Friday, February 13, 2009

Love in the Brain?

As I sipped my coffee this morning, I read the local paper and was immediately jarred by the following headline...

"Researchers use science to track love"
It's in the brain, not the heart, their tests show

HUH? What? In the brain? I took the bait and read the article. Several "scientists" are promoting the idea that basically, your love for that special someone is all in the brain, and related to one teardrop shaped "hot spot". Yes, they used the term "hot spot" while referring to the "ventral tegmental area". That is like saying Hillary Rodham Clinton and hot in the same sentence.
Also thrown in for good measure...
the nucleus accumbens
the ventral pallidum
the raphe nucleus

Now, if those terms don't get your love engine revved up before Valentine's Day, wow, I don't know what will. They all scream "Sexy" to me for sure.

So, the rest of the article basically goes on to say that the "scientific findings" mean that love is in the head, not the heart because all of those fancy shmancy terms above measured higher when someone was shown a picture of their loved one. Am I to then infer that, Micah's love for me is based on the sight of me?
Holy Crapola, now I am glad his vision sucks!

No joke, I mean, I have seen me in the morning, it is not always, ok, it is not ever, a pretty sight. I wonder if that teardrop shaped thing in the brain can curl up in sheer fear of the image the brain sends it... like this one...

I prefer to think I always look like this... happy, smiling, and not caught at some awful camera angle by Lincoln whilst making breakfast...


I will tell you, I am glad that I think this article is a bunch of bullcrapitismaximus, because were it not, Micah would have fallen out of love with my flabby, morning breath, big nosed self a LONG time ago...
The best part of the article...
In the last paragraph one of the scientists is using her "study" to help in her position with an internet matchmaking service, where she is the scientific advisor. Really.... can we say conflict of interest or what?
I want to start a website called "salt n vinney health.com" about how eating salt and vinegar chips IS really good for you. It will be based of course on lots of sound "scientific" evidence, that I myself will do...

Until then, enjoy your upcoming holiday with the full knowledge that LOVE, love is indeed a verb.
(to quote the great DC Talk, that is for you Sarah... )