© 2012 kathy laurenhue

© 2012 Kathy Laurenhue – www.WiserNow.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE

Discussions

Do Late Life Careers Prolong Life? – 9 Exploding Explorer Myths – 19

September’s Oktoberfest – 27

Balloon Fest Gets Off the Ground – 29

Talk Like a Pirate – 30

Reminiscence Exercises

Reminiscing About Fall Feelings – 3

Beautiful Words – 8

Reminiscing About Fall Events – 10

Sidebars – 7 bonus bits!

Trivia quizzes

Fall Colors – 7

The Truth About Johnny Appleseed – 12

More Apple Trivia – 16

William Tell – 18 Peanut Butter – 24

Word games

Autumn Leaves – 5

Logical Saints – 21

Tom Swifties and Fall Sports – 23 Indian Summer – 32

If you have exercises, resources, or ideas you want to add, please feel free to email

[email protected].

Also go beyond the form. For example, many of the exercises are likely to prompt reminiscences that can open up additional discussions.

“Fascinated by Fall” is the third in the MindPlay Connections™ series of seasonal

themes. You’ll find the expected falling leaves focus, but also unexpected (I hope) topics like the trivia quiz celebrating Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month (November). We have also covered fall topics in our ever expanding MPC list that can be accessed at http://shop.wisernow.com. In addition to our Nostalgia TV titles (most programming has traditionally begun in fall) the following go great with fall (and get all six for the price of five):

Happy Halloween

Inspiring People

Mysterious Fun

November Celebrations

Our Better Selves

School Daze

The goal of MindPlay Connections™ is always twofold:

1) We want you to make playful new connections in your brain, because learning

new information builds new brain pathways – as opposed to retrieving answers you already

know, which merely deepens ruts.

2) We want you to strengthen your connections with others by sharing the

exercises with a partner or group, because having strong social networks is one of the

most important components of wellbeing at any age.

© 2012 Kathy Laurenhue

www.WiserNow.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://shop.wisernow.com/

http://www.wisernow.com/


Reminiscing About Fall Feelings

Fall begins officially each year about September 21st in the U.S., and while our British compatriots tend to celebrate summer for several weeks longer, and our friends in the southern hemisphere are just entering spring then, fall feelings can be explored anytime. Some people look forward to shorter daylight hours and cooler nights as a cozy, comfy time when people gather closer to hearth and home, and others dread winter’s cold approach. Some love the color, the wind, the football games, the smell of burning leaves. Following are a few quotes expressing varying viewpoints. Which do you relate to?

I love the fall. I love it because . . . things are dying, things that you don't have to

take care of anymore, and the grass stops growing. ~ Mark Van Doren

Do you see fall as a time when you can work less around the house? Explain.

Nature is, above all, profligate. Don't believe them when they tell you how economical and thrifty nature is, whose leaves return to the soil.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to leave them on the tree in the first place? ~ Annie Dillard

How do you feel about raking leaves? If you no longer have such responsibilities, are you happy to have given them up? What memories do you have of playing in piles of leaves or watching your children/ grandchildren do so?

Then summer fades and passes and October comes. We'll smell smoke then, and feel an unexpected sharpness,

a thrill of nervousness, swift elation, a sense of sadness and departure." ~ Thomas Wolfe


Some people feel autumn has sadness and loneliness in it, and dislike it. Some acknowledge the sense of ending, and like it anyway. How do you feel?

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~ Albert Camus

A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this

season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air.

~ Eric Sloane

The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,

while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. ~ John Muir

Many people love the smells, sights and sounds of fall and feel energized by it. Do you? Share your thoughts.

Summer is already better, but the best is autumn. It is mature, reasonable and serious,

it glows moderately and not frivolously ... It cools down, clears up, makes you reasonable ...

~ Valentin

What do you think of Valentin’s view of autumn? Do you agree? Do you see maturity in fall? Do you miss spring’s frivolity or can you find it in fall, too?


Word game: Autumn Leaves

People who create word puzzles in which the goal is to make as many words as possible from another word or phrase frequently put the words in a circle, because that takes away the visual limits of seeing the words in a line. That’s also the basis for ElderGames’ “The Clock Game,” which is now available only through Senior Living Depot (www.SeniorLivingDepot.com), to the best of my knowledge. (The name comes from the fact that a letter is substituted for each number on the clock.) You can also make up your own version of the game as I have done below. Begin by creating a circle of four (Try POTS) or more

letters using common words or phrases and work your way up to 12.

How many words can you make from “Autumn Leaves”?

T

U U

A M

S N

E L

V E

A

http://www.seniorlivingdepot.com/


Here are some answers to the word game on the previous page. Many of these also have plural versions that are not included here. How many did you think of? Are there others you can add? Once you have a list of answers, another way you can play this is to give other players clues, such as, “When you go to a restaurant, your food choices are provided on a _____,” (menu) or “Someone who is anxious may be feeling _____” (tense). alas ale alms alum alumnus amen amulet amuse ant ante ate atlas aunt autumn autumnal avenue ease easel east eat eaten eave eel elate eleven elm else elves emanate emu emulate enslave ensue evaluate eve even event eventual

lame lament lane last late lava lean leanest lease least leave leaven lament lean lens lent let luau lust lute male malt man manatee mane manse mantle manual mast mat mate maul mauve maven meal mean means

meant meanest meat meet melt men mental menu mesa met metal mule muse must mute mutual name nasal natal nausea nauseate naval nave neat nest net nut sale salt salute salve same sane sat sauna sauté savant

save sea seal sealant seam seaman seat see seem seen senate sent set seven slam slant slat slate slave sleet slue slum stale stamen steal steam steel stem stun suave sue suet sultan sum sun svelte tale tamale

tame tan tea teal team tease tee teem teen ten tense tuna tune umlaut unease unseal unseat usual use uvula vale valet value van vane vast vat vault veal venal vent venue vest vet


Trivia quiz: Fall Colors

Autumn is when leaves blush into brown, orange, red, and yellow. Colors have strong symbolic meanings that vary widely from culture to culture and even within cultures. You may not know all the answers to the questions below, but I hope you learn something new and have your curiosity aroused to learn more.

Can you match the color to its characteristics?

The answers to all the questions are one of the following: a. Brown b. Orange

c. Red d. Yellow

1. Cheery, happy, sunshiny, optimistic, cowardly ___

2. Bold, daring, adventuresome, fearless, funny ___

3. Passion, love, excitement, strength, danger ___

4. Reliable, approachable, natural, earthy ___

5. This is the color of mourning in Egypt and courage in Japan ___

6. Islamic, Hindu and Chinese brides traditionally wear this color ___

7. This color is associated with kinship by American Indians ___

8. In China and Japan, this color symbolizes happiness and love ___

9. This color is associated with the brain and clear thinking intelligence. It is said to activate memory and encourage communication. ___

10. This color encourages action and confidence and can increase blood pressure and heart rate ___

11. Dreaming of this color is supposed to mean you will be lucky with money ___

12. Bees can’t see this color, so flowers of this color are usually pollinated by birds, butterflies and wind ___

© 2012 Kathy Laurenhue www.wisernow.com

Sources: Many, but the most comprehensive is http://www.squidoo.com/colorexpert Answers:

1. d 2. b 3. c

4. a 5. d 6. c

7. b 8. b 9. d

10. c 11. a 12. c

Imaginative word game: Beautiful Words

While you’re thinking of the beauty of fall colors, think also of the beauty of words. Wordsmith Willard R. Espy picked out a few of his and some suggested by others in his book, The Best of an Almanac of Words at Play. Without regard for the meaning of words – although that obviously has an effect – here are 15 words that some people have described as musical to the ear:

babbling calypso gloaming lavender lullaby

meadow meandering melodious murmuring rhapsody

Shenandoah twilight ululation voluptuous wisteria

Think about it:

Do you agree with these choices?

What words would you add?

Are there some letters, such as L, M and W, that are more ear-pleasing to you than others?

What words do you find especially displeasing in sound? (e.g., screech, gag, globular?)

Are there some languages that have more ear-pleasing sounds than others? Which ones?

http://www.squidoo.com/colorexpert


Discussion: Do Late-Life Careers Prolong Life?

September 7 is officially Grandma Moses Day, named in honor of Anna Mary Robertson Moses, who was born that day in 1860. She lived most of her life on a farm, but as her responsibilities diminished and arthritis hampered her ability to embroider, she took up painting in her mid-70’s. A New York City collector saw some of her work in a drugstore window in rural Eagle Bridge, NY, and that was the beginning of her wider notoriety. She had her first one-woman show in New York City at the age of 80, an event that led to her international fame. By the time of her death in 1961 at the age of 101, she had created over 1500 works of art.

Pictured: Detail from one of her fall-themed pictures. Learn more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Moses

Talk about it:

What new directions have you gone as you have aged? Have you

taken up a new hobby, an avocation, volunteer work, travel? Talk about the new directions.

What are the advantages of starting new work at an older age? Do you feel less pressure to succeed? More freedom to make mistakes? What else?

Many musicians and artists seem to live very long lives. Do you think there is a connection between work that is creatively satisfying and living/aging well?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Moses

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Moses


Reminiscing About Fall Events

Each season tends to conjure up its own memories. Think about what autumn has meant to you in the past and what it means now by answering the following questions.

Traditionally, fall has meant a return to school for children. Do you have any special back to school memories? Talk about them.

Fall is also a time of chores, although some have them have changed over the years. Which of these bring back memories for you:

Baking pies, especially apple, pumpkin and rhubarb

Bringing in the patio furniture

Canning fruits and vegetables or making jams

Cleaning out gutters

Getting out winter clothes and perhaps winter bedding

Harvesting the last vegetables, including pumpkins and gourds

Picking apples

Planting bulbs for spring

Raking (and burning?) leaves

Replacing screens with storm windows

Others? Fall is also a time for nature walks through colorful woods, playing in the leaves, and enjoying fall crafts like carving pumpkins and gourds, sewing quilts, arranging fall leaves. Which of these do you indulge in – or did you once upon a time?


Fall festivals are distinctive, too.

Think of decorations: hay bales, scare crows, pumpkins, Indian corn, colorful leaves

Think of activities: square dancing, hay rides, apple bobbing, singing “Shine on Harvest Moon,” making mulled cider (Can you smell the cinnamon?), and displaying and judging jams and quilts.

For some people, fall is a time of sports: Baseball’s World Series, Rugby’s World Cup, American college football games, and homecoming events. What are your interests or memories around these? Are there other sights, smells, or events you associate with fall? Talk about them.

Sidebar: Harvest Moon

The “harvest moon” is the full moon nearest September’s autumn equinox for the obvious reason that it’s a time for harvesting crops before frost sets in.

Trivia question: The song, “Shine on, Harvest Moon” lists four

months since the singer last had some loving. Can you name them?

Answer: The chorus actually has two versions: Ain’t had no lovin’ since April, January, June or July and Ain’t had no lovin’ since January, February, June or July.

Which do you prefer? Or do you want lovin’ every month of the year?


Trivia quiz: The Truth About Johnny Appleseed

In the autumn our thoughts may turn to apples – cider and pie, and biting into them while bobbing. We really can thank Johnny Appleseed for the popularity of apple orchards in the U.S., but what you may have learned about him in school is due for an update. Jonathan Chapman, who actually was a legend in his own time, was born September 26, 1774, and lived almost to 70.

What do you know of apples and Johnny Appleseed?

1. Sweet apple trees were one of the delights that early European settlers were pleased to find when they arrived in North America. a. True ___ b. False ___

2. What most people don’t realize is that an apple tree grown from a seed bears little resemblance to its parent. If you grew 100 apple trees from the seeds of the same tree, the new apple trees would all be different. a. True ___ b. False ___

3. The fruit grown from seeds tends to be very sour or bitter. To get edible apples, you graft trees, producing a clone of a tree that you know bears tasty fruit, rather than plant from seeds. a. True ___ b. False ___

4. Early settlers didn’t mind apple orchards with sour apples because in the 1700s and 1800s, most apples were grown not for eating but for making hard (alcoholic) cider. (In most countries, cider is assumed to be alcoholic; in the U.S., only hard cider is.) a. True ___ b. False ___

5. Johnny Appleseed scattered apple seeds all over what is now Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Some of the resulting trees are still alive. a. True ___ b. False ___

6. The trees that resulted from his planting increased the real estate value of the frontier land he frequented. a. True ___ b. False ___


7. Johnny Appleseed was an eccentric. While it can be hard to separate fact from fiction, which of the following are true? (Check all that are.) a. He was a friend to all Indians and was never harmed by them. ___ b. Like the Indians, when he went hunting with them, he honored the

animals he was sacrificing for his food. ___ c. He wore a tin kettle on his head which served as a hat and a

cooking pot. ___

d. He went barefoot throughout the year and generally wore a coffee sack with holes for his arms and legs. ___

e. Once he began his planting life he never had a fixed home and usually slept beside a campfire outdoors or on the floor of a settler’s cabin, where he exchanged stories and preaching for shelter and a meal. ___

8. In the U.S., the popularity of eating apples as a fruit didn’t really take off until the early 1900s when the Women's Christian Temperance Union message about the “evils of alcohol” gained ground. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" was an old adage, promoted by apple growers fearful that Prohibition would cut their sales. (Variation: “To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread.”) a. True ___ b. False ___

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed and http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2141/whats-the-story-with-johnny-appleseed Answers:

1. False. Crab apples had existed in North America before the arrival of European settlers, but not the sweet varieties we know today. Early settlers brought seeds and seedlings of the popular fruit to both North and South America.

2. True, which is part of the reason there are thousands of varieties of apples.

3. True. In addition, trees that were grown from seedlings ("pippins") prospered in New England, especially after the colonists imported honeybees to improve pollination.

4. True. Cider was safer, tastier, and easier to make than corn liquor. In rural areas, cider took the place not only of wine and beer, but also of coffee, juice, even water. Part of the problem was a lack of refrigeration. Plain fruit juice soon spoiled; apple juice allowed to ferment into about 5% alcohol didn’t.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2141/whats-the-story-with-johnny-appleseed


5. False; Johnny Appleseed planted nurseries rather than scattering seeds; he built fences around them to protect them from livestock, left the nurseries in the care of a neighbor who sold trees on shares, and returned every year or two to tend the nursery. But yes, some of those trees are still alive.

6. True; In some periods of the settlement of the Midwest, settlers were required by law to plant orchards of apples and pears in order to uphold the right to the claimed land. The land with Johnny Appleseed's pre-planted orchards made for popular real estate.

7. All are true except b. Johnny Appleseed was a vegetarian who believed in respecting all insect and animal life. Here’s one story told about him: One cool autumnal night, while lying by his camp-fire in the woods, he observed that the mosquitoes flew in the blaze and were burned. Johnny, who wore on his head a tin utensil which answered both as a cap and a mush pot, filled it with water and quenched the fire, and afterwards remarked, “God forbid that I should build a fire for my comfort, that should be the means of destroying any of his creatures.”

8. True, but that doesn’t mean the joys of fresh apples – and applesauce and apple pies – haven’t long been known. Archeologists have found evidence that humans have been enjoying apples since at least 6500 B.C. Apples were the favorite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans; thus, how to grow sweet apples has long been known.

Sidebar: Apple Smiles Here’s an idea: If you have children or grandchildren, consider making a disembodied smile snack: 2 thin red apple slices stuck together with peanut butter, interspersed with mini-marshmallows. It works! I’ve tried it.

Fruitful thought:

Every thought is a seed.

If you plant crab apples,

don’t count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~ Bill Meyer


Sidebar: Sippin’ Cider Through a Straw “Sipping Cider Through a Straw” was a popular 20th century children’s “echo song,” so named because the lines are repeated. Here is one version of the words provided by http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/sippinmid.htm. Sing it if you can! The prettiest girl (The prettiest girl) I ever saw (I ever saw) Was sippin' ci- (Was sippin' ci-) Der through a straw (Der through a straw) The prettiest girl I ever saw Was sippin' cider through a straw I told that gal (I told that gal) I didn't see how (I didn't see how) She sipped that ci- (She sipped that ci-) Der through a straw (Der through a straw) I told that gal I didn't see how She sipped that cider through a straw Then cheek to cheek (Then cheek to cheek) And jaw to jaw (And jaw to jaw) We sipped that ci- (We sipped that ci-) Der through a straw (Der through a straw) Then cheek to cheek and jaw to jaw We sipped that cider through a straw

And now and then (And now and then) That straw would slip (That straw would slip) And I'd sip some ci- (And I'd sip some ci-) Der from her lip (Der from her lip) And now and then that straw would slip And I'd sip some cider from her lip And now I've got (And now I've got) A mother-in-law (A mother-in-law) From sippin' ci- (From sippin' ci-) Der through a straw (Der through a straw) And now I've got a mother-in-law From sippin' cider through a straw The moral of (The moral of) This little tale (This little tale) Is to sip your soda (Is to sip your soda) Through a pail (Through a pail) The moral of this little tale Is to sip your soda through a pail!

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/sippinmid.htm


Trivia quiz: More Apple Trivia

The previous quiz offered a bit of history about apples, but what do you know about apples in the world today?

1. Apples, like pears, are pome (meaning “fleshy”) fruits. Fruits with a hard stone center like peaches, plums, apricots and cherries are called: a. Stone fruits ___ b. Pit fruits ___

2. Apples are associated with the number 5 for all of the following reasons except which one? a. Apple is 5-letter word. ___ b. Apple blossoms typically form in

clusters of 5. ___ c. An apple blossom has 5 petals. ___ d. Apples grow on five continents. ___ e. Red Delicious apples usually have 5

bumps (lobes) on the base. ___ f. The "star" you see when you cut an

apple in half (sideways) is due to the fruit's 5 seed cavities. ___

3. Apples float in water because they are: a. 25% air ___ b. 50% air ___

4. Americans eat about twice the number of fresh apples annually per person than Europeans. a. True ___ b. False ___

5. The U.S. is the world’s largest apple producer. a. True ___ b. False ___

6. In the U.S., four of the five most popular apples are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, and Fuji. Which is the fifth? a. Granny Smith ___ b. McIntosh ___

7. In the U.S., apples are behind only grapes and oranges in terms of value as a fruit crop. a. True ___ b. False ___


8. Apples really are good for your health because they have no fat or sodium and are high in fiber and antioxidants – if you don’t peel them! a. True ___ b. False ___

9. Apples are a member of the marigold family

a. True ___ b. False ___

10. Unlike most other fruits, apples do not need to be refrigerated to keep them from spoiling. a. True ___ b. False ___

Sources: University of Illinois Extension, plus http://gopherglen.com/trivia.html, http://www.knouse.com/AllAboutApples/AppleTrivia.aspx http://www.foodreference.com/html/fapples.html

Answers:

1. True; which is why the science of growing apples is called pomology.

2. False; they grow on all continents except Antarctica.

3. a. 25% (Happy Bobbing!)

4. Americans eat less than half the apples per person annually that their European counterparts do.

5. China is the world's largest apple producer, followed by the U.S., Turkey, Poland and Italy.

6. a. Granny Smith. A bonus bit: McIntosh Apples were discovered on a single mutated plant in the late 1700's by Canadian John McIntosh.

7. b. False; they are second, after grapes, followed by oranges and strawberries.

8. Two–thirds of an apple’s fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the peel.

9. b. False; but perhaps equally surprising; they are a member of the rose family!

10. b. sort of false; apples will ripen 6 to 10 times faster in open air, which leads also to quicker spoilage, but they can last a long time on the counter.

http://gopherglen.com/trivia.html

http://www.knouse.com/AllAboutApples/AppleTrivia.aspx

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fapples.html


Mini-trivia quiz: William Tell

Another famous apple legend is that of William Tell shooting that fruit off his son’s head.

1. Why did he do that? William Tell was

Swiss and one day he and his son deliberately refused to bow before a cap hung in the marketplace by their tyrannical Austrian governor of the time.

a. He and his son were to be executed for their defiance, but the governor – having heard

of his expertise with a crossbow – offered them a reprieve if William could shoot an apple off his son’s head. ___

b. William Tell himself made a wager with the governor to let them go if he could shoot an apple off his son’s head. ___

2. We all know he succeeded. Then what happened? The governor noticed that William had removed two arrows from his quiver and asked what the second was for. William answered that if he had missed the apple and killed his son, the second arrow would have been used to kill the governor. What was the governor’s reaction?

a. William Tell was re-arrested and thrown into a dungeon for the rest of his life – the part of the story we don’t usually hear. His son, however, went on to become a military hero of the Swiss. ___

b. William Tell was re-arrested and escaped from his captors leaping from the dungeon-bound boat when a storm caused his captors to hug the shoreline. ___

3. What happened to the governor? a. He was eventually defeated in battle.

___ b. He was assassinated by William Tell’s

second arrow after Tell escaped from the boat. ___

4. Is the story true?

a. Yes, it has been widely verified. ___ b. Probably not. It took place in a remote valley in the early 1300s and

there is no written record of any of the people involved. It is also

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wilhelm_Tell_Denkmal_Altdorf_um_1900_Detail.jpg


remarkably similar to a Danish legend about a man named Palnatoki dating slightly earlier. ___

c. It doesn’t matter. It’s a fascinating story and gave us the William Tell Overture with the fabulous ending you can hear here. ___

Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tell and the overture at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU Answers: 1. a 2. b 3. b 4. b or c

What legendary – perhaps embellished, but still exciting – stories do you remember from childhood?

Discussion: Exploding Explorer Myths

October is Go on a Field Trip Month, and by far the biggest field trip Americans celebrate that month is Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America in 1492. But most of what is celebrated is untrue.

1. Did Columbus set out to prove the world was round?

2. Did Columbus discover what we now call North America?

3. Did Columbus himself believe he had discovered a new continent?

The answers are all no. First, most educated Westerners had understood that the Earth was spherical at least since the time of Aristotle, who lived in the 4th century BC and whose works were widely studied and revered in Medieval Europe. A round Earth was also accounted for in the work of early astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (c. AD 90 – c. AD 168). The confusion was caused by author Washington Irving's 1828 biography of Columbus. It was he who popularized the idea that Columbus had difficulty obtaining support for his plan because many Catholic theologians insisted that the Earth was flat. Second, obviously, the people we call “Native Americans” arrived thousands of years before Columbus by crossing the land mass that is now the Bering Straits. The Viking Leif Erickson is thought to have established a short-lived colony in present-day Newfoundland nearly 500 years before Columbus headed west. Even he was preceded by Icelandic explorer Bjarni Herjulfsson who had spotted the coast a dozen or more years earlier. Columbus made four voyages west from Spain and managed to miss the

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU


North American mainland every time. However, he did discover and name lots of Caribbean islands and on his third and fourth trips found his way to present day South and Central America. Third: How did he go wrong? Against the scholarly consensus of his time, Columbus underestimated the size of the Earth, overestimated the size of the Eurasian landmass, and believed that Japan and other inhabited islands lay far to the east of the coast of China. In most of his writings, he continued to assert that he had reached those islands east of China, rather than a new land mass. Why then is he still given a national holiday? We continue to celebrate him because his voyages and his efforts to establish permanent settlements in the Caribbean began the process of European colonization of the "New World." Unfortunately, beginning with Columbus, that process also brought slavery, exploitation, and diseases that decimated the native population. As often happens, however, Columbus’ negative role has long since been ignored, and now Hail, Columbia, he has given his name to one country, one district, one river, and untold towns, streets, and schools. So where did the name “America” come from? The travel journals of explorer Amerigo Vespucci's which were published between 1502-4, convinced Martin Waldseemüller that the discovered place was not the East Indies, as Columbus continued to claim, but a new continent. In 1507, a year after Columbus's death, Waldseemüller published a world map calling the new continent America from Vespucci's Latinized name "Americus." No one seemed to dispute his boldness. Resources: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/indexe.shtml#Ericsson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus

Talk about it:

Much of the history we learned as children is much more complex in reality. Do you think children should be given more information? Why or why not?

Do you think today’s history books are fairer than they used to be? Can you cite examples of groups whose historical viewpoint is now included?

Have you ever been dismayed or amazed to discover a figure was worse or better than you realized? Explain.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/indexe.shtml#Ericsson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus


Word game: Logical Saints

One of my favorite wordsmith’s, Willard R. Espy, wrote a book called The Best of an Almanac of Words at Play that included an entry by Virginia R. Hager on renaming saints. All Saints Day is celebrated each November 1st following All Hallows Eve (Halloween) by members of the Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches to commemorate all saints, known and unknown. Saints are linked to occupations, although many have multiple links whose origins are not readily discernible. St. Luke, for example, is the patron saint of artists, brewers, butchers, notaries and physicians. Ms. Hager suggested that if we couldn’t remember who was good for whom, we might come up with alternatives like St. Age for actors (actors=stage – get it?) I decided to expand on her idea and make a word game.

Can you match the saint to the appropriate occupation s/he might help?

1. For architects ___ 2. For astronomers ___ 3. For beer drinkers ___ 4. For butchers ___ 5. For cave dwellers ___ 6. For comedians ___ 7. For expectant mothers ___ 8. For football players ___

a. St. Adium b. St. Alactite c. St. Andup d. St. Argazer e. St. Eak f. St. Ein g. St. Ork h. St. Ructure

9. For fruit growers ___

10. For marathoners___ 11. For merchants___ 12. For missers of flights ___ 13. For musicians ___ 14. For non-shavers ___ 15. For number crunchers ___ 16. For poets ___

a. St. Accato b. St. Amina c. St. Anza d. St. Atistics e. St. Orekeeper f. St. Randed g. St. Rawberry h. St. Ubble

17. For postal clerks ___ 18. For sailors ___ 19. For seamstresses ___ 20. For tall people ___ 21. For vice squad ___ 22. For violinists ___ 23. For weightlifters ___ 24. For yoga instructors ___

a. St. Akeout b. St. Amp c. St. Arboard d. St. Atuesque e. St. Itcher f. St. Retcher g. St. Ring h. St. Rongman


Answers: 1. h 2. d 3. f 4. e 5. b 6. c 7. g 8. a

9. g 10. b 11. e 12. f 13. a 14. h 15. d 16. c

17. b 18. c 19. e 20. d 21. a 22. g 23. h 24. f

You can try this game yourself. Who might fit with:

St. Andstill

St. Eeldrum

St. Irrup

St. Ogie

St. Ranger

St. Ylist Can you think of others?

Sidebar: Jack Frost

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Frost), Jack Frost is a sprite-like character with roots in Viking lore. There, he is known as Jokul Frosti ("icicle frost"). In Britain and the United States, Jack is a variant of Old Man Winter and is held responsible for frosty weather, for nipping the nose and toes in such weather, coloring the foliage in autumn, and leaving fernlike patterns on cold windows in winter.

Jack Frost by C.E. Pike

Look out! Look out! Jack Frost is about!| He's after our fingers and toes; And all through the night, The happy little sprite Is working where nobody knows. He'll climb each tree, So nimble is he, His silvery powder he'll shake. To windows he'll creep

And while we're asleep Such wonderful pictures he'll make. Across the grass He'll merrily pass, And change all its greenness to white. Then home he will go And laugh ho, ho ho! What fun I have had in the night.

To see wonderful pictures of the fine fall foliage brought by a nip in the air, go to: http://www.usna.usda.gov/PhotoGallery/FallFoliage/ScienceFallColor.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Frost

http://www.usna.usda.gov/PhotoGallery/FallFoliage/ScienceFallColor.html


Word game: Tom Swifties and Fall Sports

Tom Swifties – in which a quotation is followed by an adverb that makes a punning reference to what was said – were the brainchild of Edward L. Stratemeyer, born fittingly on the fall day of October 4, 1862. He was better known as the creator (not always the author) of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and other lesser-known children’s reading series. Here is an example of a Tom Swiftie: “I’ll never stick my arm in the lion’s cage again,” said Tom offhandedly. Sometimes figuring out the puns requires imagination (she said thoughtfully).

Can you match the baseball-focused Tom Swifties to their endings?

1. “One more pitch and that player will likely be out,” said Tom _____.

2. “I’m being sent down to the minors,” said Tom _____.

3. “Our team needs a player who can hit 60

homeruns a year,” said Tom _____.

4. “Wow! Another homerun for our team!” said Tom _____.

a. beleageredly b. ruthlessly

c. strikingly d. winningly

Can you match the football-focused Tom Swifties to their endings?

1. “Why don’t you like football?” asked Tom _____.

2. “Did you see how the wide receiver fumbled the ball?” asked Tom _____.

3. “That was a great play that brought us 10 yards closer to a touchdown,” said _____.

4. “Hurray for our team,” said Tom ______.

a. cheerfully b. defensively

c. forwardly d. in passing

Answers, baseball: 1. c 2. a 3. b 4. d Answers, American football: 1. b 2.d 3. c 4. a


Trivia quiz: Peanut Butter

November is Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month and if you love peanut butter, you are in interesting company because the website http://www.peanutbutter.com/funfacts.aspx notes that among the members of the Adult Peanut Butter Lovers’ Fan Club are Former First Lady Barbara Bush, Cher, Former President Bill Clinton, Julia Child (while she was alive), Michael J. Fox,

Larry King, Madonna, Jack Nicholson, Julia Roberts and Barbara Walters. Adults actually consume more peanut butter than kids.

What do you know about peanut butter?

The South American Incas didn’t quite invent peanut butter, but they did make a paste from peanuts as long ago as 950 B.C.


2. Peanut butter was invented by George Washington Carver, who also found about 300 other uses for peanuts.


3. Peanut butter was available in Australia as early as 1899, several years before it gained mainstream introduction in the U.S., but for most Australians it has never replaced their first love of vegemite (a salty, black spread made from vegetable extract and yeast).


4. It was not until the 1960s that peanut butter began to gain popularity in other parts of the world, such as in Canada, England, Germany, and Holland. In which of the following countries is it also surprisingly popular?

a. Ecuador ___ b. Saudi Arabia ___

c. Vietnam ___

5. Elvis Presley was famous for loving peanut butter and mashed banana sandwiches (which had long been popular in the U.S. South). Which of the following ingredients did he NOT sometimes add?

a. Butter on the outside (so it could be grilled like a cheese sandwich) ___ b. Bacon ___ c. A Hershey’s bar ___ d. Honey ___

http://www.peanutbutter.com/funfacts.aspx


6. The world’s largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich to date was created in Oklahoma City in 2002. It contained 200 pounds of peanut butter and 100 pounds of jelly along with what was the equivalent of 300 pounds of bread.

a. True ___

b. False ___

7. Peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth because its high fat content draws moisture from your mouth.


8. In general, women and children prefer creamy peanut butter and men prefer chunky peanut butter.


9. Peanuts are not actually nuts, but legumes. A legume is a dry fruit with a seam on two sides that creates a pod.


10. The U.S. is the biggest supplier of peanut butter, but not the largest grower of peanuts by far. Which two countries grow more than 10 times as many peanuts as the U.S.?

a. India and China ___ b. China and Brazil ___

c. Brazil and Argentina ___

Bonus question: Peanut butter has uses that go beyond food. What sticky substance is it useful for removing from hair and clothing? ___________ Other sources: http://peanut-butter.org/, http://www.foodreference.com/html/fpeanutbutter.html, and http://www.foodreference.com/html/f-peanut-butter-jelly.html

Answers: 1. a 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. c 6. b 7. b 8. a 9. a 10. a Bonus: chewing gum

Trivia quiz details/notes

2. George Washington Carver did indeed find hundreds of uses for peanuts, but he didn’t invent peanut butter. Credit for that is given to a St. Louis doctor in 1890. He was looking for a substance that could be easily eaten by patients with bad teeth, but the patent was granted in 1895 to John H. Kellogg. In 1904 peanut butter was offered for the first time to the general public at the St. Louis Exposition, but

http://peanut-butter.org/

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fpeanutbutter.html

http://www.foodreference.com/html/f-peanut-butter-jelly.html


widespread adoption was delayed because the oil separated from the grainy, gritty solids. Finally in 1933, a Californian was able to homogenize the peanuts into a stable “butter” and today’s popular brands were born. 7. The world’s largest peanut butter sandwich created in Oklahoma City in 2002, weighed nearly 900 pounds, including 350 pounds of peanut butter, 144 pounds of jelly and 400 pounds of bread. 8. Peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth because its high protein content draws moisture from your mouth.

While most of the rest of the world still doesn’t “get” the American fascination with this sticky food, 75% of American households purchase peanut butter at least once a year – enough to make a total of 10 billion PB&J sandwiches. It takes about 550 peanuts to make a 12 ounce jar of peanut butter, so that’s a heck of a lot of peanuts consumed.

The most popular jelly to pair with peanut butter seems to be grape, but strawberry and orange marmalade also have many enthusiasts. If you like PB&J sandwiches, which jelly/jam do you prefer?

As we noted in the trivia quiz, many people like to pair peanut butter with what the rest of us view as incompatible foods. What’s the most unusual peanut butter and _________ you have known anyone to eat? (Or have eaten yourself!)

Some of us like to pair peanut butter with apple slices or celery pieces for a healthier snack. Do you like those? Do you have another recommendation?

Sidebar: Squashes and Gourds

A popular saying goes that the difference between pumpkins, gourds and squash is that gourds are to look at, squash are to cook, and pumpkins are to carve. But nothing is that simple. Here is a well-carved gourd and interesting-to-look-at squash! (See http://www.gourdfestival.com/ for more fabulous gourd art by Art Browning.)

http://www.gourdfestival.com/


Discussion: September’s Oktoberfest

A few years ago Munich celebrated the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest, which begins in September to take advantage of its warmer, longer days. The original celebration was a horse race in commemoration of the marriage of Crown Prince (later King) Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and was so much fun that it has continued ever since. Although the celebration has been cancelled 24 times in the last two centuries due to war, disease and other emergencies, no one subtracted those years to postpone the bicentennial. Other events –

a parade, agricultural fair, performers, and carnival rides to name a few – have been added or subtracted here and there; in 2010 the horse race was reinstated.

The biggest attraction, however, are the beer halls which are visited by millions of people from all over the world (although about 75% are still Bavarians), in what is now a 16-day festival. Visitors enjoy dozens of kinds of beer (with wine, lemonade and other drinks also available), plus chicken, sausage and other German fare. While there is no doubt that many revelers drink too much, to keep the event friendly for older people and families, since 2005 a "quiet Oktoberfest" rules until 6:00 p.m. when no music above 85 decibels can be played.

With Oktoberfest threatening to turn staid, I thought I would share some other over-the-top drinking events as reported by Ian Lendler in the magazine Mental_Floss which generally has its tongue firmly in cheek. (http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/10558)

To “drink like a sailor” may have had its origin in a cocktail party thrown for his officers by British Lord Admiral Edward Russell in 1694. He began by commandeering the garden’s fountain as a punchbowl, and mixed into it 250 gallons of brandy, 125 gallons of Malaga wine, 1,400 pounds of sugar, 2,500 lemons, 20 gallons of lime juice, and 5 pounds of nutmeg. According to Mr. Lendler, “A series of bartenders actually paddled around in a small wooden canoe, filling up guests’ cups. Not only that, but they had to work in 15-minute shifts to avoid being overcome by the fumes and falling overboard. The party continued nonstop for a full week, pausing only briefly during rainstorms to erect a silk canopy over the punch to keep it from getting watered down.” The festivities ended when the fountain was dry.

A second event Mr. Lendler described began in 1814, when the owner of Meux’s Horse Shoe Brewery in London constructed a brewing vat that was 22 feet tall and 60 feet in diameter, with an interior big enough to seat 200 for dinner — which is exactly how its completion was celebrated. “After the dinner,” Mr. Lendler reported, “the vat was filled to its 4,000-barrel capacity. Pretty impressive, given the grand scale of the project, but pretty unfortunate given that they overlooked a faulty supporting hoop.” The vat

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/10558


ruptured, causing other vats to break, and the resulting commotion was heard up to five miles away. What was worse, “a wall of 1.3 million gallons of dark beer washed down the street, caving in two buildings and killing nine people by means of ‘drowning, injury, poisoning by the porter fumes, or drunkenness.’” But the very worst was yet to come. “Rescue attempts were blocked and delayed by the thousands who flocked to the area to drink directly off the road. And when survivors were finally brought to the hospital, the other patients became convinced from the smell that the hospital was serving beer to every ward except theirs. A riot broke out, and even more people were left injured.” Mr. Lendler seems to feel a bit sad that there have been no reenactments or annual memorials to the event.

Lest you think that Mr. Lendler was only tattling on the British, he also rewrote the history most American children read in their elementary textbooks by suggesting that as Paul Revere made his famous ride he was not quite sober. “Turns out,” he wrote, “Paul Revere’s famous ride didn’t start out as a hootin’ hollerin’ wake-up-the-villagers sort of trip. According to historian Charles Taussig, Revere embarked on the stealth mission from Charlestown to Lexington in order to warn Sam

Adams (the beer guy) and John Hancock (the big signature guy) that the British were coming. But by chance, his route took him through Medford—the rum capital of America. At the time, rum was colonial America’s number one commercial industry. So naturally, Revere stopped in for a brief rest at the house of Captain Isaac Hall, the leader of the local Minutemen and distiller of Old Medford Rum.”

According to Mr. Lendler, roughly quoting Mr. Taussig, “By the time Revere saddled up again, he’d sampled his fair share of Captain Hall’s hospitality and ‘he who came a silent horseman, departed a virile and vociferous crusader, with a cry of defiance and not of fear.’ Not surprisingly, Revere was ‘pulled over’ by the authorities (Redcoats) and detained for an hour before being released. So, it was actually Revere’s drunken caterwauling that roused Adams and Hancock at about 4:30 in the morning, only half an hour before fighting broke out on Lexington Green.” How true it is I cannot say, but we do know that Paul Revere was detained by the British temporarily, and this version is certainly more entertaining!

Talk about it

Have you ever been to an Oktoberfest celebration in Germany or elsewhere? If so, talk about your experience. If not, would you like to? Why or why not?

Are you familiar with German beer and food and Bavarian costumes and folk dancing? Do you enjoy them?


Given that long ago most people drank beer or ale because they didn’t have safe drinking water, do you think people are more or less likely to abuse liquor today than a hundred years or more ago?

Do you find Mr. Lendler’s accounts interesting or are you offended when history is rewritten in less flattering terms to the players? Talk about your response.

Quick discussion: Balloon Fest Gets Off the Ground

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® (http://www.balloonfiesta.com/), held each October, annually features about 500 registered hot air and gas balloons and 650 balloon pilots representing more than a dozen countries and most of the U.S. states.

A significant percentage of the pilots make their home in New Mexico because of the “box” – a combination of upper and lower level winds created by the Rio Grande Valley and enhanced by the Sandia Mountains – which enables balloonists to sometimes backtrack their flight path and land close to their launch site.

The most popular event since it began in1989 is the Special Shape Rodeo™ that boasts dozens of balloons that are now featured in several flights and an “evening glow” where lit from the inside they look quite magical.

Hot air balloons have been lifting people aloft for well over 200 years, and some people never tire of the (usually) gentle means of transport. The website above features hundreds of photos which they

generously share. Have a look!

Have you ever flown in a hot air balloon? Did you enjoy it? Where did you go? How long were you aloft?

Have you ever been to the Albuquerque or another balloon festival? If so, share your memories of it.

http://www.balloonfiesta.com/


Discussion: Talk Like a Pirate

September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day, one of those meaningless, unsanctioned holidays that fall under the category of “Why not?” It was started by two good-natured friends, John Bauer (Ol’ Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap’n Slappy) who – while shown on their website (http://talklikeapirate.com/howto.html) in pirate regalia – emphasize that this is an all talk holiday. Costumes are for Halloween in their view. Nor do they sanction pirate-like behavior (all that fighting and pillaging). They don’t

even have all that much lingo on their website, but it’s entertaining nevertheless. Here are the basic words they suggest you familiarize yourself with:

Ahoy! - "Hello!"

Avast! - Stop and give attention. It can be used in a sense of surprise, "Whoa! Get a load of that!" or "Check it out" or "No way!"

Aye! - "Why yes, I agree most heartily with everything you just said or did."

Aye aye! - "I'll get right on that sir, as soon as my break is over."

Arrr! - Can mean, variously, "yes," "I agree," "I'm happy," "I'm enjoying this beer," "My team is going to win it all," "I saw that television show, it sucked!" and "That was a clever remark you or I just made." In other words, it fills in any conversational gap. (This word is not to be confused with “arrrgh” which is what you say when you fall on your backside)

They also offer a few additional definitions such as the fact that “bung hole,” while sounding risqué or perhaps repulsive, simply refers to the fact that victuals on a ship were stored in wooden casks with a stopper called a bung that fit into the hole that provided access as needed. They suggest that should you want to have more than your fair share of any meal, when dinner is served simply say, “Well, me hearties, let’s see what crawled out of the bung hole.” The unenlightened are likely to instantly put down their utensils and push themselves away from the table. The two have attracted quite a following over the years, thanks in part to a 2002 column by Dave Barry who called attention to their efforts to take life a little less seriously. That led to international attention and the inclusion on their website of German pirate lingo, because apparently once upon a time there were also famous German pirates, among them Klaus Stoertebeker, whose name somehow doesn’t have the same ring to my ears as Blackbeard. Anyway, should you wish to say something pirate-like in German, here are two suggestions:

"Zu den Haien schicken," which means to send someone to the sharks;

http://talklikeapirate.com/howto.html


"Da fällt mir doch der Papagei von der Schulter!" which literally means something like "That makes the parrot fall from my shoulder,” or less literally, “I’m surprised!”

Somehow I don’t think these are likely to catch on. Most of the website is family friendly, but their suggestions for pick up lines for both guys and gals are filled with innuendo. Women are always addressed as “Me beauty,” as in “C’mere, me beauty,” which has, I admit, a certain appeal. However, it is hard to imagine men actually attracting women with lines like:

Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?

Wanna shiver me timbers?

I’ve sailed the seven seas, and you’re the sleekest schooner I’ve ever sighted.

That’s some treasure chest you’ve got there. As a side note, the expression "Shiver me timbers," according to website correspondent

David Heizer, is generally thought of as an expression of surprise, but actually meant something much worse. "To 'shiver' is defined by Merriam-Webster as, 'to break into many small pieces: shatter'. So shivering timbers meant masts breaking, either from gale force winds or enemy cannons, which would leave the sailors helpless in the water and at the mercy of foe and starvation alike. Arrr; that’s not a happy thought.

Talk about it

Have you ever talked like a pirate, dressed like a pirate or in any way behaved like a pirate? (Followed a treasure map, perhaps?) If so, talk about your experiences.

Have you ever studied or been intrigued by the history of pirates throughout the seven seas? Share what you know.

What do you think of the Talk Like a Pirate Holiday? Can you imagine yourself walking around saying “Ahoy!” and “Arrr”? Would it be fun or too silly for you? Would you do it with children?

Can you imagine picking up a date with any of the lines suggested above?

Do you see humor in these made-up holidays? If you could make up your own, what would it be?


Word game: Indian Summer

Here is another “Clock Game” word game (See page 5) where one letter substitutes for each number on the clock. The goal is to make as many words as you can from the phrase “Indian Summer.” The answers on the next page do not include the many plurals that can be made using the “s”. Ultimately, overall possibilities are somewhat limited because the phrase contains no “e” or “o” – two of the most common letters – and only 5 consonants. See the following page for more about what an “Indian

Summer” is.

How many words can you make from “Indian Summer”?

D

N I

I A

R N

E S

M U

M


Some words from “Indian Summer” amen amend amuse and are dais dam dame dare dear den dire dim dimmer din dine dinner

dire drain dram dream drum emu end era inn inner ire mad made maid main

man mane manned manner manse mar Mars mean means men mend menu mesa mid mine mire mud mum

muse name near nerd raid rain raise ran red rid rise rum run sad said

same sane sea seam sear send simmer sir sue sum sun under use

Sidebar: What’s an Indian Summer?

An Indian summer is an autumn heat wave that usually occurs sometime after a killing frost. It refers to a period of considerably above-normal temperatures, accompanied by dry and hazy conditions, and can happen anytime in the Northern Hemisphere between late September and mid-November, depending on latitude and elevation. Although there are multiple theories, it may be so named because this was the traditional period during which early American Indians harvested their crops of squash and corn. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer), Catharine Parr Traill, in her account of her settler's life in Canada in the 1830s, "The Backwoods of Canada", speculated that Indian summer is a phenomenon owed to the heat produced by the fermentation of vegetation in the massive Canadian forests, an

occurrence that she predicted would cease with settlement. Obviously, she didn’t count on global warming. The phenomenon is by no means limited to North America, but goes by other names in other places. It’s referred to as some variation of “St. Martin’s Summer” in much of Europe, although some countries credit it to St. Michael or St. Luke. In Belgium, Russia, and many Slavic-speaking countries it is called “Old Ladies' Summer.” In China the phrase that is used means “tiger in autumn.” Bet you didn’t know THAT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer


Our Products & Services Two inherited traits inspire everything author Kathy Laurenhue writes:

1) Wide-ranging curiosity from her father 2) From her mother, a light-hearted touch that seeks out what’s amusing

With that in mind, and if you enjoyed this title, here are some other ideas:

Do you want additional mind-stimulating material? Visit the Wiser Now store (http://shop.WiserNow.com) or print out a list of publications from the website (www.WiserNow.com) to see the ever-growing catalog of downloadable MindPlay Connections™ titles. Then consider doing the following:

Order the Creative Mind Play CD series from Health Professions Press based on archived material from Kathy’s former publication, Brain Aerobics Weekly.

Order Kathy’s book, Getting to Know the Life Stories of Older Adults, Activities for Building Relationships also from Health Professions Press.

Watch the video demos of two of her favorite activity ideas at www.WiserNow.com.

Visit her blog at www.MindMusings.com.

Do you need a presenter of fun and stimulating brain exercises? Kathy would be delighted to comply. The programs described under “staff development” at www.WiserNow.com can be adapted for broad audiences.

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friend and colleague, David Troxel, co-author of “The Best Friends Approach™ ” books on Alzheimer’s care, have created a fabulously friendly, useful, and comprehensive 12-module, downloadable series of audio files and print training materials on “Amping Up Your Activity Programming.”

Order them individually or as a flash drive at http://shop.WiserNow.com and learn more at www.ElderCareConversations.com.

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Order “22 Creative Training Tips to Use Instantly” at http://shop.WiserNow.com/ and check

out Kathy’s other downloadable materials there on staff development.

Kathy has a master’s degree in instructional technology and has developed multi-media curricula for corporate clients for more than 20 years. Contact her to discuss your specific staff development needs.



http://www.healthpropress.com/store/laurenhue-29647/index.htm

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http://www.mindmusings.com/



http://www.eldercareconversations.com/



Are you a caregiver? You will find both useful advice and compassionate reassurance at Kathy’s website www.WiserNowAlz.com and her blog www.CaregiverCheer.com. Check out the material there, including her very practical and upbeat books on Alzheimer’s caregiving, which are also available on Kindle.

Are you a media rep needing an interview subject/press release? Here are some of Kathy’s topics:

Exercising Your Brain: What’s Laughter Got to Do with It?

The Top 10 List for Brain Health (#1 Will Surprise You)

Variety Is Vital to a Vigorous Mind

Humor in Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease: Stop the Fear-Mongering

The Logic Behind Illogical Behavior in People with Dementia

Kathy Laurenhue can be reached by writing to [email protected] or

calling 800-999-0795 (weekdays 9:00 – 5:00 Eastern time)

Volume 3, Issue 9 ISSN 2169-7345 © 2012 Kathy Laurenhue All Rights Reserved.

Author and Publisher, Kathy Laurenhue, M.A., CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of Wiser Now, Inc. www.WiserNow.com

Graphic design by Billy Fann Creative & Kathy Laurenhue Publication App by Billy Fann Creative, www.billyfann.com

We make a strong effort to give credit wherever it is due; if we have missed doing so

anywhere in this publication, please contact us with corrected information.

MindPlay Connections™ is a publication of Wiser Now, Inc., a publishing and multi-media curriculum development company. It is available by monthly subscription ($69.50/year) or by

ordering titles individually ($6.95 each) or at savings in groups of six ($34.75) or 12 ($69.50). See http://shop.WiserNow.com for a complete listing.

Prices subject to change.

If you need to and are unable to print pages from the MindPlay Connections™ format you have downloaded, please contact us. For questions or changes to your subscription send an email to [email protected] or call 800-999-0795 (weekdays 9:00 – 5:00 Eastern time)

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