SENIOR NEWS By

Matilda Charles

Ways to Train Your Brain

ere are several “brain support” online programs out there, but many cost more than we’d like to pay.

Lumosity (lumosity.com) comes in seven languages and has games that promote memory, attention, exibility, problem-solving and more. A er you sign up, you’ll get three free games per day, and the Brain Performance Index monitors your progress. ere is a subscription plan, of course, if you want access to more areas of the site, and you can pay by the month or the year. Test the free version rst to see if you like it.

BrainHQ (brainhq.com) is another cognitive training program that you can access online. eir exercises explore brain speed, memory, attention and more. And you can design your own program. eir goals are to help you think faster, focus better and remember more. You can try it out by subscribing to their email newsletters, which have free daily exercises to sample.

As for me, I’ve found books that don’t cost much and are good at putting my brain through its paces on a daily basis. e New York Times series of puzzle books begins with the Monday editions, which are the easiest of the week. ( e crossword puzzles get increasingly di cult as the week progresses.) I found the whole series of spiral-bound puzzle books (50 to a book) on Amazon.

en there are the online jigsaw puzzles at eJigsawPuzzles.com. e puzzles (a new one every day) can be set in any number of ways, including the number of pieces in a puzzle. I’ve found that the 100-pieces level is plenty challenging when viewed on a computer monitor.

And then there is online chess, for those of us who used to play back in the day but would be embarrassed to lose to a small child now without serious brushing up of our skills. Try this for free at www.chess.com and play against their computer.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Learn How To Write A Classic Love Letter

Today’s digital world has given rise to fast, stinted communications. According to the Pew Research Center, texting is the most widely used smartphone app, with 97 percent of Americans using it at least once a day. Across the globe, 8.3 trillion text messages are sent each year. That translates to roughly 16 million messages per minute.

In addition to text messaging, social media posts are generally concise and short on depth. The written form of communication has changed dramatically in the last decade, as letter-writing and other forms of prose have all but faded away.

But come Valentine’s Day, it can be special to dust off that pen and paper to express oneself via the written word in the name of love. Love letters are cherished keepsakes that can be kept for years. Such couples can illustrate a couple’s present-day love for one another and shed insight on their relationship years later. Here are some steps for writing a romantic love letter or note.

• Jot down ideas and inspiration. Make a list of attributes and qualities in a spouse or romantic interest that you would like to highlight. Write down phrases and terms that come to mind. These words can serve as the foundation for the letter.

• Categorize your thoughts into three areas. Jot down things that you like and love about the person, things that the person may do for you or your family that you appreciate, and various memories from throughout the years.

• Write what you know. Do not feel pressured to make this letter more complicated than it has to be. The words will come when you write from the heart. While you can use other letters to spur ideas, do not lose your voice or try to mimic someone else’s work.

• Make the letter personal and specific. Small details are important and makelovelettersmoremeaningful.Suchdetailsillustratetoasignificant other that this letter was specifically written with them in mind.

• Disregard length. The letter does not have to be a certain length. Whether it is a paragraph or several pages, the letter will be a successs if it says what you want to express. It doesn’t have to be long if that’s not your style.

Writing a love letter can be a wonderful way to express romantic sentiments this Valentine’s Day.

Penny Saver