never quite sure that I’m going to pick a winner. Picking avocados is a good example. I don’t want to wait three weeks for an avocado to ripen so I feel the avocados, is too hard, too soft, or just right? How does the skin feel? Is it smooth or have more acne than a teenager? Then there’s the produce manager who has his iPhone in his hand wanting to call the produce police on me. The manager follows me to the broccoli. He’s faking he’s working on arranging the cauliflower, but my paranoid self knows he is watching me. I glance at him to see if he is secretly videoing me. He’ll probably post it on X with a snarky comment and get likes by other produce managers. I feel the broccoli crowns. If they feel wimpy I move on. After several tries I found two firm broccoli crowns. Next, I head to the bananas. When I get to the bananas I see the produce manager working on arranging the kiwi. He must have been blind at one time because he’s staring at me and arranging the Kiwi without looking at them. Since I live alone, I’m not going to buy a big bunch of bananas. This means I have to break off two bananas from a bunch. Not just two bananas, but the perfect two bananas, not too ripe, not too green. I reach for the bananas the produce manager reaches for his iPhone. I’m thinking I know the banana code its 4011. I won’t bag them. I’ll place them in my cart and bolt for the self-checkout. Now that’s a whole other different experience.


So the next time you see someone inspecting avocados like they’re holding a Fabergé egg, give them a nod of respect. We’re not just shopping—we’re living on the edge, one avocado at a time. 

Shore Thing: Which Country’s Coastline Could Give a Jellyfish Jet Lag?


You might think your summer road trip to the beach was impressive—until you meet a country that practically is one long, sandy strip. Get ready to stretch your geographical imagination (and maybe your hamstrings), because this coastline trivia will leave you sea-stounded!

Which State Crashed the Colonial Party After the 13 Got All the Good Seats? (Hint: It didn’t bring dip, but it still got a star on the flag.)


Ah, the original 13 colonies. They were like the VIP section of America’s founding—tea-dumping, independence-declaring, powdered-wig-wearing trendsetters. But one of these states showed up fashionably late, missed the whole revolution thing, and still got invited to the union. Let’s see if you can spot the historical party crasher.

Today’s Quote: Dare to Look in From the Edge

“When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!” ― Miguel de Cervantes

Healthy Tips: The Junk Drawer Method: Organize Something Pointless

When your thoughts start stacking like a Jenga tower built by squirrels, it’s time to outsmart them by focusing on something beautifully irrelevant—like the disaster zone known as your junk drawer.

Tip: Sort a drawer, toolbox, or spice rack. By giving your brain a low-stakes, hands-on task, you quietly give it a job that requires just enough attention to crowd out the noise. Bonus: you’ll finally find that missing AAA battery.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to outwit sugar cravings before that cupcake leaps into your mouth like a frosted ninja.


You’re minding your business, eating healthy, feeling good—and then BAM, a cupcake appears out of nowhere like it’s auditioning for America’s Got Temptation. One look at the frosting and you’re negotiating with your inner toddler. But not today, sugar. Not today. These 4 snack alternatives are so tasty and satisfying, they’ll make that cupcake feel like yesterday’s bad idea. Let’s break the craving cycle and keep our dignity (and blood sugar) intact.

🥜 

1. Almond Butter on Apple Slices

Why it works:

Crunchy, creamy, naturally sweet, and rich in fiber + healthy fats. The combo slows down sugar absorption and keeps you full longer.

Bonus: You get the satisfaction of a “sweet” snack with a mic drop of protein.

Cupcake who? I’m eating nature’s peanut butter and jelly remix.


🍫 

2. Dark Chocolate (at least 70% cacao)

Why it works:

A couple of squares can knock out a chocolate craving without the sugar crash. It’s rich in antioxidants, magnesium, and good vibes.

Pro tip: Pair with a few almonds and boom—instant “I’ve got willpower” energy.

Dark, mysterious, and not clingy like frosting.


🍓 

3. Frozen Grapes or Berries

Why it works:

They satisfy that cold, sweet craving and take longer to eat. Berries are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and guilt-free deliciousness.

Frozen blueberries = nature’s candy. Plus, you won’t find any artificial nonsense.

Think of them as sweet snack speed bumps.


🍠 

4. Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes with Cinnamon

Why it works:

Sweet potatoes have natural sugars, fiber, and slow-digesting carbs that prevent sugar spikes. Add cinnamon, and you’ve got blood sugar-balancing magic.

They taste like dessert but behave like a salad.

Imagine pumpkin pie went to a yoga retreat and came back enlightened.

You don’t have to break up with sweet—you just need to find a better relationship. One that doesn’t ghost you 30 minutes later and leave you face-down in a sugar coma. So next time that cupcake gives you “the look,” just wink back and say, “Sorry, sugar. I’ve moved on… and my snacks are hotter.”

Gray Eyes ~ A Poem by Sara Teasdale

Gray Eyes

Sara Teasdale

It was April when you came
The first time to me,
And my first look in your eyes
Was like my first look at the sea.

We have been together
Four Aprils now
Watching for the green
On the swaying willow bough;

Yet whenever I turn
To your gray eyes over me,
It is as though I looked
For the first time at the sea.

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