The Mindbender knows how to have fun
The Mindbender knows how to have fun
August 28, 2024
What timing!
Just a few hours after yesterday’s Mindbender about cosmetic surgery, a report listed the riskiest plastic surgeries.
For the record, I did not see “belly buttons” on the list.
But number one was a procedure I wasn’t even aware of. It’s having your eye color changed.
It costs an average of $12,000 and more than 92 PERCENT of patients end up with complications.
If you’re thinking about getting a little work done, here’s the entire list.
Let's get on with the countdown.
Along with today's Mindbender you get these bonus stories:
Leaving the country
Venmo Mom
Are you wise?
But first, today's Mindbender:
Thirty-four percent of Americans claim they try to go out and do this at least once a year.
Josh said, "volunteer,” and Jeremy guessed “dance.”
I'll have a clue coming up.
Leaving the country
For the last few years, I’ve explored the idea of moving to Portugal or Spain. They just seem like cool places for retirement: good weather, great food, more affordable.
I woke up this morning to a story that says the best countries for Americans to move to are . . .
Portugal and Spain.
It’s funny, because every four years we get a flood of people threatening to move if “their” candidate doesn’t win the presidential election. Like that should make the rest of us concerned.
I think the country will do just fine if they leave.
Anyway, if you’re thinking about fleeing, you’ll find the story and the full list of best destinations right here.
Venmo Mom
This story was too good to pass up. We had to dive into it on the radio show.
A mom in Tennessee is dividing the internet because she doesn’t want to volunteer in any way when her kids’ teachers ask for help.
She doesn’t want to help set things up, she doesn’t want to help in the classroom, she doesn’t want to help with parties.
But she’s more than willing to send money.
So she’s not a room mom or a team mom. She’s considers herself a “Venmo mom.”
I totally see both sides of this. You?
Here's a clue for the Mindbender:
Fun for you, I guess. Not so fun for the critter on the other end of the line.
Are you wise?
I used to think wisdom only came through experience, but I’m not so sure anymore.
There are a lot of wise 70-somethings out there—but there are also a lot of 70-somethings who don’t seem to have an ounce of wisdom.
Meanwhile, some 20-somethings have got it all together, right?
A new study looked at the traits that make a person wise. They polled people in a dozen countries over five continents, and found the answers were consistent no matter where the subjects lived.
It boiled down to two things. In order to be “wise,” you need to have “reflective orientation”—which means you think logically, control your emotions, reflect on things, and apply knowledge in a useful way.
And you need to have “socio-emotional awareness.” That means you care about other people’s feelings, have good intentions, and you’re mindful of how you interact in social gatherings.
So your encyclopedic knowledge of the entire Marvel cinematic world doesn’t mean a thing.
Read about the wisdom findings here.
And now, the answer to today's Mindbender:
What do they try to do at least once a year?
Go fishing.
My dad was so gung-ho about it that he entered a bunch of tournaments—and one time won a $25,000 prize.
It’s not my jam. Although if you catch a nice trout, I’ll certainly eat it.
That'll do it for today's Mindbender. Thank you for being part of The Club.
Enjoy your day!
Dom
My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - came by grace. And grace comes by art. And art does not come easy.
Need some inspiration to start writing?
Dom Testa understands. He waited until he was in his early 40s before publishing his first book.
You don’t need to wait any longer. Check out Dom’s Substack page called Big Fat Words.
Each week he uploads a new post exploring another element of the writing/publishing world, designed to help you prepare mentally for the writing life.
No, this is not a “How To” series of articles, but rather thoughts from a writer’s life.
There’s no obligation on your part. Just check it out here and, if you like it, be sure to subscribe.
Happy writing!