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I’ve been experimenting with being in gratitude every day, even when I’m disgusted by things like massive oil spills and firing squads.

I’m too much of a curmudgeon to join the positive health movement, but I found this article in Medical News Today that stated:

In a study of organ recipients, researchers from UC Davis and the Mississippi University for Women found that patients who keep “gratitude journals” score better on measures of mental health, general health and vitality than those who keep only routine notes about their days.

Why they studied “organ recipients,” I have no idea. But personal experience tells me, that it gets my day framed up in a generally non-selfish manner. And how bad can that be?

A facebook “colleague” of mine posted a link to this story.  I rarely follow links, but this one was intriguing. I am working on another book with Don, not surprisingly about marginal experiences and I’m always looking for inspiration.  Written by Andria Nacina Cole, I found How Not to Ruin Your Daughters here at the fiction circus.

Here’s how not to ruin your daughters. First, do not stay married long enough for them to see your head thrown against a glass table. And if you must, divorce the man soon after. While divorcing him, say dramatic things like, “I deserve better.” Repeat these statements (aloud) for the rest of the girls’ lives and couple them with a vow of chastity.

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This is pretty dark but absolutely beautiful in its jagged edges and unapologetic truth.  Read the whole thing, it’s short and bitter.  But, the question lurks, is this really marginal?

The Carbon Addict project is an educational resource for medical students.  Started by the Campaign for Greener Healthcare (CGH), the idea is to learn day-to-day practices for a sustainable, low-carbon lifestyle.

It has come to the attention of the health profession that common usage patterns of carbon-based fuels bear all the hallmarks of a substance dependence syndrome.  Once recognised as a medical condition, its enormous clinical impact is producing shock waves in the health community.  However, although extremely serious, carbon dependence has been found to be eminently treatable, and evidence-based guidance on its diagnosis and management is now available - as presented on the pages of this site.

Get your diagnosis here.

What if the Garden State actually became a garden?  The Toronto Sun released a story with an Les Klein’s rendition of 7 km of new park space built on top of the Gardiner Expressway.

“I have always believed that change in cities is best done when it’s organic,” Klein told the Sun yesterday following his presentation. “When I look at it (the Gardiner) and hear people say ‘Tear it down,’ it just doesn’t strike me as the right thing to do. It’s not organic.”

With a price tag of $500-$800 Million, the project may not lift off anytime soon, the concept becomes more “interesting” than anything.  You can see the pictures here.