"Keep moving for brain health" is a short article in the newspaper which inspires and interests me.  Inter-alia:
As we get older, one of the best ways to keep our brains sharp is by moving our bodies, researches claim in a new study.
University of Edinburgh researchers found that for people over 70 years old, regular exercise slowed down brain shrinkage - which is associated with memory and cognitive problems - over a period of three years, compared to people who did little exercise.

Plus the exercisers had fewer "damaged" areas in their brain's white matter and more grey matter - the parts of the brain with nerve cell bodies - than those subjects who weren't as active.

I like the above news.  Its enlightening and it motivates me further to go on with my physical activity - jogging, walking and playing table-tennis with my senior citizen friends. Yes, vigorous exercise, and a lot of physical activity really invigorates - one feels good.  Its good to be healthy and one must work hard to be in good health.

Writer Alina Tugard said she was particularly struck by Japanese attitudes towards mistakes, especially in schools, where students at the end of the day are encouraged to look at what work and didn't work, and then see how that could be corrected - thinking of things as a process rather than seeing results alone.

Gradually, her thinking changed until she now sees mistakes as part of the risks that can lead to discovery - although it's not the mistakes that are good, but what you learn from them.

"If we're being innovative, if we're trying different things, if we're experimenting and trying to be creative, we're more likely to make mistakes," she said.

She is making these observations in her book: Better by Mistake: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong.
I think we all have a lot to learn from our mistakes.  We improve ourselves when we try to correct our mistakes.  Yes, we keep on learning - that's evolution.

When one of the political ulama (religious person) was asked on the recent governments aid to the people, the BR1M (RM500), he made disparaging remark on the gift. This angered a lot of people who felt very grateful for such a gift. Some retorted that he must be jealous.  To me, these political ulama are hypocrites, and I regard them with the greatest of repugnance.

An evocation of the superyoung view of aging (albeit in flowery, ecstatic terms):
"The years will  come and go, and you will pass from fleshy enjoyments into austerer but no less satisfying realms.  You may lose the keenness of muscle and appetite, but there will be gain to match your loss; you will achieve calmness and profundity, ripeness and wisdom, and the clear enchantment of memory."

From the book: "Secrets of the Superyoung".  What a good read.  I like it.  Once in a while, I read something which inspires and the above is one such instance.

I like this short article by one lady in the book "Life's Simple Pleasures" Edited by Red Guge - from The America Says Book Series:

What makes me happy?  I don't often think about happiness.  This is mainly because I was raised in the Catholic faith where happiness isn't allowed.  Filled with original sin, Catholic girls don't deserve happiness and, if by chance, happiness comes our way, we'd better feel guilty about it.  However, as I reach middle age, I've put enough distance between myself and the Church to enable me to feel, on occasion, a twinge of ----dare I say it ---  happiness.

This phenomena usually occurs in the morning with the dawn of a fresh new day, quiet and still.  This almost never fails to cause happiness to well in my heart -- a feeling, however fleeting, that, at least at this moment, all is right with the world.  An autumn morning in Connecticut makes me happiest.  I love the reds and yellows of the trees emerging through the mist, the cries of birds heeding South, a cup of strong coffee, a heavy sweater and a walk in the woods.  What more could the soul require?
--------Registered nurse (F) Age 39, Florida.

I like the above article.  I borrowed the book from the local library.  And now, what makes me happy?  Playing with my grandchildren - these are moments of happiness for me and my wife. Their laughter, their screams -  these are music to our ears.  Children are the most beautiful creatures on this earth.  I simply love and adore them.

"The benefits of regular exercise extend to the mind: the New England Research Institute's Strong-for-Life program found that older participants in this carefully controlled regimen of vigorous exercise not only experienced muscular improvements and greater endurance as expected, but also reaped a number of psychological effects: previously misdirected hostility was channeled into greater self-awareness, and futile forms of tension were converted into a quiet physical calm."

The above is from the book "Secrets of the Superyoung" by Dr David Weeks and Jamie James.
I can testify to the truth of their finding - as I have benefited a lot from my regular exercises. That is the serendipity.

 Nobel prize-winning American physicist Steven Weinberg said:  "Religion is an insult to human dignity.  With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things.  But for good people to do evil things, it takes religion."

Blaise Pascal said something similar:  "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."

Food for thought here.  I am getting more and more enlightened as I read more and more.

I have just received my BR1M (RM 500) along with a thousand or so recipients.

As a pensioner of some twenty years, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the government for this aid.  My wife and I are living at subsistence level with my small monthly pension, but we are able to make do as there is no car, house or school-going children to pay for.  Our needs are few and we are resigned to a frugal life, happily contributing towards the care of three of our grandchildren whose parents are out at work.

I am sure all the recipients of BR1M are filled with gratitude on receiving this gift as I do.

"All that is required for the triumph of evil is that good men remain silent and do nothing."  Edmund Burke.

I agree with what Edmund Burke said.  We all must voice our repugnance at any act of wrongdoing from anyone to anyone.  Any humanitarian act should be applauded.  Give love and you get love. I have my moments of happiness when I showered lots of love to my grandchildren.  I simply adored them and am at their beck and call.  Nothing makes me more happy than to make my grandchildren happy.

In the news:  "Age is no barrier"  -  Charles Eugster, 93, from London, now staying in Switzerland, said he became motivated to improve his body when he realized that he is getting fat and his health is deteriorating.  He began to train with weights three times a week at age 85.  Now he is actively in the sports of running, rowing and swimming. He wants to take part in the World Masters Rowing Regatta in Varese, Italy this September.

There is also a photo of him proudly smiling and flexing his muscles.  I like this piece of news.  Its inspiring, and further motivates me to work harder in my physical training to further improve my health.  I am just 75 years old and I feel great.

On this 15th of February, I will be 75 years old.  Gosh, how time flies and I am already three-quarters of a century on this earth.  I am still in good health - can still walk/jog about 5 km every morning and evenings play a game of ping-pong with my senior citizen friends in the club and enjoying myself tremendously.  Other times I will be playing happily with my grandchildren.  These are moments of happiness for me.  I am grateful that I have a good wife and adorable grandchildren.  What more do I want!

"Suicide bomber kills 21 at Pakistan mosque".  A suicide bomber detonated his explosives outside a Shiite mosque in northwestern Pakistan as worshippers were leaving Friday prayers, killing at least 21 people and wounding 36 in the latest apparent sectarian attack in the country.  Shiite Muslims in Pakistan have increasingly been targeted by radical Sunnis who consider them heretics, and 2012 was the bloodiest year for the minority sect in the country's history.

The above news saddened me.  I am simply puzzled why must people resort to killing others simply because the other party has different views or way of life.  I would like to believe this world is big enough to accommodate all of us human beings of whatever colour, belief, dressing or whatever.  We all must live and let live, the more varied the variety, the better.  We are all the richer by this diverse cultures.  Lets all enjoy life, each with their own lifestyles.

"Concern over imposition on non-Muslims" this was a piece of news printed in the papers recently.  This is the concern from some non-Muslims leaders over the ban on the use of the word "Allah" except by Muslims only.

There appears to be more and more unhappiness, bitter feelings verging towards animostiy between Muslims and non-Muslims in this country.  There was the demolition of a religious altar in the compound of a house by the town council officers and the big hue and cry over this action.

As a septuagenarian, I well remember the happy days of 1950s - 1960s, when during schooling, I was enjoying the friendship of fellow students of Chinese, Indian, Eurasians and other races - totally oblivious of our different religions.

With the advent of religious fervour from 1980 onwards, there is a visible increase in polarisation between the different races.  This is very sad.  I would like to believe that a religion is supposed to make a human being a better person, more loving, more caring and more human.  But in practice, this is not so.  We appear to be more estranged, more hostile to each other. No wonder, Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India uttered this lament:  "There is much tomfoolery in the practice of religion".  I agree.

The internet has opened up new vistas for me - what a wonderful world this is - instant access to all
kinds of information - some good, some rubbish - its how you choose - its a jungle and very challenging.
I sometimes write letters to the press - a few gets printed.  Several years ago, the letters were printed out,
put into the envelope, duly stamped and posted in the post office.  Four to five days later, you would see
your letter or comments being printed in the newspaper.  Now, it's no longer so.  I just emailed my comments, and the next day I will see it in print.  It's really is wonderful.  I feel great. Its all instant now.
Unfortunately, most of my friends of my age, all septuagenarians, are not into computers.  Probably
they are intimidated by this new-fangled stuff, too alien to them.  More is the pity.

"The Really Useful Grandparents' Book" - by Eleo Gordon and Tony Lacey.  I am reading this fascinating
book, borrowed from the library.  It contains many useful articles which I can use when playing with
my grandchildren.  I have three grandchildren staying with me, aged 6, 3, and 1 1/2 years old.  They are
a delight to play with and this book has articles on cooking, camping, sewing, carpentry, making music
and so on.  The card games - it's a delight - and some simple toys to construct.  I look forward to have
more moments of happiness with my adorable grandchildren.
The authors themselves are parents and grandparents and they have done a wonderful job with this
very informative, and very interesting book.  Its great.

It's hilarious - when the leaders of a religious political party in Malaysia made big noises over the
Valentine's Day celebrations and issuing warnings to Malay youths not to indulge in such celebrations.
It will erode your religious faith, they claim.  To me, this is ridiculous. but to these religious people, it's
a very serious matter.  Gosh.
For several years, I regularly participated in the Terenggannu Sultan Mahmud International Bridge
Marathon, with runners from Japan, China, India and many other countries participating.  I was
surprised when, in one particular year, no run was held. When I enquired by phone, the answer
given was: Now we are under the Pas (Islamic Party) government, and the run is considered as "indecent"
(aurat).  I was stunned - it's beyond belief!

I am experiencing car problems - at first it was overheating, then the alternator went kaput, not
charging the car battery and had to be replaced.  These repairs tore a big hole in my pocket,
what with my meagre pension - it's really tough.  But lucky for me and wife, the son helped with
some of the expenditure incurred.  What a relief!
Another comfort - when faced with a lot of stress, as I am now experiencing, the morning jog/walk
ending in a lot of sweat gives me great relief and I feel quite invigorated after the run.  Another bonus,
sometimes a passing female jogger will give me a sweet smile - whew, I felt wonderful.  It's a good
feeling.  I feel I'm a lucky guy - and life is good.