One of the many things I love about being an #UpbeatAuthor is the way the weekly topics encourage me to explore aspects of my faith I might not have previously considered.
Example: renewal. Every morning is a renewal. Wow.
Every morning, when I wake up, I am renewed because what happened the previous day is over. Done. Gone. The day ahead of me is a fresh start. It is going to be a good day. Renewal is just that simple.
The brain needs new challenges in order to keep learning and adapting.
Here are a few ideas, ranging from the simple to ones that require a bit more investment.
Jumpstart your brain by
Challenge your mind with stimulating activities such as:
Use the “wrong” hand to open your bottle of water.
Instead of reaching for your calculator, do mental math.
Learn a new language.
Learn how to play a musical instrument.
Turn your shopping list into a rhyming poem.
Laugh out loud twice a day (up to five different areas of the brain get into the action when we laugh).
Be curious.
Anything that you do out of the norm engages the brain.
Did you ever play Monopoly as a child?
My cousins, sibs, and I would stage marathon Monopoly sessions. Everyone argued over who would get the thimble.
Everyone wanted Boardwalk, of course, but I focused on buying the yellow properties: Atlantic Ave, Ventnor Ave, and Marvin Gardens. I also liked the light blue ones: Connecticut, Vermont, and Oriental. I usually could put hotels on them and make a fortune.
I still have my board, game pieces, cards, etc, but the box that contained them is long gone.
So are the days when a large group of people had time at the same time to play the game that would not end.
It’s National Hot Dog Day.
I love hot dogs. Good hot dogs. Good hot dogs cooked right.
My favorite hot dogs are Hofmann. Yes, they are local, but the company is working to go national. (I do try to support local businesses, too. See my previous post about ice cream.)
But even Hofmann hot dogs need to be cooked correctly. The ball park mostly steams the ones they sell. That. Is. Disgusting. My mom used to boil hot dogs. Ugh! (Although sometimes she boiled them in tomato sauce, and that was good!) A perfectly cooked hot dog will have crisp, somewhat blackened skin. Grilling is the best way to achieve that. I use a grill pan on the stove when I have to.
Some people (TV Stevie) gunk up their dogs with sauerkraut and mustard. Or onions. Now, I’m not opposed to a Texas Hot once in a while, or a chili dog, but for everyday eating a great hot dog needs nothing but the roll.
Today is National Garlic Day.
I personally think every day should celebrate this wonderful bulb.
It’s flavorful and it repels not only vampires, but cold and flu germs. It’s nutritious, helps improve cholesterol levels, and lower blood pressure. Some people go so far as to claim it is antibacterial and anti-parasitic.
There is no such thing as too much garlic.