When you get to be a certain age, you can’t help but wonder if dementia is your destiny. This blog explores what it means to age, how to tell normal aging from dementia, and how to protect your mind as you go forward.
We all know what the final destination is on our journey through life, but what we don’t know is which path we’ll travel to get there: normal aging or dementia. This blog shares my fears, failures and triumphs along that road, no matter which fork fate has chosen for me.
-Wayne Braffman
December 12, 2020
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From the blog…
S3E12. The Leafy Greens Rabbit Hole
I’m not one to shy away from going down rabbit holes and this week found me tumbling my way down to Wonderland once again. It all started with a report I read of a study published in Neurology this month that found (upon autopsy) that people who most closely adhered to the Mediterranean Diet had…
S3E11. And The Winner Is…
This year I invested a good amount of time (and for the purposes of this blog, cognitive effort) watching all 10 films nominated for Best Picture along with the 5 nominees each for Best Animated Short and Best Live Action Short. I also watched 1 film for its Best Actor nomination. Having done so, all…
S3E10. The Road Not Taken
We just returned from a 5-day trip to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, where we watched the UConn Women’s Basketball team play in the Big East Tournament. Spoiler alert: They won! We love getting away on little trips like this (it’s only a 4-5 hour drive from home) and immersing ourselves in something…
S3E9. Lavender? Better Sleep On It!
Check out this conclusion from a 2021 study that had participants inhale lavender essential oil mist while sleeping: “Our finding suggests that lavender aroma may be used to increase [slow wave] sleep and help prevent neurodegenerative diseases even when total sleep time is limited. As [sleep time] is often limited due to the work constraints…
S3E8. A Most Unlikely Music Man
Have you ever thought about your relationship to music? I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week in the context of writing this blog episode. My intention was to write about the brain benefits of playing and listening to music, but I got seriously sidetracked. If I had to pick one word to describe…
S3E7. Rosemary, Baby!
When were you going to tell me? And why is the brain health blogger apparently the last to know? I’ve been researching this stuff for about two years now and not once can I recall an article extolling the praises of rosemary…and it’s not because my memory is failing me! Last week, my step-son Chris…
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About Me
As I turn 70, I’m embarking on my 6th career. I’ve been an urban planner, Director of a 3,000-seat performing arts center, B&B owner and cookbook author, clinical psychologist, political activist and Chair of our local Democratic Party, and now blogger. My pattern has been to change careers every 10 years, so if all goes well, this should keep me occupied until I’m 80.
Please feel free to comment below, or email me at: Wayne@MistakesOnTheJourneyToNowhere.com
Mistakes on the Journey to Nowhere 
Thank you so much for visiting. Please don’t hesitate to stop by anytime!
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Wayne your are one of the best. You can say you tried it all on your journey.
Seems at 60 I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up as I travel this journey of mine.
Didn’t know about the zoom party or I would have tuned in.
Fredda
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That makes 2 of us trying to figure out what we’ll do when we grow up!
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Thanks for inviting me Wayne. I signed up. Miss you already and your sound reasoning from CCDC
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Thank you…and remember that the ’emeritus’ hot-line is always open! 😀
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Hi Wayne,
You’re in my baby-boomer class, and it is indeed hard to let go of items/mementos that were marks of certain times in our lives. I keep reminding myself that these things are of little value to anyone but me, and what counts is in my mind anyway.
Happy New Year!
Nancy Dean
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It’s a fascinating process, isn’t it? Everyone will come up with different answers (and I like yours), but for me, the question ‘What was I saving this for?’ was answered with: ‘I was saving it for exactly this moment!’
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Hi Wayne,
Roberta Eldridge here,though I’ve moved from Kennett,I still call it home! And still in touch with my Coffee Klatch Group!
I will think about what to say next time!
Happy Belated Chanukah
Roberta
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Hi Wayne- I just discovered your blog and read a couple posts. Really enjoyed them. We are having some similar missing about life and age. All the best to you and Sally from NM
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Miss you guys…hope all is well.
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Thanks for inviting me Wayne. I look forward to joining you on your new journey.
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Happy to have you on board, Cindy!
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I am right alongside of you on your journey.
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As I knew you would be!
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This is a great idea. Thank you for inviting me
My journey has been similar to yours, multiple careers and sometimes paths that seemed to go nowhere but were taking me exactly where I should be then and even now.
And I’m still searching!! I have a magnet from Venice that says “may we live in interesting times”. I always loved it but after this year, I may take it down, give it a rest. I just want some peace and quiet for awhile.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. Or as it’s said in China: ‘The Curse of Interesting Times.’
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Wayne,
Thank you for the invite. I look forward to the journey.
Charlotte
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I know you’ll be a wonderful traveling companion…great to have you aboard!
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Wayne, Looking forward to continuing the journey, with you!
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Welcome aboard…you can ride on the AA train! 😀
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🎼everybody knows this is nowhere.
Onward with the journey ole friend. Stay well ❤️
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Thanks for adding the music…so happy that the trip includes you!
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Thanks for the invitation Wayne! I am happy, and Dennis too, to join you on this very exciting journey!
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Now this is an international event…thank you!
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Best to you as you move forward. Will continue to fight the good fight.
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Im here just to check it out. I have always had a bad memory and afraid the as i age (almost 60) things will only get worse.
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Thanks for stopping by, James. Having always had a bad memory does not predict what will happen to you going forward; you are not more at risk than anyone else. If you do start to notice changes and decide to be tested, though, please be sure to tell your doctor about the kinds of problems you have always had. It will be important and helpful information in charting your path forward.
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