Author: Overcoming Adversity | Buteau’s Odyssey

We chalk up idealism to youth, but it’s fair to say that most of us, even if we consider ourselves to be adults, struggle with tolerating uncertainty. Personally, my obsessive-compulsive mind detests it. I want my life to appear as a clear narrative, where everything I do and everything that happens to me is part of some grander play, with me at its center, of course. A recent meta-analysis of meaning and depression (Ouyang et al. 2026) concluded that coherence—the ability to make sense of one’s experiences and fit them neatly into a worldview—had the strongest negative correlation with depression,…

Companion Animal Psychology (CAP), created by the prolific, award-winning psychologist, dog and cat expert, and Psychology Today writer Zazie Todd, is now 14 years old. Zazie is still running it because, as she says, “This stuff matters, not just to dogs and cats, but also to their people. As I’ve said many times over the years, when you know what your pet needs and provide it for them, they will be happier and less likely to have behaviour issues—and you will be happier too.” I have found CAP to be an invaluable source of information for the latest science and…

Week 3 of the 2026 UFL season kicked off with the Orlando Storm (3-0) outlasting the Louisville Kings (0-3) in overtime in a wild, heated rematch at Lynn Family Stadium in Kentucky on FOX UFL Friday.Up next, the Houston Gamblers (1-1) are going up against the reigning champion DC Defenders (1-1) at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. We’ve got a doubleheader on Sunday, with the Columbus Aviators (0-2) battling the Dallas Renegades (2-0) at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, followed by the St. Louis Battlehawks (1-1) playing host to the Birmingham Stallions (1-1) at The Dome at America’s Center…

I don’t know you as well as I wish I did, but I do know one thing. Quitting your job the moment Monday comes along might not be the worst thing that could happen to your career. In fact, I have the full force of mathematics behind me when I say that it might even put it on an upward trajectory once the dust settles. Let me explain. The pesky problem of when to stop sampling By now, you must have come across the secretary problem, which asks you to imagine that you are recruiting an executive assistant with 100…

With an acting career that includes three Frank Darabont films, a role as Death in the Bill & Ted universe, and a villain in the Die Hard franchise (just to name a few), William Sadler has a lot of amazing cinematic experiences to reflect upon, and after decades after bringing memorable stories to life onscreen, he’s still adding new roles to his eclectic résumé for fans to enjoy. The latest of those roles is Hollis Bannister, a famous explorer who is given the unexpected opportunity to make peace with his estranged cartographer daughter (Brittany Allen) while protecting a deadly secret…

Understanding and awareness of mental health and well-being are rapidly increasing around the world. Nonetheless, huge gaps remain, particularly deficiencies in recognizing and redressing mental health and well-being concerns. The issues are clinical and beyond. Far too many countries experience a devastating shortage of trained and qualified psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, and therapists. Even where staffing and qualifications suffice, many people cannot access these services. Meanwhile, many non-clinical health specialists across research, policy, and practice lack the training and experience to incorporate mental health and well-being into their work. Against this backdrop, many cultures are open about mental health conditions, whereas…

Abadox was one of the goriest games ever on the NES!Abadox gave gamers a gruesome 8-bit experienceAbadox is a game that never really developed a cult following — despite the fact it’s easily one of the grossest and most disturbing titles to ever make its way to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES.)The game has an interesting back story. Amazingly, it’s not even the first NES game that plays the whole Fantastic Voyage routine for horrific effect. A few years earlier, publishing titan Konami beat Abadox to the punch with arcade favorite Life Force (which, despite the name, has nothing to…

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Sam was recruited for a new job. The VP took him out to lunch and said they were looking forward to his coming on board. Sam left the meeting feeling excited and wanted; the job seemed like a good challenge, a step up in his career, and the company a good fit. But as he toured the offices, he found himself, to his own surprise, changing his mind. He gave himself the evening to think it over, but then called the department head and said he was sorry but had decided to decline the offer. Why the last-minute about-face? Here’s…

In US theaters this Friday is Exit 8, based on the popular Kotake Create-developed video game. A truly inventive concept with a deep, emotional character journey at its core, I really enjoyed the film, which was directed and co-written by Genki Kawamura. Ahead of the film’s release, I spoke with Kawamura about adapting the game, building the set, inspirations, and more: “Based on the eponymous video game from Kotake Create, a lost man trapped in an endless subway passage sets out to find the elusive and mysterious Exit 8. His way out is to identify anomalies within the recurring corridor;…