diddlee

In 1980, researchers at Dartmouth University conducted a study that was supposed to shake our understanding of perception and reality. Participants were told they would be taking part in a psychological experiment that examines how people react to facial disorders. Everyone had a deceptively real scar put on their cheek with theater make-up. Participants looked in the mirror and were reminded of their purpose: to interact with strangers and then report how they were treated. Then came the clue to the trial order. Shortly before they were sent out, the mask designers said they needed to make one final correction. In reality, they completely removed the scar. The participants continued to believe that they were created, and went out into the world with this conviction. When they returned, they reported predictable things. People have been rude. Repulsive. Odd. Some said others looked away more often. Some felt sympathy. But there was no distortion. The only thing that had changed was the...

  Effigies are used in grieving by  providing a tangible representation of what has been lost, allowing a mourner to connect with who or what they've lost , which can help with the process of acceptance and emotional expression, particularly when the loss is sudden or traumatic;  they can be used to focus grief and memories around a physical likeness, offering a sense of continued presence even in their absence

I always try to help Rachael with Hubbard/Rockford if asked. They had me down for 3 days but at last minute asked for the other day. Work at Rockford is slow so working isn't hard, but not following my usual routine tired me out a bit.  I still had some work I could take care of up in Cullman. Some bushhog work and other little items but the high temps held me back a bit. I did ride my bike a little and got in some of my walking in addition to some chores. Max needed to be delivered to Charlotte, SC for his drum major camp. I volunteered to take him. I was glad to be able to perform this chore for him but the long trip up and back combined with extra heavy traffic in the Atlanta are, which extended to within 30 miles of Alabama, combined to really tire me out. There had been a problem with my left rear wisdom tooth for over a year, so I decided I should get it taken care of before I wound up isolated somewhere in PEI. The extraction didn't appear to be problematic until just be...

"Imagine a group of adults playing make-believe like young children, building an elaborate fantasy world with imaginary characters, rules, and events. Except in this case, the adults fully believe their made-up world is real and factual. They passionately discuss the details, promote the existence of fictional beings, and defend the internal logic of their pretend universe as if it were objective truth. To an outside observer, it's jarring and almost sad to see grown adults suspend their critical faculties and wholeheartedly embrace fanciful notions with zero credible evidence. It's as if their ability to rationally evaluate claims has been swept away by a potent mix of wishful thinking, gullibility, and a stubborn self-assuredness that doesn't require proof. This detachment from evidence and reason is akin to the unselfconscious credulity of a child getting swept up in the magic of their own imagination. Except children have the excuse of being, well, children. For ad...

Spock is my favorite character in all fiction. A character who bridged the gap between two worlds and faced disdain from each. Who strove for excellence and exemplified strength, character, intelligence, and control. His nearly emotionless demeanor was a perfect foil for those who would attempt to intimidate or insult him. It was a style I would endeavor to imitate to thwart those attempting to insult, demean, or scare me in my own young life. I bought this little figure to remind me to guard against letting my defenses down and allowing emotional hurt to strike me. But I doubt my recollection of Spock will work for me again. It was the last gift from my past. Perhaps I will find another reservoir of strength.

  “Nice” is Not a Compliment THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NICE AND KIND. BY NATASHA DELION One of the worst things you can call someone is nice. Being called nice either means you are boring or fake. In my experience, most people I’ve encountered that were described as nice turned out to be the latter, yet each time I was still surprised. I used to believe that it was a good thing when the general consensus for someone was that they were nice, but as I’ve continued to interact with many people like this, I’ve learned that it’s very much a hidden red flag. I wanted to believe that a nice person was on their way to being a kind person. I wanted to believe that everyone was trying to be better to themselves and to others, but I was too optimistic. Niceness can be disguised as kindness which causes difficulty when differentiating between the two. I’ve mistaken someone’s niceness as kindness many times and each time I still felt betrayal when I came to the realization. I’ve learned t...