Just like Windows XP, all good things must come to an end. If you are reading this, and still have Windows XP installed, it’s time to buy a new computer. As my time with Birds on a Cable comes to a close, I want to reflect back on some of my most memorable experiences. Before I fly the coup, let me leave you with my Very Profound Life Advice.
Greetings, traveler! Spring has arrived and with it, a return to the much-beloved Spring cleaning. “But Will, what is Spring Cleaning?” you may ask, if you are someone unfamiliar with American colloquialisms. Well Hans, Spring cleaning is a time once a year where everyone cleans the filth accrued from the three lesser seasons. Typically, this includes cleaning floors, dusting furniture, and de-molding your bathroom. But, my dear friend, what about your electronics?
Back in high school, I spent the better part of a weekend procrastinating writing a paper by learning to solve a Rubik’s cube. I’ve had one since elementary school, and had become pretty adept at breaking it apart, then rearranging the pieces to solve it (it’s a great use for those PCI brackets you tend to accumulate when you upgrade your PC). I had spent several months prior trying to learn by brute force how to solve it. I was able to get one side, but was stuck after that. So I spent two days teaching myself, using online tutorials. At some point I also wrote a terrible paper that earned a C. In the end, I think I made the right call.
What does that even mean? “Excuse me, do you have this desk in a size 8?”
What I’m referring to is proper office ergonomics – keeping the body aligned as we sit 8+ hours a day, staring at computers and each other. Stop for a quick moment without moving – check yourself. Whatcha doin’? Are your shoulders more forward than your chest? Is the natural curve in your low (lumbar) spine rounded (maybe pressed into the corner of your chair between the seat and the backing)? Are you looking down or up at your computer screen? Are you slouched and sitting low? Do both feet touch the floor evenly?
