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2007-03-05 - 5:25 p.m.

...the myth of multi-tasking...

Women are supposed to be good at multi-tasking, right? Who said that? Is it published somewhere? Or is it just one of those urban legends that you read about on those hoax websites, like the Darwin awards, or that story about the people who let in the cable guy and the next thing they know they're waking up in a bathtub of ice with their kidneys missing.

I still have both kidneys, but I'm wondering about my multi-tasking skills. I'm really really good at reading a book on public transportation (is that two or three things?, reading, riding, sitting?)

I'm less good at juggling shopping, cooking, preparing lectures, grading papers, entertaining house guests, spending $100,000 on lab equipment, taking in students, AND thinking up fresh and innovative research at the same time. Being a professor is a lesson in multitasking.

Maybe I'm just really in touch with my masculine side. Or maybe you have to have children before that multi-task skill comes into play. (In which case, mothers would make excellent professors.)

Or maybe I'm better at it than I think I am, but it's just tough to gauge my abilities because I know that I'll never ever finish everything that I need to do. I can't remember the last time I've gone home with the feeling that all of my tasks had been accomplished. It might have been some time back in 1989.

I've just finished today's lecture, and need to work on the next one before tomorrow morning's class. I came from class in a typical brain-dead stupor. It seems that I've spent all but 6k of the $100k that I was loaned last Wednesday. So I guess that's an accomplishment.

*****

Bandy left yesterday afternoon, after a week's worth of skiing. He's a very low-key house guest and loads of fun. He went with the flow, ate and drank with enthusiasm, played with the cats, and just basically was easy to have around. So K and I are both sorry to see him go. :-( (and at the same time, happy to have the house back, if you know what I mean).

The great news is that he's visiting again in May. The next visit will be even better as I will not have the teaching tasks that are clogging the task manager of my brain. Eegads, I need a drink. and some cheese. :-)

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