AARP Rewards Community Learning & Earning Contest August 2022

I ran for our City Council, and though I'd been on several City committees in the past, I discovered a enormous learning curve to becoming an actual Council member.   It's kept me on my toes though zoom meetings during the Covid shutdown, and I've enjoyed meeting many new people.   I've become aware of so many things going on in our community.  It does take a good deal of time, but it's a win-win for the city and for me.

I utilize copious methods to keep my brain active.  My favorites are my daily emails from "Brain Candy" and "Today's Trivia".  In addition, I complete our AARP quizzes to gain knowledge and earn points.

Having daily conversations with my grandkids, ages 15 and 18, keep me current with technological advances,  My motto is to learn something new every day and keep moving.

I binge read books.  I've probably read about 4 just this week. I do most of the puzzles in the newspaper.  I also watch Jeopardy and do trivia quizzes.  And I sometimes do the AARP puzzles.  And I am still working because I like what I do and it involves lots of problem solving and learning new things (I work in IT).

I watch quiz shows.

I workout every day. The blood flow to the brain during exercise keeps me sharp

I read a lot of books on my Kindle.  In fact since January 1, 2022 I have read 676 books.  I watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune 5 days a week,  I do crossword puzzles and Wordle every day.  I play trivia board games with my family as often as I can.

I do daily story reading on Duolingo in the German language.  I have doing lessons for 3 years now.  I recently starting attending three different book clubs at my local public library, and reading the books for each of them -  SciFi and Fantasy, WW !!, and Newcomers.  My favorite quote from Dr. Seuss  is " The more you read, the more you know.  The more you know, the smarter you grow."   

I visit local museums and galleries, and attend Zoom lectures that I take photos and screenshots of and then I turn them into photo essays with what I learned and what my thoughts are. This technique helps me organize my experiences and thoughts, creates a fun record, and lets me share with friends. I love it when something prompts them to respond with their memories and reactions since it shows we're engaging on a deeper level than just a thumbs up or smiley face.

I enjoy learning new skills such as woodworking, glass etching, quilting, and so much more. The techniques for each help both my mind and motor skills become more refined and I approach projects like a puzzle that need to be figured out.

I do a lot of reading online. I also read & watch educational videos on the Aarp web site. I also take quizzes from this site. I try exercising some by running up & down the stairs in our home. Not running, walking as quickly as possible. Keeping the blood flowing to the brain helps also.