Friday, January 27, 2012

Turning on the TV, A Technical Manual

Six year old A might have a future as a technical writer. Do you agree? Take a look at her written notes for how to turn on my TV and adjust the volume (while Auntie is still asleep in the morning). I think she describes the process quite clearly.


Transcription:
Both Red Butens.
[Diagram of Red Buttons labeled "FRST" has been crossed out]
Last: +button for loud, -button for soft
[volume controls are on the MAGNAVOX remote]
WATE FOR THE GREEN [BAR] TO COVER THE WIT [WIDTH] [OF THE] TV -------------


Thursday, January 26, 2012

My Name in Lights

Well, not in lights, but in print, at least. Today, my coworker and I approved the proofs for an academic article we wrote that will be published in March. It's a bit thrilling to think I'll be able to see my name in print and find my name by searching an article index.

I'm sure you find this just as thrilling as I do and will be lining up to buy your own copy of the article ($36).

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photo: Mrs. William Hale Thompson, writing at a desk [photograph]. ca. 2/15/15. Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0009696. Courtesy of Chicago History Museum. Retrieved from American Memory at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/cdn:@field(NUMBER+@band(ichicdn+n009696))

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Organizational Advice

Not sure how to decide which office papers to keep and which to discard? Here's a simple, sure-fire way to dramatically decrease the deliberation time:

  1. If you aren't sure about the item, stack it on your desk.
  2. Revisit the stack one to three years later.