1. The people around you are allowed to be unhappy, grumpy, and generally miserable. However, they have no power to make you feel the same. Make sure you are actively choosing optimism and happiness by focusing on your strengths and all that is good in your life.

2. Aside from the rejuvenating effect that getting adequate sleep has on the mind, it also has a restorative effect on our bodies. Be certain to prioritize sleep, particularly this time of year, when runny noses and chest colds run rampant.

3. Some ways to get better sleep (particularly if you have insomnia):
   • go to bed only when you are tired.
   • avoid excessive napping during the day if you feel you don't get tired easily late at night.
   • ban watching TV, working on your laptop, and reading in bed.
   • utilize a fan or air purifier instead of a television for background noise if you require as much to fall asleep.
   • if you haven't fallen asleep fifteen minutes after turning out the lights, get out of bed and go do something, anything, and start the routine over again later when you feel tired again.

4. For the students out there, some tips for better study sessions:
   • study alone. You'll get much more done when you aren't being distracted by questions and comments from others.
   • limit the length of your study sessions. Our attention spans range from about thirty to forty-five minutes on average, so plan accordingly. Study in smaller chunks, then take a fifteen minute break and go return calls, take a bathroom break, or grab a bite to eat.
   • learn the art of "power skimming." When crunched for time, read the first paragraph and last paragraph of each chapter, and the first and last sentences of each paragraph within the chapter. You'll learn most of what that chapter is trying to teach you.

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1. We have more tools than ever before to communicate, including cell phones, texting, instant messaging, tweets, and Facebook messages, yet our society has forgotten the fundamentals of communicating with those around us. We talk like we text ("Whatz up homeslice?"), write like we are in third grade, and don't seem to understand that important conversations are best done face-to-face.

2. Dogs and young children are great evaluators of people. If you are ever wondering about whether you can trust someone, or whether they are creepy, just watch and see how your dog or six year old reacts to them.

3. I recently read about how Roman generals, during post-war parade celebrations, were trailed by someone who would repeatedly whisper the words "Memento Mori" ("Remember, you will die") in their ear as a way of helping them keep perspective. If only we could enlist the same sort of help in our everyday lives.

4. Random Thought About Valentine's Day: Why can't we treat our significant others with chocolate, flowers, gifts, and good food every other day of the year? Or even with half that effort? Hmmm?

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Livid: typically refers to being enraged, or furious. Literally, it means bluish, black-and-blue, or ashen, and is based on the liver being considered to be the origin or passionate emotions.

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