But a friend sent me this amazing video of comedian Chris Bliss doing a . . . → Read More: Juggling]]> I’m not really interested in any big way in juggling, but it’s always been one of those “I wish I could…” things. I’ve tried juggling a bit and even looked at the Klutz juggling book but it never really clicked for me.

But a friend sent me this amazing video of comedian Chris Bliss doing a juggling routine in time to the music of the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers.”

And then I passed it on and a friend sent a link to juggler Ben Jennings: check out his videos.

It’s funny how memes come your way, so I figured I’d pass it on, and since juggling is one of those things I’d long ago written off as something I can’t do, I’ll add it to the list of things I will try to learn, right after I’m a bit more proficient in French

Reminds me of one of my favorite fortune cookies: “As soon as you feel you’re too old to do something, do it.”

This is one of the reasons that I decided to . . . → Read More: Keep your brain active: Learn a new language!]]> As many studies show, your mind is a “use it or lose it” proposition. (see, Mental Exercise Nearly Halves Risk of Dementia, for example). That is, your mind will inexorably decline as you age (just as your muscles will) if you don’t continue to stimulate it.

This is one of the reasons that I decided to learn French. I’m also hoping for a trip to France this year. And, frankly, I always thought French was too hard to learn, so I decided to challenge myself! (Turns out it is pretty difficult to get the pronunciation correct, but not at all insurmountable.)

It’s really quite stimulating to learn a new language. I usually do one lesson per day, while in the car. Sometimes I’ll repeat a lesson if I don’t feel familiar with the new material. I feel like I’m progressing quickly, and am really enjoying it.

One interesting side effect is that my Spanish is improving too. Since it’s the same part of the brain that’s getting exercised it stands to reason, but I was surprised to find that the Spanish I already know comes out more fluidly now.

Whatever you do, do something out of the ordinary with your brain. Many people swear by crossword puzzles as a way to exercise your brain. I’m sure it works, as it forces you to think of things that aren’t part of your normal life. But for me, I want an activity that seems like a worthwhile use of my time. That’s why I’m learning a new language. Maybe you should try it too?

To learn French, I’m primarily using the Pimsleur course, which I highly recommend. It’s especially good for learning good pronunciation. I’m also trying out the Rosetta Stone language learning program. It is also good, but it excels at teaching vocabulary; I find it not as good for pronunciation as Pimsleur, though they are different paradigms. Pimsleur is an audio course, and the Rosetta Stone is a computer program.

TIP: Pimsleur CDs and Cassettes can be checked out from a library for free. Note that there are new editions of French (and probably other languages) to account for the currency change to the Euro, and other improvements, I’m sure. So be sure to get the most current one. I started on the previous edition, and find the sound quality better on the new edition that I got.

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