It's not merely a feminine characteristic, either. I've written before about the recently named (though age-old) phenomenon of "continuous partial attention". It basically involves keeping an eye on a wide spectrum of rapidly changing information, staying alert for the one anomaly that might signal a problem or crisis. That perfectly describes the experience my dad, who was a naval officer, had while "keeping watch" on board ship: Hours and hours scanning the horizon, keeping an eye out for storms or the approach of an enemy vessel.

Like a lot of creatures, we've evolved to be able to process and respond to a lot of information simultaneously. We also, paradoxically, have the ability to focus attention for hours at a time (again, think how a mother focuses on a truly sick child). And the incredible dynamic range of our multitasking brains is part of what the Millennial generation has in common with the rest of us.

Now if you'll excuse me, the Mexican food seems to have arrived....