i did improve my cognitive abilities somewhat by doing
puzzles. crosswords for regaining some of my vocabulary,
and sudoku and other logic-type puzzles for overall
thinking. i'm also trying to read when i have enough
attention span. i'm hoping i can get at least some of my
intellect back.

-lisa

I've been working on that , too. I work challenging
crosswords, and I play spider solitaire on the computer,
which is like chess cause you have to think ahead and plan
out your moves.

I also took up fiddle; i took lessons for awhile, then just
went to learning old time tunes and playing with other
musicians. I was writing a lot a few years back, but now
it takes so long to think of a word, it goes downhill. I
got an interesting reference book of finding words to
express an idea, and reading the Roget Thesaurus is good; I
find that stimulates my thinking and desire to keep writing
stuff.

What i've heard about music is that jazz and baroque music
are stimulating to the intellect, and help when played in
the background if you are doing something else.

One of the problems with depression however, is not doing
those things, not putting on a CD to listen to, not picking
up my fiddle or mandolin.

Today I'm going to buy a banjo from a friend. I might
bring it home, prop it up and look at it and never touch
it. I really want to play it tho.

Sounds real busy, but I don't do much of anything these
days; hoping to reverse that.