Let's try some "neurobic" exercises

"6. Introduce Novelty

We wouldn't recommend trying all these things on the same morning, but do incorporate one or two of the following:

--Vary the order in which you do your normal routine (e.g., get dressed after breakfast).

--If a bagel and coffee is your daily fare, try something else like hot oatmeal and herbal tea.

--Change the setting on your radio alarm or tune into a morning TV program you never watch. Sesame Street, for example, may arouse the brain to notice how much of what you take for granted is explored in depth by children.

--Walk the dog on a new route. (Yes, you can teach old dogs new tricks).

Brain imaging studies show that novel tasks activate large areas of the cortex, indicating increased levels of brain activity in several distinct areas. This activity declined when the task had become routine and automatic. Much greater "brain power" is exerted for novel vs. automatic tasks."

From: Keeping Your Brain Alive by Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D. & Manning Rubin

[Actually when I put the heading of this thread "neurobic", I wondered how many people thought I meant to put "neurotic"???]

My one cat is up here on the desk and we were looking over the remainder of my April schedule and I asked him for his opinion and gave the schedule to him and he put fang marks in it. He always does that as if it is his personal signature that he has reviewed and signed off. So my schedule is approved. Oh, there he goes, one minute approving my schedule and another minute off to oggle some bird 6 feet from the front screen door. Yes, he's stimulating both sides of his brain!!

We had different routes for the hot summer to go under trees and then different routes for the rain, and different routes for the winter. My dog could walk forever. And we would cross over the bridge on the one canal and the donut company two miles up the canal would be making donuts at 5:30 in the morning and with the breeze coming down the canal I would be walking the dog at 5:30 AM and could smell the baking donuts and be drooling like Homer Simpson at donuts.

Ohhhhhh donuts, ohhhhhh donuts. Mind frozen. Donuts.