Inside Our Noggin

© Alana Noritake

First of all, does anyone like Girl Scout's thin mint cookies as much as I do?

Be still my heart.

Every March I can't wait to open a box and dip in. I don't think there is any other cookie, other than Tollhouse chocolate chip, that I love so much.

Coupled with a glass of cold milk....ou-la-la.


The other day I caught a few minutes of the program Super Brain on PBS.  It is also a book co-authored by Deepak Chopra. I didn't have time to catch much of it but what I remember mostly was their definition of what a super brain is.

I believe this is what they said:

A super brain is a brain that is aware of what is it thinking about.

Wow, I thought, I can relate to this- this is what I have been tapping into over the last 10 years.

For one, when we are conscious of what negative thoughts are occupying our mind we have the ability to "change the channel," as I like to say, and think about something more empowering.

Crocheted Rug

I think it was about 10 years ago that one of my brothers told me that he coached his 22-year-old daughter through some anxiety that she was having while traveling in Europe with a friend. His suggestion to her was that when she noticed herself transitioning from a calm/content state to an anxious/discontent one that she follow in her mind back down the road to where the road split and she started to unravel because of something that she had started thinking about.

When we can pinpoint the thought that starts to unravel us, we can change our direction of thinking and how we feel.

I credit being able to do this with being a more calm/centered person than the anxious/sensitive person that I came into the world as.

It is a helpful tool to have in our tool box.

Anyway, more on the super brain and aging gracefully if you are interested here.


In Madeira I started crocheting this door mat/rug with all the leftover dribs and drabs of wool yarn I have collected over the last 30 years. I am loving it. It was good to have a crochet hook with me because for the first time since 9/11 they confiscated my knitting needles at the airport :-( 

Directions for the very zany brain beanie on Ravelry.

I hope you are all having a nice week.

At least right now, spring is in the air in New England :-)