One of my favorite smells is clean laundry right after it comes out of the dryer. Mmmmmmm...

As it turns out, my favorite smell might just inspire me to act more fair, charitable and generous than I would normally toward others. That's according to new research, which shows that clean smells promote moral behavior. Not sure if I buy it, but if it is true, I'm going to start wearing strong, "clean-smelling" perfume so that everyone around me acts ethically!

I often get so stressed and overwhelmed thinking of all the stuff I have to get done each day, that I try to break up the time with daily mini mind vacations. Usually I play Latte Land, one of the other CafeMom games or daydream about a good memory, but today I stumbled across another diversion that was way more fun than my mortgage bill.

BettyPP posted this fun mind game in the CafeMom Newcomer's Club:

My husband had to take an important work call when we were in the middle of eating the other day and while on the call, he aligned the salt and pepper shaker, adjusted his plate, and tinkered with the silverware so all were just so.

It was hard not to laugh, but it was an important call, so I waited until he hung up.

OCD much? I asked him as I mimicked his actions. He reminded me that if we weren't sitting, he would have been pacing. And if he had a pen and paper, he would have been doodling.

Turns out doodling while listening to others talk actually helps you retain the information.

CafeMom misscortez420 is afraid of the dark. Achluophobia. "There was a point in my life where I thought it was over, but it came back and I think it's worse. I'm guessing it's here for good. What's your biggest phobia?"

From the Stay At Home Moms group, the things CafeMoms fear most:

-- Water where it's not supposed to be. Tidal waves, even floods freak me out and make me want to hyperventilate. I can' even handle the thought of the ocean sometimes.

-- Coulrophobia, fear of clowns. I seriously have an asthma and panic attack if a clown gets near me.

-- Scorpions

-- Fish. I cannot stand the sight of them, smell, any of that. I won't buy them to cook, even though my hubby eats them.

-- Climacophobia, the fear of stairs. I know it sounds stupid, but I am so freaked out if it is more than 4 or 5 stairs. I am sure I will fall down them or that my son will.

I've had many diaries. The ones from my teenage years are hilarious when I read them now. Oh the worries of youth!

All my diaries today are online. I Journal here on CafeMom and also have two blogs where I write down thoughts and feelings. Granted, it's not the same thing as having a little book on the side of my bed where I write down some of my innermost and personal thoughts, but they have some grit sometimes and besides, I find it therapeutic.

I have been thinking about Uma Thurman's doctor's prescription for alone time.

Now that's a prescription to which I could get addicted.

Recently I've noticed that whenever I snack on lots of sugary foods—candy, cookies, non-diet soda, etc.—I often feel down in the dumps. I thought this was just a coincidence until I read about how diet can affect mood swings.

I heart Zooey Deschanel. She's too cute. The 29-year-old actress plays Summer in the film 500 Days of Summer and she's also one half of the band She & Him.

When Deschanel isn't busy planning her wedding to Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, she's taking full advantage of the warmest season. 

Zooey is Self magazine's August covergirl and she shares her tips on how she keeps healthy emotionally, mentally, and physically.

After I had my baby I didn't sleep at all. I was breastfeeding her every two hours round the clock, and each feeding took an hour so there was only an hour in between. I couldn't sleep then because I was anticipating her next cry.

My mom and dad poke fun at each other when they forget things and all they have to say is "gingko" and they laugh. The herb ginkgo biloba is said to increase memory.

Woman's Day has a great article with three things you can to to boost your brain's power...and, as they say, it doesn't include eating salmon and doing crossword puzzles.