intellectual stimulation

[Zoe Girl]

I feel my brain is atrophying with so much paperwork, deadlines, and details that I don't have access any more to my smart side! I had a couple things that have come up that perked my intellectual side and had me thinking about the past. Mostly I have found anti-intellectualism even within education. Way too many people are proud they don't do math well. And when I get out of my box of trying not to show off or be too smart I don't seem to do it well. Of course they could be the other person's issue too. It is not lost on me that really smart people push buttons, I see it with kids often.

I guess too many adult jobs don't always have this included, I have a training course I am doing right now and then a special meditation group, maybe after that I could take an MIT open source calculus class.

BTW I am rather cranky about quitting smoking so this may be a cranky post, my social clue system appears to be turned off this week.

[sweetana3]

Cranky or not, the heart doctor that spoke to our group last week would congratulate you. Peppered thruout her presentation were comments that smoking shortens life and affects the heart in many silent ways.

[Tybee]

By all means take the MOOC in calculus. DH took one in electronic music, and he's a professional musician, and he learned a lot! MOOC's are great if you are self-motivated. You might also want to take statistics because you could use it in grant writing.

[Zoe Girl]

Thank you, Sweetana I realized that I could not expect to be the special one who did not have health complications from smoking. I had to plan on bad things happening. After years of healthy living to the max I really don't need that. But I need to balance some self compassion for being around smokers and the stress of many, many years. Now I know you can't force others into anything but it kills me that all my kids started young after never being around it.

I think I will plan on the class, I know that brain research says that keeping yourself challenged prevents alzheimer's. Plus I want to embrace my inner smarty-pants. I have statistics on a basic level with grad school but that is super challenging math I can work on. I did my masters on-line so I know I can be self-motivated.