Memory

or lack thereof. Mine is pretty bad these days. I just read an article in the NYT (New York Times) about middle (old?) learning and memory by Barbara Strauch. It was pretty interesting. I just hope I remember it in a couple weeks.

The author talked about what I call my book Alzheimer's. I can read a book a couple years after reading it the first time, and most times I can't remember what happens. Barbara says aging brains (even middle aged like mine) fall into what's called the default mode and the mind wanders off and begins daydreaming.

The author states what I thought is true. (Yep, I'm really a genius under the guise of a mild mannered trash lady) I still know a lot of shit - it's just buried under all the other shit I know. The article goes on to give a name for that phenomenon that happens to all of us - tots - something on the tip of the tongue. I can't remember a name, but it starts with a T. It pops into my head when I'm not straining so hard to poop it out.

Another cool thing the article points out is that as the brain gets older, it gets better at picking out the central idea, the big picture. The older brain allows for great complexity and deeper understanding. Just call me Dali Lama.

I found it very interesting that even though we oldsters have "well connected pathways" in our brains, we need to give 'em a nudge and jiggle our synapses by confronting views that are not like ours. So Bets - you're good for me! LOL

And that says to me that folks like Glen Beck need to hang out with me and challenge their beliefs (which they often pass of as facts...). When we learn things a new way, we scrambled our eggy brains, establishing new neuron connections - which is a good thing.

I hope to keep learning all my life. Recently a TV station did an article of an older woman who finally graduated from ISU after leaving to get married after a couple years of school. She hadn't been at school for 60 or so years, but she and her hubby moved back to Ames from Portland for a year and a half so she could finish up. Maybe I'll get my masters after all!