Memo from a Former Student

Sent: Monday, January 19, 2015 10:20 PM
To: Ryan James
Subject: multitasking...

Hi Dr James,

A couple of years ago, we got a nice article from you on why multitasking is not a real thing. This came out yesterday, and provides several lines of evidence to the same idea, now rather fact.
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/18/modern-world-bad-for-brain-daniel-j-levitin-organized-mind-information-overload

I hope you are doing fine,
Máté

Dear Máté,

There is nothing more rewarding than hearing from a former student. Well, actually, there is. It is more rewarding to hear from a former student who remembers something shared in class and then sends an updated version back. This e-mail and article is a real gift and I am very appreciative of it. I am going to share this along with your note in my blog. I will not put in your email address or last name. 

I am currently in Ecuador and just escaped a rainstorm, so this really warmed me.

How are the science studies coming? You were so talented in sharing your knowledge, I hope you pursued it.

Dr. J

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My Editor Responds; My Article is on the Web

Well, I received two e-mails from my editor at Gayot Publications this morning. The first was that she received my business article and would read it this weekend. The next e-mail was sent two hours later, saying it was terrific and exactly what she wanted. Her only comment was that since the publication has their own rating system, they do not include any awards a hotel has garnered. One of my reviews mentions that the Kempinksi Hotel received three international awards for business travelers, so she broke my 150 word running streak. If that is all she faulted, who am I to complain. The more exciting news is that my first article is now on the web at http://www.gayot.com/travel/citytrips/budapest/day1.html . After going through the 3 days, there are additional links to the rest of my writing at Budapest: Hotels, Restaurants, Attractions, Travel Guide Hungary, and Budapest Tourism Office. The photos of Fisherman's Bastion on page 1 and Castle Hill View on page 2 are my photos that they chose to us.

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The Business Traveler

After writing the first article for Gayout Publications, I was hired to write a second article for the business traveler to Budapest. After the introductory information, the guidelines were to include five hotels, five restaurants, and five off the clock activities. Each review could not be more than 150 words. After writing up the first two hotels and restaurants, I realized I had hit 150 words exactly. Then it became a challenge to write all fifteen reviews with exactly 150 words. It may sound easy, but it was not. Challenging for sure, but I did it. My deadline for the article was April 14th, but I sent it in today. As pleased as I was with it, my only hope was that my editor would be equally as pleased. Fingers are crossed.

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Has It Been That Long?

It is difficult to believe I have not been here since February 20th, but where have I been? When I was a child, people would tell me as well as others that as you age, time will start to speed by. On those lazy summer afternoons when no friends were around, it was difficult to comprehend. I could easily repeat these words of wisdom to those younger than I, but they would not believe it any more than I did. What has kept me busy is school. With the laptop, I am spending many more hours in my office than I have in the past; it allows me to be productive with less distractions. Though I do find that students seem to find me there more often now, just happening to be passing by and wondering if I am there, but these are pleasant breaks. During these times, it has not always been school work that has captured my attention. I was hired to write a travel article "72 Hours in Budapest", which I did at the office. I had to do it in Track Changes mode so the editor could see what was changed from the last edition to my work. Almost the entire article was carved to shreds and rewritten, making the document red, blue, and with a white background look very patriotic. Only minor spots of black remained, which were the original words. I e-mailed it to myself to polish it off over the weekend, save it to my desktop, and then mail it off. However, I did not realize my settings in Word were different and when I started typing the colors were not the same. Changing the settings in my Word at home, did not seem to make a difference. I would up redoing the whole thing yet again, then mailed it off. The next day, the editor responded, loving the article, and had no changes for me to make. She offered me another piece; this new one is "The Business Traveler to Budapest". Sometimes I feel like the oracle of knowledge. Other instructors have asked me how to convert their VHS tapes to DVD, where to find other movies they use for class in English other than ordering online, how to do this or that. Students have dozens of questions about things in general and asking for advice that is not school related. Potential guests write asking about Budapest advice, strangers who have no intention of staying with us ask similar questions. Ryan knows, Dr. James would know have become the mantra for an increasing number of people. It is wonderful to be recognized, but I need some time for me and have not had any for a long time. Today, our kitchen computer started with the BLUE screen, the horror of all computer owners. Each time I used the keyboard, the BLUE screen would come up and shut it down. It took all day to uninstall, reinstall, use system restore, and lots of Googling to figure out the problem, but it is still unresolved. I had to revert back to the corded laptop, but the optical mouse still works fine. The problem with the other keyboard is that it is a Hungarian one. Everything is mixed up from what I am used to using. That is all for today, I am off for my Primal Scream therapy.

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