604 Consecutive Games....and counting

So I operate my computer in a glorious orgy of multi-tasking splendor. I typically have 3-4 Internet windows open with a handful of tabs in each window, allowing for fast simultaneous reading, typing, editing, and research. Taking all these open tabs and combining them with the couple of Word and Excel documents that I'm working on, I have a very busy computer desktop. This may sound like a combination of short attention span, OCD, and manic computing behavior rolled into one, but somehow it works for me. Don't try to change me, I like who I am.

For some reason, my brain works well when I can spend 20 minutes on a work related spreadsheet then give my brain a quick rest by checking my g-mail, refreshing stock quotes, and reading another three paragraphs of an article on subversive educational techniques. This mental respite takes only a couple of minutes and since it keeps my brain thinking and processing (all be it on a different topic), the efficacy upon my return to that work related spreadsheet seems very high.

Luckily my computer screen faces away from Alycia, I think she might find that the manic switching and Alt-Tabbing would drive her nuts.

Anyways, so the moral of the story is that I find the Freecell game to be very helpful in keeping my mind engaged and sharp during a quick break from work related stuff. At one point I had some scientific evidence to back me up in the form of an article that studied people who played simple problem games or word puzzles for five minutes during every hour of focused mental tasks. The researchers found that keeping your brain thinking and engaged, but on a different task helped lateral thinking and problem solving. Sadly, I can't remember the location of this article, so uhhhh....you'll just have to take my word for it that it was real.

So suffice to say that I frequently play Freecell in small bouts between work to keep my mind stimulated, to the tune of 601 consecutive games won. Certainly this is no world record, merely an impressive feat of an otherwise distracted and work deterred individual. I shall keep you all informed and let you know when we pass 1,000 consecutive wins.