Why Doing One More Crossword Puzzle is Not Brain Training - The Importance of Novelty and Challenge

You probably have heard many times "Use it or Lose it", on the importance of mental stimulation to keep our brains active with activities such as reading or doing crossword puzzles.

The question is, what exactly is mental stimulation? and, is all mental stimulation the same? is doing your first crossword puzzle the same as doing crossword puzzle number one million?

The answer: it's not all the same. Real mental stimulation or "brain training" is different from "easy", routine, mental activity.

Let's take the example of physical activity. There is a clear difference between physical activity and physical exercise. Physical activity occurs whenever we move our body or engage in a leisure activity that involves moving our body (e.g., playing pool). Physical exercise (e.g. jogging) refers to the repeated and structured activity of particular parts of our bodies. Both physical activity and physical exercise are good, but it is exercise the one that helps build muscle and improve functionality.

Similarly, mental exercise (you can also call it "brain training"), goes beyond mental activity. Mental activity takes place whenever one is awake, ranging from merely day dreaming to reading a book or learning a new language. Mental exercise or brain training refers to the structured use of cognitive exercises or techniques. Its aim is to improve specific brain functions.

Understanding the difference between mental activity and mental exercise is crucial. For instance, many people feel that they are doing the best for their brain after having completed their daily puzzle. However crossword puzzles challenge a relatively narrow range of cognitive skill and thus stimulate only a limited range of brain regions. A 1999 study showed that increased amount of experience in doing crossword puzzles does not modify the effect of age measured in tasks requiring vocabulary and reasoning (Hambrick et al.,1999). Crosswords puzzles generate mental activity but they do not constitute a brain training program!

This points out to the key word in brain training: variety. One needs a variety of challenging exercises in order to stimulate the whole brain. Recent recommendations made by a panel of experts reviewing a poll by the American Society on Aging (2006) stated: "A single activity, no matter how challenging, is not sufficient to sustain the kind of mental acuity that virtually everyone can achieve." Even if one's goal is to improve memory functions, other brain functions need stimulation to achieve that goal. For instance, attention and concentration are essential to good memorization.

Systematic brain training programs can be designed to lead to brain change in a more efficient way that random daily activities may. A combination of both may be ideal. Learning a complex skill such as learning the piano helps train and develop some parts of the brain. Well-designed training programs may help train and develop other parts. Defined as the structured use of cognitive exercises or techniques aimed at improving specific brain functions, brain training includes a range of research-supported techniques or approaches, such as cognitive therapy and meditation, along with the most popular brain fitness software.

An example: Why Meditation is Brain Training

You may be wondering what meditation has to do with brain training. In fact, meditation has been shown to improve specific cognitive functions such as attention. As such it can be considered as a brain training technique.

A number of studies have compared people who practice meditation to people who do not. The problem with these studies is that people in both groups can be very different. Thus the benefits observed in the group practicing meditation could be due to other things.

Recently, a more controlled study was conducted that showed a specific effect of meditation on attention. In this study, Posner and his colleagues (2007) randomly assigned participants to either an Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) or to a relaxation training. Both trainings lasted 5 days, 20mn per day. IBMT is a meditation technique developed in China in the 1990s. It stresses a balanced state of relaxation while focusing attention. Thought control is achieved with the help of a coach through posture, relaxation, body-mind harmony and balance. The results of this study showed that after training, participants in the IBMT training group showed more improvement in a task measuring executive attention than the control group. The IBMT training also helped reduced cortisol levels caused by mental stress.

Styles of meditation differ. Some technique use concentration meditation, mantra, mindfulness meditation, while others rely on body relaxation, breathing practice and mental imagery. It is not known so far what aspects of meditation or which techniques are the best to train one's brain. Scientists are researching what elements of meditation may help manage stress and improve memory. For instance, Dr. Andrew Newberg is currently conducting a study where 15 older adults with memory problems are practicing Kirtan Kriya meditation during 8 weeks. Preliminary results in terms of the impact on brain functions seem promising.

In summary, yes, "Use it or Lose It", but please remember that not all ways to use our brains are the same.

It may be time for a new saying: "Exercise it and Improve It".

Copyright (c) 2010 SharpBrains

The Many Ways of Getting Stuffed Animals in a Pinch

Concessionaires sometimes have limited space to haul their stuffed animals around. I am one of them. Because of this they often run out of supply during an event and have to get more. It is a tough task sometimes.

I have found myself driving 600 miles round trip to and from a supply house on more than one occasion. A whole bunch of times there just isn't enough time to do this drive. On these occasions a person has to find other alternative ways to get stock for their games.

One of the main ways is to go to another vendor and try to purchase teddy bears or whatever else they need from them. Many times this is a really hard task, after all the other vendor is also your competition. They sometimes don't want to help you simply because it costs them money every time they do this. You almost have to be friends for them to sell you, the competition, an opportunity to take money off the same midway they are running a business on.

Another option is to drive to another carnival set up near your festival to get your supply. These concessionaires are way more apt to sell you stuffed animals directly out of their truck. If they are playing a festival that isn't really kicking then they are even more apt to sell you some. They want the cash flow at that point. So it does help to go to the festival nearest you that you know isn't too hot of a commodity.

You can also go to a dollar type store and get animals. Often times you be able to strike a special deal with the manager providing they are on duty when you show up offering this proposition. They like it when you aren't discussing the purchase of just one stuffed toy. You are, after all, needing to supply more than one game and will need several. Sometimes I have actually needed every teddy bear in the store.

If the manager isn't on duty you will be paying a much larger price for this escapade than you ever wanted to. But you have to have the product or you won't make nothing at all when your supply totally runs out. I have seen this happen to, not only me, but several other small time vendors.

Of course there are always second hand shops, goodwill stores, salvation armys, and other places like this as a last alternative. I have had to, or actually wanted to, buy from these places. Whenever I buy from these places I will always get a deal on the whole. I will ask what they want for all these bears. Most of the time these places get the bears donated and will darn near give them to you. Several look all to obviously used. I usually separate them and give them away or even take them back to the second hand shop I bought them from.

One time in Alabama I was doing a festival basically totally supplied with these types of prizes. Towards the end of the fest I was down to the last of these second hand items. Of course you don't really want the customers to realize they are used. People aren't stupid like some carnies like to think. In this scenario the ones I had left were starting to look pretty pathetic.

Me and my friend were packing up and a young couple walked up. The lady plays and wins and picks a rabbit. It looks like the play is over with this boy friend and girl friend so we resume packing up. The guy says to me and my partner in crime, "Hey! Why you guys packing up? Wonder if my girl wants a bigger Goodwill rabbit?". I am laughing right now at this young comedians smart remark.

When you are about out of material you can call a supplier and have the bears stuff you need shipped over night. Thus paying a large over night shipping fee. This fee is usually so strong that it will be over double the normal price per animal. This isn't a wise decision and I have made this decision before. Ouch! That smarts real bad. Not to mention it hurts the net a whole bunch. I wouldn't advise this strategy unless you knew you were going to hit real big.

It would be way handier to actually have the storage space to have all the product you need all the time. But with the price of gas these days you don't want to haul an extra vehicle or trailer for the few times that you get in these particular binds. Even before the gas prices went up it was not an easy task unless you had the route that required the extra equipment necessary.

It is way better if you have a glossary of all the stock companies in the area you are in, and their hours of operation. Just in case your spot hits larger than your regular allowable amount of space for prizes. That is the best alternative in these tight spots. They are the cheapest way of reproducing your games and novelty stands. That's why they are the same places you call and order from in the first place.

Hack 'n Slash?

Or perhaps more to the point, stress relief. Stop and ask yourself these questions:

1. Have you ever purchased one of those cheesy stress relief toys from a local Spencers, or other novelty shop? You know the ones. They're frequently shaped like a human and are squishy, or painted with a target, or make annoying repetitive sounds designed to make you want to scream at them. You are meant to heap upon them as much abuse as you can dish out, and they'll keep coming back for more.

2. Have you ever found yourself playing a violent game like Unreal Tournament, or any "street fighter" type game, and realised that beating your opponent(s) senseless makes you feel a little bit less like choking someone for real?

3. Have you ever looked up the omnipotent, immortal cheat codes for your favourite RPG video game, and used them to cast the most devastating "town killer" type spells throughout the entire game, for no reason other than the enjoyment of watching those little buggers die?

Now, ask yourself: Have you ever logged in to a MU* you knew offered nothing more than run-of-the-mill, generally stock hack n' slash, and found yourself spending hours running around typing "KILL (insert generic monster name here)", and actually enjoying it?

There's a certain flavour of fun to be had in smashing NPCs to pieces. Heck, there's even a nice adrenaline rush in besting another player (hence, the few & far between but wildly popular PK-only games). But best of all, there can be a wonderful release of stress in conquering virtual foes. It's the same underlying motivation and relief that drive people to kick-boxing for stress management, or to punching their pillows, or to buying those novelty stress toys and riddling each other with bullets in UT.

Don't believe me? Give it a try. Keep an open mind. Train your character a bit, get some good weapons, and go hunting. See if you don't feel the stress melt away with each level you gain!

Christmas Games & Odd Traditions

Christmas traditions make the holiday season special. We all have certain rituals or customs we do every year to celebrate the season. Did you ever wonder how these customs got their start? Some traditions are well known to all some are celebrated by the few but all are a wonderful way to share the meaning of Christmas with those we love. Read on to learn more about how some traditions came to be.

Advent Calendar

Counting down the days until Christmas with an advent calendar is a popular holiday activity that started in 19th century German homes. The days were counted by making a chalk mark on the floor or hanging a different picture each day. This lead to homemade advent calendars with little doors that were opened each day revealing a Christmas image or bible verse.

Animal Crackers and Christmas?

The National Biscuit Company introduced "Barnum's Animal Crackers" as a holiday seasonal promotion in 1902. The boxes carrying string was designed for hanging on the Christmas tree at a time when candy and treats were typical tree decorations.

Bells

Bells and Christmas are inseparable. A simple silhouette of bells depicts a Christmas meaning. Bells became part of Christian worship around the year 400 and their sound summoning the faithful to worship was their first link to Christmas. This became the notion of "ringing-in" Christmas. In England Christmas is rung in starting December 21st. In Scandinavia, bells ring to announce the end of work and the beginning of the festive season. In some stories, St Nick carries around a hand bell on his visits. The gift-giver in Italy, Befana, rings a bell as she descends the chimney and in Hungary, angel bells are rung to announce that the children's presents have been delivered. Numerous carols use bells as a metaphor for joy and hope as in "Silver Bells," "I heard the Bells on Christmas Day," and "Jingle Bells."

Boxing Day

In Britain and many Commonwealth countries, December 26th is a legal holiday known as Boxing Day. Since the middle ages it was the custom during the Christmas season for English employees to solicit tips from people with whom their employer did business. These tips were collected in earthenware boxes which is where the day got its name.

Candy Canes

The red and white striped stick of hard candy known as the candy cane has its origins around 1670. The candy was invented as a means of quieting children during the Christmas service by a choirmaster of Cologne Cathedral. The candies were made in the shape of a shepherds hook. The shape of the hook soon led to hanging them on the tree as it was the custom to decorate the tree with sweets.

Christmas Carols

Carols were started as songs celebrating events of the Nativity. The word carol is said to be derived from a Greek word for circle dancing. Throughout the years religious organizations have both participated in and prohibited singing carols depending on the religious teachings of the day. During the 17th century carols were sung by carolers on "begging visits" during the Christmas season. After 1878, the Church of England renewed its use of Christmas carols which led to their popularity. The 20th century saw a continued interest in carols and a number of new religious and secular Christmas songs were written and became popular holiday favorites.

Childremas

December 28th is that date of the Feast of the Holy Innocents which commemorates the murder of the male babies of Bethlehem by King Herod. In many countries the day was considered a day of ill omen. In England no business was conducted on that day. In Ireland, no new venture was to begin on that day . Many sailors would not sail on December 28th. On the Aran Islands, no one was to be buried that day. In Cornwall washing that day would bring death to one of your relatives.

Christmas Crackers

A Christmas novelty made popular in Britain. The Christmas cracker is a small cardboard tube covered in decorative wrap. When pulled apart the tube makes a small explosive sound and the inside reveals toys and papers with humorous sayings. It was invented by a London confectioner who wanted a novelty that would sell for the Christmas season. Originally filled with sweet treats it was later filled with humorous or romantic sayings and prizes from inexpensive toys to expensive jewelry. It is now a popular part of Christmas celebrations in homes around the world.

Department Store Santa

The first department store to feature a visit with Santa was the J. W. Parkinson's store in Philadelphia in 1841. Astonishingly, no other department stores copied this event until 1890 when a store in Boston repeated it. Before long lines of children formed at stores across America to sit on Santa's lap and tell him their Christmas wish list. The department store Santa has been immortalized in films such as Miracle on 34th Street and Christmas Story.

Eggnog

This popular holiday drink takes its name from an old term for ale, "nog." It is copied from the French drink lait de poule, made of eggs, milk and spices. Americans added rum to it and topped it with nutmeg.

Elves

Small creatures who are associated with Christmas as Santa's helpers in the North Pole. They were not always so friendly. They originated in Scandinavia as house-elves who could be helpful if bribed but malicious if slighted, especially at Christmas. In Denmark, its customary to leave a bowl of milk out for them. Elves begin to take on a more positive and Christmas oriented persona in the 19th century as part of a drive to make Christmas more child-centered.

Baby Shower Game Prize Ideas

Another great idea to jazz up the baby shower, is to throw games to the guests. Playing baby shower games is actually a fun and enjoyable activity that will sure to give big laughs to everyone. There are lots of baby shower games to choose from. If you are the host of the party, you can either purchase games from your local party store or make your own games.

Since showers are often theme-based, you may think of baby shower games that are related to theme you want for the party. Anything from cartoon characters, sports, to jungle or even a spa or tea can make a nice theme for the baby shower.

Usually, when a shower has fun activities such as games, there are prizes for the winners. Well, any game would need prizes for the winners, but in some cases like during a baby shower game, though prizes aren't mandatory, it would be best to give little tokens to the winners.

Baby game prizes ideas come in so many choices to choose from. Depending on your budget and theme of the party, they may range from cheap figurines to elegant festive gift baskets. One great idea you can follow is to purchase little inexpensive items from the baby registry and offer as prizes for the winners. Of course, it is up to them to donate what they've received to the mom-to-be at the end of the shower.

There are lots of theme-based gifts and prizes, and using cute decorations like stuffed animals and other baby-related items can make a cost-effective way to use the theme to your advantage. Other ideas for shower game prizes could be small baby figurines, chocolates and other fancy wrapped treats, gift baskets, gift certificates, spa certificates or even just manicure and pedicure treat for the winners of the games.

You can be as creative as you want when it comes to game prizes. If you prefer to make your own at home, well then feel free to do so. You can easily purchase novelty items from your local craft stores or wholesale dealer and wrap them up yourself. One easy and inexpensive prize idea you can make at home are bubbles with a personalized tag that has a cute picture on. The photo could be an angel, baby, or the ultrasound photo of the upcoming child. Other ideas you can personally make include bags of homemade cookies, little gift baskets filled with pampering goods, and etc.

You don't have to spend a lot of money over those prizes. Make sure to set a budget beforehand so you will have a guide whether you will buy or make homemade prizes. Sometimes, baby shower favors are also used as prizes for the shower games. However, if you feel like giving something else, then much better. Baby shower supplies, including games, prizes and favors are widely available online. There are lots of websites these days that specialize on baby shower gifts and other party accessories that will sure to flair any themed shower.

Novelty gifts make advertising Innovative

Standing in the crowd is only possible in the areas of marketing, if you do something else. If your campaign includes a gift, especially for special occasions, so the choice of novelty gifts will help your message so that the stand-out-in-public-factor. What exactly are they? Well, be one a number of things, but all have one overriding factor.

If you have a competition for children shoes Goody BagFill, party game prizes or hand-out is a must. Here are some examples of these fun items:

or headgear Party
O Goody Bag Gifts
O Toys and Games
O Badge
Flags or
Frisbee or
Or Yo-Yo

The customization makes the product that your message and branding is out there among your potential customers. Most can be printed in a variety of colors and logo, graphic or text.

They are combined with fun and happy events, theThat is, if they are customized with your logo, your company will always remember in a positive light. Other species are key chains, clocks, timers, coffee mugs and refrigerator magnets. The thing that gives them the novelty factor is their ability to be a bit 'quirky and fun. They also have a great public appeal and can all types of companies at different times of the year for promotion. Here are some examples:

Christmas: It 's a huge selection of yuletide connectionProducts that help each company will promote its message of seasonal festivals and meetings in a fun way.

Easter gifts: the season popularly known for the actions of children, where concepts such as hats and games to show a lot.

Consumer events: product launches, shows the city, shows consumers: wherever the attention is the name of the game, especially where children are the target group because they have children gifts novelties excellentAction.

Furthermore, they may be elements of excellent party and sold as an add-on product lines that are connected to special occasions, promotional gifts as a means used to create brand awareness or given away as an on-pack promotions. One thing that will make you stand out as innovative and fun. Involvement in a marketing campaign or a special event will be to ensure a sustainable impact and pushed a positive message at home and to promote a brand in an original way.

Best Game Room Accessories

So, you have built your game room. They have a refrigerator and furniture. They have a pool table or game table. There seems to be still pretty good? What's missing? Accessories. What are the best accessories that give the bland room is your personal touch? The possibilities are endless. This makes the task difficult. Here is a list of possible embellishments, decorations, dressings, accents, ruffles and doodads that can make that game-room and givea personal touch that only come from you.

Decorations

A popular way to decorate your gaming room is themed. Do you have a favorite team or rock band, a genre of film? movie posters are attractive and stylish. Signed prints of actors can be awesome. Sports Memorabilia is also a common way to make a game room. Autographed bats, balls, trading cards, player pictures and game worn equipment adorn many a games roomWall. Some people decorate the walls of old license plates and road signs. Argument is the name of the game when decorating.

Condiments

Cotton candy machines, popcorn machines and snow cone cart to dress any game room. Gum and candy machines can also be used to beautify a space otherwise be opaque. There is something to the taste of a snow cone or popcorn popped carnival that taste that definitely adds a game well-equippedSpace.

Frills

Most rooms have a central area with a map, pool table or other game central. However, it is important to good to include some additional games like. A popular choice is a dart. This can take a simple cork dart board with darts, steel and gypsum board for visitors to a modern electronic dart board that guests adhere automatically and used to be much safer than plastic tip darts. More dressing can contain videoGames. Arcade style games are very popular and expensive game console unless the connection to a TV.

Accents

Elements, both functional and are considered the accents of the party. A wooden statue that doubles as a bottle opener, an electronic card shuffler a lava lamp, a neon sign flashing a cuckoo clock to speak are examples of accents. Everything has a useful purpose and your guests say, "Hey, that's cool" isKeep your friends to talk to your room for days.

Doodads

accents such doodads "are cool." Doodads, however, has no other purpose than that. They are usually small things like a fish talking to the wall, a whoopee cushion or a rubber chicken. View all new store and find hundreds of options for your room. Again, remember that is your room and people should have an idea for you to enjoyPersonality of its own there. Games are fun and your game room should be fun. Let go. Levity and laughter are key elements for successful accessorizing your room.