Shop Apron

Episode 590

May 23, 2020

i wear my shop apron for the mistakes i might make.
The apron has paint splashes, grease from engine repairs and stains from various solvents.
It is a comfortable full sized apron that shields me, holds my tools and is easy to work in.

The apron’s job is to protect my clothing from the projects around the ranch.
Sometimes i mistakenly put on my “going into town” pants on the morning of a paint job. When i am carrying a terra cotta pot for Paula the dirt and cactus needles do not ruin my shirt.
My apron keeps me safe. On the days that i wear a hoody the apron stops the pull strings from going into the power tools.

When a problem occurs the apron protects me and sometimes holds the tool i need to fix the problem.

My shop apron cannot be ruined with another paint stain. It can be torn, but a needle and thread will make it functionally “good as new.”
The apron fits comfortably yet covers me well. i will not soon outgrow my apron because i bought it to fit my needs.

When i am writing, editing, communicating or being entertained, my computer wears an apron.

When writing, the spell and grammar checkers catch the stains of typos before i finalize the text.
As i was writing the previous line i spelled “grammar” “grammer.” The Apple Notes app via Macintosh spell check underlined my mistake in red dots.

Better to have a dialog box catch the spell spill than my readers.

When creating an illustration with my photo editing application i will often make an erasure or cloning mistake. Every app on the computer has an Undo command. Typically it is the top command of the Edit menu. Some applications, such as Pixelmator or Photoshop have multiple Undo commands allowing me to step back through several operations. If i go too far i can Redo an Undo.

It’s like a self cleaning apron.

Many applications allow me to revert to a previous version of my document. Most Apple programs, such as TextEdit, Pages, Numbers and Keynote save a version of my document every time i select File > Save and also periodically on their own. Every 5 minutes a new version is saved. If i pause my work, such as leaving the app to check a website, a new version will be saved.

Choosing Save periodically assures that my computer apron catches all my thoughts. Auto-Save and Versions gives me the freedom to be a little reckless, saving everything i do… even the tangents i end up not using are caught in the versions apron.

My Internet browser is a kind of apron too.
The history of my browsing is an apron that allows me to backtrack from a mistake in navigation.

When i have a belief, i like to check it out. i could have made a mistake in my thinking. i could have been misinformed. A well phrased Google search can generate a million points of view. Looking through the list is like viewing the stains on my logic apron.

Where have i gone wrong? Where did i go right? Who thinks like i do and who does not? Critical thinking is enabled when i wear an apron of truth.

When communicating it is critical that i don’t make mistakes. That is why i always use the select, undo, cut, copy and paste aprons in Messages and email.

On the iPhone, an undo is shaking the phone. A shake after an undo will redo.

After dictating i look for errors. Select, cut, copy, paste and/or undo are the apron which protects me from faux pas.

Even my computer entertainment protects me from viewing mistakes. Netflix puts a red line under the episodes i have watched. This stops me from wasting binging time viewing something twice. Netflix and Hulu remember the shows i am watching and the shows i plan to watch so that i don’t have to.

These programs are an entertainment apron against forgetfulness.

When purchasing an application look for the built in aprons.
Look for applications that fit your style and complement the way you work. Use applications that you will not soon outgrow. Select features that are flexible and they will assist in good clear thinking without getting in the way of your creativity.