Although we never did find the warm sunny beach (found wet, cold weather instead), my wife and I enjoyed our getaway to Vancouver, BC – and the experience enjoying another country and their customs: the day-after-Easter holiday, parliamentary campaigning, and their national hockey teams – Go Canucks! And just as if I was still in high school, I did more sight-seeing, eating and relaxing than reading my homework assignments. But enough rambling ruminations – time to get back to business.
Last week I left you with five brain ticklers to stretch your problem solving skills. But there are many other activities you can do to help keep your brain healthy, fit and tanned. And when choosing activities to work your brain, you may want to ask the following questions.
1. Is the activity challenging? The activity should force you to concentrate and pay close attention. triplets. Although you shouldn’t develop a brain freeze – as if you were drinking a Smoothie too fast, you may feel frustrated and discouraged. But don’t stop. If it doesn’t push you, it may not provide the necessary workout your brain needs. the match 2. Is it progressive? Now here is the second part. As you learn the skill, the difficulty needs to increase so you can continue challenging yourself. You can’t rest on your successes, but instead use them to motivate yourself to try the next level. Mt Everest 3. Does it engage several of your brain’s processing systems? You should try to use different parts of your brain in the same activity. For example as you dance – under dimmed lights to your favorite romantic song, following your partner’s firm lead and appreciating his masculine cologne, try eating a sloppy Big Mac. Melissa 4. Is it rewarding and surprising? If you don’t enjoy the activity and find it interesting, you probably won’t be doing it for long – unless you are a glutton for punishment. So make it fun and reward yourself – maybe with some brain healthy dark chocolate and a small glass of wine? three ducks
These are some questions to ask when choosing a brain fitness activity. But the bottom line is to keep learning, keep moving and keep trying something new every day.
With all the picture boards around town, it would be hard to forget the Wasco County Pioneer Association’s Annual meeting held at the Calvary Baptist Church this Saturday May 7th with registration at 9:30 PM and lunch at 11:30. But just in case – that was your reminder.
And for those who like to multi-task, on the 7th at the Wahtonka Campus, the North Wasco County School District #21 Education Foundation is holding an auction of over 200 “Oldies and Goodies” such as collectibles, heirlooms and unusual items. The doors open at 8:30 am and the lively auction will start at 10:00.
I will be the presenter/facilitator for the Center’s Tuesday Lecture on May 10th discussing the future of Medicare. I will review Medicare’s past history and then look at the competing visions for the future of Medicare. The presentation will start at 11:00 and the Tuesday Lectures are always open to everyone and anyone.
The music at the Center for Tuesday the 10th will be provided by Martin and Friends and tonight The Strawberry Mountain band will be performing for your dancing and listening pleasure. The doors open at 6:00, the music starts at 7:00 and everyone is welcome. And a grateful thanks to all the folks who donate every Tuesday night to keep the music flowing and the doors open.
As many of you knew, Archie’s best friend at Riverdale High School was Jughead. (And the winner of a free May 21st Saturday Breakfast is Jerry Taylor.) And after weeks of hobbies, politics and fine literature, it is back to entertainment. This week’s “Remember When” question has two parts. During the late fifties this group led a folk revival that lasted until the mid-60’s when the British Invasion came ashore. They recorded a hit song which was originally a campaign jingle for a Boston mayoral candidate and included the chorus “Did he ever return?/No he never returned/And his fate is still unlearn’d/He may ride forever/’neath the streets of Boston/He’s the man who never returned.” What was the title of the song and name of the group that recorded it? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or write the answer on the back of the sheet music for the North Carolina folk song “Tom Dooley”.
Well, it’s been another week enjoying the rain, the wind and once in a while the sun. Until we meet again, why not follow the advice of Norman Vincent Peale and become a possibilitarian – “No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities – always see them, for they’re always there.”
