Thoughts about thinking, also cake posing as bread

There's a charming young Dutch woman, Vera, whose YouTube channel is about the simple approach to life. She's interesting and very thoughtful. 

Today she talked about neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to change. It's a bit like fake it till you make it, which I've always mistrusted, since I thought pretending emotions couldn't be good. 

But it turns out there's more to it than I realized, in that deliberately training out draining thoughts, and training in more supportive attitudes,, can eventually teach the brain happier reactions. I guess it's true up to a point, in a brain that isn't already struggling constantly with its thoughts. 

Anyway I think it's worth considering on its merits.

Saturday was a day of doing. Laundry, changing sheets, knitting, reading, watching a very good episode of Wives and Daughters.

The thing about watching TV series jointly produced by WGBH and BBC is that the casts are like reunions. Wonderful actors all of whom we've seen in other productions. It's like meeting a bunch of acquaintances where you say I know her from somewhere, oh, now look who she is.  

And there was baking 

A loaf of honeynut squash and cranberries. I tested this sample and decided it was good enough to give. Then I sliced the rest and presented shares to several neighbors.

One of them said, this is funny, just yesterday some neighbors were talking about your baking! Anyway it all went over well, met a little dog I haven't seen for ages,  a Cavalier King Charles, got caught up with who's moving just across the street, who was just right now in the mood for a slice of cake, and so on.

Couple of slices in the freezer for next time Handsome Son visits, and an extra for Gary when he gets back next week.

Happy day everyone, get your share of the cake of life if you can.