Oatmeal, the Brain & Weight Loss

Oatmeal, oatmeal, oatmeal seems what I am eating today! Yesterday I mentioned to Fred that I had only one portion left {which I ate for breakfast} and so this morning he made his usual big pot with cinnamon, apples, and sunflower seeds. Now, I always have a portion while it is fresh and hot so that is what I had for lunch, Then I went off for my once-every-two weeks massage and got home at 4 pm. And, I bet you will never guess what I had then? Yes, of course, another cup of oatmeal! I will have something else besides outmeal tonight I am pretty sure!

While I was having a massage, for some reason I was thinking about discovering I am actually right-brained. In case you don’t know the difference, here is what I found online.

“Experimentation has shown that the two different sides, or hemispheres, of the brain are responsible for different manners of thinking. The following table illustrates the differences between left-brain and right-brain thinking:

Left Brain

Right Brain

Logical
Sequential
Rational
Analytical
Objective
Looks at parts
Random
Intuitive
Holistic
Synthesizing
Subjective
Looks at wholes

Most individuals have a distinct preference for one of these styles of thinking. Some, however, are more whole-brained and equally adept at both modes.”

Now, I was an excellent student and did very well in school and most schools are geared to the left-brained. But when I found I was right-brained {or, more possibly whole-brained} I was not a bit surprised. Fred, who is very obviously left-brained is at times driven mad by the radically different way I learn. For example, if there is a manual for a piece of software or a gadget, he reads it all the way through and then tackles the software, preferrably with tutorials. What I do is leap right in and see what I can make the software do and become familiar with it. Only then do I read the manual and find myself saying, “Neat! I thought it should do that but wasn’t able to figure it out!” Tutorials come last and only to see if there isn’t perhaps a shorter way to do what I have already figured out.

Oh, and in case you are wondering how one finds out, clasp your hands above your head with your fingers linked and your thumbs crossed. Now, bring them down to where you can see them and look at your thumbs. If your right thumb is on the top, you are, apparently, left brained. {I have no idea how accurate this is but I found it interesting both to do and think about.} I have one left-handed son and I once bought him a T-shirt which said, “Only left-handed people are in their right minds!” I am right-handed but I still to this day recite mentally, “You write with your right hand” when I am asked to look left or right. There is a definte confusion in my mind between the two directions and I have got memories of having my left hand slapped when I was in school at 5 years old and writing with that hand. My older son showed an obvious preference for his left hand very early. The younger one seemed to be pretty ambidexerous until about 2-and-a-half when he grabbed his father’s cigarette with his left hand and burned his palm quite badly. By the time the bandage came off, he was right-handed {and in his left mind!} But I think he is like me, most probably whole-brained.

I got on the scales last night fully dressed {but with slippers on my feet} and, to my surprise, I weighed 160 pounds. Now up to this point, I have been weighing 160 pounds when I weigh myself in the morning wearing nothing but some water-drops from the shower. And when I weighed this morning, the scales said 158! I am actually trying to maintain but I AM walking 45 minutes instead of 30 minutes when I go out so, apparently, this has made that difference. Now, I AM  aware that two pounds is nothing and I will probably be back to 160 tomorrow, but I found it interesting so I am writing about it here because that is what my diary is for!

On the way home I was listening to NPR and I came across a program playing songs from different countries and different parts of the US. Just as I got near home, he played one with some very interesting and urgent sounding drums in the background and the singer sounded just like Paul Simon! Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay long enough to hear what it was called or even if it was Paul Simon since he was playing sets of four back to back and then identifying them. I know Paul Simon has done songs with Ladysmith Black Mombasa but this wasn’t them. I am a fan and I would recognize them immediately {even in their commercial “Life Sav-ahs!”} but the drums sounded very–well tribal is the word that comes to mind. Is this ringing a bell with anyone?

Until later…