2 . Being bored is no fun, especially at work. But new research out of the Research School of Management at Australian National University argues that while boredom is certainly boring, it isn’t all bad. The disliked mental state can actually spark precious creativity.

The study asked 52 subjects to do a pretty boring job: sort apart a bowl of red and green beans with just one hand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, 49 other subjects — the control group — were instructed to create art projects with paper, beans and glue. Once the 30 minutes was over, each group was instructed to spend five minutes on a creative task: they had to come up with reasons why a hypothetical (假定的) person was two hours late for a meeting.

The bored group came up with not just more ideas than the control group, but more creative ideas than the control group, too. The quality and quantity of production was higher for people who were bored than those who were not. Creativity itself was measured under a standard that balanced novelty and practicality. Ideas had to fit both criteria to be considered creative.

Guiyun Park, the study’s lead author, readily admits that not every type of job permits the fun of boredom, and it can really be harmful to some important work. But for designers and anyone in a creative field, boredom is not something to fear, but to embrace. Sometimes, the best way to be productive is to expect nothing of yourself at all.

4 . If you have ever visited an aquarium (水族馆), you would have noticed that the fish look bored. Their homes are not very exciting. Nor are the visitors terribly charged up. True, some aquariums are fairly well maintained, but the fact remains that they seldom draw lots of visitors in.

The government of Maharashtra wanted to make a change. So it has partnered with a Singapore-based company to create India’s first underwater world, or oceanarium. The Taraporevala Aquarium, on Maine Drive, Mumbai, is all set to become a six-storey oceanarium.

Most people think that an “oceanarium” and “aquarium” are the same. However, there is a difference. An aquarium keeps just a few species of fish while oceanariums have a greater range of fish. These are kept in huge enclosed spaces that closely resemble the natural environment of the fish. According to officials, the Taraporevala Oceanarium will have more than 400 hundred species of fish, including dolphins and sharks. There will be a well-stocked library, a mini theater and computer laboratory, where children will be able to satisfy their curiosity about the fish.

The oceanarium’s main attraction, however, will be the submerged transparent tunnel-the first of its kind in India! The tunnel will be below sea level and visitors will be able to enjoy an undersea experience, with a variety of fish swimming all around.

This may appear rather unbelievable, but a part of the sea will be enclosed in the oceanarium. Of course, Mumbai’s dirty seawater will be made clean before it is introduced to the fish enclosure.

5 . Self-improvement doesn’t have to be a terrifying task. It can be a fun and exciting adventure that takes you on a journey of discovery and growth. With some simple tricks, you can transform yourself into a better version of you.

First off, remember that self-improvement is a marathon, not a dash.     1     Take it one step at a time, and enjoy the ride. Think of it like climbing a mountain: you take one step after another, admiring the view as you go, until you reach the summit.

Start with small, achievable goals. Whether it’s reading a book a week, going for a daily walk, or learning a new skill, these little milestones will help you stay motivated and feel accomplished.     2    

Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is part of the learning process. If you stumble or fall short of your goals, don’t beat yourself up.     3     Keep in mind, failure is just a temporary setback — it doesn’t define you.

    4     Share your goals with friends or family, and ask them to hold you accountable. Join a self-improvement group or find someone who can guide and encourage you on your journey. You’ll find that makes the process even more enjoyable.

And finally, don’t forget to celebrate your progress.     5     Whether it’s a small accomplishment or a major milestone, take a moment to appreciate your efforts and feel proud of yourself. You can even create a reward system for yourself — maybe a delicious treat or a fun activity for every goal you achieve.

8 . One of the world’s most productive wildlife sound recordists (录音师) has released a large collection of his most treasured recordings of wild places to listen to for free on Soundcloud.

“Martyn Stewart has recorded nearly 100,000 pieces, consisting of 30,00o hours of materials. They have been spread across 40 countries and used in 150 films,” Krause, a friend of Martyn said. “Some of these include sounds that can’t be heard anymore, as they belong to extinct animals or disturbed habitats.”

Martyn is one of the key recordists who helped set the standards that gave the work standing in the world of sound. Few can match the quality of his life-long efforts. Throughout his life, since he recorded his first bird at the age of 11, it was easy to record the sounds of faraway places. But times are changing, and the growing presence of noise pollution has made his job a lot harder.

Among his “treasured” recordings include Hurricane Dorian on a remote beach, thunderstorms in Australia, Denali National Park and Arctic Wildlife Home in Alaska, dawn in Zimbabwe, and so much more. He’s also recorded sounds and calls of certain animals, some of which are extinct like the white rhino and the golden frog.

“I hope the free project, called Martyn Stewart’s Listening Planet, is meant to inspire people to try and protect a more delicate part of the world——the auditory (听觉的) part. They have the connection between sound and the animal making the sound,” said Martyn. “I think we have to become the voice of the voiceless. If we can get these beautiful sound recordings out and let people in the world listen to them, maybe we can start protecting what we’ve got left.”

9 . Our old, artificial Christmas tree was in rough shape by the time we retired it. At least a decade had passed since my wife and I bought the tree, a medium-size fake tree with built-in lights, at a Target in Brooklyn and carried it on the subway to our tiny apartment. Over the years, we dragged that tree from apartment, jammed it onto a moving truck to Los Angeles and later packed the weathered box onto another moving truck, this time to Chicago and our current home. By the end, layers of duct tape (强力胶布) held the box together, the wear and tear of a decade of delivering holiday cheer.

Our little tree looked run down, but it was the only tree our family ever knew. It stands proud and glowing in the background of photos of me and my pregnant wife during our last Christmas in Brooklyn without children. Our oldest was born a month later during a January snowstorm. The tree shows up again in the next year’s photos, this time surrounded by holiday gifts for a boy about to turn 1. Then it appears in photos of our son and his 1-month-old brother, this time with California palm trees just outside the door. And in more recent photos, our tree lights up windows overlooking shining Chicago snow. This year, after much debate, we decided to retire our dear old tree, with its bent branches and the lights that had burned out years ago. Rather than feel depressed, we used the moment to launch a new family tradition: our first real Christmas tree.

So here’s a toast to all your family’s traditions—the old and the new. I hope you enjoy this issue, which we have filled with stories of seasonal joy and holiday cheer. Happy holidays!

10 . Nowadays, we know how to work with al old items. Many of them can be reused after being properly processed. Instead of sending them to the trashcan, we have new choices.     1    

Participate in the Give the Gift of Sight Program. Run by Lions Club International, the program makes it easy for you to donate your old eyeglasses and sunglasses to needy people in developing countries. After you drop glasses off, they are cleaned, repaired, and grouped, then distributed.

Donate your used computer to computers for Kids, a non-profit organization.     2     Its donation program collects and cleans computer equipment, and gives away the equipment to schools and children’s organizations in need.

    3     Contribute to offering help to the troubled kids by sending either entire greeting cards or just the fronts of cards, to St. Jude’s Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude’s Street, Boulder City, NV89005. The youth redecorate the cards by adding new backs, and sell them to support the program. For more information, call 1-877-977-8888.

Recycle sneakers (运动鞋) and athletic shoes. Since 1990, NIKE has sponsored the Reuse-A-Shoe program.     4     Then they are made into athletic equipment, such as playground padding, gymnastic mats, and running tracks. Call 1-800-344-6453 for drop-off locations or get the mailing address at Reuse-A-Shoe.

Never throw away books or magazines. Books and magazines are a great aid to help those who’ve been sent to prison. Some of them quit school at an early age.     5