1 . I have learned something about myself since I moved from Long Island to Florida three years ago. Even though I own a home in Port St. Lucie just minutes from the ocean, every winter an uncontrollable urge(冲动) wells up to fly back to Long Island even as others make their way south. I guess I am a snowbird stuck in reverse(反向).

Dulled by Florida's mild winters, I willingly suffer the cold weather on Long Island, the place I called home for 65 years. I'm like a bird that has lost its sense of timing and direction, my wings moving against routine.

So what makes me fly against the habits of snowbirds? The answer has a lot to do with my unwillingness to give up the things that define(给...下定义) who I am. Once I hear that the temperature on Long Island has fallen into the range of 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, I begin to long for the sight and sound of a wood fire. I also long for the display of colours—first in the fall trees, and then in the lights around homes and at Rockefeller Center. Floridians decorate, too, but can't create the special feel of a New England winter. Moreover, when I return I can celebrate the holidays with people I haven't seen in months. What could be better than sitting with family and friends for a Thanksgiving turkey dinner, or watching neighbours' children excitedly open gifts on Christmas? Even the first snowfall seems special.

While these simple pleasures are not unique to Long Island, they are some of the reasons I comeback. Who says you can't go home? I know I will be ordering a ticket this very night and cured of homesick(思乡病) tomorrow.

2 . Home fires can happen quickly, destroying lives and property, but unlike other disasters, most home fires can be prevented. Read on to learn 4 unexpected home fire dangers.

Having old smoke alarms

An effective smoke alarm can make much difference when it comes to surviving a house fire. It's not enough to change the batteries twice a year, you also need to replace your alarms every decade. "You should test your smoke alarms every month, "says Lorraine Carli, vice president of the National Fire Protection Association. "But also don't forget to check the dates and replace an alarm that is more than10 years old."

Leaving the kitchen while you cook

One in five Americans admitted leaving food cooking unattended on the stove, found an American Red Cross survey. Walking away from food cooking in the kitchen is a serious fire risk." The leading cause of home fires is cooking and the leading cause of those fires is unattended cooking," says Carli. If you need to use the stove or oven, be sure to keep an eye on it.”

Turning the heat too high when you cook

Turning up the heat too high can be deadly, even if you're in the kitchen while you cook. Kevin Kelley, senior director of the American Red Cross, recommends paying close attention and turning off the burner if you see smoke or grease(油脂)starting to boil while frying food.

Having a dirty stove while you cook

If your stove is covered with grease, a small kitchen fire can get out of hand quickly. Clean and clear the area around the stove before turning on the heat, or the result will be dangerous.

3 . Some colors people see late at night could cause signs of clinical depression. That was the finding of a study that builds on earlier study findings. They show that individuals who live or work in low levels of light overnight can develop clinical depression. Doctors use the word “clinical depression” to describe severe form of depression. Signs may include loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, low energy levels and thoughts of death or suicide.

In the new study, American investigators designed an experiment that exposed hamsters（仓鼠）to different colors. The researchers chose hamsters because they are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night. The animals were separated into four groups. One group of hamsters was kept in the dark during their night-time period. Another group was placed in front of a blue light, a third group slept in front of a white light, while a fourth was put in front of a red light. After four weeks, the researchers noted how much sugary water the hamsters drank. They found that the most depressed animals drank the least amount of water.

Randy Nelson heads the Department of Neuroscience at Ohio State University. He says animals that slept in blue and white light appeared to be the most depressed. “What we saw is that these animals didn’t show any sleep uneasiness at all but they did mess up biological clock genes and they did show depressive sign while if they were in the dim（微弱）red light, they did not.”

Randy Nelson notes that photosensitive（感光）cells in the eyes have little to do with eyesight. He says these cells send signals to the area of the brain that controls what has been called the natural sleep-wake cycle.

He says there’s a lot of blue in white light. This explains why the blue light and white light hamsters appear to be more depressed than the hamsters seeing red light or darkness.

4 . Almost all theme park accidents can be prevented．Here, based on coverage of theme park safety, are some tips to help you and your family stay safe on your next visit．

If you are visiting with a child, take a moment to explain the ride to them, and tell them how they should behave．They are depending upon you to keep them safe．Set a good example for them by following the rules of the park, and make sure that they know you expect them to follow those rules, too．

Tell them to stay seated, to hold the grab bar or put their hands in the laps, and not to stick their knees and feet outside a ride vehicle．Make them look to you for the okay to get on or off a ride, too．

And never put a crying child on a ride．If your child starts to cry, let others pass you in line until your child is calmed．Or, gently exit the queue and find something more relaxing to do． 

Young kids can’t keep an adult’s pace in a theme park．Let them take plenty of breaks．

“Kids get tired,” said TPI reader Matt Johnson, a father of four．“Tired kids make parents even more tired．And tired kids and parents may get hurt — physically and emotionally．” He advises that parents plan a mid-day break, perhaps a swim back at the hotel, to avoid mid-day heat and crowds．“You will see cranky families having a miserable time while you are refreshed and having a great evening．”

7 . We think of kids playing video games as being in a sort of loneliness, locked in their darkened bedrooms. In truth, they are usually communicating with other gamers, via audio or text, about the action on the screen. And sometimes the chatter shifts from the world of fantasy to real life.

That’s what happened to 14-year-old Reilly Howard from East Hampton, Connecticut last October. While playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, he noticed that an online friend, a-13-year-old from Florida, was not his normal self. Reilly’s sixth sense was confirmed when the friend messaged him, “Yo, we need to talk.” Reilly immediately called him.

“He starts to open up about what’s going on in his life: ‘I have nothing to live for; I’m going to kill myself.’ Reilly told nbcconnecucut.com. He couldn’t even talk, he was crying so much.” Unable to verbally convey his sufferings, his friend typed out, “Tonight is going to be the night.”

Suicide is a lot to throw at a high school kid, but Reilly, a sophomore(二年级学生)at the time, resolved to stay on the line for as long as he was needed. “I knew he didn’t want to be alone, and I didn’t want him to go.” he told WFSB. “He’s my friend. I didn’t want him to die.”

For two hours, Reilly said everything he could think of to persuade his friend to embrace life. “I just kept comforting him. You’ve got a lot to live for.” says Reilly. “I said, I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m going to be playing with you tomorrow. You promise, nothing is going to happen tonight.”

About that time, Reilly’s parents came home from dinner. He filled them in, and they contacted Florida police, who tracked down the boy.

The troubled teen is doing well now, thanks to a good friend—one he’d never met in person—who was willing to put down the keyboard and lend an ear. Says Reilly’s mother, Sheila Reilly, “You just have to show up and talk to people. And listen.”

10 . Philadelphia offers a ton of attractions that are suitable for people of every age and here are some family-friendly attractions.

Spruce Street Harbor Park

Spruce Street Harbor Park, one of the best urban beaches in America, is an outdoor heaven on the Delaware River waterfront. Visitors can relax in a hammock (吊床), play on the playgrounds, and play games like table tennis and giant chess. Don’t miss out on the park at night, when colorful LED lights hanging from treetops make the entire area bright.

Blue Cross RiverRink

Offering ice skating in the winter and roller skating in the summer, Blue Cross RiverRink creates a fun, outdoor experience for the whole family. Visitors can play on the nine-hole mini-golf course during the summer, and enjoy foods and drinks from the on-site (现场的) bar and restaurant all year round.

Sesame Place

Big Bird, Elmo and the other stars of Sesame Street come out and play at Sesame Place, the only theme park in the nation starring the popular TV show’s most lovable characters. A water park, interactive activities, parades, fireworks and shows add to the fun.

Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Benches

On summer days, uniformed and professional storytellers at 13 storytelling benches throughout Philadelphia’s Historic District entertain visitors with true, free, three- to five-minute tales about the colonial (殖民的) era as part of Once Upon a Nation. Children can pick up a Story Flag at any storytelling bench, and then collect a star from every storyteller on their journeys. Flags with all the stars can get free rides on the Parx Liberty Carousel at Franklin Square.