Calm, Serene, Basset...

My fingers feel so relaxed. My neck muscles are so loose...wonder why? I just perused The Pioneer Woman's latest blog post. I am ever fascinated with Charlie, her basset hound as I have one of my own. They're amazing pets. The most loving I've ever come across.
Need a calming break? Just slowly move your mouse down the screen and relax. Excuse me while I put my feet up...

Basset Hounds, studies have shown, possess an inherent calming, almost sedative-like, effect. It’s very difficult to remain:
On edge
Stressed out
Wigged out
Anxious
Tense
Nervous
Jittery
Jumpy
or
High strung
…around a Basset Hound.
It is my sincere wish that this post has a calming effect on those of you who might be feeling stressed out today.

Seriously. Stare at this creature for a second and just try being stressed out.

There is nothing wrong with this dog. Here, for instance, he’s positively ecstatic. He’s actually turning cartwheels, he’s so darn filled with bliss and excitement.
It’s just that his body hasn’t quite received the telegram from his mind.
Telegrams, studies have shown, often get lost within Basset Hound bodies. It’s a breed-specific characteristic. Their minds are really quite active: whole worlds and empires are being buiilt in their minds.
It’s just that the messages rarely make it to the far reaches of their bodies.
Studies have shown that if it were somehow possible to extract all the wayward telegrams from the bodies of Basset Hounds around the world, then somehow translate the telegrams to a readable text, all the answers of the universe would be revealed.
Scientists are working on this as we speak. It just hasn’t been reported in the news yet.

Basset Hounds, studies have shown, are medicinal. They’re the cure for our twenty-first century problems.

They’re also very tactile. Run your hands repeatedly over one of these ears and studies have shown that your soul will instantly find calm.
Your hands will be a little nasty…but it’s nothing a little lye soap won’t cure.

Your sofa won’t be in all that great a shape, either.
But you tell me whether or not it’s all worth it.
I know what my answer is.