Location: Central Vermont (via Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and Alaska)
Age: At this point, I’m 43. I expect that to change.
Occupation: database and web applications developer
Education: I studied theatre arts and communications (no degree). Eleven years later I studied psychology, women’s studies, and community development (primarily online and non-academic). Again, no degree.
When I registered I didn’t consider that my handle might not be the most apt for this community, it is simply who I have been online for over fifteen years (though I have been participating in online communities since 1983). The original reasons for my handle have faded, but my attachment to the name has remained. So please, don’t read more into my handle than my having a preference for the way it sounds.
I was pushed away from mathematics and the sciences from an early age by the limitations of our public school system, though I had the ability to excel in both. I was not encouraged to develop the habits of intellectual discipline that would have carried me beyond those limitations. I was content to glide through my classes, doing only the minimum necessary to maintain my A average without bothering to push much beyond that. My social life, outside activities, and connections were more important to me. This isn’t something I have any regrets over, I bring it up to somewhat explain my intellectual inertia and lack of familiarity with certain standard concepts found here.
The immediate circumstance that led me to LW is that a close friend found this site and forwarded the link to my husband. My husband forwarded the link to me. However, the path that led me here started much earlier. I was of a skeptical nature from an early age, though I have only come to realize this in the course of years of self-examination. I go through periods of studying things, then leaving them behind in favor of other, less stringent pursuits. Yet, as I age my brain gets mushy more easily, so I’ve been looking for ways to stave that off. In researching the issue, I found that the effects of aging on the brain can be mitigated through intellectual exercise. Not much of a surprise, really. So that has me poking around for ways to exercise my brain.
There is, of course, so much more to the story of how I got here. I could fill pages that I suspect most would find uninteresting. So I’ll stop here.
I found that the effects of aging on the brain can be mitigated through intellectual exercise. Not much of a surprise, really. So that has me poking around for ways to exercise my brain.
Good old-fashioned learning also works, and I believe there is some documented evidence for things like crossword puzzles helping as well.
The main thing is activities that are neither passive nor physical. Likely, mind puzzles are better than non-reflex-based videogames are better than most fiction are better than watching television or some rot like that.
Handle: MorgannaLeFey
Name: Siobhan
Location: Central Vermont (via Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and Alaska)
Age: At this point, I’m 43. I expect that to change.
Occupation: database and web applications developer
Education: I studied theatre arts and communications (no degree). Eleven years later I studied psychology, women’s studies, and community development (primarily online and non-academic). Again, no degree.
When I registered I didn’t consider that my handle might not be the most apt for this community, it is simply who I have been online for over fifteen years (though I have been participating in online communities since 1983). The original reasons for my handle have faded, but my attachment to the name has remained. So please, don’t read more into my handle than my having a preference for the way it sounds.
I was pushed away from mathematics and the sciences from an early age by the limitations of our public school system, though I had the ability to excel in both. I was not encouraged to develop the habits of intellectual discipline that would have carried me beyond those limitations. I was content to glide through my classes, doing only the minimum necessary to maintain my A average without bothering to push much beyond that. My social life, outside activities, and connections were more important to me. This isn’t something I have any regrets over, I bring it up to somewhat explain my intellectual inertia and lack of familiarity with certain standard concepts found here.
The immediate circumstance that led me to LW is that a close friend found this site and forwarded the link to my husband. My husband forwarded the link to me. However, the path that led me here started much earlier. I was of a skeptical nature from an early age, though I have only come to realize this in the course of years of self-examination. I go through periods of studying things, then leaving them behind in favor of other, less stringent pursuits. Yet, as I age my brain gets mushy more easily, so I’ve been looking for ways to stave that off. In researching the issue, I found that the effects of aging on the brain can be mitigated through intellectual exercise. Not much of a surprise, really. So that has me poking around for ways to exercise my brain.
There is, of course, so much more to the story of how I got here. I could fill pages that I suspect most would find uninteresting. So I’ll stop here.
I recommend video games, or Magic: the Gathering.
Good old-fashioned learning also works, and I believe there is some documented evidence for things like crossword puzzles helping as well.
The main thing is activities that are neither passive nor physical. Likely, mind puzzles are better than non-reflex-based videogames are better than most fiction are better than watching television or some rot like that.