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A Pixelated Mind

Where does it say ’star inset?’
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The Brain is a Muscle

As all other muscles get flabby from lack of exercise, so too does the brain. I never realized this before, but it makes so much sense.

I’d always wondered why some people catch on to new ideas quickly and some still doubt the usefulness of the horseless carriage. Or why some people get to old age with loads of health problems, but others are fit as a whistle (a shiny whistle). It really is in how you take care of yourself and what you choose to exercise.

Take as an example a lady we’ll call “Weth.” I’m tutoring her in InDesign because she’s going to self-publish and needs to know the program.

Our sessions go by rather slowly as she has to take meticulous notes over every thing that I do. I always wait until she finishes her notes before I go on, sure that she’s looking at what I’m doing and understanding it.

The problem is that she can fake understanding with the best of them. I’ll have her practice the same thing four times, then the fifth time, I’ll ask her about it and she’ll be dumbfounded. It reminds me of the Simpson’s episode where Bart is trying to remind Homer of his archnemesis Sideshow Bob. When Homer finally gets it, he says

“Oh, Sideshow Bob!”

Take this for an example of what I’m going through trying to teach her. There is absolutely nothing else on the screen except for the top menu that is on every application. I purposely have none of the tools out and I just want to show her how to make a star using the STAR INSET option. See enclosed photo and see if you can find the STAR INSET option before continuing:

Where does it say ’star inset?’

Quoth the Weth:

“Where does it say Star Inset?”

There are literally 10 words on the screen including OK and Cancel and yet somehow she totally missed where it said “Star Inset.”

We both have our own computers, so she gets to practice what I’m teaching her instantly. She’s also right next to me, so she gets to hear and see everything I say and do. So whatever the problem is, it’s not that I’m not teaching her in the way she learns best. I’m teaching her every way.

I think at this point, the problem is her.

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As all other muscles get flabby from lack of exercise, so too does the brain. I never realized this before, but it makes so much sense. I’d always wondered why some people catch on to new ideas quickly and some still doubt the usefulness of the horseless carriage. Or why some people get to old…