My "exercise" lately

So, people always talk about how important exercising is for your body. But what about our minds? We graduate from high school or college, and then what? We no longer are required to think or "exercise" our brains?

I am guilty of this. Yes, my job requires thinking and using my brain, but I mostly use the part that is already strong (in my case, language and reading). That other side of the brain? You know, the ugly step child we try to forget, well, it is still there too. And deteriorating quickly.

Jesse was having some issues with a co-worker at work understanding what he considered to be basic math and logic. He came home and decided to do a test: he figured if he could explain it me, and I "got it," then this co-worker really was not cut out for the job. Well, Jesse took his time, he explained the history and the basic principle behind the calibration. Then he said, "okay, so now what should I do? What is the answer?" I looked at him like he had grown a third eye. I had absolutely no idea. Needless to say, the "math-side" of my brain simply does not work.

So, when Jesse came home with a new obsession he wanted to teach me, and it involved numbers, I naturally declined. Why torture myself for fun? But then he explained it over and over, and eventually I was hooked. My new obsession has turned into brain exercise.

Sudoku puzzles. I love them. And I love to hate them. Supposedly, they really do help your brain! In fact, studies have shown that this is one addiction that is really good for you. Doing the puzzles daily can help boost brain power, improve your ability to comprehend complex ideas, and help with memory decline.

Another brain exercise we have been doing? Scrabble! Jesse is actually pretty good and we normally are pretty close when it comes to the final score. I figure this helps exercise the other half of the brain, and certainly cant hurt. Especially since it encourages a little healthy competition... haha.
What about you? What kind of "exercise" programs are you on?