THE TWO THINGS _ There used to be a website called The Two Things. Glen Whitman started it after a chat with a guy in a bar. The guy asked what Glen did and Glen told him he was an economist. The guy said, “So what are the two things about economics?” After that Glen would pose the Two Things question to someone who knew about things he didn’t.
The Two Things about Cooking
• Use fresh ingredients.
• Clean as you go.
The Two Things about Gardening
• Water regularly.
• Be patient.
The Two Things about Women
• When complaining, they don’t want your advice, they want your sympathy.
• Don’t you dare tell them you can sum them up with just Two Things.
THE TRUTH BEHIND THE 10,000 STEPS-A-DAY MYTH _ Is walking 10,000 steps a day the secret to good health? This number has been a fitness goal for many, but it turns out it’s not a one-size-fits-all target. The origin of this magic number is quite surprising — it was actually a marketing strategy for a pedometer sold in Japan in 1965. Lindsay Bottoms, an expert in exercise and health physiology, explains that while walking is fantastic for our health there’s no strict rule that you must hit 10,000 steps to see benefits. Research shows that walking fewer steps can still have a significant impact. For instance, walking around 4,000 steps a day can lower the risk of dying from any cause, and nearly 9,000 steps might help keep your brain sharp. Bottoms suggests aiming for at least 7,000 steps and increasing your count gradually.
LIFE’S LITTLE IRONIES
• Needing to pay someone to help you pay your taxes.
• That Valentine’s Day was placed in February, just in case single people who have recovered from the loneliness that Christmas and New Year’s Eve induced.
• That finding your roach traps empty only adds to your fear that they don’t work, instead of reassuring you that you don’t have roaches anymore.
• When your fear of overpacking causes you to underpack.
• Paying two bucks for a cup of soda that’s 70 percent ice.
• That the most intense laughter you have usually comes at the least appropriate time.
