Dr. Fung

Every week I tutor a retired economics professor at the University. This is a video that he shot this past summer in San Jose. He is a really nice guy and some of the time I wonder if he pays me to tutor him in Spanish or just to show up and chat with him.

Monday's Music

I am coming back.

Turkey in a bag

Lookin good

Fall

fell

You know it's bad...

...when the roaches start killing themselves!

Gabe at the zoo

I took Gabriel to the zoo today and he spent more time looking under rocks and trees for bugs than he spent looking at the animals. These are just a couple of the photos I got of him today.
me

in the recycling

These were never my cans but I think they are the butterfly's now. I have seen a lot more of these little butterflies during the end of the summer. I 'caught' this one during a walk up my street.

reminder

I came across this online the other day. I really like it. It is a good little reminder of things.

Once upon a time, there was a little blue bug who lived on a flower

I went for a walk and saw this little feather of a bug. I have no idea what it is but it looks like lint that just crawls around the flower.

UFO

everyday

Had his cake and ate it

My good friend Jason just celebrated another birthday. The good news about that is that he let me eat some of the cake. It was delicious!

Waiting out a storm

I know it is hard to see in this photo but there is a torrential down pour happening outside. When I came into the gym the weather was clear and hot and this was waiting for me on the way out. I don't have anywhere to be right now but I was planning on going into the office so I am just waiting for the rain to let up so I can go in dry.
me

Evening light on a black table top

Stayin’ alive: That’s what friends are for

Stayin’ alive: That’s what friends are for

According to a study by researchers at Brigham Young University

social connections – friends, family, neighbors or colleagues – improve our odds
of survival by 50 percent. Here is how low social interaction compares to more
well-known risk factors:
- Equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day
- Equivalent to being an alcoholic
- More harmful than not exercising
- Twice as harmful as obesity

These comparisons are shocking. Not surprisingly pen pals and social networks don't count as "social connections".

An unrelated study that was in the news this week from the University of Chicago suggests similar things about feelings of loneliness as well.

Moral of the study: keep real friends around you, stay in touch with people, and reach out to others.