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1. “If I ever woke up with a dead hooker in my hotel room, Matt would be the first person I’d call” – Ben Affleck, Thespian.
Maybe your definition of true friendship varies from Ben’s, but today will give you an opportunity to show your best friend how much you appreciate him or her. Make sure to seize it.
2. Turns out the crazy cat lady may not be crazy after all. Scientists have found that the frequency of a cat’s purr can generate a strong natural healing response in humans, even repairing bone and muscle. Purring is a result of inner contentment, so it’s no surprise the feeling is transferable. Today, armed with your own healing powers, try flashing that stranger on the street your Cheshire grin. Who knows, you might be a “purr-fect” match.
3. Xie Qiuping of China, holds the world record for longest hair, measuring in at 18.5 feet. She’s been growing her hair for almost 30 years, and requires an assistant to help carry it when she travels.
Is there a memory in your past that you are still heaving around unnecessarily? Today it’s time to let it go, and trim those old layers. Ms. Qiuping’s hair is may be an impressive example of dedication, but it’s also dead weight.
4. Turns out the crazy cat lady may not be crazy after all. Scientists have found that the frequency of a cat’s purr can generate a strong natural healing response in humans, even repairing bone and muscle. Purring is a result of inner contentment, so it’s no surprise the feeling is transferable. Today, armed with your own healing powers, try flashing that stranger on the street your Cheshire grin. Who knows, you might be a “purr-fect” match.
5. While it’s considered one of the best films of all time, The Wizard of Oz was initially a flop, barely recovering costs after first release. It wasn’t until ten years later, when re-released on broadcast television, that people fell in love. The reason? Technicolor. Today, think about how you present yourself to an audience. You have an incredible story to tell, but have you dared to step out of the world of black and white and show people your true colors?
6. Within a few years of opening their state lottery, the state of Illinois had to establish a special credit counseling agency for lottery winners–because so many of the “winners” were filing for bankruptcy after just one or two years.
Take a look at everything you’ve earned through hard work and perseverance. You may not see ten Porsches, but what you do have is an advantage: reliable profits that won’t run out in a year. Today is a good time to remember that you are in control of your future, and that is a power far more valuable than wild chance.
7. In 1675, the King of England banned coffee houses, fearing caffeine-fueled inspiration would lead to treason. Is there something in your life that you’ve been quietly resisting, too afraid to pursue? Today’s the day to overthrow that doubt, and go for it. Take a lesson from history and camp out at the local coffee house, you may find that needed inspiration at the bottom of your cup.
8. In 1952, the American composer John Cage composed and performed his famously controversial work, 4′ 33″, which consisted of exactly four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence.
The “music” was the rustling sounds of his audience.
Whether or not this conflicts with your definition of music, today you could benefit from a “John Cage experience.” Take a moment (maybe 4′ 33″) and quietly observe the sounds that have been going unnoticed in your life. You may discover that the song is already written, you just have to be open to listening.
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1. It turns out that Charlie Kaufman’s romantic fantasy – about a procedure that literally erases bad memories from a person’s brain – is slowly becoming less fictitious. Over at Cambridge real-life scientists have developed a chemical that basically does the same. It also raises the same sort of philosophical question that Kaufman posed: How much of who we are is determined by our memories? Today you might be feeling the weight of your past, prone to bouts of regret and second-guessing. Instead of focusing on what’s already happened, look at what’s in front of you: a blank slate and an endless supply of possibilities.
“The only thing I regret about my past is the length of it. If I had to live my life again I’d make all the same mistakes – only sooner.” -Tallulah Bankhead
2. Scientists at UCLA and Columbia are studying alternative methods of preserving donor hearts prior to transplant. No more ice needed, a new device would preserve the organ at body temperature, allowing it to continue beating outside of the body.
Far. Out.
Has your heart’s been recovering from a recent burn, and your brain telling you to keep it frozen and safely lodged in ice? Take your cue from the unshaken faith of these scientists. The heart doesn’t always need the help of your brain to survive. Your body’s most vital organ is not as fragile as it feels.
3. In 2010, Craigslist became the 33rd most viewed site in the world. The bustling internet emporium of rejected furniture and used collectibles was even nicknamed ‘newspaper killer’ for its popularity, but we here at Daily Paper Fortune™ only see the possibilities (Coffee Table anyone?).
Your fortune today is clear: one man’s trash is another man’s… treasure. Free yourself of the clutter that’s been weighing you down, and you will make room for new growth of surprising proportions.
As you start to clear out your closet today, let the world’s 33rd most-viewed site be your guide. Who knows, you might unearth a hidden gem or two.
4. The Ramen noodles industry generates an estimated $10 billion dollars a year worldwide. You can find it on the shelves of virtually every grocer, from the Mom and Pop shop to the luxury supermarkets. What is the key to its border-less success? Simplicity. You don’t need thrills and frills when your product sells itself.
Today, take your inspiration from this ubiquitous college staple, and avoid the temptation to garnish with excess flavoring. Maybe you’re a “Beef” man or a “Spicy Chili Chicken” kind of girl; the important thing to remember is that, at the end of the day, just like those little packets of MSG, you have all the ingredients tucked inside.
5. This week, across the U.S., millions of students are moving into their college dormitories. Maybe you’re one of them, unpacking your shrink-wrapped set of “dorm dishes” and the 14 new pairs of socks and underwear, courtesy of mom. Or perhaps “college” is nothing more to you than a faint whiff of nostalgia as you pass caravans of IKEA furniture on your way to work. Regardless of your age, today is a meaningful time to remember this transition to adulthood. The choices you make from this point forward will dictate not only the next four years, but life beyond (and for the incoming class, bear in mind: there is life beyond). As the English novelist George Eliot said: “the strongest principle of growth lies in the human choice.” It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 38, your choices matter.
6. What is the strongest most complex material in nature? Ounce for ounce, the bones in your body are 5 times stronger than steel. Today, remember this conviction of strength as a storm that’s been brewing for quite some time finally beings to break. When the emotional winds whip up and the palm trees start to bend against their will, just calmly remember that there is, quite literally, no stronger substance in this world than you.
7. Nearly 5% of the U.S. population has one or more clinically diagnosed phobia in any given year. Today will be a good day to practice confronting your fears. Don’t be afraid to operate on a small scale: start by making minor changes in your daily routine. Do you fear crowded areas? Eat your lunch in the bustling plaza outside your office building. Does the risk of getting lost prevent you from visiting new places? Try a new route in the evening, when traffic is idle. Scared of clowns? That’s a valid fear, don’t worry.
8. It’s common knowledge dreams are a way the mind processes information, though the meaning is not always obvious or palpable. In fact, within 10 minutes of waking, you forget 90% of the dream.
Today, you would do well to hold on to more of your conscious dreams. Let your waking mind wander the realm of suspended disbelief, if only for a moment. You might discover the further you step away from the details, the clearer the whole picture will become.
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1. It’s a little known fact that J. Edgar Hoover would often fire FBI agents whose palms were sweaty when shaking hands. Summon all your powers of conviction today, and you will persevere through a difficult situation that could make a lesser agent‘s pores weep.
2. If a tiger loses all his hair, he’ll still be striped. Though we all cling to superficial furs at times, today you will be given two opportunities to reveal your true coat, stripes and all.
3. Researchers in Canada have discovered that plants tend to grow more aggressively when surrounded by relatives from the same maternal family. Today, put aside feelings of family obligation, and call your mother/father/brother/sister “just because.” You’ll make your future benefactor’s day.
4. Did you know that by changing the lighting in the coop, a chicken will lay bigger and stronger eggs if it thinks the day is longer? Today you may feel like an overly-worked, under-appreciated barnyard serf, but your efforts are about to pay off. Look for goose egg-sized rewards in the near future.
5. While the human brain is capable of holding five times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica, such a weighty volume is not meant to be born all at once. Today is a good day to stop over-thinking, and put your inner bookshelf to good use.
6. About 85% of people have their wisdom teeth removed. Though wiser than the others, they have a knack of only producing pain. If you’ve been clenching your jaw lately, now is your chance to pull that unnecessary burden. It will clear some space for healthy growth.
7. Nearly every casino in Las Vegas lacks both clocks and windows as a means of keeping their patrons oblivious to the passing of time. Today is a good day to listen to your internal clock today. If it feels too good to be true, it’s probably time to cash out your chips.
8. An 8-million-year-old bacterium is happily living in a New Jersey laboratory (irony unintentional). Let this be a lesson that, left unchecked, our bad moods can survive indefinitely. Today is an excellent day to kill any moldy attitudes that have been growing.
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