You are NOT the Average of Anything.

“Most ‘gurus’ are just spewing bullshit and hoping that you’re a fly.” ~ Steve Maraboli

Hi all,

In my last email, I introduced my YouTube video series, How to Be Alive! My heartfelt thanks to you if you’ve looked at it and shared it with others.

If you haven’t had a chance, I hope you find some time to watch it soon. Based on the feedback I’ve been receiving, I’m convinced that it will help you, and those dear to you, during these very uncertain and stressful times.

In the meantime, here’s a very short piece titled “You are NOT the Average of Anything.”

https://medium.com/@TomAsacker/you-are-not-the-average-of-anything-5f413eb87505

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Random information for February

* A patron of a Colorado bakery left this simple note with a $1,400 tip on his $20 bill for the entire staff: “Covid sucks :)”

* Froot Loops are all the same flavor, just different colors (and no, this is not a metaphor).

* Budweiser won't run a commercial during the SuperBowl for the first time in 37 years. Instead, it will donate its advertising dollars to the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative to raise awareness of the COVID-19 vaccines.

* According to Nielsen, 55 percent of Americans played video games during the first phase of lockdowns last year. Digital-game sales hit $126.6 billion in 2020.

* General Motors announced that it would phase out gas-powered cars and trucks by 2035 and sell only zero-emission vehicles.

* Golf grew leaps and bounds in 2020 because it’s outdoors and makes for easy distancing. According to the National Golf Foundation there's only been one other year that saw a bigger rise in interest in the sport: 1997, the year Tiger Woods became a massive sensation.

* More than 2,500 meditation apps have launched since 2015. Calm, maker of a meditation, sleep and relaxation app, is now valued at $2 Billion.

* iPhone 12s can screw up medical devices. Apple says the model contains so many magnets, it can mess with defibrillators and pacemakers.

* A new origin story for dogs?According to researchers, humans hunted plenty of meat, but couldn’t eat it all, so wolves stuck around. Can you say “Occam’s razor” and “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar?”

* Americans spent nearly $100 billion on pets and pet care last year. That’s more than what they spend on smartphones or at the movies, combined, and greater than the GDP of Ethiopia.

* Ben & Jerry’s announced a dog dessert. Owners can choose between flavors like pumpkin with cookies or peanut butter with pretzels.

* Google employees unionized for the first time. The Alphabet Workers Union is a result of years of activism.

* The cost of acquiring the rights to use The Beatles' music in "Yesterday" was around $10 million, nearly 40% of the movie's total cost.

* The over-the-counter sleep aid melatonin could be used to help prevent or treat Covid-19. That’s the surprising finding of researchers at the Cleveland Clinic.

* Flu cases are down 98 percent in the U.S. this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The unprecedented decline was driven by mask wearing and other Covid preventive measures, fewer people traveling, and a record number of Americans receiving flu vaccinations.

* The EU’s food safety agency said worms are safe to eat. Dried yellow mealworms got the regulators’ thumbs up.

* Mercedes has a signature scent. The car company’s on-staff “futurologist,” who developed its olfactory environment, is part of a growing trend by carmakers to lean into mindfulness.

* Identical twins don’t have identical genes. New research found an average of 5.2 genetic mutations per set.

* Clubhouse, an audio-only social media platform with 2 million users, is somehow valued at $1 billion.

* China is running low on shipping containers. Soaring demand for Chinese goods has resulted in a shortage of containers, creating bottlenecks in southeast Asia and India, too.

* The most famous magic trick turns 100. Magicians from around the world gathered online to celebrate a century of sawing people in half.

* Robots can show primitive empathy. A robot from Columbia Engineering learned to predict a partner robot’s actions with just a few video frames.

* We’ll soon get the truth that’s been out there. An obscure law in the recent stimulus bill has put the government on the clock to disclose what it knows about UFOs.

* Try these airbag jeans. Designed for motorcyclists, a special lining inflates if the rider falls.

* Here’s a cool snowflake generator.

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Take a look

This video has been clinically proven to help with depression. And this one is possibility personified!

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Think about this

“All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured.” ~ Tove Jansson

“And when they played they really played. And when they worked they really worked.” ~ Dr. Seuss

“May you live every day of your life.” ~ Jonathan Swift

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And don’t forget

You are NOT the Average of Anything.

Here’s the link:

https://medium.com/@TomAsacker/you-are-not-the-average-of-anything-5f413eb87505

And as always, I’m here for you and I value your feedback: hello@tomasacker.com.

Thanks for reading.

Tom

P.S Please share my new online program with your social networks. Who knows? It may change someone’s life (perhaps yours): www.howtobealive.org

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