Call me impatient. Call me lazy. But, as they say, just don't call me late for dinner. (Hardy-har-har-har...)
When I go to my computer to check something, it's usually - at least in my mind - important. And I need to see it now. Not in 2 minutes - or closer to 5 by the time you boot, reopen your program and locate the file/info - but now.
So for this reason, I very seldom shut down my computer. Greenies, take it easy on me - I do have it set to 'sleep' mode, so most of the time it's not technically 'on' on - just kinda a little 'on'. *blush*
The other reason that I do not shut down my computer is because I am forgetful. And curious. And do not have enough hours in my day.
OK. That's 3 reasons.
Oh, and because I am like the queen of multi-tasking. Or, at least I try to be but sometimes that gets me in trouble. And that's a whole different post, trust me.
What really annoys my husband, though, is not only all the programs I will have open on my laptop - but also all the tabs in my internet browser. He doesn't understand why I don't just open, look, read, delete and be done with it. (This is from the man who checks his email inbox once a month.) He asked me once why I have "all that' stuff' open?"
My answer: "Because that's how my brain works."
Let me try to explain. Let say, on any given day, I do turn on and boot up my computer to check my email. So I open my email and start reading. I get to an email that reminds me that I need to pay a bill online, so I open up my Firefox browser. I don't want to get "distracted" by actually paying the bill now, so I just open a tab for the account to remind me to pay it later. And I also remember that I need to balance the checkbook and finish up this months budget. So I open up Quicken and my Excel worksheet - then minimize them so I don't forget to work on them later. Then I go back to email and see an email from a friend - which reminds me I should check my Facebook. I open a tab for that. But before I check FB - I finish reading email. I get another funny email from Uncle Gary and, after a good LOL!, I move it to Keith's folder so he can read it later. Then I go back to Facebook where a I see a link for a blog I like to follow and click on that - which opens another tab. The blog post looks interesting, but long, and I decide to read it later. I see a quote that someone posted in their FB status that I'd like to remember - so I copy it and paste it into a 'sticky note' on my desktop. Then Isaac reminds me he needs lunch money. Hmmm...I can take care of that later when I pay that other bill. I open another tab for the school website so I don't forget.
Thinking about school lunch reminds me that I need to find that recipe for Sesame Chicken I want to make for supper. So I open another tab and search for the recipe and find it. I want to print it out but I am out of printer ink, so...I just leave the tab open until it is time to make supper...or I get an ink cartridge, whichever comes first. Thinking about supper makes me think of my kitchen, which reminds me of tablecloths, which reminds me of the curtains I wanted to check out at IKEA. But because IKEA's website does not display properly in Firefox (why, oh why?) I grudgingly open Internet Explorer and go to the IKEA webite.
On IKEA's home page it has an ad that tells me they are having a "Swedish Crayfish Buffet" (I kid you not!) What does a Swedish Crayfish Buffet look like? And I thought crayfish came from Texas? Do they really have crayfish in Sweden? I gotta find out. Back to Firefox where I, ahem, open another tab and type "Swedish Crayfish" into my Swagbucks search bar. Wow! I've won 7 SB's! Woot!
I am amazed at all the things that pop up. (Who knew!) I need to read on this more ... later.
I then remember that I have a Cub Scout meeting tonight in the next town over but can't remember where. I - *sigh* - open another tab and go to our local Scout website, click on the link for the meeting. When I get to the page for the meeting, I see a note that we need to fill out a form before the meeting that night. I click on the link for the PDF so I can print out the form but then remember we are still out of printer ink. I minimize the PDF window and make a notice on my calendar to get to Wal-mart right after lunch to buy ink.
I start thinking about how much money I spend on printer ink and how I hate going to Wal-mart - that reminds me of all the stuff a person can buy at today's many super stores and how in America we have SO much stuff. I start reflecting on the discipline of being content and how I really struggle with that. I realize that would make a good blog post, so I go to my blog (in a new tab, of course) and label a new post. I have found that when I try to write, I am easily distracted (really?) and that it's easier for me to concentrate on my topic if I have my blog open in a window of its own. So I redirect my blog tab to a new window and minimize it ... for later.
By now, I have only been on my computer for a half an hour, have Internet Explorer, Firefox, Excel, Adobe, Window Live Mail and Quicken minimized at the bottom of my screen and my browser looks something like this:
Foolishness and mayhem.
And it work for me. By the end of the day, I will have taken care of all of those items above plus more. In between, I will do all those things that busy moms do and I will get it all done. And at the end of the day, I will probably have some more tabs and windows and programs open ... for tomorrow.
Keith still says he doesn't understand.
But he is man. And I am woman. So what's new?
Be blessed...
How does technology work for you - or doesn't it? What does your computer screen look like on a 'productive' day?
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