The Dangers of Multi-tasking

I'm always on g-chat... ALWAYS

I also talk to a lot of people who don't know the concept of economy of language aka ramblers. In response I've developed a nice multi-tasking ability. I can look at emails and even have gchat conversations while people are talking at me.

I never thought there was a downside to doing these two things at once except for asking the person to repeat themselves, which no one has ever complained about.

A moment ago, I answered the phone and a lady starts going into it soI start to look at a message from my friend Mark and right as she says, my son just passed away, I let out a chortle of laughter at something he had just typed. I feel awful... but I don't think she heard, because well she just kept rambling.