Multitasking. 01/31/25

Here’s the truth. Multitasking is impossible. It’s a myth. Whether it’s eating while talking about quantum computing in our first comic or jogging on a treadmill while watching the Food Network in our second strip, multitasking just doesn’t work. Guys, have you ever tried to talk on a cell phone while doing your business at a urinal? Take it from me, don’t.

When John and I used to ply our trades in advertising, either of us would be in the middle of thinking up an idea with our respective partners when an apologetic account executive would invariably knock on the door to talk about a new assignment. So you’re in the middle of an idea, the account person gives you a different assignment, and you start thinking about that. Then they leave and apologize for interrupting and you are expected to return to the idea you were previously discussing. Ain’t happenin’. You have to forget about the new idea and get back up to speed on what you were previously thinking about. In my case this requires me to spend precious minutes talking about where my wife and I went to dinner last night, or the movie we just saw or the Knicks chances of winning an NBA Championship. Okay, maybe not precious minutes. In my case, precious hours. Ask anyone who’s ever worked with me. We are sure this phenomenon applies to every type of business and actually of every aspect of life. Did you ever try having a conversation with somebody who has their face buried in a cell phone? It makes for terrible conversation and I’m sure for equally awful texting.

The idea for the second comic came from me discussing a recent trip to the gym with John. My treadmill was between two televisions, one showing MSNBC and the other FOX. It made me so disoriented, I had to switch treadmills which put me in front of the most deliciously unhealthy sandwich I’ve ever seen. I shared this with John who immediately knew what show I was watching, (Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”). And got us talking about the very sandwich featured in the comic. There was another place that put french fries inside the sandwich. My theory is that the lust for food wipes out the calorie burning from the treadmill and I’m sticking with it.

I’m so adverse to multitasking that I cannot listen to music with lyrics when I write. I start singing the lyrics while I’m thinking of what lyrics go into this blog post. Doesn’t work. I have made a New Year’s resolution to stop multitasking. I don’t entirely trust it because I made it while watching a Knick game on tv, raising a glass of bourbon to my lips and attempting to complete The NY Times crossword puzzle. Oops, there goes my phone. See ‘ya.

Have a great weekend,

Andy and John