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 …

• Laugh-In Anxiety-Out

  • Yeehawesome!

  • Wonderful Wednesday

  • Today’s Beany-full Summary:

Laugh-In Anxiety-Out

It’s time.

We all know it’s time.

Dang, the US election is just over a week away; things are poop-shaped in the Middle East; the climate is heating up and so is everyone’s bile.

(Can bile heat up? Anyway, it’s acidic and acid ain’t no fun, cool or hot.)

Anyone else have anxiety? Is it kinda high right now?

Even if you love Jesus. Even if you’re on meds (sometimes I wish I were). Even if you have a wise therapist.

Sometimes we just can’t make the anxiety go away.

So…

It’s time to laugh.

Humor will not make everything bad go away; it won’t diminish reality. BUT maybe it will help us take a step back for a few minutes.

As Lynn Lyons said on the Flusterclux podcast, “Anxiety doesn’t stand a chance when we’re laughing.”

I personally would like anxiety to not stand a chance.

You too?

Lemme start with a little self-deprecation:

Yesterday I just could not figure out why the guy on a podcast (LeVar Burton, who actually speaks really clearly) was talking about “fork intestines.”

FOUR CONTESTANTS, y’all.

(Do you hear stuff wrong? Even with “good hearing for your age” according to the ENT? Yeah, that’s a different topic for a different day. And thanks, Dr. ENT, for the backhanded compliment.)

So this is gonna be a different kind of Beany Brain. Just mostly lots of funnies, videos, what-have-yous. I’m not gonna write about interoception or oversharing or overexplaining or other neurodivergent-related topics. There’s a time and place for that (check out my previous 13 newsletters).

(CW: maybe a couple choice words and a reference to sex in the Frasier and Betty White videos.)

First up, classic British comedy. Morecambe and Wise have breakfast:

Then the same blokes put on a concert with Andre Previn:

The Two Ronnies at the ice cream parlor:

Atsuko Okatsuka:

When Harry Met Sally:

If you like the 1982 Scarlet Pimpernel movie:

Henry Cho:

Frasier:

Getting Old:

Another oldie but goodie:

Japanese game show:

When Harry Met Sally (again). Now go and talk thusly.

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. “Pretend It’s a City” on Netflix. Fran Lebowitz is snarky and hilarious and her love for New York City shines through in a smoky subway haze kind of way.

2. A chance to visit a rural onsen (hot springs bathhouse) on Sunday. Sooooo relaxing.

3. My new Sunday-night pastime: Watch an old movie that I know and latch hook at the same time. A nice brain break for me.

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:

• In times of anxiety, take a break to laugh.

• 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!