Multitasking

How much of the population can multitask? Let's get into that and find out. 

Courtesy of bsoinvest.com

Apparently, we can't multitask. What? Yeah, we task-switch. You do multiple tasks off and on and apparently, it isn't good, according to Psychology Today. It takes a few minutes each time to adjust. You take longer to finish stuff, in reality. You may even miss key details. Sometimes we can get away with doing two things because one of the tasks doesn't take as much attention to detail. 

The problem? We have constant interruption and constantly do two (or more) things at once. Even now, I'm writing while listening to Youtube. While also conversing with my husband at different moments. So, yeah, we all do it. Our world of cellphones, laptops with multiple tabs, phone calls, texts, and general disruption make doing tasks one at a time impossible. In fact, service industries know this all too well as everyone demands your energy all at once. Yep, service workers get it. 

Who can multitask? Computers. They can do multiple tasks at a time for real. Your technology can do it, but you can't according to science. You may be able to get the information, yet you can't absorb it as well. The internet feeds this task-switching trend despite the fact we retain less. Our phones don't help us, either. Those that didn't use as much media did better focusing during a study than those that used more media. In short, you confuse your own brain when you try to do two things at once, which means you have more chance of messing it up.

Courtesy of istockphoto.com

Three types of "multitasking" are classic, rapid task switching (RTS), and interrupted task switching (ITS). Classic is trying to do things at the same time. RTS is going from one task to another quickly. ITS is getting interrupted and having to do something else before you finish your original task. 

What To Do About It

First, prioritize what you have to do. Literally make a list of your "have to" tasks and your "want to" tasks. Plan out when you have to finish each task and go from there. Start from the earliest deadline, finish that, and move on to the next earliest. It works. Create a backburner list. Even schedule out when you do what. 

If you need to transition to something else, take notes on what you need to do later. This means you go back to it without forgetting something vital. Set a timer so you can take a break before you transition to the next task. Take into account how much time something takes. It is okay to overestimate how long you'll need. It is better to have cushion time than to rush and forget something (especially if you are rushing to work). 

Our technology calls to us daily, ringing and buzzing at us. Put all the notifications you don't absolutely need on silent. Put what you don't need to touch out of sight until you need it. Use your digital devices with intention. Don't let your devices rule you. That includes your TV, which is a huge distraction to any productivity. For example, Youtube and writing have derailed my intention to do dishes. You can also set devices to do not disturb and be left alone as you game, write, or do whatever on your laptop or tablet. So, yeah, use your options to train yourself.

Is It Harmful?

The situation is key. Doing laundry while listening to an audiobook? Not harmful. Trying to make dinner while calling your mom about your day? Not so much. As long as one task is not cognitively demanding, you can probably do both. It may take more time if you watch TV and fold your laundry, but that isn't vital to life. Distracted driving is vital to life. The situation makes a difference. You don't harm yourself by running and listening to music; you harm yourself by trying to do two demanding tasks at the same time. 

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It takes on a whole new meaning for ADHD because transitioning does not come easily and results in ten million mental reminders of tasks unfinished, which would annoy me, but some with ADHD have gotten used to it over time. It is dangerous for ADHD. It is less efficient, wastes time, is stressful, and reduces working memory. This is also true for normal brains. Even if you can, it is exhausting. 

The thing is that we don't always know how much time something should take and we take more time on it than necessary when we try to switch tasks rapidly or constantly get interrupted (cough cough, working in a kitchen, cough cough). 

It can be like an addiction if you aren't careful (ADHD is targeted here). Start by trying to do one thing at a time. Identify when you begin switching back and forth. Put time into your day that is uninterrupted intentionally. Create a system to handle your tasks, whether it be lists, a calendar schedule, a personal planner... Whatever works for you is great. 

Conclusion

We waste so much time switching between tasks. Our devices call to us like lost children. We become addicted to what we consider to be more productive, only to find it is not productivity at all. While the music we play during our kitchen cleanup is not doing us much harm, attempting to read a text in a car can kill you on the road. Weigh the cost. Do you need to pay attention to detail? Don't do it. 

No one can actually multitask except your computer and phone, so put those away and get your homework done. You'll be amazed at how much free time you find after you focus on one thing at a time. My grandmother was absolutely right when she told me the TV is a big distraction to getting stuff done. Is the TV evil? No, but it doesn't need to get in the way of adulting. Nor does anything else digital (unless that is your homework). 

Sources:

 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/creative-leadership/201811/why-you-can-t-multi-task

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/11/if-multitasking-is-impossible-why-are-some-people-so-good-at-it/248648/

https://chadd.org/adhd-weekly/are-you-a-multitasker/

https://www.hackingyouradhd.com/podcast/a-deep-dive-into-multitasking

https://danarayburn.com/lets-talk-multitasking-with-adhd/

Abusive relationships in fiction

Culture gives us lots of relationship examples, but these are the ones you shouldn't be following. May you never be in these situations and if you are get out now. If you are stuck somewhere in the DC universe, the Twilight universe, or a fanfiction go find Dr. Strange and he might be able to help.

Abuse can be verbal, physical, psychological, and financial. Basically, anytime you try to control someone's behavior, harm someone in any way, or mentally mess someone up on purpose. There are subtypes, but that is the basic definition of abuse. The dictionary definitions are to misuse, treat someone cruelly repeatedly, and speak and insult someone or about someone. That is what I'm running with for this blog. 

Fiction can sometimes show abusive relationships to be romantic. They are not. It is not healthy. Today I'm going to highlight some relationships that have been romanticized by fiction but are really abusive. We'll start with the most known ones and go from there. 

2 in 1 - Twilight transitioning into Fifty Shades

Guess what Fifty Shades of Grey came from? Twilight fanfiction. We're going to group these together. Basically, possessive relationships with creepy stalkers who watch you sleep are being declared sexy by these books. The fanfiction took it even a step further by adding a whole lot of physical harm into it. Is this okay? No. 

Why is Twilight abusive? Look at Bella's self-esteem and Edward's power over her. Her perception was literally that she was lucky to even be near him. She's drawn to the dangerous boys, unfortunately.  She's also attracted to danger and violence.  Then we get to Edward, who isolates Bella from others. He messes with her car, too. He coerces her closer to him by getting a commitment from her early. Jealous, possessive behavior such as tracking her reveals him to be a predator. Both of them cling to each other to an unhealthy degree.

Courtesy of Pinterest
I could have used lots of quote images to prove
that Fifty Shades is dumpster trash, but this was 
less vulgar than some others. 

I know that Fifty Shades of anything is painfully obvious why it is abusive, but let's converse about it anyway. It is porn. It also illustrates vividly a man dominating a woman using BDSM and pain. He is Edward on steroids. Ana is raped in some parts of the book. Apparently, even those into BDSM claim that it isn't BDSM, but pure abuse. They don't like this book. Think that one through. The book blames Ana for everything. The message of "abuse is the fault of the victim" is painfully, cruelly visible. I wouldn't buy this book for anything less than a penny. I'd rip the pages out and make it a book safe (repainted cover and all!).

Harlequin and Joker

Again, I don't think I have to say much to make it clear why this is here. She gets beaten by the Joker and comes back for more time and time again. I don't think proving your love should involve jumping in a pool of acid. She started as his psychiatrist and fell in love with him. The writer that wrote her portrayed a relationship she had gotten out of, so if that tells you anything it should tell you not to follow in Harley's footsteps.

Did Harley get away? In some comics, yes. Poison Ivy also bonds with Harley and hits the Joker back. She hits him hard with words and threats, after he is wrapped in vines. She threatens that if he hurts Harley again she'll plant thorns inside him. She intimidated the Joker with every word in her arsenal. The only reason she didn't kill him was that Harley still loved him to a degree.

You

This one isn't as common. Put simply, a guy named Joe Goldberg works in a bookstore and manipulates Guinevere Beck into dating him. He also stalks her. It was supposed to be a satire to point out this relationship was wrong. It wasn't taken as such by some. Joe is a monster with a charming face, which reminds me of Ted Bundy if I'm honest. The show itself is realistic when it comes to the portrayal of Joe. Most in abusive relationships need space from the relationship to see the abuse, and abusers make it their goal to not give them space to think. The show actually messes with your head as an audience. This is a charming predator if you need a mental picture. It starts well and then there is isolation from friends and jealousy. After that condescending remarks and subtle digs come into play. This subtlety was lost on some viewers (as it is often lost on victims of abuse within the relationship). 

The pattern you need to see in this is the sweet side of Joe, then the nasty side coming out at a flip of a switch. After this, there is the "forgive me" and mock-working it out that happens. Repeat until the relationship ends and this will continue to be accurate. It is likely to be all too real for real victims of abuse. The audience has even been swayed, despite the actor who plays Joe telling them the character is evil.

Conclusions

What we see in You, Twilight, DC comics Joker and Harley, and Fifty Shades has all been sexualized to varying degrees (either by the intention of the writers or the audience itself). In that spirit, I'd like to say that emotional abuse is incredibly subtle. Not only that, but abusers justify themselves (as proven by You) in their own minds. The Joker, when left to talk, makes shocking sense at times and can sway someone. The cycle of abuse creates other abusers in some cases. The character Christian Grey is revealed to be abused by his mother (which while sad, does not justify what he does to Ana). Hurt people hurt people. 

My point is simply this; if you find yourself acting like any of these characters (victim or abuser) go get therapy. I'm going to leave the numbers for abuse helplines here for you. Most importantly, if your life is in danger leave and run. 

Courtesy of lovethispic.com

National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1-800-899-7323  or thehotline.org

Sources:

Relationship Violence in “Twilight” | Psychology Today

The Real Abuse at the Heart of 'Fifty Shades of Grey' - RELEVANT (relevantmagazine.com)

Harley Quinn and the Joker romanticize domestic abuse — Sonoma State Star - The university's student-run newspaper

Poison Ivy Gets Revenge on Joker For Harley Quinn Abuse (screenrant.com)

4 Times Hollywood Romanticized Emotional Abuse in Relationships | The Mighty

What watching Netflix's 'YOU' can teach about abuse | Well+Good (wellandgood.com)

sleep paralysis

It's terrifying, but what is it? If you've experienced sleep paralysis you know how bad it is. Is it a brain glitch? Is it a spiritual attack? Let's find out.

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Sleep paralysis is the feeling of being paralyzed while dreaming. For instance, if you are unable to move or speak while in a dream. It occurs as your brain is transitioning into or out of sleep. In this case, your mind is moving faster than your body and it is out of synch. Commonly, people with irregular sleep schedules get hit by this. It is related to being sleep-deprived and can happen to anyone. There is no cure. Basically, just sleep on a steady schedule and you can generally avoid it. 

It is more than just feeling paralyzed, however, and comes with intense fears, feeling of choking, or hallucinations (possibly like shadow people). It happens often when someone has narcolepsy. It is more frequent between ages 20-30. The intense dreams go in three categories; intruder in the room, someone on their chest trying to kill them, or feeling an out-of-body experience. 

The main causes

The natural sleeping process involves paralyzing muscles so we don't harm ourselves while we dream. When our bodies and minds don't synch we are awake but paralyzed. Fragmented sleep schedules mess with REM (rapid eye movement). Dreams occur during REM cycles. Stress makes sleeping hard, thus stressed people or sleep-deprived people run into this more often than others do. Narcolepsy also makes this happen. This can be a warning sign of an anxiety disorder or sleep apnea, though it happens to most everyone at some point in time.

The reason you get an intense rise in fear is obvious (since it is not pleasant), but there is more. Your brain assesses threats all the time and ignores little sounds more often than you know. Yet, when you are in this state everything could be a threat and your brain is hearing every little sound and seeing every shadow. Your threat assessment is no longer being accurate because it now no longer ignores small details that don't matter. 

Courtesy of Pinterest

Please do talk to a doctor if you are consistently getting this terrifying experience, have insomnia issues, or fall asleep suddenly and feel unusually sleepy while awake. This is when you may need help. Otherwise, experiencing this is not something that warrants a doctor's call. If you address your stress, exercise 2 hours before bed, have a steady sleeping time, and generally keep good mental health you are probably going to avoid this. Curiously, not sleeping on your back may help, too.

Spiritual attack or not

Okay, so based on the science I found, this is just your brain being out of synch and trying to compensate or your brain waking up too quickly before your body does. Lots of episodes of sleep paralysis are terrifying, causing me to cry out to God in fear and choke on the words. Is it a spiritual attack or is my brain just messing with me internally? For years people have attributed this experience to spirits and demons. There is a painting of a creature that resembles something faerie sitting on a woman's chest. It is less than comforting to see and portrays an episode of sleep paralysis. It is supposed to be unsettling. I refuse to include it in my blog post because all the other google images are even worse.

The thing is we can scientifically tie it to bad sleep habits, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy, but really don't know much else. Weird? Yes, but spiritual warfare takes many forms. It is indeed possible for this to be warfare, but we will never know for sure. Your brain literally has stock images of everything you see, so it fills in random stuff while out of synch. It can turn a nun's swishing skirt (my experience last time I had this) into a shadow ghost of a woman with a swishing skirt. It took a stock image it had and filled in what it wanted to wherever. Your brain is so complex it can pull up images years later. This makes the argument that it could be spiritual warfare kind of iffy sometimes. 

There is a common thing about shadow people showing up in dreams with sleep paralysis, but they also show up when you don't sleep for days, so that may be your brain trying to compensate. Seriously, we don't know what shadow people (in fedoras and cloaks?) are and if they are just a sign you literally need to sleep and not game all night. There is a lot we don't know. Only God knows what this is. Also, seeing someone sitting on your chest (even to the point of sexually assaulting you) is common. So, yeah, the line is blurry on this front. Are we imagining it because our mind filled in blanks or is this a deliberate attack from Satan? Really, it is a coin flip. We don't know. Frankly, all I need to know is that God has my back and I'm good. 

Does it help to cry out to God? Actually, yes. He can reach out and pull you back to safety. Apparently, you are supposed to relax and let the episode end, but I can never do that. I keep screaming for God until the words come out and I wake up saying "Satan is vanquished and Christ Jesus is king" out loud. I told my husband to wake me if I ever talked in my sleep because I have had nightmares before. I have also seen unsettling things that can't be explained. Now that you know that, understand that I am not ruling out the spiritual warfare option or the scientific explanation. I am just trusting that if this is warfare God is fighting for me, the war is already won, and I am protected by God. That is all I need to know. 

Note: Please don't look up sleep paralysis on google images unless you want mentally distressing images of demons, spirits, and anything else from any horror movie you can ever imagine. I refused to put those images on my blog post today for the reason that I may not sleep after seeing those images. I won't take away your sleep by showing them to you.

Sources:

 https://www.henryford.com/blog/2018/02/sleep-paralysis-explained

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/295039

https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders/sleep-paralysis/

https://www.gotquestions.org/sleep-paralysis.html

https://www.livescience.com/61227-incubus-phenomenon.html

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/sleep-paralysis-a-brain-glitch-or-an-evil-spirit-40943

What is sleep paralysis with false awakening? Is it a spiritual attack? (compellingtruth.org)

Horror and Suspense Differences

 There is a fine line between horror and suspense. Some books straddle that line. Others are one or the other. Some forms of media make you question which genre they fit into and might be both. Let's take a look at the differences. 

Photo courtesy of Illustratedfiction.com

Three sub-genres/genres that are hard to separate are mystery, thriller, and horror. The trouble is, what are the differences between these subgenres? Today we use Jurassic Park to illustrate this conundrum. While labeled a thriller and technically science fiction, it can fit into either horror or thriller (in my view). There is one more category called suspense that gets thrown in with thrillers. Today we'll find out if they are the same thing. 

General Guidelines

A mystery has a clear puzzle or crime involved. In suspense, the main character is in danger from the start. A thriller is all about action and danger, which overlaps right into suspense territory. Horror focuses on scares and is generally more morbid. 

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The thing is that you can be two of these, but not three. All of these go hand-in-hand often. 

Horror and thrillers often get confused. There is also a spectrum of light and dark content. Some horror content you watch is not equal to other darker horror content. Hitchcock created suspense that was also horror. If we are talking strictly about horror or thriller, which is what I'm going to do today, the basic question to ask is whether you are terrified or not.

Horror has four basic subgenres and everything else fits into those. Monsters, killers, paranormal, and psychological. Jump scares are common here. Thrillers, on the other hand, thrill us by making us wonder what will happen next. Plot twists are common in this genre and can be explained by the natural world. Horror can't be explained by the natural world, most of the time.

Jurassic Park

The real question now is whether Jurassic Park (movies or books) are one or both. To illustrate this I'll be pointing out elements of both movies and books which may contain spoilers. You have been warned. 

Jurassic Park is full of jump scares. Not only that, but the deaths within the books and movies are a bit morbid. In this way, it can be considered light horror. They find Nedry's leg in the first book. The baby T-rex eats the PR guy. 

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On the other hand, we have plot twists within the movie, like the traitor to InGen who is trying to steal dinosaur genetics for another researcher. We also have one of the newest movies creating a plot twist that involves the cloning of a man's deceased daughter. This is a full-on shock to most of us at the end of the movie.

As you can see, we have elements of both. The books take a darker tone than the oldest movies, but match the tone of the newer movies.  Basically, some are closer to the horror genre than others. I'd say that the three oldest movies qualify as a thriller (since Jaws is about equal to the terror level of Jurassic park, which is to say it doesn't scare me). Jurassic World took it to a new level, showing more violence than the last three movies before it. The books were not tame, either, since Dr. Wu literally has his guts ripped out by raptors, a newborn is eaten by compies, and John Hammond is eaten alive by compies. Also, there is literally a scene in the book where the raptors are ripping through metal to get to everyone in the safari-themed hotel. The books qualify as horror, so generally, the movies probably should, too. 

Photo courtesy of nwtv.nl

People debate whether this is a thriller or horror. Many say yes, some say no, and others say it is right in the middle and straddles the line. It does indeed have both elements within it, thus I say it is both after taking into account the source material. You can disagree with me if you like. You have that freedom. All the same, it has both elements and will continue to be debated by many. 

Mystery, Suspense, and Thriller Subgenres—What’s the Difference? - Almost An Author

Thriller vs Horror - Why The Subtle Differences Can Save Your Script (industrialscripts.com)

The Difference Between Horror and Thriller Movies and TV Shows (nofilmschool.com)

Thriller vs. Horror: What's the Difference? - killerthrillers.net

Mystery, Thriller, and Crime Novels: What’s the Difference? - 2021 - MasterClass

Is Your Novel "Mystery," "Thriller," or "Suspense"? (dailywritingtips.com)

JURASSIC PARK Turns 27, A Look Back at the Film and Its Horror Roots | Review St. Louis (reviewstl.com)

The Real Reason Jurassic Park Should Be Considered A Horror Movie (looper.com)