1886 The Habit

I'm always amazed by how technology interfaces with our regular human habits. Modern times can have their challenges, but habits find a way.
Habits undermined me the other day. First you need to understand this quirk about me. I like to be as efficient as possible. No wasted steps, no wasted motions. Kind of a skinflint for time. Cram as much activity into a day by wasting as little time as possible. Making the right choice paralyzes me sometimes. I'm sure there's a psychological designation for it. OC-lock or something, or AD-AMPM.
In any event, many years ago Casey Lytle, a fellow local comedian, did this bit on his local access show about his kid. The kid had said, "Dad, listen to me count backwards from a hundred." Then she went, "100, 59, 58, 57..."
She'd learned by watching the timer on the microwave.
Fast forward to 2012. I'm standing at my microwave reheating pizza. I press in 1-0-0- to get a minute, as I've always habitually done. Then it finally dawned on me, 24 years after I heard the bit, I could have been pressing in 6-0- with the same result. All those wasted seconds pressing in one extra digit.
Aargh. Life's too short...
Speaking of bad habits and technology, I was watching a guy across the street find a way to stay productive. He was shivering outside, using his company's smoking area---and still doing his job. Remotely, on his smartypants phone.
Is that not cool or what? You can now stay connected to your web or office, even if society no longer wants to connect with you because of your smoking habit.
America, we always get to productivity despite ourselves. Habits find a way.
Banished to the smoking area?
There's an app for that.
America, ya gotta love it.