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pres-age

verb :: To foretell; to predict; to foreshow; to indicate.

noun :: An indication or warning of a future occurrence; an omen.

"And above all, the sign of the cross to that instrument was to us a great rejoicing, and as it were a certain presage of good." --Marshall, H.E

Although nobody knows for certain, it is thought that in human evolution, an upright posture came before a developed brain. This upright posture freed up our ape-ancestors hands to use primitive tools such as rocks and sticks. It also allowed raised their eye level which helped them better see prey and predator. This started happening about 15 million years ago. For over 10 million more years, the brain stayed pretty much the same size. Beginning with Homo erectus, the brain size of our ancestors started growing dramatically. Almost all of this growth was in the expansion of the cerebral cortex which is what gives humans the ability to have language, abstract thoughts and consciousness. In only 3 million years brain sizes had quadrupled, giving humans the largest brain per body size ratio of any species on earth. It is still unknown why or how the brain could grow so much in such a short period of evolutionary time.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is caused by exposure to a highly traumatic experience. Symptoms usually include nightmares and flashbacks where the event is re-experienced over and over again. These recurring memories can become overbearing and interfere with the brain's ability to learn and consolidate new information.

PTSD is considered to be primarily an anxiety disorder that should subside after several months, but in extreme cases symptoms can last much longer. Long term stress like this can cause permanent damage to the brain due to the build up of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Icebreakers are little exercises that help relax tensions and loosen up a formal atmosphere in a meeting where you want to have creative ideas and group participation.

The "Visual Puns" game is a fun activity that gets people thinking creatively. Pick an ordinary object such as a stapler or trashcan. As you pass the object around the room, each person must think of something that the object looks or acts like. For example, a stapler could be an alligator, some castanets or a catapult. A trashcan could be a hat, a soup bowl or a swimming pool for a beetle. Let your imaginations run wild and encourage wild ideas.