Chapter 82.7: Matt Recommends: It's All Kids Play

As a new father and an old daycamp director, I know something about how important keeping a child entertained can be. That's one of the reasons I was so eager to check out the new Website It's All Kids Play, which is free to all. Created by Canadian writer (and fellow Agent Query denizen) Jean Oram, the site boasts more than 700 cheap (even free!) things to do when the kids whine, "I'm borrrrrred!"

Of course, many of the ideas are well known by children everywhere. (I think I was born aware of how to make armpit farts, for example. Though I suppose my brothers may have had a hand in teaching me.) But I suspect most American kids don't know about curling, and I didn't have a recipe for Glop.

There are too many sections to review at one sitting — and where's the fun in that? — but the navigation bar is blissfully intuitive. For those who need things even simpler, there's also a site map. Actually, the site map provides a handy source to get the RSS feed.

Not to be missed is the related blog, which includes a tip of the day. Today's was an ice cream sundae. Sorry, folks. I've got to go. I just had an idea.

While I'm gone, check out It's All Kids Play.ca. You and your kids will be happy you did. ... Now, where did I put the chocolate syrup?

Chapter 76.6: Remembering Old Friends

I've been blessed with an abundance of friends -- though I'm not always the best at showing my appreciation of their positive influence in my life. It turns out that my friends may be helping me in ways I'd never dreamed of before. Apparently, having more friends helps a person maintain a strong memory longer. Not only that, but my having graduated college helps me in that regard too, though the study also suggests that I should avoid the fatty foods and cholesterol. Damn, and I was really looking forward to eating monkey brains!

The study was conducted over six years, which may mean little, I don't really know, though it seems to suggest a bit more serious research than something that's only studying effects over a 12-18 month period. Surely, the impact of good friends cannot be measured over so short a period.

While it is unclear how social isolation and disconnected from others could affect memory loss, the implication is that seniors should continue to engage in social activities and increase the number of people in their social network. I can see it now: Senior Facebook! [Full disclosure, I do not have a Facebook page]

To be serious for a moment, these types of studies could be incredibly important as we the largest generation enter their senior years. Indeed, many of them don't even see their sixties as being old -- and at this point they're probably right. The fact remains, however, that their health is more likely to deteriorate than improve as they get older, and if engaging in more social interactions with people, developing more friendships with people, will help as life moves inexorably forward, then we should all do our best to help.

So my advice is call your parents regulary. See if they're spending time with their neighbors, their church group, their bridge club, at the nudist beach down the shore, whatever. It will help their memories, and they'll have reason to remember. Encourage them to make new friends and keep the old. They're all gold.