A funny German word
If you’ve mucked or screwed something up here in Germany, you might hear the word “versemmeln”.
Do you have any idea where the word comes from? This article (link to: dw.com) can tell you.
How to trick our brains
In this article (link to: fastcompany.com), Sandra Bond Chapman, founder and chief director of the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas, explains that multitasking, information overload, and constant interruptions are damaging the way our brains work. She and her team of researchers have developed a brain training program that claims to “improve focus, memory, and cognitive function”, starting with merely nine hours of training.
Things we can do in our everyday lives to keep our brains fit:
- Stop multitasking.
- Explore new views.
- Take brain breaks.
- Read less and deeper.
And look here, I’ve found some exercises for us all.
On success
“What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.” Bob Dylan
Half past?
If someone from Britain says they want to meet you at half eight. What does that mean? It’s not like the German ‘halb acht’. It means half past eight or eight thirty.
40 short and sweet ways to relax
Read this article on 40 ways to relax in 5 minutes or less (link to: greatist.com) to get some new ideas on what you can do to unwind. What are you going to try out? My all-time favourite is going out for a quick walk or jumping on my mini-trampoline. But planning a holiday doesn’t sound like a bad idea! 🙂
Off to the swimming pool?
If you come from Germany or have children here in Germany, you might remember those rare days when the schools declare “hitzefrei” (literally translated as “heat free”) because temperatures climb to an unbearable level (around 27 degrees Celsius). Actually the levels vary from state to state.
The Deutsche Welle has a lovely article explaining the word in more detail.
