Challenge Thyself!

A short article in the NYT today about ‘superagers’ and their brains.  It seems that superagers, who remain sharp and acute into later years, have brain tissue that resembles 25 year olds.  This is thought, the article states, to be from remaining active after retirement and, more importantly, being challenged.  Soduko or crosswords don’t get you there.  Like muscle, the brain responds to being worked hard, doing unpleasant but rewarding activities.  “Pain is weakness leaving the body” is a Marine Corps saying, the benefit of hard work shows in the endurance for more hard work is another way of saying it.

So, I must challenge myself.  The proscriptive: no TV, bad food, or wasting time.  More reading, writing, guitar, art, work -- all the things I have mapped for myself during this time that I have not been doing. 

The vacation is over.

I spent an hour this morning catching up to get me to the point I can actually move forward.  I must make better use of my time.  Particularly in the evenings, when I think that I am tired, there is no social outlet, there is no TV allowed anymore.  This is the time I must take for cleaning, fitness, house improvement projects, etc. in preparation for the day.  This must take place after the W call.