Three things at once

We always talk about multi-tasking as if it was a binary issue. In reality, all of us are doing multiple things at the same time – at least if you want to include all those autonomic functions which are keeping you alive. But I don’t think that those are included when most people discuss their alleged abilities.

But it is the belief in their invulnerability that leads them to text while driving, read their phone while crossing the street, wear headphones while jogging or riding a bike…. Doesn’t it seem like a lot of the problems result from the interaction of the average person with their phone taking priority over other people, the task at hand, or even potentially staying alive?

Ok, leaving that soap box aside, most of us firmly believe that we can do multiple things at the same time and do them well. Not reality for most of us, but admitting that one is mortal? Well… the reason I am on this tangent started out this morning simply enough. I have an audio book (well, I have a lot of audio books) which is almost finished and I really wanted to hear the last hour. I have some stitching. And finally, I have some machine embroidery that I have been avoiding for a while. No good reason except that it requires at least some attention causing other tasks to be stopped and started.

If I was smart, I would combine it with cleaning and organizing – tasks which I am more than willing to put down at no notice. Because reality says that no one really can fully pay attention to several things at once. Please queue picking out stitches and restarting embroidery. Enough said I would think.

After finishing the Fox, I started the Swan – second pattern in the Year in the Woods series. I managed three trees, four white snowflake kind of things and a start on a swan’s wing. This is to the tune of 763 stitches, meaning I am a whopping 12% done.  No, I don’t count stitches, my software does that for me. 

Ah, tomorrow is another day and I have t-shirts to embroider and fabric to cut.

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About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!
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