Staying sharp academically without sudoku.

[DoItTooJulia]

I'm 35. Im busy, with demanding career, kids yada yada, and I just feel a bit, well, I don't know, is it bored? sluggish of brain? Out of the loop?

Basically, I miss having interesting stuff to learn about/get into.

Part of my problem is a reading drought, I'm just not reading for fun like I used to and I miss it, but I do read some journals like New Scientist and the New Humanist. I do get the odd London Review of Books, but tbh, I've found it a bit impenetrable at times. I'm not hugely cultured (theatre is a huge turnoff for me). I read the news, I'm interested in politics, but still this feeling of brain lethargy persists.

What do you do to stave this off? What can I try?

What a great thread :) Does anyone know of a way I can learn more (well anything, from the beginning!) about classical music? Can't wait to check out some if these ideas when DD has gone to bed!

A PP mentioned but I'd like to second: I love TED talks (on youtube).

They really make me change the way I think.

OhMy Open Learn OU has some great music resources, not sure if they are what you are looking for:

www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/music

I agree Ted talks are ace, Nancy.

DS watches a lot of Vsauce videos on YouTube. They are short videos (about 10 mins) that start with a seemingly trivial or daft question like 'is cereal soup?' or 'what is the speed of dark?', then in the process of answering the question you get a whole barrage of amazing facts and stuff to stretch your brain.

Wait But Why is a great blog. He covers all kinds of stuff in a way that is very interesting but accessible and also very funny. His article on space (The Fermi Paradox) that completely blew my mind (he also writes about less cerebral stuff like 7 ways to be insufferable on facebook).

It sounds as though you might enjoy family history (genealogy).

It turns you into a detective, and it's totally addictive.

SAHM here. To stop cobwebs forming on my brain I do the following:

• duolingo language course every day (French but they do loads of others - all free)
• Futurelearn course, just started doing Moons which is SO interesting but there are loads of others (also free)
• alternate reading an "improving" book with a lighter type book, also in a book club but tbh we barely talk about the book....
• listen to podcasts when doing boring tasks like laundry or cleaning- favourites include R4 type ones like More or Less, Inside Science, No such thing as a fish, Freakonomics, Infinite monkey cage, Great Lives, Radiolab etc....

I would Love to learn a musical instrument but feel I have possibly become too old and lazy....

,

I've just started doing a book called '642 things to write about' which is really stretching my brain trying to think up characters, plots etc

I've also signed up to courses with online places already mentioned. Great thread

I study with the OU - I'm working towards a natural sciences degree with a focus on biology. It takes the same sort of discipline as regular exercise and I do enjoy it - it keeps me sharp. The only problem is when I'm in the middle of a module I tend not to have any mental energy left for reading for fun.

I can also recommend a Granta subscription - they bring out four books a year, compilations of excellent writing around a particular theme. You can subscribe for a year and see how you get on.

Learn Russian. Different alphabet, but not so far from English it needs major effort.

I'd love to learn Russian. I signed up for a class at a local college, turned up, and the course was cancelled due to lack of interest.

Love the Geo quiz, thanks WereJamming!

Well done MNHQ!

OhMyDays, have a look around the Radio 3 schedules/website. Discovering Music is a fantastic programme. The Radio 3 breakfast programme is just like Classic FM these days but a lot gentler and no adverts, and a lot wider range of music so you try all sorts of things. Not sure if Mixing It is still on - I used to love that programme when I was a bit younger and more awake.

I'm started a three week course of Russian on Monday, three hours a day. A1, so beginners. I think it will need major effort but I'm a bit thick me

OP wasn't sure if you're making fun of me or not :) but I learn French and Soviet history dates by copying them out on the computer in groups until they stick then move onto the next lot
Only thing that got me through A levels and uni exams, learning pages off by heart, have no idea how to revise otherwise.

I did it at school. Harder than things like French, but easier than Mandarin, on a level with Ancient Greek, I would say. You can now get things like Tatler in Russian which makes the reading matter more interesting than the kind of Soviet texts we had to read. "Do you like porridge, Tanya? I like the very fine modern Russian tractor over there. Now I will wear my red cardigan as it is very cold". When I went over there to visit it wasn't much better in real life

velour what course are you doing for your Russian? That's the language I'm trying and have level 1 Rosetta stone and another collection I bought whilst abroad but I'm always looking for extra material to help.

Thanks for recommending the Wait But Why blog, RichInBunlyGoodness, I read the Fermi Paradox article and it was excellent. Can't wait to read more of his stuff.

Thanks for this thread. I have been inspired! So many things to explore :)

JustAnother sorry this is an unhelpful answer, it's an intensive course offered by the uni I'm an Erasmus student at, so in person. Having to pay loads for it and it requiring min.80% attendance is the only way I'd be able to stick at something so difficult consistently for 3 weeks!
Unless you want to travel to central Europe every day
Is it hard to get the alphabet in your head? Well done for getting level 1!

Boffin really liked your post, at the red cardigan and tractor! Did you go to the RSFSR? If so, I so envy you...

Thank you for the suggestions. I found a music course online but then discovered after the first lecture that the book you needed was over £100... Not so free

Love this thread & have been inspired!!

I've signed up for a course via FutureLearn and have read several articles on Waitbutwhy.com !

I'm going to start reading more too including nonfiction.

DH has said he'd dig his chess set out & teach me how to play though I'm not sure if that's one step too far at the moment for me!?! (never seemed to like the idea of chess!)