What seemed like the longest political campaign, ever, is finally over.  A president has been chosen and you can go back to watching the soap operas, Oprah, cartoons, sports, or whatever else you used to watch before life became saturated with political coverage.

Except for some, it’s not that easy. After months of intense dedication to the cause, suddenly it’s over and irregardless whether your candidate was the chosen one or not, there’s now a huge void in your life.

The ‘post election blues’ have struck.

You need a place to unwind…a place to relax…a place without television…without internet…without blackberry access.

Sounds like you need …  a meditation retreat.  It’s the perfect place to clear you mind, relax your body, commune with nature, and simply get away from it all.

Start reading this list of America’s top meditation retreats put together by Forbes Traveler and you’ll soon be wishing you could be there…

The Abbey of Gethsemani, Trappist, Ky - once the home of author and monk Thomas Merton, whose spiritual journey inspired millions, this old Trappist monastery (1848) is now a center for renewal and peace.

Kripalu Center, Stockbridge, Mass - set in the peaceful Berkshires, this retreat offers over 700 experiential workshops and has one of the world’s best yoga spas.

Menla Mountain Retreat, Phoenicia, N.Y - located in the Catskills, this retreat is popular with stressed-out New Yorkers.

Breitenbush Hot Springs, Detroit, Oregon - with over 154 acres of wildlife sanctuary, this retreat is the perfect place to escape from the connected world.

Shambhala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - even better, this Colorado retreat has 600 acres to get lost (in thought) in.

Mount Madonna, Santa Cruz, California - overlooking Monterey Bay, this retreat is home to a silent monk who hasn’t uttered a word since 1952, communicating by writing on a small chalkboard.

Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, N.Y. -this Hudson Valley retreat attracts people in search of inspiration and rejuvenation.

Ala Kukui, Hana, Maui, Hawaii - legend has it that this retreat is located in an area of Hana known as “the land where the heavens meet the earth.”

The Abode of the Message, New Lebanon, N.Y. - once a Shaker community, this retreat has historic Shaker buildings, an organic farm and gardens, abundant wildlife, hermitage huts, campgrounds, hiking trails and a swimming pond.

Esalen, Big Sur, California - this legendary new age retreat offers spectacular views as you open your mind.

Okay, so heading to a meditation retreat to get over the post election blues does seem a little over the top. But still, it was fun to dream…

(photo by Liz Lewis)

Inspired by Angela at Breastfeeding 1-2-3’s dream post from earlier this week, I’ve decided to grant you all Friday afternoon slack time to ditch work in exchange for gabbing online about your weirdest/wackiest/flippiest dreams. They can be recurring or one-time shots, but I’m sure we’d all love a little insight into your sleepy-time psyche. We might even have a novice dream analyst floating around who can shed some light on why you’ve conjured up the dreams you have and what the heck they really mean.

Sound fun?

I’ll start…

A few weeks ago, I had a dream that I was working with Matthew McConaughey (or Matthew McEyeCandy, as I like to call him) on designing a line of shirts. The shirts were to all be button-down, sleeveless types, and Matt and I were sitting together in a big, fluffy recliner (outside!) discussing color options. I insisted we have a shade of orange in the line-up. Weird, huh? (Fun, but weird, nevertheless).

Okay, your turn. Spill your sleepy-time shenanigans. It’s Friday - we’re all ears…

Okay, all you pessimistic poops, now there’s a reason to take that oh-so-annoying Susie Sunshine a little more seriously. A recent study published in Psychosomatic Medicine reveals that people who choose to look at the glass as half full are 33% less likely to get sick when exposed to a virus. Why? Positive emotions prompt the release of chemicals that strengthen the immune system.

So the next time you have the urge to be a nay-sayer or ignore a cloud’s silver lining, think again.

This has been your Healthbolt Happy Living Tip of the day. Have a great weekend!

Hate your job? Daydream of ways to have your boss abducted and shipped off to Switzerland? Join the masses.

If the thought of burning yourself with scalding coffee sounds more appealing than heading to work another day, try these tips, which have been proven by researchers at Texas State University to increase job satisfaction:

• Sit by a window as often as possible.
• Add a green plant to your work area.

Yep, that’s it. And according to the TU study, out of 450 workers who utilized those two tips, 85% reported themselves to be “content” or “very happy” at work, as opposed to only 58% of those who did not have a window or plant nearby.

Of course, if your workstation is far removed from a window, you may be out of luck. Try taking a walk during your lunch hour or escaping to a conference room with a view, if possible.

So do you have any tips for increasing your feelings of well-being on the job? Let us know…

I found this over at Of Two Minds.

Talk about following the leader…

Happy Sexy Saturday, everyone! And aren’t we all celebrating (if you’re in the U.S., that is) since this is Labor Day weekend? Yep, this last blessed unofficial weekend of summer gives us an additional day to stay home from work and party in the bedroom between cookouts and beach trips. Beautiful!

So I won’t keep you all tied up at the computer, since you’ll surely have some other sexy matters to attend to, but I do want to share two great links with you today, both from Women’s Health magazine.

15 Things You Never Knew About Sex: A totally fun quiz exploring things like how graham crackers and sex are related, whether or not French kissing is bad for your teeth, and settling once and for all whether chocolate is a natural aphrodisiac or not! (By the way, I scored an 11 out of 15 on this quiz, thereby clinching the title of “Sex Goddess”. Yay me!

After you’re through with the quiz, your reward is a bonus link spelling out the best position for achieving the ever-elusive female orgasm. But no worries if you’re a fella - this position is sure to make your head spin, too (of course, nothing makes you hotter than seeing your lady explode with pleasure, am I right?)

That’s it for this weekend, my sexy friends. Have a great end-of-summer weekend, and don’t forget to create some summer heat of your own…in the sack!

Happy Sexbolt Saturday, everyone!

I have a feeling that for some of you, hitting the bars and lounges is on your To-Do list for this evening, am I right? And for some of you, hooking up might also be on that very same list.

Well, let me say that it’s only because I care about you and your reputation that I’m informing you it has now been proven as a scientific fact that the oft-feared “beer goggles” are really for real. Really.

The scoop? When people have been drinking, others appear more attractive to them. And not just members of the opposite sex. Nope, when heterosexual subjects who had been drinking were shown photos of same-sex folks, they also rated those people as being more attractive. I guess now we know why Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” became an instant bar fave, eh?

While this info is not really all that surprising (considering t-shirts that beckon you to ‘Keep Drinking Until I’m Hot’ have made the rounds for years), it’s still pretty cool that the medical community recognizes this phenomenon and now we feel a little more vindicated for having succumbed to the force of the all-mighty beer goggle once or twice.

So have fun this weekend, my sexy friends. Just be sure you and your designated driver (and hottie-checker) work out some sort of signal if your find your eyes becoming a little fuzzy before a hook-up.

Cheers!

Image details: Man sleeping in bed served by picapp.com

I came across a fun article recently about sleep position and what it says about your personality. Check it out and then leave us a comment to let us know if you agree.

Back Sleeper: You’re a leader! Since this position reveals the most skin, it shows you’re comfortable leaving yourself open to vulnerability because you’re so confident. If this is you, you’re part of only 8% of the population who sleeps on their backs.

Side Sleeper: Since this is somewhere between your back and stomach, this position shows that you’re a friendly, easy-going person. You enjoy meeting new people and you’re quite trusting.

Stomach Sleeper: This position represents a “free-fall” type position, and shows that you’re an adventurer, through and through. You do tend to keep your emotional side private, sharing those thoughts only with your closest of friends and family.

Fetal Position Sleeper: A sensitive flower, you are. Curling up under your covers is your way of letting your subconscious pull itself back together. By day, you take creative risks and you’re full of vigor and creativity. Expending all that energy by day makes sleep a therapeutic necessity to you.

A Flopper: If you flop and change positions all night, it means you’re an adaptable soul. Some people call you “complicated”, but really, you are just good at finding new ways to do things. Incidentally, if this is you, you share company with only 5% of other sleepers who change positions regularly.

Story Source: Woman’s World Magazine

Image details: Close-up of alphabets spelling the word Sex with red chili peppers on a tray served by picapp.com

It’s Sexbolt Saturday again, my kittens, and we got a hold of an article that spells out 56 glorious reasons to meet up in the sheets. Now, those 56 reasons are fab, indeed, but some of them we’ve already shared with you here, here, and here. Because, you know, we like to give you lots of reasons to have sex. As if you needed some more.

But if you’re mojo ain’t quite where you’d like it to be this weekend, give these a read (hell, have your honey read ‘em, too) and get ready for one sassy samba in the sack.

Enjoy! And Happy Sexbolt Saturday!

Image details: Portrait of an aging man looking proudly at a pumpkin served by picapp.com

If you want a little more out of “pumpkin” than to use it as a sappy nickname, start by eating the seeds.

Why? Because pumpkins pack even more amounts of tryptophan than a whole turkey dinner. And we all know the magic of tryptophan from Turkey Day 101, right? Feelings of relaxation and peacefulness. Ahhhh…

Well, tryptophan works by morphing into seratonin, (which is known for fighting depression, reducing anxiety, and minimizing anger), making tryptophan pretty much the Wonder Amino Acid. In fact, in a recent study, folks who were asked to give a speech after eating a pumpkin seed bar had much lower heart rates and anxiety an hour later than those who didn’t have the seeds.

So now you have a reason to love the pumpkin.

You don’t have to wait for Halloween to stock up either. Most grocery and health food stores sell both the seeds (which make for a great, crunchy snack), and the afore-mentioned pumpkin seed bars as well.

Bon Apetit, Pumpkin.

Pssst! If pumpkin’s not your thing, check tryptophan’s Wiki page for more food sources