Friends with Brains

My mind has been a shallow water these last few weeks, drifting along on autopilot, enabling me to do just the bare minimum of what needed to be done. All those unremarkable thoughts didn't really require being written down and I really don't want to abuse this blog as some sort of private message board to remind myself of things like must eat or have to re-count taxes because those thoughts may have some significance for my survival, me being a living entity, having to suffer the daily numeric horrors of payroll accounting. I am almost dozing off as I write about it, dear goodness! 

Truly entertaining is only a thought that doesn't occur on a daily basis. But how to create these thoughts out of thin air when you finally have the time?! At times it's really hard - virtually impossible - to strife for novelty. The thing that ordinarily helps me jump-starting* my brain is listening to progressive music.
(*Jump-starting refers to my brain's natural tendency to infinitely loop between vital, yet unremarkable annotations to a much more productive course.)

When I listen to music, sometimes my mind gets overrun by strange images. I imagined the pope wearing UGG boots and nothing else under his robes while giving a lecture in the Bundestag. Little Dragon made me come up with that idea. This image surely doesn't qualify as a novelty thought, but it certainly amused me for a little while. I see it as a welcome and necessary variation to my brain's daily routine. Brain's day off if you will! Me and my brain are intertwined, pretty much like a clingy person that lives with you and follows you from room to room, while talking to you tirelessly. You have no other choice but to make friends with it unless you want to be in a constant fight with it aka yourself. 

Outside distraction is a short-term solution, but really, your brain is always there, talking, whether you choose to ignore it or not. Even if you're not aware of it. It may tell you things you don't want to hear, saying that you are incapable of doing certain things, that you really are a stupid egomaniacal ape minus all the fur (mine told me that once).  

Who are you kidding is one of my brain's favourite catch phrases. I try to listen half-heartedly to those thoughts, but I know, it leaves a mark on my consciousness. I have to take my good friend Brain as it is and appreciate all its merits. Brain is a product of my genes, my parent's ideas of who I should be and my own critical nagging voice canned in a little box, talking in an infinite loop. It's also the thing that gives me hope, makes me excel, and sometimes enables me to leave my gloomy shadow behind, understanding new things, recognizing new patterns.These patterns were there all along but certain forces make it increasingly hard to keep an open mind. Prejudice, in little doses is necessary and it may even enable you to safely navigate towards new insights (unless it completely overrules your curious side).

In general, Brain means well by you. It is at and foremost you, the thing that steers you while you think you're in charge. So I (and it) demand you give it some love. After all, mine made me write this post. Take your brain to dinner sometimes to show it you care. Order some wine and the conversation between the two of you will be much more pleasant. (OK, that was not my idea..) Brain won't ever be quiet (unless you are as well, for good..) but it sometimes makes some valid points while talking to you, so listen inwardly, once in a while, and you might hear something nice and unexpected in return.

Madly in love with another person's brain: Dr. Hfuhruhurr