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 …

• From the Heart-Brain

  • How I See It

    • Yeehawesome!

  • Wonderful Wednesday

  • Today’s Beany-full Summary:

From the Heart-Brain

Anyone else tired? So many I know and love are sapped, drained, melted, wiped.

You don’t have to be neurodivergent to feel this.

You don’t have to be perimenopausal to feel this.

You don’t have to live in a foreign country to feel this.

I am dealing with all of the above plus alpha beta gamma delta epsilon.

I’m not coming at you with answers.

What I will do here in this ESP (extra-special post) is share what I’ve noticed my friends (and I) are doing as a counterargument against the screaming-banshee exhaustion.

A whisper against the howling winds.

So I’m just gonna throw these at ya in no particular fancy order:

• Put up Christmas decorations early for the extra joy.

• Take a walk.

• 4-7-8 breathing: Breathe in for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8.

• Find some silliness (watch Morecambe and Wise again if you need to).

• Zone out.

• Read anything. Doesn’t have to be Machiavelli (although I did check out The Prince from the library a week ago and I’m still stuck in the introduction—it’s just too close—a leetle too close—to home right now). You know, Agatha Christie might be better this week.

• Watch a movie.

• Latch hook.

• Try Wordle. Or NYT Connections. Or Wordiply from The Guardian.

• Flip through a book of photography (Robert Doisneau is good).

• Write a poem a day.

• Limit your news intake.

• Read funny memes to your family.

• Show cute animals videos to your family.

• Then show them to yourself again. And again.

• Bake some brownies.

• Eat the brownies.

• Write a snail-mail letter. Or several.

• Buy stamps. (I love our post office ladies.)

• Admire the stamps. Stamps are pretty.

• Less screen time. More cloud-gazing.

• Meet a buddy for tea or coffee or yuzu cha.

• Take a minute to notice your body. Oh, I have a headache—that’s why I’m uncomfortable. Drink more water and then take a Tylenol if you need it.

• Nerd out.

• Write yourself or your family a winter-fun list.

• Take a second walk (yes, more than one a day is perfectly acceptable practice).

• Listen to the Monks of Senegal.

• Instead of saying “cheese” when you take a photo try “kimchi” instead. Our Korean friend swears by it. And she has a great smile.

• Remember funny stories. Our Malawian and German friends just moved back to Germany from Japan and they are bowing to everyone out of habit and getting funny looks from Germans. That cracks me up. I can just picture it.

• What’s your favorite color? Look around the place you’re in right now and notice everything in that color.

• Say hi to yourself.

• Use some low lights and nix the bright ones if you can (unless you’re doing latch hook).

• Buy yourself something for Christmas and wrap it up.

• Ask yourself how many spoons you have right now, this minute (Spoon Theory). Ask for help if you need it.

• Be on alert for people laughing. I love hearing that.

Pick one of these things to do. Or several. Or none. There is no pressure.

If you’re too tired, take a nap. I took a superb one on Sunday afternoon. Really luxuriant while the rain poured down outside and the soft blankets enveloped my bones.

And remember to mention to yourself that you are valuable and loved.

Because both of those things are empirically true.

How I See It

A photopalooza for you today.

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. Have I mentioned the Sherlock & Co. podcast? Seriously, go listen. (There are content warnings for each episode, so be aware there’s sometimes bad language, descriptions of violence, etc.) I’m currently listening to a 10-part series called The Sign of Four. The music is so good too, y’all.

2. Here are 11 Fun Facts about Your Brain from Northwestern Medicine. Did you know that information in your brain can travel as fast as 350 mph and that yes, indeed, we do use all of our brain (not just 10%)?

3. A video called Pride and Prejudice (1995) Things You Might Have Missed by an actor named Tudor Smith. Keep your Keira Knightley version, people! The BBC did it best! I stand myself upon this assertion and I shall not be moved. I indeed have no improper pride in this matter.

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:

• If you’re tired, it’s OK. You’re valuable and loved.

• I offered a Beany Brain photopalooza for your visual delectation.

• 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!