My youngest celebrates her 21st birthday soon so today I Googled, “cake decorating.” I’m hoping I can learn to make something “Cake Boss” worthy. It needs to be fun, with charming characters on top, and a giraffe somewhere in the mix. I just don’t know if I have the capacity to learn something new. Tonight, I was trying to remember how to make a barbeque-beef on rice dish that I’ve made a hundred times and had to remind myself I needed beef. What chance does that giraffe really have?
I’ve heard playing online puzzle games or doing crosswords can help with your memory. Doesn’t help mine. What IS a three letter word for “an old French coin?” Apparently, it’s “ecu” which sounds like “ecru” which itself is a four-letter word for “Wow, is that an ugly colour” and completely inappropriate for a birthday cake.
Luckily, I found research that supports me leaving crosswords behind so that I can pick up a piping bag. Learning a new skill stimulates the brain in a way that is “mentally taxing” as opposed to doing something you already know how to do (like buying a cake at the store). Okay, learning how to decorate a cake will help my brain health and that will improve my memory. Hope it works quickly. Remember how I said her birthday was soon? I just remembered, it’s today.
For more about skills and memory see: http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112980110/aging-brain-health-learning-new-skills-102113/
Today’s change: Learn a new skill.
LifeMatters 