I Forgot!

Oops!  I missed posting my blog this morning.  I usually write it on Sunday nights, but I totally forgot about it this week.  I don't know if that is an indication that I had a great weekend or if it was just very busy.

Tonight my husband and I were watching a movie that we picked up from Redbox: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  I had seen the trailers for it when it first came out, but I really didn't know anything about it. I just knew that some excellent actors like Judi Dench and Maggie Smith were in it.  Since he had a free Redbox rental available, we decided to try it out.  I liked it!  Of course, we are the demographic since it is about retirees and adapting to change in their lives.  Judi Dench is a widow who writes a blog, and when she mentioned it, a light bulb went off in my head.  I had forgotten to write my weekly blog!!!

Memory is an interesting thing.  I usually have an excellent memory with a facile ability to multi-task.  I think that I have always been good at this, and my work over the years has given me a lot of practice.  I have always been good at remembering names and faces which helped me a lot both as a teacher and as an HR professional.  Now that I am retired and getting older, I want to be sure to keep that memory muscle alive and well.

Some of my retirement gifts included books of puzzles, but I have found them to be boring.  I do not enjoy paper/pencil activities very much any more.  I am much more intrigued by technology.  My family laughs at me for playing Facebook games on my computer, but I believe that they keep my mind sharp and challenged.  I also play Solitaire and strategy games on my iPhone as well as jigsaw puzzles on my iPad.  Most of these are daily activities so my mind is being challenged every day.  However, I started wondering if there were other resources available.  That is when I saw an advertisement on TV for Lumosity.

Lumosity is advertised as a way to "improve memory and attention using scientific brain games".   They claim that these activities promote neuroplasticity, and it is true that all of us want our brains to be able to change and respond nimbly as we go about our daily lives.  So, I have decided to try it!  For me, it's just more games to play.

They can be challenging.  One of the games I had tonight was to quickly do mental math and enter the answers into the computer.  I had to really focus and keep on my toes throughout the exercise.  These games remind me of a game I used to play on a handheld device which calculated your brain age and gave you exercises to do.  However, this one is much more robust.  They have a free version which is the one I play.  I am having fun, and maybe it will help me remember to write my blog on time in the future.  Try it out and let me know what you think.  You may also find that it is fun!

Have you found your joy today?