Easy on the eyes

I'm reading less of JAMA these days.  They recently changed the font they use in some sections of the journal, and it's not easy on my eyes.

There are two basic types of font: serif and sans serif.  "Serif" is Latin for "tail," and "sans" is Latin for "without."

Sans serif ("without tails") fonts include Arial, Helvetica, and Verdana.
Note: no little tails hanging off the edges of these letters.

Serif (with "tails") fonts include Times New Roman, Georgia, and Courier.
Note: the little dashes or squiggles on the tops of the w, along with the extra lines on the N and the T.
(Here's Arial's w, N, and T for comparison.)

Sans serif fonts are easier to read far away; your brain doesn't have to work as hard to make out the letters without those tails.  When I teach presentation skills workshops, one of the points I focus on is that projected material should always be in sans serif font.  (Try observing what happens to your interest and fatigue level during the next PowerPoint presentation you see with serif font.)

Interestingly, computer screens seem to be just far enough away that most people prefer a sans serif font. Look at the fonts on your favorite web sites, and, chances are, they will be sans serif.

Those tails, though, theoretically make reading close-up easier and less fatiguing on the eyes.  (Try observing what happens to your interest and fatigue level while reading the next printed material you come across in a sans serif font.)  I must admit that most of the studies done regarding readability disagree with me regarding serif fonts for reading, but my personal experience has shown a definite preference for serif fonts on printed materials.  JAMA is the only journal of the Top 10 impact factor medical journals, by my cursory review, to use sans serif font for some of its articles, so perhaps others share my bias toward serif fonts for close-up readability.

Not only did JAMA change several of its printed sections to a sans serif font last year, but they also dramatically reduced their font size throughout the whole journal.  I know that journals are trying to cut costs and stay relevant in an increasingly online world, but I am much less likely to read print material with eye-taxing font styles and sizes.  I actually prefer reading paper to the glare of a computer or tablet LCD screen, and I hope that print journals will find a way to continue delivering at least some content in a reader-friendly manner.

Take some time to observe fonts, both on big screens and close-up.  Which seem most comfortable to you?

Zombies, Run!

Couch potatoes of the world, you have met your match.  What if your survival depended on your ability to outrun (or out-walk) a zombie horde?  What if exercise could be (gasp) not only fun but an entertaining adrenaline rush?

The "Zombies, Run" app* defies easy description - it tracks your pace and miles, it's an engrossing and well-acted story, and every now and then you'll have to run for your life to escape the zombies!  One of the residents mentioned it to me a few weeks ago, and I was hooked after the first time I tried it.  Three days a week, now, I put on my running shoes, put in my headphones, open the app, and tap on my next mission.  I set it to track my miles using GPS (outside) or accelerometer (treadmill), choose my playlist, and enable or disable zombie chases (more on that in a sec).  I then become "Runner 5," essential to the survival of the human race after a zombie apocalypse.  I run for medical supplies, ammunition, even rescue small children, all while the app's incredibly sophisticated story arc unfolds.  And, if I enabled those zombie chases, I will randomly hear "warning - zombies approaching" at times, after which I must either speed up by 20% for 60 seconds or drop my supplies to distract the zoms and get away.

This app is a blast.  I look forward to hearing what is going to happen next in the story as soon as I finish each mission.  The app design is very smart; you can't lose (if the zoms catch you, you just drop your stuff as above and the story continues), the characters frequently say encouraging things ("that's a great pace, Runner 5!"), the scenes mix with your own music**, and you can run or walk for whatever length of time you want (just stop the mission wherever you are and you can pick it up next time).  I am not a fan of horror or scary anything, and this story has just enough of an adrenaline rush for my taste without completely creeping me out (though I don't recommend running late at night with it...or maybe that's just me...).

As I was out saving the world this morning, I realized that I need to tell my patients about this app.  It's the perfect antidote to "boring" exercise, after all.  Prescribing apps is mainstream these days (check out Table 3 in the hyperlink), and apparently, patients want us to prescribe them more often .  So, I'm going to look for opportunities to discuss "Zombies, Run" with my patients this week, and I'll let you know how it goes.

After all, you never know when you might need to outrun a horde of zombies.

* Available for Apple and Android. The sequel, "Zombies, Run 2," is what I actually use (and is the hyperlink above) - all of the missions from the original "Zombies, Run" app but a 2nd season, tracks for races, and more.  And, at least as of this writing, it's 50% off right now...

** Jen's "Zombies, Run" playlist:
Muse's Absolution album
Survival (Muse)
Uprising (Muse)
Madness (Muse again - yes, Muse is the perfect zombie-running soundtrack!)
Help I'm Alive (Metric)
Another Way to Die (Jack White & Alicia Keys)
Awake and Alive (Skillet)
Never Surrender (Skillet)
The Great Escape (Boys Like Girls)
Save Our City (Ludo)
Battle Cry (Ludo)
New Way to Bleed (Evanescence)
Whisper (Evanescence)
Bring Me to Life (Evanescence)
Thank You for the Venom (My Chemical Romance)
Heaven Help Us (My Chemical Romance)
Breath (Breaking Benjamin)
Until the End (Breaking Benjamin)
Run (Addison Road)
I Just Wanna Run (The Downtown Fiction)