WHAT’S YOUR GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PERSONALITY? _ The Girls Scouts are gearing up to sell cookies again. Did you know they kind of Girl Scout cookie you like says something about your personality?
• Samoas (Caramel deLites) – Brainy, complex, mysterious
• Trefoils (Shortbread) – Loyal, true-blue, honest
• Do-Si-Dos (Peanut Butter Sandwich) – Easy-going, trustworthy, friendly
• Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties) – Artistic, creative, dramatic
• Thin Mints – Popular, strong, confident
• Lemon-Ups/Lemonades – Adventurous, daring, energetic
Bonus track: You can ‘meet’ all the cookies here.
COGNITIVE SHUFFLING HACK CAN HELP YOU FALL ASLEEP IN MINUTES _ We’ve all been there — lying in bed while our brain runs through an endless highlight reel of worries and embarrassing moments. While many of us reach for our phones or turn on Netflix to quiet these racing thoughts, there’s actually a better solution: cognitive shuffling. This sleep hack, which recently went viral on TikTok, involves repeating random words in your head to drown out anxious thoughts. The more random the words, the better it works. Think “elephant, bread, yo-yo, candle” — the less connection between the words, the more effective the technique. According to sleep expert Dr. Shelby Harris, this method works because it gives your mind a structured way to stay distracted from stress and worries. When we try to sleep, our brains are no longer busy with daily tasks, making it easier for concerns to bubble up to the surface.
STRANGE FAMILY TRADITIONS _ Many of us are getting back to normal life after spending time with family, or people who invited us to call them family. And in that time with family we may have encountered a strange tradition.
• My uncle does real gifts for everyone on Christmas, but then you get something random too. This year I got a piece of toast. He toasted a piece of bread, stuck it in a ziplock and stuck that in the gift bag with some (much appreciated) gift cards. It’s fun when someone brings a new partner over and they’re so confused. I’ve gotten zip ties and a turkey baster
• The mom roping the living room off in the summer, and the rope had a keep out sign on it. Another person said: My dad had a friend back in the ’70s whose mom had their living room cordoned off with a velvet rope.
• On the first day of winter they’d all (3 kids and both parents) eat ice cream for dinner, with milkshakes to drink. Needless to say I was very happy to be invited several times.
• In high school, I gave a buddy a ride home after football practice. His mom asked me to stay for dinner. I sit down with the family, my buddy, his mom, dad, and brother. They’re having a roast and potatoes. There’s also a 2 liter of coke on the table.
• After a few minutes, I’m thirsty, so I ask where they keep their glasses. The dad tells me, “We just drink out of the bottle” and takes a swig of coke. He passes it to the younger brother, who also drinks from it, and he hands it to me. I just said, “I’m good”. I ate and got the heck out of there.
