Are We There Yet?

I'm pretty sure that I am ready for summer to be over. The summertime ADD that I relished at the beginning of summer has worn out its welcome. It has left me feeling as if I have accomplished nothing and that my brain is turning to mush. I have tried a few things to combat the mushiness, but only feel that they have been mildly successful. I have read a few books here and there--some stretching the brain more than others. Books I have enjoyed this summer: Jesus the Christ (read not in its entirety, but by subject depending on what I wanted to study); Dracula (because Carson was reading it); and Bourne Supremecy (read for mindless entertainment). I, of course, continued with physical endeavors to keep a good oxygen flow to the brain. Dear Brother who is in medical school: Can you tell me if there really is any research that demonstrates that physical activity really does protect the brain against deterioration? Activities engaged in this summer: running (training for a fall 1/2 marathon); biking (only triathlon of the summer is coming up this weekend); swimming (to be ready for aforementioned triathlon); weed pulling; boot camp; and hiking. I also tried a few things that encouraged creativity. This mostly involved tinkering around with recipes to make gluten-free treats that are worth eating. Oh and I also made a killer pulled pork to serve at a RS bbq. I pursued these action items because I continue the dream of opening a gluten-free bakery and a BBQ joint. But even with all of those things, I still feel like my brain was on hiatus this summer. I need to get back to my job. Not because nit-picking and band-aid applying requires much intellectual development. No, I need to get back to my job because I need the schedule and structure. Those things keep my mind engaged and working as I try to multi-task and balance all that needs to be done.