By the end of today, 50% of you are going to be quite happy, and the other 50% are going to be steaming mad. It is part of this wonderful process we go through every four years to elect a president. Don’t get me wrong. I cherish my voting rights. I just wish we could deal with the results better. Here’s a solution. Regardless of whether or not your candidate won, smile. Yes, simply smile.

This is the ninth presidential election I voted in, and, in the prior eight, the candidate I selected lost five of the eight times. That means I voted for the winner 37.5% of the time, and, if past performance predicts future performance, that percentage will probably drop once the ballots are counted for this election. That’s OK. As I recall, life was pretty good during those years when my candidate didn’t win. So, either way, I smile. And here are a few reasons you should, too.

According to lovethatsmile.com, smiling can make you look younger and more attractive. I says “smiling is one of the most important facial expressions and can make you look younger. When you smile, the muscles in your face contract and release, which helps to tone your facial muscles. It also helps to improve your complexion by increasing blood flow to your face.”

The same site also says smiling relieves pain. “Endorphins are released when you smile, improving your mood, and resulting in further pain reduction. When you smile, you take a little shot of feel-good medicine. Harvard Health mentioned that people who smiled while receiving painful electrical shocks experienced less pain than those who didn't smile.”

The website utterlypositive.com says smiling is contagious. “Apparently, we often unconsciously mimic other people’s emotions to better understand their feelings: that’s one of our brain’s superpowers. So if someone is telling you a sad story, you might unknowingly copy their facial expression to empathize and relate to their feelings. This means that smiling at strangers has a good chance of bringing up a smile in response.”

In addition, the site says smiling can reduce face fat. Yes, smiling can make your face slimmer and more toned. “If you look up face-lifting exercises that can naturally keep your facial muscles in a good shape, you’ll find that they often include some kind of smiling. This may seem counter-intuitive as smiling is known to contribute to mimic wrinkles, but recent studies prove that facial yoga can actually decrease cheek fullness and make you appear younger, as long as you stay consistent with exercises.”

And if those aren’t enough reasons to smile, I add a quote from a poster my sister had on her bedroom wall in the 1970s: “Smile… it makes people wonder what you’ve been up to.”

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com 

BELLY UP TO...
Either/Or Eatery & Patio

Order either caviar or cheese curds.

Drink either Lua Brewing’s Time Eater, a triple hazy IPA, or a Hamm’s beer.

Sit either on the expansive lively patio or indoors for a quiet vibe.

Whichever options you desire, you can find them at Either/Or Eatery & Patio. ...

Meet Jenn Montemurro
The joy of being part of students’ growth

By Rachel Harrington

As a young child growing up in Johnston, Jenn Montemurro had fantastic experiences in school.

“I had great role models in my teachers,” she shares. “They helped me learn and grow. I was a shy kid that didn’t like to speak in front of others. My teachers helped me grow in that regard, and, from early on, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to help others like they helped me.”

As she matured, she found a passion for working with children. She took on nanny jobs, was a babysitter, and enjoyed time as a camp counselor. These jobs helped to fulfill and engage her joy for helping kids and seeing them thrive and grow.

While going to school for an education degree, she zeroed in on teaching lower grade levels. ...

These celebrities were born on this date: Tilda Swinton, Bryan Adams, Sam Rockwell, Art Garfunkel, Kevin Jonas, Kris Jenner, Robert Patrick, Odell Beckham Jr., Annet Mahendru, Famke Janssen, Jonny Greenwood, Luke Hemsworth, Andrea McArdle, Jason Kelce, Judy Reyes, Peter Noone, Angelo Moore

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle: Where did they take the Mayflower when it was sick? The nearest doc (dock)!

Today's riddle: What do you use to make Thanksgiving bread?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or CITYVIEW magazine, contact:

Aaron Burns
Advertising Sales Manager
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 330
Mobile: 712-310-3860
aaron@dmcityview.com

©Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., all rights reserved.
www.biggreenumbrellamedia.com. Add webmaster@dmcityview.com to your address book to ensure delivery. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Click here to get it delivered to your inbox for FREE!