Help! Im becoming Dumb!

[ohbet]

This thread perhaps should go into the 'off the topic' section so please forgive.

Because of the fatigue of work and lifes responsibilities,it seems I can only 'zone out' in exhaustion in front of the tube when I have time to relax,which is as dangerous to human brain cells as alcohol abuse or crack.

As a result Im feeling increasingly dumb,I dont have time to think,read , understand or gain wisdom.

Are there any nurses out there who try to carve out an intellectual life?[politics,religion,philosopy,science,etc.] Are there any intellectual interest you attempt to pursue? Are you able to make time to read,[apparently our President doesnt read] to question or to think? Is anyone trying to fight the Dumbing Down of America?

[Stargazer]

For a few years I wasn't involved with much in the way of academic pursuits but I did travel a lot, which was very educational, because I always tried to learn at least a dozen or so phrases or sentences in the native language and something of the history, people and culture of each place.

Right now I'm seriously studying a foreign language (Dutch), and plan to continue for the next year or so. After that, I'm planning to study Italian. I post to a literature forum and several different pop-culture critique sites.

I've become a lot more politically aware in the past decade or so and make it a point to read a variety of sources, both print and online, and read the blogs of a number of different politicos whose opinions I value, even if their views aren't always the same as mine. I've been watching slightly more in-depth news programs like Nightline and Meet The Press in the past few years.

PBS has some rockin' documentaries also--everything from bioethics to an overview of the Roman Empire to a history of Islam.

I think the problem is that too many people have become used to being spoon-fed information instead of being self-directed, and way too many people think if it's not on the internet, it's not worth knowing. Newsflash: unless you're taking college courses, you don't have a teacher anymore to give you reading assignments. You actually have to seek out learning opportunities yourself. And loads of information is still only available in actual books, which can be found in public buildings called libraries.

Honestly, if it weren't for the Harry Potter books, I would be seriously frightened that the next generation couldn't read at all.

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

I watch discovery, TLC, Nat Geo channel for my intellectual stimulation. When the kids were little, I was always dragging them off somewhere. Artifact digs, Alabama is full of Indian sites. Off to the zoo, never been much of one for the art museum but somehow both of my kids turned out to be wonderful artists. And of course there is always Dogpile, my favorite search engine. If I wonder about soemthing I just type it in at http://www.Dogpile.com and poof there it is :)

[Rustyhammer]

Even though we have satelite tv with countless channels we still have a hard time turning it on.

The kids are not allowed to watch on school nights and during the weekend they are mostly outside playing and I only like watching star trek Voyager (7 of 9) and Mystery Science Theatre 3000 but I can never remember what time or channel they are on.

I have started on this "health kick" and it has given me more energy than I have had in years. I get up at 0430 every morning and do a workout. I actually started reading novels again now that I don't have to go outside and have a cig every 20 minutes.

I am more alive now than I have been in the last 15 years.

Feeling good!

-Russell

[frannybee]

One of the reasons I was so happy to move to the UK (apart from seeing my bf again after 9mths apart!) was that we could go and see historical places on days off - castles, forts, cathedrals, burial grounds etc. I stunned the guide at Canterbury Cathedral with how much I knew about cathedral construction in the middle ages. How did I know? I read a book (medieval fiction) on the plane over. It may have been fiction but *very* well researched and accurate to the last page about the cathedrals. My latest historical obsession is Richard III, and having lived in Yorkshire I got to know a lot about his life. After I've exhausted that avenue, I'll move on to Welsh history, since we're now in Wales. It helps that it's gorgeous here and you can't help but learn by osmosis. (I can even say Llanelli properly now).

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

I'm patting Russell on the back too :))

Franny for historical fiction, try Diana Gabaldon, but it's about Scotland. On the same island with you though, could go over and give it a look see ?

[Liann]

I like NPR and also books on tape/CD while driving. I dont watch much TV, but when I do its History Channel or Discovery or Animal Planet. I dont care for the medical shows much, since they only irritate me and make me yell at the TV...not a relaxing thought. I volunteer at my kids religion class one night a week, and try to help out with as many local elections as I can. Gotta find some adult conversation that doesnt have the word STAT in it ...ever...

[Stargazer]

Originally posted by LilgirlRN

Alabama is full of Indian sites.

Really? I had no idea.

See? Learned something new today.

[Liann]

I also have given the appearance of being informed by reading the local paper (about once a week) and by reading Newsweek magazine. It helps to at least get me to the point of knowing what others are talking about. :)

[Stargazer]

Oh yeah, I subscribe to Time and Newsweek too. Time's kind of expensive, but I just end up buying it off the rack when I don't subscribe, so.... :)

[frannybee]

LilGirl, haven't read any Gabaldon yet but will now

Try 'Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follett and anything by Sharon Kay Penman for English history - I'm in lurve with Penman's books. We've joined the local library and I've just borrowed a huge stack of Dylan Thomas stuff, him being a local boy and all. My uncle's done a CD of music with DT reading over the top so I'm learning while I chill to his stuff too. I'm trying to promote his CD to the local DT museums and bookshops etc so have seen a lot more of the area by default. Went down 'Salubrious Passage' yesterday - what a brilliant name for an alley (and particularly appropriate!) :chuckle

[MrsK1223]

I'm no scholar but I too find that I get bored easily and find I want to do something to challenge my mind. I've been out of school a couple of years and I already want to go back just to have that stimulation...not sure if I want to study more nursing but something. For smaller degrees of stimulation I do crosswords puzzles and word searches. I like to read nursing journals and other magazines. I have tons of books I haven't read but can't seem to sit still long enough to get interested. I love music...rock, some country, pop, some classical and even some opera. I do feel dumb sometimes....you think with all we went thru in school we would feel pretty smart...I did for a while but now I'm feeling like I need more "edu-muh-cashun"......hahahaa. You're not alone in your feelings.

[frannybee]

My spelling has suffered badly since I left uni. I find that words that used to come naturally to me are the ones I have to think about now, and my mother has started pointing it out to me in my emails home. (As if it isn't hard enough trying to live up to a mother who comes up with perfection no matter what she turns her hand to!)