News & Views

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

1. I fell to temptation and went to JoAnn's (a craft store in the US that's going out of business). Everything was 50% off. I walked around and around. There wasn't anything I couldn't live without, it was very picked over, but I got a few pieces of paper and 2 washi tapes and a couple of stickers. I won't ever go back. I hope to show off my new buys very soon.

2. I saw a Youtube video about creating a dopamine menu. So this is a list of 1-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute activities that give you pleasure in order to give yourself the dopamine hit to keep you motivated to complete tasks. It's geared toward people with ADHD but I created one for myself. We'll see if it helps with procrastination and other mental obstacles to Getting Stuff Done.

3. Minor wanted to get chicken at a place, and since I was out of dinner ideas, we did and I ate cole slaw for the first time in many, many years. I never ate it as a young person, but it isn't bad!

4. I did fills for my second Yahtzee roll at GYWO. I did 3 loads of laundry today. I finished At Bertram's Hotel and started The Third Girl. I did a Marie-Kondo clean & purge of a closet and dresser. On Sunday, we drove an hour into the countryside to take Minor to his first track meet of the season. He got one PR in the 800 meters. It was rural (see cows). It was cold, and I had the absolute worst cup of coffee I've ever drank.



New item: ASMR of the Week. Last week I mentioned Ryu & Ryua's camping. [https://www.youtube.com/@RYUCAMP] and this week, it's animated animals getting beauty/health treatments (HABO asmr). Here's a ferret getting his teeth cleaned. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhFaghbhvHk&list=WL&index=2]

Comments

[debriswoman]

Intrigued about the dopamine activities…a treat for every dull task?

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

The Youtube video talked about differences in brain chemistry with ADHD but I don't see why it can't help neurotypical people too. So the idea is that the brain emits dopamine to keep you motivated but in ADHD brains it doesn't do that, so the idea is that you stimulate it yourself. The Youtuber specifically said it wasn't bribing yourself (but that's what it sounds like) but it was rather making the ADHD brain act like a neurotypical brain. I'm not doubting the science and I don't think I have ADHD, I'd just like to be more productive and sometimes tasks do get neglected so, regardless of the science, if it helps, I'm in. We'll see. It's an experiment. It can't make me less productive!

[kitarella_imagines]

Oh the dopamine menu sounds interesting! Would you like to share it, or is it too personal to you?😊

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Sure. I will give it a test run for a week and see if I add things to it and share next week.

[kitarella_imagines]

Thank you, that will be very interesting 😊

[smallhobbit]

Sounds a bit like my 'if I do this and this I can do an online puzzle or two and then get back to that and that'. Which sort of works, for a while...

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Yes, that's it exactly. I don't need a frank bribe all the time (maybe not even most of the time?). But there are times (maybe moods?) where it helps.