I just finished lunch and made up a to-do list for the rest of the day. Posting to my blog is actually on this list, which you may think is crazy, but there’s no guarantee that I’ll do it unless it’s on my list.

I have roughly 4 hours before our weekly LAN party gets started, so I’m trying to make the best of that time to get things done. Completing my list will likely prove ambitious, and maybe I should have planned things out a bit better. Because Monday through Wednesday is so busy for me, I sometimes forget that I have more time on Thursdays and Fridays (when I don’t have a ton of errands or business meetings to attend). The good news is that there’s nothing on the list that’s so urgent that I haven’t already put a dent into.

Today I got up at 9:00 AM instead of my usual 8:00, but I figured that would be OK since there wasn’t anything I would have to leave home for today. I managed to put in about 3 hours of guitar practice, so I only need 1 more hour to meet my daily quota. In other words, I’m not utterly and completely behind on things, but I have a lot to do before this place is booming.

Speaking of which, I should get to my next task.

“Use your head” could be smarter advice than you might think. Experts now say that keeping your brain sharp could be a simple matter of exercising it with the occasional mental gymnastic.

For instance, something as simple-and fun-as playing a game of chess could help your brain stay on top of its game. America’s Foundation for Chess says chess enhances self-discipline, memory, analytical skills and a host of additional qualities in players. And many schools now offer chess to students.

Creating a Mental Workout

So how can you get involved with chess? You could try joining a community chess club, but if you’d rather exercise your brain at home, you may want to check out video games that can teach you to play chess or let you compete against other remote players.

For example, “Chessmaster®: The Art of Learning” for the Nintendo DS™ system and “Chessmaster®: Grandmaster Edition” for PC feature chess lessons and tutorials from Josh Waitzkin, International Master and eight-time National Chess Champion.

Players can practice their newly learned skills in single-player mode or flex their mental muscles by challenging friends in multiplayer mode on PC via LAN or Internet and on the Nintendo DS through wireless play. Plus, because the Nintendo DS is a handheld system, people can play chess on the go-at the airport, in the park or wherever else they happen to be.

New Twists

To help keep your workout interesting, the video games also include new features such as chess-related minigames packed with music, sound effects, a high-score record and 20 levels of gameplay.

One of the games, called Minefield, uses chess pieces to locate mines hidden in the board, while Fork My Fruit uses chess pieces to fork fruit of the same kind. Ubisoft, the maker of the Chessmaster series, has even collaborated with the Hip-Hop Chess Federation to present an all-star chess tournament pitting some of America’s top rappers, DJs and martial artists in a head-to-head battle of the brains. The idea is to keep the game new and exciting for players-and their minds.

For more information, visit www.chessmaster.com. Brain Exercise-Chess and similar games can be fun ways to keep your mind sharp.

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