How to harness the power of a weekly schedule * Part 2 — We understand time in units of years, weeks, and days. Those with excellent memories can remember when to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. …

How to add recurring events to maximize efficiency * Part 1 — Human beings have become human doings thanks to our obsession with e-calendaring. Gone are the days of a walk in the primeval forest or a comparatively modern Sunday drive to nowhere. …

My mind hated me! — It was lonely at the top. The position of Overseer of My Mentality is a thankless job. My unrelenting executive board screamed and ran back and forth from left to right cerebral cortex, often fighting with each other and then turning on me. The war that raged within me reached…

How texting works and why it’s changed our lives * BONUS CHAPTER — In-person conversations and group gatherings were common until recently. Back in Alexander Graham Bell’s Day, townsfolk walked miles to a friend’s porch where they’d talk about the weather and gossip. People attended religious services together and they met in dance halls to waltz the night away. Today, A.G. …

Video calls explained in clear and simple language * Part 6 — Jane was applauded by a laugh track as she talked on her outlandish phone-tv in the early 1960s cartoon, The Jetsons. Later that decade, we saw Dr. Floyd call his young daughter on a picture phone in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and maaaaan was that trippy! …

Camera phones explained in clear and simple language * Part 5 — Nineteenth-century cameras were big boxy machines. People kept still for nearly twenty minutes so their images and facial features would be recognizable and clear. No wonder those sepia faces were so glum — Betsy, don’t you dare scratch and keep your frilly bonnet still! Our pioneer girl would be delighted…

Sound amplification and audio explained in clear and simple language *Part 4 — It was easy for my grandmother to understand how her voice traveled from her clunky headset into a wire cable and back out again to her friend’s ear which was suctioned to a round plastic earpiece. …

Cellular and wi-fi connections explained in clear and simple language *Part 3 — Point, tap, talk! Cell phone calls are easy-peasy. Our voices are so clear that we seem to be standing right next to each other. Do you ever wonder how my voice travels through the phone to reach your ear? In this series, I translate complex ideas into simple language so…

Touchscreens & binary digital signals explained in clear and simple language *Part 2 — A swipe here and a jab there! We touch our devices thousands of times each day and they respond immediately, but we take this relationship for granted. We don’t even stop to ask our electronic friends-with-benefits why and how they behave the way they do. In this series, I translate…