Quote to ponder under the apple tree 
I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.
~ E. B. White (born July 11, 1899)
Resources to bite into
1. Finding the balance between saving and savoring *
E. B. White, who would have been 110 this week, is one of my favorite writers, not least because I share his tension over the difficulty of being good (responsible) while also appreciating earth’s goodness (relaxing and enjoying). He wrote wonderful children’s books (Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan), one basic writer’s guide (Elements of Style with William Strunk) and hundreds of essays for the New Yorker magazine with good humor, grace, and uncommon insight into our daily lives. I encourage you to look up his writings in such books as:
• Writings from the New Yorker 1927- 1976. (To order, click here.)
• Essays of E.B. White. (To order, click here.)
2. Odd jobs *
The current Brain Aerobics Weekly has a quiz in which we ask if you can identify the early jobs of people who are now rich and famous. In some cases, they were obviously ill-suited for their early work. Here are some facts that didn’t make it into the quiz:
• Howie Mandel was fired from his job as an amusement park ride operator in Toronto for making jokes to riders about the ride's safety.
• Barry Manilow was fired from a job at a brewery, when he reportedly left the truck door open and spilled the beer all over the road.
• Sidney Poitier was reportedly fired from his job parking cars because of his poor driving skills.
Source: http://www.hardlyfamous.com/stars/.
3. Today is the beginning of Japan’s Star Festival *
Although it is celebrated in August and later in some places, Tanabata begins today in at least some places. Among other traditions, it is a day to make a wish expressing your
hopes and dreams for your future, the future of your family and friends, and the future of the world. Write those wishes on a strip of paper (decorated or not) and hang it on a tree – or freshly cut bamboo, if it’s available. Then go out and star gaze – It’s good for the savoring part of your life.
* These items are easily adapted when working with people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Tips/ideas/insights to savor *
The word quiz in the current Brain Aerobics Weekly was inspired by the book Word Fugitives by Barbara Wallraff, which describes words that don’t exist in the English language but should. For example, have you ever gone through your dirty clothes hamper to find something clean enough to wear? Shouldn’t there be a word for that? Made-up words are called neologisms and Ms. Wallraff’s book describes others’ efforts to come up with them. Among the choices for dirty hamper searching were: skivvy-dipping, snifting and dry gleaning, all of which amuse me – clever and accurate!
That creative thinking process is a good way to get groups working together and coming up with out-of-the-box suggestions. Here are a few words people suggested were needed that Ms. Wallraff did not have neologisms for. Can you come up with your own, either on your own or within a group?
• What would you call what a dog does as it turns round and round before lying down?
• What’s the male parallel to women’s gossiping when they endlessly debate the merits of different cameras, televisions or barbecue grills?
• What’s a word for hoping to get someone’s voice mail but reaching the real person instead?
• What do you call a catchy melody (like “It’s a Small World After All”) that keeps replaying in your head against your will?
What else do you need a word for?
To order Word Fugitives, click here.
Let the ever-ripening Wiser Now website become the apple of your eye.
-- Host a workshop, purchase materials or click on the blue print to sign up for Brain Aerobics Weekly. and Wiser Now Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Tips.
I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.
~ E. B. White (born July 11, 1899)
Resources to bite into
1. Finding the balance between saving and savoring *E. B. White, who would have been 110 this week, is one of my favorite writers, not least because I share his tension over the difficulty of being good (responsible) while also appreciating earth’s goodness (relaxing and enjoying). He wrote wonderful children’s books (Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan), one basic writer’s guide (Elements of Style with William Strunk) and hundreds of essays for the New Yorker magazine with good humor, grace, and uncommon insight into our daily lives. I encourage you to look up his writings in such books as:
• Writings from the New Yorker 1927- 1976. (To order, click here.)
• Essays of E.B. White. (To order, click here.)
2. Odd jobs *
The current Brain Aerobics Weekly has a quiz in which we ask if you can identify the early jobs of people who are now rich and famous. In some cases, they were obviously ill-suited for their early work. Here are some facts that didn’t make it into the quiz:
• Howie Mandel was fired from his job as an amusement park ride operator in Toronto for making jokes to riders about the ride's safety.
• Barry Manilow was fired from a job at a brewery, when he reportedly left the truck door open and spilled the beer all over the road.
• Sidney Poitier was reportedly fired from his job parking cars because of his poor driving skills.
Source: http://www.hardlyfamous.com/stars/.
3. Today is the beginning of Japan’s Star Festival *
Although it is celebrated in August and later in some places, Tanabata begins today in at least some places. Among other traditions, it is a day to make a wish expressing your
hopes and dreams for your future, the future of your family and friends, and the future of the world. Write those wishes on a strip of paper (decorated or not) and hang it on a tree – or freshly cut bamboo, if it’s available. Then go out and star gaze – It’s good for the savoring part of your life.
* These items are easily adapted when working with people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Tips/ideas/insights to savor *
The word quiz in the current Brain Aerobics Weekly was inspired by the book Word Fugitives by Barbara Wallraff, which describes words that don’t exist in the English language but should. For example, have you ever gone through your dirty clothes hamper to find something clean enough to wear? Shouldn’t there be a word for that? Made-up words are called neologisms and Ms. Wallraff’s book describes others’ efforts to come up with them. Among the choices for dirty hamper searching were: skivvy-dipping, snifting and dry gleaning, all of which amuse me – clever and accurate!
That creative thinking process is a good way to get groups working together and coming up with out-of-the-box suggestions. Here are a few words people suggested were needed that Ms. Wallraff did not have neologisms for. Can you come up with your own, either on your own or within a group?
• What would you call what a dog does as it turns round and round before lying down?
• What’s the male parallel to women’s gossiping when they endlessly debate the merits of different cameras, televisions or barbecue grills?
• What’s a word for hoping to get someone’s voice mail but reaching the real person instead?
• What do you call a catchy melody (like “It’s a Small World After All”) that keeps replaying in your head against your will?
What else do you need a word for?
To order Word Fugitives, click here.
Let the ever-ripening Wiser Now website become the apple of your eye.
-- Host a workshop, purchase materials or click on the blue print to sign up for Brain Aerobics Weekly. and Wiser Now Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Tips.
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