I like to use two monitors when I am writing. Having one screen open to my word processor and the other to my research materials makes it easy to read my notes or consult websites and other documents while writing. Dual monitors can also make it easier to check for changes and corrections when proofreading a document.

Those extra seconds spent repeatedly clicking or switching between programs as you work can really add up, and you will work more slowly than when you have the space to have everything you need displayed neatly in front of you on dual monitors.

A second screen may also come in handy for monitoring social media, email or instant messaging without having to leave what you are working on. If I want to watch a video of a webinar or an online course, I can play it on one screen while I work on something else on the other screen.

Dual monitors are not without their disadvantages, though. The very things that can make you more productive can have a negative impact on your productivity if you let them. It can turn your desktop into the computer version of Bloomberg News, where there is so much happening on the screen you can not process all of it. If you are easily distracted, having your Twitter feed or other social media constantly changing in front of you can keep you from doing any real work. It is up to you to make sure that your second monitor makes you more productive, not less.

How does it work? I have a second monitor that I sometimes connect to my laptop PC. After plugging the monitor in to my laptop, I right click on the desktop background and choose Graphics Properties. From that menu, I choose Multiple Displays or Extended Desktop. (The exact choices will depend on your operating system and hardware.) Once the settings are applied I can move my mouse between screens as if I had one large monitor. To move a window from one screen to another, I just grab it with my mouse and drag it to the other screen. Cool!

Although many computers can now accommodate dual monitors, if yours doesn’t you may need to upgrade your video card. Added to the expense of the second monitor, you can be out several hundred dollars. The investment can be worth it if you get more done in less time, often with better quality. However, if your major advantage is being able to play Angry Birds during an online client meeting, it is probably not worth the money.

If you are satisfied with the amount of space on your screen than you may decide that dual monitors are not necessary. Let me warn you, though: Once you have worked with two monitors you will not want to go back to just one!

Image Credit: MrChrome at en.wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Once you learn a few simple steps for using Audacity you can start creating podcasts, MP3 downloads, audio CD programs and more. Here is what you need to know.

You will need:

• Microphone
• Audacity (1.3 Beta)
• A script or notes on what you’re going to talk about.

Step 1: Install Audacity

Audacity is available for free download. Just go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ and download the version for your operating system. There are both Windows and Mac versions available.

Step 2: Install the MP3 Encoder

If you want to save audio files in MP3 format (and you will) you need to install the LAME MP3 encoder. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds. Just go to the LAME MP3 page and follow the simple instructions.

Step 3: Open Audacity

After installing, you will probably have an Audacity icon on your desktop. If not it should be in your list of programs. Click (or double click) the icon or select it from your program list.

Step 4: Make Your Recording

Once Audacity is running, all you have to do is click the round red button in the tool bar to start the recording. Start recording, wait a few seconds (silently count to three) then start speaking. Leave a few seconds of silence at the end of the recording, too. This makes it easier to do editing, such as adding music or an intro.

Always test before making your final recording. Start recording, speak for a minute or so, then stop. Listen to see if you need to adjust the volume levels or eliminate background noises you didn’t notice in “real life,” but are obvious on the recording.

Once you are done recording, click the square button to stop.

Your recording will have a wave form that looks something like this. The horizontal line that goes all the way across the screen is the background noise. Ideally, this should be very thin. (The thicker it is, the more background noise or hiss you have on the recording.)

The groups of short blue spikes are your voice, and the tall thin spike and the short bit to the right are clicks.

Step 5: Listen To The Recording

To listen to what you recorded, just  press the green arrow button in the tool bar. If it doesn’t start to play immediately, you may need to place your cursor at the beginning of the clip and then press the play button. Another way to move to the beginning of the clip is to click on the button with the two arrows pointing left.

Step 6: Save Your Recording

Always save a copy of your original audio file before you start to edit. That way, if you make a mistake when editing you always have the original to go back to.

To save your original audio file, use the Save Project option in the File menu. This will save your recording as an Audacity project with an .au extension.

Step 7: Edit The Recording

As you record, you may pick up clicks and other sounds that you do not want in the final recording. For instance, the clicks heard at the end of the audio came from me moving the mic on my headset. Or you may want to cut out some of the “ums” and “uhs” or other mistakes. You do not need to keep redoing the recording until it is perfect. You can simply take out the unwanted audio with the editing tools available in Audacity.

To edit, you may need to zoom in to the section to see it clearly. Use the zoom in the tool bar or you can find the short cut keys by clicking on the view tab at the top.

After you zoom in, highlight the section you’d like to remove and use the cut or silence button to remove this section. The cut tool is usually the best choice.

Step 8: Save The Edited File

After you have finished editing, save a copy of the edited file. Give it a new name so you do not overwrite the original recording file.

You can also export the file as a WAV or MP3 at this time. Burn a WAV file to a CD and you can play it in most CD players, as well as computers. MP3s can be played in computers and some CD players. (Many new CD players will play MP3 files.) MP3 files are smaller, so MP3 is the better format if you are going to put your audio files on the Internet.

To save your recording as an MP3 or WAV file:

• Click the Export option in the File menu.
• Select the type of file (WAV or MP3).
• Name your audio. Do not put spaces in the file name.
• Fill in the metadata (e.g., your name, the title, date, etc.) if you wish.
• Click ok.

And you’re done! Your audio file can be burned to CD or uploaded to the web.

Note: It is always a good idea to listen to the file to make sure there were no glitches when converting or saving the file.

Understanding what your teenager is texting—to you, about you or when she thinks you are not watching—can help you be more a part of her life. And texting is not just for teenagers any longer. The shorthand of texting has invaded everywhere from Twitter to email to what used to be formal business communications.

It is especially important to know the meaning of popular texting acronyms if you plan to use them, so you can be spared the embarrassment of inadvertent inappropriate texting—such as sending an acronym with a raunchy or insulting meaning to your boss. Or your grandmother, who is hip enough to know what it means.

Here are some of the most famous messaging sayings.

*$ – Starbucks
^5 – High five
@TEOTD – At the end of the day
2G2BT – Too good to be true
2NITE – Tonight
4COL – For crying out loud
99 – Parents are no longer watching
AFAIK – As far as I know
BFF – Best friends forever
BI5 – Back in five minutes
BIL – Boss is listening
BRB – Be right back
CID – Consider it done
CU – See you
DEGT – Don’t even go there
FML – F*** my life. Usually used to express that things are not going well.
FWIW – For what it’s worth
FYEO – For your eyes only
GBTW – Get back to work
GFTD – Gone for the day
GNOC – Get naked on camera
GR8 – Great
HAND – Have a nice day
HTH – Hope this helps
IANAL – I am not a lawyer (usually followed by an amateur legal opinion).
IAT – I am tired
IDK – I don’t know
IMHO – In my humble opinion
IMO – In my opinion
IMS – I am sorry
IRL – In real life (as opposed to online)
KUTGW – Keep up the good work
L8R – Later
LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life
LOL – Laugh out loud
NMP – Not my problem
NOYB – None of your business
NRN – No response necessary
NSFW – Not suitable for work
NTMU – Nice to meet you
OMG – Oh my God!
ONUD – Oh no, you didn’t!
PAW – Parents are watching
PCM – Please call me
PIBKAC – Problem is between keyboard and chair (uh, that means the person sitting in chair).
PIR – Parent in room
POMS – Parent over my shoulder
POS – Parent over shoulder
PRW – Parents are watching
QT – Cutie
ROFL – Rolling on the floor laughing
RUOK – Are you okay?
SWDYT – So what do you think?
TBA – To be announced
TBC – To be continued
TIA – Thanks in advance
TMI – Too much information
TOY – Thinking of you
TTYL – Talk to you later
TY – Thank you
UG2BK – You’ve got to be kidding
WOMBAT – Waste of money, brains and time
WRUD – What are you doing?
WYSIWYG – What you see is what you get
XOXO – Hugs and kisses
YW – You’re welcome

Still confused? When someone sends you a text filled with what looks like a random collection of letters, try texting back: TMA. That means “too many acronyms.”

Have no fear. The New York Times offers these low-tech solutions to get your technology working again.