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Tag: ritual

  • Healthy Life: Ending the day on a positive note: How news can support mental health

    In Finland, some parents have adopted a bedtime routine that seems almost too simple to matter. Each night, they ask their children one question: “What was the last good moment of your day?” No screens, no lectures, no moralizing, just a moment to pause and reflect.

    Psychologists who followed families practicing this ritual for 10 years found remarkable results. Children who answered the question daily were up to 80 percent less anxious by the time they reached their teenage years. Ending the day on a calm note helps the brain wrap up its stress cycle, allowing children to sleep more peacefully and recover emotionally from the day’s challenges.

    The story recently became popular on social media, but it also makes us think about something bigger: why don’t the media talk more about such easy and helpful ways to take care of our mental health? In a news world focused on major crises and troubling stories, reporters don’t often highlight positive developments happening around the world.

    The hidden cost of daily news

    Newsrooms have long followed the mantra: “If it bleeds, it leads.” Stories about crime, disasters, or conflict grab attention – and clicks. But reading it can really affect people’s feelings. The research has shown that many adults experience stress or discomfort when following the news, and some even limit their news consumption because they find it stressful (American Psychological Association 2023). Meanwhile, the Reuters Institute notes that “news avoidance” is rising globally, as people deliberately turn away from stories that make them feel overwhelmed.

    The paradox is clear: journalism aims to inform and empower the public, yet relentless coverage of negative events can leave readers anxious, helpless, or disengaged. Ignoring these effects undercuts the basic mission of the press.

    Learning from Finland: A different approach

    The Finnish bedtime ritual offers a useful metaphor for journalism. Just like children think about their day before going to sleep, readers can better understand the news if stories include background information, ideas for fixing problems, and messages of hope.

    This is the philosophy behind solutions journalism, promoted by groups like the Solutions Journalism Network. It doesn’t mean sugar-coating problems or avoiding hard truths. Instead, it means telling the full story, highlighting not just the problem but also credible responses and examples of success.

    For instance, when reporting on youth anxiety, a journalist could explore programs in schools, community initiatives, or national policies that help children build resilience. Research from the University of Texas at Austin’s Engaging News Project found that readers of solutions-focused articles felt more optimistic about the issue and more confident that there were effective ways to address it, compared with readers who only saw problem-focused news. Engaging audiences this way also strengthens trust in media, an important advantage at a time when many people doubt the news.

    Small shifts, big impact

    In many ways, journalism can borrow inspiration from the Finnish habit of ending the day with a moment of reflection. It’s a simple cultural practice, not a rule, but it shows how small habits can shape how people process the world around them and be less anxious.

    Similarly, there are a few modest adjustments journalists can consider when thinking about how audiences absorb the news:

    Language: choosing clear, calm wording instead of dramatic phrasing when covering difficult subjects.

    Balance: showing not only the problem, but also what people or communities are trying in response.

    Context: helping readers understand why something is happening, not only that it happened.

    Follow-up: returning to stories so people see what changed over time.

    They are reflections on how reporting might support a clearer and more grounded understanding of events. And just as the Finnish ritual helps families end the day with perspective, these small journalistic choices can help audiences navigate the news with a better coherence.

    Real-world examples

    Some news outlets are already using solutions journalism. The Guardian’s Upside series, BBC’s People Fixing the World, and CBC’s What On Earth? spotlight serious issues, like climate, health, and inequality, while focusing on real-world innovations and responses. These programs illustrate that news can inform without overwhelming, by highlighting constructive change.

    Closing the cycle

    In a world where headlines bombard us with crisis after crisis, journalism can offer closure. Just as the Finnish ritual encourages children to reflect on a positive moment before sleep, journalists can help audiences finish the news cycle feeling informed rather than exhausted. The goal isn’t “feel-good news” – it’s resilience and understanding in an age of constant noise.

    Journalism has always been about sharing information. Today, it can also help improve our mental well-being, one calming story at a time.

    American Psychological Association (2023). Stress in America: The State of Our Nation.

    Reuters Institute (2024). Digital News Report: Trends in News Consumption and Avoidance.

    University of Texas at Austin (2021). The Effects of Solutions Journalism on Audience Trust and Engagement.

    By: Valentine Delort

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

    The term “scapegoat” originates from an ancient Jewish ritual where the sins of the…

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  • The Immovable Mind: Schopenhauer’s Daily Routine For 27 Years

    The Immovable Mind: Schopenhauer’s Daily Routine For 27 Years


    What does the daily life of a legendary philosopher look like? Learn about Arthur Schopenhauer’s unique routine that he consistently followed for over 27 years.

    Arthur Schopenhauer was a major figure in German philosophy throughout the 19th century along with Friedrich Nietzsche and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

    While he’s known for his pessimism and negative outlook on life, there’s no denying that Schopenhauer was an intellectual powerhouse of his time who influenced many great thinkers, philosophers, and artists long after his death.

    His book Essays and Aphorisms is a great introduction and overview of his philosophical ideas. It explains his core metaphysical belief of “world as appearance,” continuing the legacy of other idealist philosophers like Plato, Kant, and Indian philosophy, which warn about viewing the world strictly through a materialist lens.

    The beginning of the book provides a nice biography of Schopenhauer’s family background, education, and life history. There’s one interesting section on his daily routine that caught my attention and wanted to share; it’s always fascinating to gain insights into the habits and lifestyles of influential figures, especially potential role models we can emulate and borrow from.

    This specific routine characterizes the last third of Schopenhauer’s life:

      “From the age of 45 until his death 27 years later Schopenhauer lived in Frankfurt-am-Main. He lived alone… every day for 27 years he followed an identical routine.”

    Keep in mind, I’m only sharing this for educational purposes. I don’t necessarily recommend this way of living, but there are interesting lessons to takeaway from it, including how some of these habits relate to Schopenhauer’s overall philosophy.

    Arthur Schopenhauer’s Daily Routine

    Here’s a breakdown of Schopenhauer’s daily routine for the last 27 years of his life:

    • “He rose every morning at seven and had a bath but no breakfast;
    • He drank a cup of strong coffee before sitting down at his desk and writing until noon.
    • At noon he ceased work for the day and spent half-an-hour practicing the flute, on which he became quite a skilled performer.
    • Then he went out to lunch at the Englischer Hof.
    • After lunch he returned home and read until four, when he left for his daily walk:
    • He walked for two hours no matter what the weather.
    • At six o’clock, he visited the reading room of the library and read The Times.
    • In the evening he attended the theatre or a concert, after which he had dinner at a hotel or restaurant.
    • He got back home between nine and ten and went early to bed.”

    While Schopenhauer mostly kept to this strict routine unwaveringly, he was willing to make exceptions under specials circumstances such as if he had friends or visitors in town.

    Key Lessons and Takeaways

    This daily routine seems fitting for a solitary and introspective philosopher, but there are key lessons that fit with conventional self-improvement wisdom:

    • Early Rising: Schopenhauer started his day at 7 a.m., which aligns with the common advice of many successful individuals who advocate for early rising. This morning ritual is often associated with increased productivity and a sense of discipline.
    • No Breakfast: Skipping breakfast was part of Schopenhauer’s routine. While not everyone agrees with this approach, it resonates with intermittent fasting principles that some find beneficial for health and mental clarity.
    • Work Routine: Schopenhauer dedicated his mornings to work, writing until noon. This emphasizes the importance of having a focused and dedicated period for intellectual or creative work, especially early in the day.
    • Creative Break: Taking a break to practice the flute for half an hour after work highlights the value of incorporating creative or leisure activities into one’s routine. It can serve as a refreshing break and contribute to overall well-being.
    • Outdoor Exercise: Schopenhauer’s daily two-hour walk, regardless of the weather, emphasizes the significance of outdoor exercise for both physical and mental health. This practice aligns with contemporary views on the benefits of regular physical activity and spending time in nature.
    • Reading Habit: Schopenhauer spent time reading each day, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning and intellectual stimulation.
    • News Consumption: Reading The Times at the library suggests Schopenhauer valued staying informed about current events. It’s worth noting that he limited his news consumption to a specific time of day (but it was easier to restrict your information diet before the internet).
    • Cultural Engagement: Attending the theater or a concert in the evening indicates a commitment to cultural engagement and a balanced lifestyle.
    • Regular Bedtime: Going to bed early reflects an understanding of the importance of sufficient sleep for overall health and well-being.

    While Schopenhauer’s routine may not be suitable for everyone, there are elements of discipline, balance, and engagement with various aspects of life that individuals may find inspiring or applicable to their own lifestyles.

    The Immovable Mind

    Schopenhauer was known for his persistence and stubbornness – his consistent daily routine is just one manifestation of this.

    He wrote his magnum opus The World as Will and Representation in 1818 when he was only 28 years old, and he never fundamentally changed his views despite continuing to write and publish until his death at 72.

    Schopenhauer has been described as an “immovable mind,” never letting himself deviate from the course he was set out on.

    His two hour walk routine in any weather is one of the most popular examples of this. From the biography in the book:

      “Consider the daily two-hour walk. Among Schopenhauer’s disciples of the late nineteenth century this walk was celebrated fact of his biography, and it was so because of its regularity. There was speculation as to why he insisted on going out and staying out for two hours no matter what the weather. It suggests health fanaticism, but there is no other evidence that Schopenhauer was a health fanatic or crank. In my view the reason was simply obstinacy: he would go out and nothing would stop him.”

    While this immovability has its disadvantages, you have to admire the monk-like discipline.

    Schopenhauer was a proponent of ascetism, a life without pleasure-seeking and mindless indulgence. A lot of his philosophy centers around a type of “denouncement of the material world,” so it’s not surprising that a little rain and wind wouldn’t stop his daily walk.

    This way of living is reminiscent of the documentary Into Great Silence, which follows the daily lives of Carthusian monks living in the French mountains while they eat, clean, pray, and fulfill their chores and duties in quiet solitude.

    One of the hallmarks of a great routine is that it’s a sustainable system. The fact that Schopenhauer was able to follow this regimen for the rest of his life is a testament to its strength and efficacy, and something worth admiring even if it’s not a lifestyle we’d want to replicate for ourselves.


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    Steven Handel

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  • Moms in the ER

    Moms in the ER


    Maybe the ancient ritual will help. Checked on her two hrs ago. Got worried and went back to check on her again since she went to the hospital friday. Now im waiting in the ER as the condition i found her in was much worse. Anybody got some cat memes i can disassociate with? Ill update later today.



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  • At a Chinese restaurant in Pico-Robertson, it's the usual Christmas frenzy

    At a Chinese restaurant in Pico-Robertson, it's the usual Christmas frenzy

    Allyn Woghin was introducing her boyfriend, Robert Gleim, and his 12-year-old daughter, Lucy, to Christmas, the Jewish way.

    They’d spent the morning in the San Gabriel Valley — the heart of Chinese L.A. and its cuisines — before landing at Twin Dragon in Pico-Robertson for the holiday meal.

    Blending her Jewish traditions and Gleim’s Christian ones was especially meaningful because of Lucy.

    And this year, with the Israel-Hamas war and the rising threat of antisemitism at home, there was an undercurrent of fear.

    “It’s scarier to be in the place Jews go on Christmas,” said Woghin, 49. But the pull of barbecue pork ribs won out.

    For many American Jews, Christmas simply isn’t Christmas without kung pao chicken and afternoon tickets to the latest holiday blockbuster.

    For Twin Dragon, a 61-year-old landmark in the heart of Jewish L.A. and one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in the area, that makes Dec. 25 nothing short of the Super Bowl.

    “It’s the busiest day of the year,” manager Amanda Tang said.

    The Wren family has dinner at Twin Dragon on Christmas.

    (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)

    The ritual emerged around the turn of the 20th century with Jews on New York’s Lower East Side, around the same time as the Yiddish term for dining out, oysessen.

    Back then, Chinese restaurants were some of the few eateries open on Christmas. Today, they’re some of the hardest to get into, with restaurants from Flatbush, N.Y., to Fairfax booked solid for holiday meals.

    The Chinese feast is not a universal Jewish custom. Relatively few Orthodox Jews observe it. Nor is it particularly widespread among L.A.’s large Persian, Israeli and Russian Jewish communities.

    Still, red and white takeout carriers are now as much a part of Christmas in Los Angeles as tamales and artificial snow.

    Many non-Jews — including atheists, Buddhists and Christians too lazy to cook — also congregate at Chinese restaurants on the holiday.

    Twin Dragon has neither the Michelin listing of Chengdu Taste nor the winking, in-on-the-joke kitsch of neighboring Genghis Cohen. Its most beloved dishes are Americanized favorites, its lion statues and elaborately painted pagoda facade at once charming and a little cringe.

    But that’s the point, adherents say. The key to a great Chinese meal on Christmas isn’t authenticity, or exclusivity, or glamour — although fans insist their favorite has all of the above.

    Older Angelenos are strictly loyal to their neighborhood spot, longtime residents said, whether Twin Dragon, Fu’s Palace or a kosher Chinese eatery. In Pico-Robertson, the preference often stems from when someone put down roots in the area.

    Most people who come to Twin Dragon on Christmas keep coming because they always have. They count their loyalty in decades. To paraphrase Tevye the Milkman, it’s tradition.

    “This is something we do every year,” said Gaye Wren, whose extended family was gathered in Twin Dragon’s dark, neon-trimmed dining room for an early lunch on Christmas Day. “It was their grandmother and great-grandmother’s idea, since no one wanted to cook.”

    Like many patrons, Wren’s family has been coming to the restaurant almost since it first opened in 1962. Family members travel from Inglewood, Glendale and Canoga Park. For about the last decade, they’ve made it their Christmas ritual as a Christian family, exchanging Secret Santa gifts and sharing their favorite dishes. Monday was one of their first Christmases without their beloved matriarch, Sandi Wren.

    “Coming here has made it a favorite,” said Gaye Wren’s granddaughter, Jazmen Thomas, 28.

    “And they’re open,” cut in her mother, Deanna Webb, 50.

    “It’s consistency in a world that’s constantly changing,” Thomas said.

    That’s also what brought Clifford Slobod, 81 and Kit Hudson, 77, for their annual Christmas meal of hot and sour soup and kung pao shrimp.

    Two people seated at a restaurant table.

    Clifford Slobod, 81, left, and Kit Hudson, 77, have lunch on Christmas Day at Twin Dragon.

    (Michael Blackshire/Los Angeles Times)

    “We’ve been coming here for 40 years,” Slobod said.

    While most patrons had come to take part in the tradition, others were surprised — and in some cases, modestly inconvenienced by it.

    On Christmas Day, frustrated drivers circled the block for parking, a few abandoning their cars in the walkway alongside the disabled spot or directly in front of the curb to pick up takeout orders.

    “We know it’s a thing in New York, so we literally got here right at 11 when it opened,” said LaKisha Tillman, 51. “We were the first to put in our order. People were already sitting inside, caterers picking up their orders. It’s already busy.”

    Some found special significance in the ritual this year — particularly in a neighborhood where antisemitic incidents have surged since the Israel-Hamas war started.

    At the same time, it was part of an irreverent and lighthearted tradition, following a Hanukkah season that was both religiously and politically fraught.

    The holiday, which ended Dec. 15, celebrates Jewish victory in a war for control of Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago. Its central miracle — the persistence of holy light through darkness — felt especially urgent to many amid the war in Gaza.

    Many Jewish Angelenos shied away from public displays and celebrations out of fear of antisemitic violence, and several large public menorahs were vandalized or destroyed.

    “Everything feels different this year,” said Shuli Kupchan, who was dining at Twin Dragon with another Jewish family on Christmas Eve.

    For her, the Christmas ritual is a way to connect with the majority without assimilating into it.

    “It’s our version of celebrating along with the rest of the world,” the educator said. “It’s a way of doing it without having a Christmas tree in our house.”

    Still others were adopting the custom anew.

    “I’ve actually never done it before,” said Jewish New Yorker Philip Santos Schaffer, who ate at Twin Dragon on Christmas Eve. “I’m reclaiming it.”

    What tied Woghin and the Gleims to the Wren family to the Kupchans was not a particular dish or a drink or a table, but an experience passed from one generation to the next.

    On Christmas Eve, a few bewildered would-be diners loitered outside under the floodlights in the Twin Dragon parking lot, stomachs growling as they scanned the paper menu and waited for a free moment to put in their order.

    Hazard lights twinkled in the darkness, the sounds of laughter and car horns mingling in the air as families spilled onto West Pico Boulevard, their arms laden with grease-stained cardboard boxes and a century of holiday tradition.

    “We like to destroy a restaurant — it’s our minhag,” said Molly Hoffman of Eagle Rock, who had just dined with the Kupchan family, using the Hebrew word for a Jewish custom not rooted in religious law.

    “It’s something we did with our parents,” her wife, Yael Zinkow, explained, as their daughter Norah Hoffman Zinkow, 2, flounced through the parking lot in her Elsa dress and teal crown, tired but delighted at the conclusion of yet another winter festival.

    “Chag sameach!” the toddler called, waving happily to a stranger — happy holiday!

    Sonja Sharp

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