I Used To Be So Smart, Not Anymore.

Howdy to all my family, friends, fiends, foes and all of you funky folks!

Your Old Pal, Dean Benson here. Let’s have a little heart-to-heart chat, you and me. I want to talk about something we all experience eventually, but are so often too proud or maybe too embarrassed to admit: the feeling that our brain, that once-sharp, lightning-fast processor, is starting to… well, buffer, (a lot).

I used to be able to remember a ton of phone numbers, names, and the entire tracklist of a Rush or Steely Dan album without breaking a sweat. I could juggle multiple tasks, recall conversations from weeks prior with crystal clarity, and my wit was quicker than a Neal Peart drum fill and sharper than a well-honed razor.

Lately? I’ll walk into a room and have absolutely zero idea why I’m there. I’ll introduce myself to someone I’ve met three times only a week before. I’ll spend fifteen minutes looking for my keys, only to find them on my dresser. And don’t even think about getting me started on the “What’s that word? It’s on the tip of my tongue!” phenomenon. It feels like my mental hard drive is getting fragmented.

Now, let’s be crystal clear. This isn’t about Alzheimer’s or Dementia. That’s a serious medical condition, and if you have genuine concerns about that, see a doctor, NOW! (see one of my articles on the subject.) I’m talking about the standard-issue, age-related cognitive slowdown. It’s like the gas in that classic car if you don’t drive it enough, it gets stale and the engine…