Five-Star Disability

Hello readers, friends, family, et al…

Can you believe it! This will be my first Four Blog week! Oh my!

Multitasking, doing two, or more, different things at the same time, is a phenomena that I am not overly skilled at.

My wife, and countless others, can play Animal Crossings, check text messages, while at the same time watch Blacklist on Netflix. They understand what is happening in the TV show, plus know what to harvest next. And, most times they are having a verbal conversation as well!

Freaking amazing eh? Of course they are using two or three different functions: vision, hearing, and speech.

As for me; when I watch TV, I am watching TV. I am not doing anything else, other than eating. I’m actually sitting so close you could consider my nose an air vent, my eyes are windows that scandalously watch every move, and my mouth is agape!

Moving on… multitasking while walking:

It is very common to see two people walkinng and talking at the same time. Or, for Deaf people, walking and signing. I cannot do this, when I am using my power wheelchair, CJ-3, I am doing a lot of other things:

• My right hand is on joystick,
• I am monitoring my speed, my height,
• I am watching for, and avoid, large potholes or cracks,
• I am watching for small, hyper, children who dart across my path, dogs too, and people who meander, unaware they are being inconsiderate, “Hey, I’m trying to pass you!”
• I am watching for curbs, ramps and dog shit,
• And I am getting to my destinations! Thank you!

Moving on, another multitasking phenomena that is gripping the world today: I see many people walking with their head down, basking in the warm lighted glow of their smartphones. It is maddening, and dangerous!

Allow me to elaborate…

So, Jordan is walking on a busy stretch of sidewalk, by busy, I mean there are lots of people about. They are also focusing attention (multitasking) on their smartphone, they might be streaming a movie or reading a book, cramming for a test, who knows…

• They glance up every 50 feet or thereabouts, to check their progress, check the path is clear,
• They do this again, and see the light pole, they move to avoid hitting it,
• Again, glance up, avoid the puddle,
• When they reach the intersection, they glance up longer, looking for, and finding, the cross signal light, then gaze returns to the smartphone,
• They hear the audible signal and, without looking up, start to cross,
• Suddenly, in the middle of the street, they hear a loud horn, quickly look up alarmingly, and swerve just in time to avoid being mowed down!
• I had the gall to call out, as I passed, “Sorry about that!”
• Why was I sorry? I was paying attention to what I was doing as I maneuvered CJ-3 through the crowd across street!
• I was not scrutinizing my smartphone with such alacrity that basic safety was disregarded,
• Moral is: Put the damn smartphone in your pocket! Especially while walking! Life is not that short!

Thank you for your time today! And thank you for liking, sharing, donating…