Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.

Table of Contents

• Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

  • Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope t …

• Just Giving Loads of Thanks

  • Ha Ha Haiku

    • Yeehawesome!

    • Quote of the Week

  • Wonderful Wednesday

  • Today’s Beany-full Summary:

Just Giving Loads of Thanks

Gosh, this world is kuh-raaaaazy. More and more news stories of bad stuff.

And it’s important to honor and consider those who are victims of injustice around the world. To pray and to work to stop the madness.

In the middle of all of that, and of course keeping those folks in mind and heart, I want to just take a breather for a moment.

I have the variety of ADHD where the hyperactivity is mostly in my brain. My fingers want to have fidget toys like magnetic rings, and my brain wants to travel on a flippin’ hamster wheel to the dark recesses of injustice and to right all the wrongs at 1 million kilometers a brainwave minute.

(By the way, I’m not saying that empathy is a sin. Ahem. It ain’t.)

As I’m writing this before bed, I’m not following Dr. Daniel Amen’s rule about no screens for an hour before bed. Anyway.

I am thinking of his suggestions for better sleep though:

• Before sleeping, pray. 

• Then ask yourself, What went well today? 

• Remember micro-moments of happiness from the day. Think small, like butterflies or flowers.

This is just a great idea in general, and especially this week when many of my fellow countrypeople and I have a holiday to give thanks.

What am I thankful for?

Where to start?

Breath. Life.

Holy Spirit.

Health.

Energy.

Spoons (as in spoon theory—I’m thankful for cutlery spoons, too, especially if the situation involves German carrot soup or ice cream).

Pretty autumn leaves.

Crunching through toasted leaves.

Food.

Including citrus (also my favorite scent).

And, of course, chocolate (these were homemade chocolate-orange energy bites, so they contained a delightful combo: choco and citrus together).

May the season hold tasty treats for you.

May the injustices in this world be set right.

May the cornucopias of our minds be filled with a harvest bounty of good, true, worthy, creative, fun, joyful, and beautiful thoughts.

Ha Ha Haiku

A funny haiku for you every week in every newsletter, whether it’s one of my own or one I curate for you. HA. Ha. Haiku.

Yeehawesome!

Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?

1. These homemade chocolate-peanut-butter thingies! I can’t remember where I found the recipe, but I just mix homemade peanut butter (just salt, no sugar), plain soy yogurt, and a tiny bit of honey. Form into a ball and stick on popsicle sticks and then freeze. Then melt dairy-free dark chocolate and dip them in. The frozen peanut butter part will instantly freeze the chocolate, or you can put it in the fridge or freezer. I like them better than that traditional brand in the US.

2. I’ve seen it going around Facebook and Instagram but I can’t find out if it’s true or not: Allegedly, the Kaluli people of Papua New Guinea have their children do something before bed called “night clearing,” when the children speak their fears aloud. Then they sleep soundly. I wonder if we can learn something from this? Does anyone know if this is even a true story?

3. Here are 20 websites where you can download books for free:

   Project Gutenberg .com

   Open Library .org

   Google Books .com

   ManyBooks .net

   PDF Drive .com

   Bookboon .com

   Free-Ebooks .net

   Smashwords .com

   DigiLibraries .com

   GetFreeEbooks .com

   Obooko .com

   Baen Free Library .com

   Internet Archive .org

   HathiTrust .org

   Standard Ebooks .org

   ReadPrint .com

   Bookrix .com

   Librophile .com

   Online Books Page .edu

   Your local library

Quote of the Week

Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness

Wonderful Wednesday

Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.

Today’s Beany-full Summary:

• It’s nice to stop and say thank you sometimes.

• Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?

Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.

If you’re enjoying Beany Brain, please share with a friend or seventeen at www.beanybrain.com. Cheers big time!