weapons of massdistraction

Uncertainty and I have never been BFFs. Other personality types find uncertainty to be exciting and full of possibilities. For me, uncertainty is more like that one super irritating classmate I can’t stand but always end up sitting next to so I try to make my peace with them. I’m hard-wired to be incredibly anxious and my therapist has been on maternity leave all year. Combined with current events, I’m not feeling all that great lately. Super Tuesday was enough of a blow last week. It feels like everything has been on the decline since then. We failed to contain the coronavirus and now it’s all about coping with the fallout while doubting government officials’ ability to manage this, particularly in Italy and the United States.

Like everyone else, I’ve spent too much of my energy consuming all the coverage about the coronavirus. And who knows how much of it is even accurate? Usually, I enjoy deflecting tension with some humor but right now all the memes make me sad. At least John Oliver’s coverage is more helpful than harmful. In that vein, I’m trying to focus on reliable sources rather than rampant speculation based on emotion.

• I Lived Through SARS and Reported on Ebola. These Are the Questions We Should Be Asking About Coronavirus.
  

  For concerned civilians and journalists covering the coronavirus, the figures and projections can be overwhelming, frightening or confusing. Here’s what reporter Caroline Chen is focusing on to keep things as accurate and clear as possible.

  Instead of asking: How many test kits do you have?
  Ask this: How many samples are you running per patient?
  Instead of asking: How many samples can you run?
  Ask this: How many samples is your lab testing per day right now? How about at maximum capacity? How many hours does it take to get a result?

• It’s hard to feel hopeful, but there are pieces like this one from The Guardian:
  Coronavirus: nine reasons to be reassured
  Yes, Covid-19 is serious, but context is key and the world is well placed to deal with it

• And some thoughts from Malia Jones, PhD, MPH - a public health social epidemiologist and demographer
  

  Look, I think there are some positives here. All this handwashing could stop flu season in its tracks! We have an opportunity to reduce our global carbon footprint by telecommuting more, flying less, and understanding where our stuff comes from. We can use this to think about the problems with our healthcare system. We can use this to reflect on our positions of privilege and implicit biases. We can start greeting each other using jazz hands. I’m genuinely excited about those opportunities.

• While this continues to unfold, I’ll focus on my personal and household health, without going into full prepper mode. Leave the masks for those who really need them (healthcare workers) and use soap and water before reaching for the hand sanitizer. Speaking of, forget Happy Birthday and other handwashing songs. Instead, I’m repeating the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear while washing my danged hands.
  

  I must not fear.
  Fear is the mind-killer.
  Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
  I will face my fear.
  I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
  And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
  Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
  Only I will remain.

Some reminders for myself that may help others. Soften that jaw. Try some breathing exercises. When reaching for food to eat your feelings, ask yourself “am I really hungry?” If not, don’t eat. Maybe have a hot cup of tea instead. Or go for a walk. And, lastly, put down your phone for longer and longer stretches of time. Leave it in another room, even. But maybe disinfect it first.

Speaking of trauma, I respect the heck out of Ronan Farrow’s reporting. But I put off listening to the Catch and Kill podcast until this past weekend. I knew it would be tough to listen to. But after I dove into it I couldn’t stop. Gripping stuff. His original reporting can be found on the New Yorker site and the full book was published by Little, Brown. Timely too, given that the verdict was handed down yesterday. I’m relieved the rapist was found guilty but don’t believe it went far enough. But it does set the precedent for his upcoming trial in Los Angeles.

Now to switch gears. How about five more positive fantastic things?

• Project Euphonia. A groundbreaking new technology is offering freedom and hope to people with speech impairments, including those with ALS.
• Last week I acquired my Nick Cave presale ticket. And then I found out that New Order and the Pet Shop Boys will be playing the same venue a few days later.
• I’m a sucker for stories like this: British Parrot Went Missing For Four Years Returns Speaking Spanish
• Growing up, I was anti-Barbie. In the 70s and 80s my nerdy little Arab self sure didn’t fit into the Girl Next Door mold. But maybe I would have been more interested if there had been cool Barbies, like these: Meet the Black History Month Barbies dressed by ‘Queen & Slim’ designer. Or Mythical muse Barbie, but where the heck are her weapons?
• I applaud this woman’s ingenuity: German grandma builds wheelchair ramps from Lego. And in related news, the Brick Bar LEGO Pop-Up Bar Is Coming to Cities across the U.S.

Last week I overextended myself to the point of exhaustion. I didn’t leave the house Friday or Saturday. In fact, I barely left my bed. Sunday I was moderately social. This week I’m scaling it way back, in self-preservation mode. My energy levels are just too low, along with my spirits, despite the warmer weather. It’s a tease. Making me feel like Spring is just around the corner but we’ve got another couple of months to slog through before I can fully come out of my winter hibernation.

We are consuming a ridiculous volume of information on a daily basis and it is altering us. I’ve observed the effects on my very own brain, over my lifetime. Since I’m solidly GenX means I grew up in an analog world. But I’ve also been an early adopter of so much new tech that has come along. Many research projects have been tracking the impact of technology on human physiology.

I get at least one patient a week who is convinced that forgetting things like car keys or picking up children is the result of a serious brain condition or early Alzheimer’s. The truth is the expansion of the information age has happened so fast, it’s bringing us face to face with our brains’ limitations. Just because our computer devices have perfect memories we think we should too.

How does technology affect our brains?
Andi Horvath speaks with researchers to determine just how our daily use of technology affects our brains.

Over time, I know I have been losing my ability to focus. I’ve wondered what some solutions might be. Some days I consider ADHD meds. This week I removed the Facebook app from my phone. And have been appalled by how often I find myself still reaching for it. That only reinforced the notion this is the best course of action for me. What other apps will I have the courage to delete from my smartphone? Or should I fully embrace a “dumb” phone with limited options to help me out? A roundup of such devices:

• The latest is The Wisephone; “a minimalist phone, free of digital addiction.” Promising.
• That looks like it could be an improvement over other attempts like The Lightphone which received less-than-stellar reviews.
• The Mudita still hasn’t made it into production.
• Lastly, Justine Haupt made a completely functional rotary cellphone. And you can make one too! But it’s a little bit clunky for my taste.

Speaking of the brain’s limitations, multitasking has been up for debate for some time.

Humans, they say, don’t do lots of things simultaneously. Instead, we switch our attention from task to task extremely quickly.

Think You’re Multitasking? Think Again

This week I heard a fresh take from my favorite undercover economist, Tim Harford, and his TED Talk A Powerful Way to Unleash Your Natural Creativity:

What can we learn from the world’s most enduringly creative people? They “slow-motion multitask,” actively juggling multiple projects and moving between topics as the mood strikes — without feeling hurried. Author Tim Harford shares how innovators like Einstein, Darwin, Twyla Tharp and Michael Crichton found their inspiration and productivity through cross-training their minds.

It’s worth listening to. I’ve struggled with these things my entire adult life. Maybe I’ll find that balance one of these days.

An arctic front just moved in. At least I didn’t have to leave the house this morning in these sci-fi cold temps. Those dead of winter doldrums are hitting me. Hard. Just like every other winter. And I haven’t got any warm-weather getaways lined up. This year I front-loaded it, with the trip in January (but it was an incredible deal for such an amazing vacation). It can be a struggle to remain positive. It feels like winter just increases the degree of difficulty in all things so it’s harder to take the hits when they come. Like, right now there is a plumber in my home, unclogging our bathroom drain. I had set aside some money to reglaze that sink but instead, I’m using the funds to unclog it. Also? Our favorite and most inclusive bakery, Dulceria, is closing later this month.

Five Happier Things:

• The Netflix comedy special “You’re Doing Great!” from Tom Papa was just the thing I needed the other night. I got momentarily excited when I heard he will be in MN on tour but it turns out he’s performing here on Valentine’s Day. And it’s a 3.5 hour drive from home (in Detroit Lakes - how odd).
• Since we’re past the solstice, it’s staying light out longer. It feels much better driving home from work before dark.
• My friend Holly contributed to this Ethical Design Handbook that I’m very excited about. I’ve already downloaded the digital version and my physical copy will ship next month.
• Next Tuesday my company is hosting an event and I’ll be on the Inclusivity & Accessibility panel with several of my amazing colleagues. Should be an interesting evening!
• There are an absurd number of musical happenings coming up in the next couple of months. Including what would have been my dream festival line-up when I was an alternative high school. I have purchased tickets to several like Andy Shauf, Lower Dens, Shopping, King Krule, MIKA and more, in the hopes that I will follow through and actually make it out.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Most years, I’ve chosen to mostly ignore it. Or have opted to hang out with my kid instead. And I generally buy him some gifts (this year it’s a t-shirt with a cat on it dressed like Gandalf, and a jigsaw puzzle of Baby Yoda and The Mandalorian). But my so-called love life is in a better place too. It’s unconventional, to say the least, but I have found a sort of equilibrium with low-pressure casual dating. I’m not looking for anything serious or long-term right now. So it’s a huge relief to be able to have companionship on my terms.

Parenting is an interesting process. And wildly different at every stage. These days, our challenges and triumphs revolve around adulthood and independence. My son turns 21 this year and will be aging out of programs available to him as an autistic Minneapolis resident. But, once again, we seem to exist in a grey area. As a community, we’re working to move away from damaging labels like low-functioning and high-functioning in favor of the social model of disability. This model maintains that disability is caused by the way society is organized rather than an individual’s impairment or difference. It looks at ways of removing barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people. Unfortunately, one barrier my son has kept bumping up against is employment. And the older he gets without having paid employment in his work history, the harder it will be for him to become employed. I had high hopes for one program he is eligible for. But we were told that he is, essentially, doing too well to be a good fit for that paid internship. But only because he is able to take the bus independently and has been reasonably successful, academically, in his first year at community college. This assessment doesn’t take into account the areas where he needs more support. When he was younger a therapist referred to some of his abilities and behaviors as splinter skills:

Splinter skills are abilities that are disconnected from their usual context and/or purpose. Because they are just a ’splinter,’ or fraction, of a meaningful set of skills, splinter skills may not be particularly useful in real-world situations.

Sometimes I worry about his problem-solving skills but that could be just as much about him being a young adult as it is about his autism. And last week he impressed me. He was offered and accepted his first part-time job, at a bakery. On his own, he realized he was feeling overwhelmed and came up with the plan to drop his ceramics class, in order to have more time to study and complete homework assignments for his other classes.