my boss

is forever giving away her possessions to roberta and me.  last week alone, she gave me a box of books, several vases, a black sheet, a computer hutch, a bench she had put together herself...and a stick of deodorant.  now i have to wonder why she gave me that, of all things.  she SAYS she couldn't wear it because it hurt her, but you just never know.

i'm beginning to feel uncomfortable being given these things,  but i've figured out why - she's bringing her son's things from new york and didn't have room for her old stuff.  periodically she cleans out anyway.  roberta and i save her a trip to the salvation army.

the books were interesting, and provided some insight into her.  one was housecleaning made easy, a cook book, and i forget what the other was, but there was absolutely no fiction.  all were how to's and self-help.  one of the most interesting was a book on mental exercises.  stretching the mind.  and so last night i thumbed through it and thought..i don't have time for all these, but you know what?  i tried some of them this morning.  it is NOT as easy as it seems.

here's one set:  upon waking, count backwards from 100 as fast as you can. easy enough, right? the next is reciting the alphabet, giving each letter a word partner (a-apple, b-boy).  no problem,  the next - name 20 men's names aloud as fast as you can, numbering them as you go (1. Larry 2. Mark, etc).  next you do the same with 20 women's names.  names are no problem - but when you add the number to them - for some reason that's difficult for me! and the next is to number and recite 20 types of food as fast as you can.  the next is to choose one letter of the alphabet and recite as many words, numbering them as you go, that begin with that letter.  all this should take about 5 minutes or so, depending on how stuck you get with the numbers. heheh!

after trying these, the mind does feel warmed up. i'm typing and everything, and i feel alert.  can't argue with that!

but there are different exercises - for concentration, memory (i really need that one), patience...perhaps i CAN find time for them.