Food for Thought-less
So I just finished reading Don Dan Brown’s new book The Lost Code…oh wait, no it is the hold on I have it over here…oh yes the Lost Symbol. First of all I must say the critics are wrong and I think it is every bit as good as The DaVinci Code (but maybe not quite as good as Angels and Demons). The thing I like about Brawn…er Brown is that like John Grisham, he is an easy read. No overeloquence to describe a piece of trash, no more than a few different story lines going on at once, but yet can still draw you in with different emotions throughout.
Now why was I writing this post? Oh yeah Alzheimer’s.
According to Alz.org
Is a progressive and fatal brain disease. As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.
Being someone who has watched family members suffer from this terrible affliction and the strain and stress it causes them and their caretakers, I wondered as I read the book whether given our current lifestyle that we are not creating a generation of early onset alzheimer’s patients.
You see as I read the book, I found myself in parts reading it front of the computer because there were things I wanted to look up like breathable liquids, newton’s scale, images of identified artwork. And while you say I was challenging my brain, I counter that yes I was, but I don’t have to REMEMBER any of it.
All the information in the world is at my finger tips. When was the last time any of us had to remember a phone number. There are many close people in my life who I couldn’t tell you their phone number in an emergency because it is programmed into my phone. I don’t HAVE to remember.
Don’t get me wrong kids today are smarter than I ever was, even though Don Mills and I would agree we still “know” more than them. I host my blog on wordpress because then I don’t have to learn html but every 10 year old could create the most elaborate websites you have ever seen.
And isn’t that challenging their brain? Sure but one of the other issues is that you end up rather than having to get on your bike and ride to the library to find out information, you can roll your fat ass over to the computer without any effort. So now we spend so much time in front of the computer and overeating (as American’s tend to do) that we aren’t getting exercise.
According to the site:
General healthy aging: Other lines of evidence suggest that strategies for overall healthy aging may help keep the brain healthy and may even offer some protection against developing Alzheimer’s or related diseases. Try to keep your weight within recommended guidelines, avoid tobacco and excess alcohol, stay socially connected, and exercise both your body and mind.
So my loyal readers, I am vowing that my ass will not get wider than my shoulders and have begun an effort to lost 15 lbs. The last time I lost that much weight I used the South Beach diet. Well a kidney stone (one day I’ll tell you that story) and a urologist visit later, and I am no longer allowed to do high protein diets. So I am going to exercise more to see if that has any effect.
Who is with me? Step away from your blogroll and move your butt. To sacrifice, I will still be here if you miss a day of visiting because you are out jogging…(ugh that won’t be me). You’ll just make it up to me by commenting twice the day you do visit.
And speaking of forgetting. We all missed September 21 which was World Alzheimer’s Day (I tend to forget how to even spell it without looking it up. Always want to put a “t” in there), which was September 21. But the good news I am early for National Alzheimers Month in November.
Off to do some sit ups. I’ll visit your sites later.
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Damn you Bearman, we had several snaps from hell. I too finished Last Symbol today and I was also sitting at the computer looking up Kryptos and all the other little bits and pieces. I however guessed a few of the plot twists early in the book so the ending wasn’t as surprising as I would have liked. I found it amusing that when I looked up some of the Wiki references which Dan Brown mentioned in the book, they referred back to his book. Bizarre.
Remember loon it is not the destination, it is the journey.
That’s funny when I look up google references to you it refers back to me. hmmmm
Blahahhaha The Lost Finger
It’s not lost, it is shoving food in my mouth.
I did the same thing when I read angels & demons. It reminds me of when I was a kid having to check the dictionary for the tough words. Checking the dictionary improved my vocabulary and I think cross referencing improves…um….what was I saying? Anyway, be careful because sometimes Dan Brown likes to screw with your head using misleading or even out right wrong information, so it’s good to check him on a few things.
I know. I am very suspect that there are things called the Smithsonian Institute, the Washington Monument and even Congress in Washington DC. Darn Brown and his misleading info.
As I stated in yesterday’s post, autumn is when I start my walking regimen. Hmmm…better get going! Good luck with the 15 lbs. I’ll be rooting for you!
Thanks and I would have commented on your Autumn post had I not been on the road.
I read the book and found it quite loose, and much of it seemed forced. His trademark is caricatures of people (Sato, Mal’akh), but I thought both a bit overdone. He’ll still make millions and a movie.
Wont you lose weight when you hibernate?
He never claims to be writing Moby Dick.
Blahahaah Jammers, Bearman has been hibernating all year or is that procrastinating?
The problem is that there are those who won’t let me hibernate and force me to go to work to pay the bills.
WTF, tell your mom to leave you be!
That’s obvious, but I thought angels and demons was written better . . . more cohesive. Just an old farts opinion.
okay okay okay!!!! i’m back. [panting]
forgive me?
Were you running or just running away from your problems.
You mean you walked over to the computer with the book, and sat in an uncomfortable chair? I’m sure the only books I’ve ever read at the computer are e-books, and even then I rarely look anything up. Just too lazy. I shout questions at the guys and let them look’em for me instead (which does at least exercise their fingers).
When there were 3 references I needed to look up within 3 pages, I figured I would stay there for a while.
No one was around to do my computer bidding for me.
heyy and don’t forget to do a crossword occasionally…. it helps ward off alzheimers too
Even if you can only do 1/3 of it?
That’s why you buy the ones marked E-Z.
I am talking about the E-z ones.
Bring on that protein! I need it to “pump *clap* me up” (please tell my you’ve seen Hans and Frans). Anyway, I’m probably working on a nice gut to go with the “girly man” arms – it’s a stunning combo.
Actually I have the body of a god….unfortunately it is Budha. Actually everything is in perfect condition but my gut.
Come, come, Bearman. Exercising is a good thing.
Even with my broken down boy, I walk every weekend.
Every weekend.
Sun. Rain. Snow. Wind. You name the weather, I get my weekly five mile walk in.
You really need to fix your “boy”
HOP TO IT! Jogging in Ohio this time of year, it’s hard to work up a sweat because it’s freezing outside.
You are talking to the kid that cheated in the mile run in HS so he wouldn’t have to do it all. I DON’T run!!!
You want to lose 15 pounds? I crap 15 pounds twice a day. Weight loss only gets worth pursuing once you cross the 300 pound mark. Live a little.
As steady as my bowels are you would think that I could lose some weight. I even have a scale that measures in the tenths of pounds but my crap must be weightless b/c it is always the same before and after.
What’s a Library?
It’s this place where they make you be quiet. Vewwy, vewwy quiet.
I’ve started walking up this mountain I live on at least once a day. It’s so steep, that even walking down it burns calories. I need to do something to alleviate living at a computer station. Good luck to you and all of us who are willing to attempt a change.
And I really like Dan Brown. I didn’t start reading his stuff until after the DV Code hoopla died down, but I thought Angels and Demons was a fantastic novel. I hope the movie is just as good.
Wait they made a movie?? I could have just watched the movie.
It starred that guy from Bosom Buddies if you can believe that.