I have an executive function!

There's a lot of bull floating around about diet, exercise, medicine, and so on. I lean heavily on the research and opinion from the New York Times, where the reporters on these issues tend to be actual, trained experts in the subject on which they report, rather than just the good reporters you see at smaller newspapers or TV reporters. They also seek opinion pieces and articles from leading experts like the one I read the other day.

The article is an argument to ignore those stupid brain activity games where the manufacturers claim they'll improve your acuity or your memory or whatever else you might worry about. The authors recommend plain old exercise--you know, aerobic stuff: walking, running, old-fashioned aerobics, or whatever. It also conforms to my prejudices!

The main thing I like is how they describe the set of abilities that combine to govern decision-making and activities as the "executive function". We all have one!

CDs listened to today:

• Olivier Messiaen: Visions de l'Amen
• Pixies: Surfer Rosa
• William Schuman: Symphony No. 10 (Gerard Schwarz conducting)
• Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians
• Frank Sinatra: The Capitol Years, disk 3
• Remy Shand: The Way I Feel
• Humphrey Searle: Symphony No. 2
• Trash Can Sinatras: Cake