05.07.08 10.50 am
Brassing Adds Character: Cheap Fountain Pens
My good friend Ryan over at Brassing Adds Character has a good little series of posts going right now about cheap fountain pens. How cheap? Well, yesterday he highlighted pens that can be had for $10.00 or less. Looking to spend a little more? How about a great budget writer for $30.00 or under? There are some fantastic suggestions, short reviews and tips in this series. If you are looking to get into fountain pens without breaking your piggy bank, these are must read lists. Be warned though, nice pens are addictive and that piggy bank will likely be broken into sooner rather than later.
04.07.08 04.58 pm
Remainders 04.07.2008
Here are more random whisperings I picked up in overheard conversations in the crowded and overpriced pick-up bar that is called, The Internet:
There are some new and updated GTD Apps that may be of interest to you.
First off, if you live in GMail and have yet to give GTDInbox a try, now may be a good time. This Firefox extension converts GMail into a “productivity and personal management powerhouse”. It has recently been updated to version 2 and contains a bunch of new features.
If GMail is not your thing, maybe you want to give GTDAgenda a try. It is a new GTD based web application that is aiming to be the solution to all of your GTD needs. It contains it has all the tools required for getting your Org-fu on, like goals, projects and tasks, contexts, next actions, checklists, schedules and calendar.
Then again, maybe you have a Mac running Leopard (Mac OS 10.5). Well then, Dennis Best says that you really don’t need a specific GTD application – you have all of the tools you need right there in Leopard. He makes a pretty convincing argument for using iCal, Mail.app, smart folders in the Finder, and many other default tools to string together a pretty workable system.
03.28.08 08.00 am
Remainders 03.28.2008
Another round of the various items that have caught my eye while traversing the deep caverns and the the twisting rivers that we collectively refer to as “The Internet”:
My current favorite little pocket notebooks, Field Notes, have themselves a whole new redesigned website. They even have a nice little call out to my friend Ryan’s review. Check these things out if you have never heard of them. I know I have mentioned them before. Really good stuff.
My friend Brad Blackman at Mysterious Flame reminds us all to do the right thing by keeping your Inbox the Inbox. Mark it clearly for you and the whole world to see if you need some help.
I can’t say enough good things about this review at Lifehack.org of David Allen’s “Weekly Review” Audiobook. As a matter of fact, It might be too good. The review is so comprehensive in covering the main topics and ideas expressed in the Audiobook itself, you may not even need it after reading the review. There is a metric ton of goodness here for any of you GTDers out there. A must read… There, have I said enough good things yet?
Speaking of “The David”, did you catch the wonderful three part interview with him over at Web Worker Daily? No? Clear a little time and work your way through it. Time well spent.
I can seem to go a month without posting something about the 37 Signals guys but, hey, it is not my fault. Tell them to stop being so damn cool. Take some of the workspace experiments they are trying out amongst themselves. Four day workweeks are standard, paying for peoples hobbies and passions, liberal discretionary spending policies. Every business, especially the small ones, should take serious note of this. Happy, less stressed, content employes mean more productivity - not less.
Need a little more focus from your meeting participants? Go topless. No, really, it is not what you think.
03.26.08 08.00 am
Remainders 03.25.2008 - Zen Edition
A little something different for the remainders this time around. As some out there may know, I have been a long time practitioner and subscriber to Buddhist philosophy. While I am certainly no zen master, I have used these practices to keep a whole lot of daily stress (and many a personal demon) at bay.
I have recently been impressed by the number of great posts on meditation, mindfulness, zen practices and Buddhism that have been popping up amongst my productivity blog brethren and sisterhood. Here are just a few of the better ones that have caught my attention:
43 Folders: Video: Jon Kabat-Zinn on mindfulness and “falling awake” - This is a great commentary and link to a fantastic video of noted meditation and mindfulness expert, Jon Kabat-Zinn. The video was taken at a recent talk he did a Google. If you would like some sort of low impact introduction into the practice of these techniques, I can think of no better place to start than here. The video is longish (about an hour) but well worth tuning out for a bit to tune in.
Zen Habits: 12 Essential Rules to Live More Like a Zen Monk - A few things that you can take away from the way a buddhist monk lives their daily practice. These include, doing one thing at a time, doing these things slowly, completely and with a deliberate effort to do less in order to appreciate and enjoy more.
Dumb Little Man: Meditation Techniques for the Busy or Impatient - Meditation does not have to be some difficult, time consuming, years to master task that a lot of people perceive it to be. As a matter of fact, you can incorporate simple meditation into many ordinary daily activities. This post covers exactly that. The shower meditation is a particular favorite of mine. Good stuff.
Kudos to all who continue to allow this stuff to bubble up to the surface. I deeply believe that freedom from stress and worry is only achieved when we learn to let go of the past, allow the future to remain in place, and take real, honest, compassionate, right minded, action in the present. After all, if you waste energy worrying about things you can’t change, then you miss spending that energy right here and now - in this very moment- on the things you can.
01.19.08 09.14 pm
Remainders 01.19.2008
Here we go again. Yet another rundown of some of my cool finds as I drift away on the internet…
Proving that you can implement the Getting Things Done system with anything, Kelly Forrister of DavidCo shares an Excel template for GTD that she designed for a client. My little Excel addict, Princess Bethany, would be quite proud.
Are you using Jott yet? Why not? It is the greatest invention since the delete key. I mean, you can make voice notes and have them translated into text and dispatched off to you e-mail inbox, friends or a variety other services. And it’s free! It is truly every kind of awesome. Not only that but Dustin Wax at Lifehack.org has an excellent tutorial on using it to get your GTD on.
Merlin wants to remind you that, while you are doing that capture, via Jott or any other method, make sure you give as much context to that capture as is needed to remember what it is about.
I have to say, it is nice to see Gina at Lifehacker catching the Levenger Circa bug. Addiction LOVES company.
Speaking of Gina and GTD, she practices a much simplified version of it that may just be a revelation to you.
Finally on the GTD front, if you are having issues with getting on board and staying on board, perhaps you need to follow Brett Kelly’s advice and learn that this is about getting into a habit. Getting a system down and working it. Capture, Process, Do, Review, Rinse, Repeat.
Oh, and don’t forget my three favorite productivity tools - The Trash Can, The Delete Key, and The Word “No”.
David Seah has updated all of his print-it-yourself task planning forms for the new year including his wonderful Emergent Task Planner. I use this at work frequently when I want to drill down and focus in on getting a few tasks done. I use them enough that I bought some of the pre-printed version. Good stuff.
11.14.07 12.20 pm
Remainders 11.13.2007
I know it has been a while again since my last post. What can I say, I am busier than you <smile>. Once again, I give you the roadside attractions I have captured while driving around the intertubes in my big truck…
David Seah takes a turn with the Inka Pen, a highly portable pen that can attach to your keychain. He seems to like it a lot, despite the fact it gets him stopped by theTSA because it looks like it could be part of a bomb makers toolkit.
Looking to lead a “paperless” life? Well, that is impossible but you can reduce, digitize and organize it better. This is the best article/whitepaper I have seen thus far on how one person gets their paper on, and off. It’s 43 Folders so you know it’s legit.
Dustin Wax at Lifehack.org has some neat index card hackery. The main thing is how to make the ever-so-hard-to-find vertically oriented ones. Of course, that is another reason I just buy the Levenger brand.
Along the same lines, my friend Ryan is rocking it again. This time, he is mashing up Field Notes Brand notebooks with Levenger Pocket Briefcases. Anyone who has seen my well battered Field Notes cover will understand how much the speaks to me.
Lifehacker has a good rundown of how to use the nifty new To-Do features Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) Mail.
10.12.07 12.37 pm
Remainders 10.12.2007
More field notes from my internet safaris…
Lifehack.org had a great post about the ninja notetaking skills of Thomas Edison. This guy was a badass when it came to the art of paper and pen and his copious notes span five million pages. Both inspiring and daunting for sure but this article outlines some great take away advice.
I know these sorts of lists are becoming ubiquitous Digg-bait, but here is 24 things you can do with an index card - exactly 17 of which are really useful.
Here’s a great video of a casual talk that Merlin Mann gave at IDEO. He is looped up on cold meds so he is extra talkative. It is kind of funny actually.
Looking to outsource your life a la Tim Ferriss? Well, here are a couple of posts by someone who has. First covered is how to prepare for doing so. Then, another post covering actually doing it, the success and the pitfalls.
New site alert!!! Brassing Adds Character is a new blog devoted to paper pr0n and analog love. The first few posts cover Dixon Tri-Conderoga pencils and some Levenger hacking. Awesome!
10.04.07 01.00 pm
Remainders 10.04.2007
More reports of my stumbles around the internets…
Macworld has a great little tutorial for Mac users on creating a smart folder in the Finder to find recent files and applications. This is a great way to get at documents you have worked on recently that may be scattered in different folders. (via Lifehacker)
Moleskine is now offering it’s classic notebook line with soft covers versus the normal ones. The soft covers are a bit more pliable and, therefore, perhaps even more pocket friendly. (via Moleskinerie)
Like the Pilot G2 series of pens but the point is a little thick for your tastes? Well, Staples is now offering the Ultra Fine Point version (.38mm). Only $14.99 for a dozen. Having been a Pilot G2 fan, I can personally attest that these are a great and relatively inexpensive option. (via Daring Fireball)
Lifehacker has some good tips on how to cover your butt by taking good notes. The idea being that, if you have good notes on a situation, you can have a log of who said/did what, when and how. Great example of how simply having pen and paper at hand can save the day. Here is a quote:
The best way to avoid conflict is to understand what you are being asked to do. The next best way is to have proof that you’re doing what you were asked. That proof is complete and accurate notes. Of all the ways to keep yourself out of trouble and get ahead, your notes—if thorough and detailed—can provide you a clear path.
Great stuff!
Wired Magazine has a great write-up on David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, in it’s current issue. One of the better articles I have seen. They even peek a bit into his personal life and associations with Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.
Speaking of The David, his series at The Huffington Post continues to impress. His latest entry, “What Does ”Organized“ Really Mean?“
Zen Habits comes through again with 10 Things You Can Do Today to Simplify Your Life. There are some good tips here including one I am a recent fan of - the small to-do list.
Favorite productivity site 43 Folders has had a complete overhaul with not only a new look but new features that make it a lot more easy to find popular and related content. I am still trying to come to terms with some aspects of it. I love the design and feel but I hate the new forums (which I was an active contributor to).
09.21.07 07.10 am
Remainders 09.21.2007 - Catching Up
I have a whole backlog of stuff to catch up on so this might be one long, rambling mess. Also, since it has been a while, some of this may already be old news to you. This being said, you may find a a gem or two in the rubble. Let’s get started.
On the productivity front…
Kelly Forester of David Co, recently wrote something that really resonated with me and has caused me to look through, reevaluate and clean up my lists. For GTD best practice, she argues that one does not DO projects, you DO next actions. One should review the projects list regularly but one should only be working from the next action list. Great little post that helps to get your GTD back in focus.
That being said, one thing I have been doing lately that kind of goes against the tenants of GTD is making up a tiny todo list on an index card at the start of each day as recommended in this post by Leo Babauta at Web Worker Daily. This has really worked for me and keeps me from being overwhelmed by the giant working list of next actions I seem to have (which I probably need to refocus a la above).
There have been a few good recent reviews of Grand Central, a recent Google acquisition. Grand Central allows you to sign up for a local phone number and, with that one number, control all of your phone routing and voicemail. Merlin Mann has a nice little write up on how it has helped manage his telephonic life. Planet Intertwingly has an even longer review. I have signed up and have only just begun to dip my feet in the water but so far it looks very cool.
LifeClever cites a recent interview of Jason Fried of 37 Signals on the negative productivity costs of working closely together with others. In fact, Jason says “Proximity is an invitation to interrupt somebody. And interruption is the biggest enemy of productivity that there is.” Interesting stuff.
In a little bit of related self promotion, your truly was featured when the 37 Signals Product Blog took a look at Ideas for Getting Things Done with Backpack. Color me honored!
Hey paper nerds. Do you like lined paper for taking notes but wish you had grid paper for sketching on the fly? With Doane Paper you can have both. It combines both into a single sheet. You have to click the link and take a look for a better explanation of why they mean. The prices for each pad are not bad and the paper looks to be of good quality so well worth it. They also have a free template to download and print your own if that is your thing.
In other news…
As a sort of addendum to my previous iPhone post (and why I am waiting to get one), Thoughtfix has a fabulous post up comparing the iPod Touch to the Nokia N800. It is very thorough and makes a very strong case for the reasons why you may want both.
The New York Times has recently (finally) dropped the paywall they had for many of the archives of their articles and Jason Kottke is dumpster diving for the best stuff. The journalistic history here is astounding. Some of his finds include the firs mention of the World Wide Web, an early report of Lincoln’s assassination, and a report on the sinking of the Titanic. If you are even a casual fan of history, this post will save a lot of the hard work of trolling through this vast archive for you. Outstanding.
I have written about Flock before. It is an amazing new web browser, based upon the Mozilla engine, that is built around the idea of the “social web”. It has tight integration with many social networking and blogging services such a Flickr and del.icio.us. Flock is looking like it will be a real winner once it officially hits 1.0 as this video with CEO Shawn Hardin at PodTech indicates. I am betting my friend Jane at Social Days will be all over this when it hits.
08.06.07 08.19 am
Remainders 08.06.2007
There are a ton of GTD based task management applications still on the horizon. One to fit just about any preference it seems.
On one end of the spectrum, there will be Things by Cultured Code. If you like the bells and whistles wrapped in a pretty package than this will be the one for you. It has a ton of features like tagging, hierarchy, a quick entry pane, etc. You can even delegate items by Mail, Bonjour or iChat. (via Daring Fireball)
On the other end, there is TaskPaper. It is basically a very simple GUI and formatting structure wrapped around a text file. Seriously, the document it creates to store your data is nothing more than a text file and can be opened and manipulated with a text editor. It is done in such a disarmingly simple and minimalist way that I immediately fell in love. If you are looking for something with a little more formating and clarity than a plain text file but no more than this is for you. (via 43 Folders)
If neither of those flip your switch, ATPM has a fantastic rundown of the current deluge of GTD applications that are available. Well worth a read if you are still on the search. (via 43 Folders)
Not GTD related, an interesting blog to pop up on the radar screen is TagaMac. They plan to explore the intersections of “tagging” and the Macintosh. Tagging is becoming an increasingly popular way to classify and easily search and sort items. Many of the applications I use rely heavily on tags. If given the choice between tagging and organizing things into folders, give me tagging any day.
Being that I am about to have a newborn (Princess Bethany and I are “with child”), I found this post at The Simple Dollar timely. If you start saving 10 dollars a day on the day your child is born, and you play your cards right, you could have $38,952.16 to give them when they are 25. Great down payment for their first house.
05.25.07 06.47 pm
Remainders 05.25.2007: The Rambling Edition
I know it has been a while once again so this will be an attempt to catch back up and share with you all of the informative little nuggets of wisdom I have run across.
Apologies up front. My brain is kind of all over the place today so this part of the series might come off as a bunch of senseless rambling.
Leo at Lifehack.org shares some great tips on pairing down your todo list to it’s bare essentials. He introduces the idea thusly
“Do your days seem to be crazy busy and your to-do list filled up with an endless supply of tasks? Is your calendar full and your work day a non-stop rush from one thing to another?… If so, you may have too much on your plate. It’s time to step back, take a few minutes, and pare down that to-do list to just the bare essentials”.
Basically, the idea is to only focus on those things that you absolutely need to get done and defer the rest. I have noticed an increasing number of movements along this line as of late. David Seah’s Emergent Task Planning sheets being one elegant example of this. As someone who has been very overwhelmed as of late with a mind-boggling amount of tasks on my plate I can say that such methods have had an alluring appeal. And now that you have used these techniques to win back some time, Leo also has this list of productive ways of using it.
The 37 Signals Product Blog highlights some blogs posts on how to use Backpack to get your GTD on… And my post on my GTD Implementation ideas is one of the ones featured! So cool to be recognized.
Wondering what this whole GTD thing is I speak of and how to get started? Well how about this massive list of GTD resources?
My iChat buddy list is nowhere near the number where it is in need of organization. That being said, when it gets there I plan on using this method promoted by Chanpory at LifeClever. Simply divide them up into groups based on the frequency with which you chat with them. They also suggest some other groupings that, depending upon your usage, may prove more useful. The root of it all is to use the grouping features in your chat client to tame that list, enhance the signal and manage the noise. Interesting ideas for sure. Much is written about taming e-mail but (IMHO) not nearly enough is written about getting control over your IM.
For those of you who are fed up and really want to go radical on the distraction cutting front, checking out what Brian Oberkirch did to trim his attention sails is awe inspiring. In fact, I am literally afraid of some of suggestions but there are some true gems in there too.
While we are at it, how about a no meeting day for your place of work?
Personally, I would like a no anything day every once in a while.
05.02.07 10.14 am
Remainders 05.02.2007
Wow, long time since a post. Life has been crazy. Hopefully, the offerings of today will make up for it:
OmniFocus looks like it is coming along just fine. Although it is still in Alpha and has not yet been made available outside The OmniGroup, Ethan Schoonover provides a long detailed video of the sorts of things we can expect. Needless to say I am chomping at the bit to get my hands on this.
Unclutterer has a great post about a new organization system for files called Freedom Filer. Basically, they give you the tabs for your hanging files and a system, you implement it and they promise you will never have paper in a clutter in your file cabinet again (or be afraid to even get that far). Looks intriguing. I have had “organize filing cabinet” on my someday/maybe list for a while now. Therefore, this solution is tempting.
Whitelines is a new concept in paper. Instead of a darker ruled page that we have become accustomed to, it actually has a white rule. Some of the advantages to this is that your writing stands out more and the lines do not show up if you make a photocopy.
Zen Habits is quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs. Not only due to the middle path solutions to life that are on offer but the posts are regular and the content is well written. Take, for instance, the recent series on ZTD (Zen To Done). It is a modified version of GTD with a focus on forming habits and simplicity. Brilliant ideas and suggestions here, especially if you are having trouble staying on the productive saddle.
Lifehacker comes through once again on the Google GTD tips. This time, the walk you through using Google Notebook to get your Org-fu on. Google Notebook is a very useful tool in it’s own right but this brings it to another level. Ya dig?
Speaking of Fu… Merlin Mann drops the knowledge on some handy ways to use Smart Mailboxes in Mail.app… His fu is strong.
04.17.07 12.03 pm
Remainders 04.17.2007
When some people first start implementing GTD, they feel the need to run out and spends lots of cash getting chic notebooks, nice pens, expensive folders and labelers. While these things are nice to have you don’t need a lot of money to get started with a trusted system. Towards that end, Brett at the ever useful Cranking Widgets blog has a good tutorial on making a GTD system for about $20. Proof that is is about the system, not the tools.
Jott is the first truly killer web app I have seen in a while. It works like this - Call Jott, tell it who you want to send a Jott to, talk after the beep, the magic robot turns your words into text, robot sends your words as e-mail. Send a Jott to yourself, send one to others, all from your phone. Killer.
Wise Geek has some good tips on making your offline life a little easier. Some of my fave tips here include, keeping your essential items in one place, keeping a backup fund of cash hidden for emergencies, and saying “no”. (via Lindsay)
04.11.07 10.29 am
Remainders 04.11.2007
LifeDev has a good write up of the Behance line of “Action” products. I just ordered up some of these and will be giving my own review once they arrive and I have had a chance to play. I have already been cooking up some good ideas as my current system is in a bit of flux right now.
Do you own a Mac? Are you using Quicksilver? No? Why not? If you have yet to drink the kool-aid then perhaps this Lifehacker series of videos showing off all of the cool things it can do will be all the push you need.
Also, if you are using a Mac and not using TextExpander then you need to grab another cup for another flavor of kool-aid. TextExpander will automate all of those things you type on a regular basis. If you find yourself typing the same things all of the time, you can use this to do the typing for you with just a few keystrokes. In addition, they have a new downloadable “snippets file” for regular html expressions. Coders take note, this will save you a TON of code typing. (via 43 Folders)
Google is continuing their march towards total world domination by offering a free 411 service. Just dial 1-800-GOOG-411 and one of their highly advanced automated robots will find the business you are looking for. No more high telco 411 fees. Yea! I personally welcome our Google Overloards. (via TechCrunch)
I have talked about my move towards using open source wherever possible before. Here is an unbelievably comprehensive list of open source software for Mac, Windows and beyond. (via Lifehacker)
04.05.07 03.33 pm
Remainders 04.05.2007
Steve Rubel at Micropersuasion has come up with this handy collection of “MiniMe” Bookmarklets which load micro versions of sites in a small window you can keep next to your browser window. Therefore, you can keep things like Wikipedia, Google Reader, Digg and many others in a little browser window off to the side while you work on other things. Very cool idea.
Slow Burn Productions is putting up some great content, including beating me to the punch on an idea I have had in the cooker - “Pocket Moleskine vs. Levenger Shirt Pocket Briefcase”. You see, I have switched from using the Moleskine to using a Levenger Shirt Pocket Briefcase myself and it has been working great. I keep it in my back pocket and find it a much more convenient and at-the-ready capture tool. That is not the only reason for the switch though. It also stands as fact that my Moleskine 18 Month Planner was stolen along with other items in a recent break in so it would have been replaced anyway.
For those of you in the Twin Cities Area, I am going to do everything I can to make it to MinneBar ‘07, a Barcamp happening on April 21st down in Lowertown in Saint Paul. There will be some great sessions and demos. Looks like a good time. Be there or be opposingly right angled.
(Update - I give a more detailed review of the Levenger SPB in the comments.)
03.29.07 09.29 am
Remainders 03.29.2007
Besides the very sexy action office pr0n the sell, they also have great tips too. Take this great article, called Making Reference Items Helpful, for example. A lot is made out of reference materials and filing in GTD land but not a lot is written about it. It starts out with a bang too “What is the relevance? For what purpose would I refer back to it at some point? If you can’t answer this question, throw the damn thing out!”.
If you are a Mac user, and you have not checked Quicksilver out, you have no idea about the productivity your are missing. More than just a launcher, Quicksilver is an entirely fresh and fast way to interface with your computer. Merlin at 43 Folders is on top of things of course with this excellent guide for Getting started (or reacquainted) with Quicksilver. It includes links to guides, video tutorials and some good places to start down the path of this incredibly deep and rich program.
Speaking of Merlin, if you have not been catching his new vidcast series, The Merlin Show, you are missing out on some great content. There have been some fantastic interviews with independent types about how they get stuff done, deal with distractions and otherwise go about living this life. Not too late to catch up.
What ToDo is a newish GTD program for the Mac. I downloaded it and played with it for a while and I must say I am pretty impressed. It is simple, clean and, most importantly for someone like myself who is outline-centric, hierarchical. While it can’t compete for my love against Backpack (it’s that whole “cold, dead, hands” thing), if I were to use a desktop GTD program, this would probably be it.
03.23.07 11.43 pm
Remainders 03.23.2007
The folks who brought you Stikkit have a new web app coming. This one is a personal assistant of some sort for e-mail called iwantsandy. Details are a little schetchy for now (not yet released) but it peaks my interest.
Richard Rutter and Mark Boulton want you to know that Web Typography Sucks and what you can do to change that. Yes, that’s right… You. Download the slides with notes and find out how. (via Kottke)
Lifehack.org has this enticing proposition, clone yourself by hiring a part time personal assistant. They posit that, if you use a little outside of the box thinking, it is not as expensive as one might think.
03.08.07 11.11 pm
Remainders 03.09.2007
Take a look a these sexy action list planning pads from Behance.
MoCo Loco has a quick peek at the Moleskine City Notebook for New York City and mostly likes what it sees. We used the Barcelona model while we were there and found it very useful - especially the maps and being ale to write down addresses for places we wanted to go.
You just have to check out Timbuk2’s new line of Moleskine Notebook Covers as well. Very nice. I have been a fan of their bags for a very long time (10 years). If that is not enough, they have a whole line of office pr0n.
Since my laptop was stolen, and I need to keep as much out “in the cloud” as I can until I purchase a replacement, I have been using Google Reader for my RSS addiction. You know what? This is a very nice web based feed reader. I may actually find myself sticking with it. It has been very nice to have my feeds available to me any place I can access a browser.
02.15.07 08.54 am
Remainders 02.15.2007
37 Signals introduces Highrise (formerly Sunrise), their contact management solution.
Throw a few bones (seven of them to be exact) to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and pick up this nifty set of stickers. They are fighting for your digital freedoms after all. Plus it will give you a lot of geek cred. (via Boing Boing)
Gizmodo emeritus Joel Johnson has unleashed an editorial spanking that rips all the gadget sites a new one. It is nothing short of breathtaking. One of the most hilarious and spot on editorials I have ever read. (via Daring Fireball)
Zen Habits offers a great little tutorial - 3 Steps to a Permanently Clear Desk.
It has been a long dream of Princess Bethany and I to eat at world renowned restaurant The French Laundry. We have not been able to because they close for their winter break the same time as I am in the San Francisco/Napa area during Macworld every year. Perhaps we should do what this person is doing - Cooking every meal in The French Laundry Cookbook and blogging about it. If only I had the time… (via Megnut)
02.10.07 09.33 am
Remainders 02.10.2007
Multi-Touch on steroids… In the not so distant future, we will all interact with computers just like this. (via MacDevCenter)
Here is a great little video of how the way we are using computers in today’s Web Two-Point-Oh-no-you-didn’t! world is actually teaching the machine more about us. (Thanks Carly)
Interesting article about the construction of a “doomsday vault” in Norway designed to hold around 2 million seeds representing all know varieties of the worlds crops in case of catastrophic worldwide loss. (via WorldChanging)
02.07.07 03.26 pm
Remainders 02.07.2007
Like the rest of the blogoshere, I am equally amazed, perplexed, shocked and awed by Steve Job’s essay against DRM called “Thoughts on Music”. This is a must read but I will summarize it as best I can – DRM is evil and only exists so the record companies can sell more CD’s which, Sony rootkits aside, have no DRM.
Kodak thinks they have found the “killer app” of of the personal printer world – ink prices. They have a new line of printers that, while slightly higher priced than their competitors, take replacement cartridges that are sold at a cost much lower than their competitors. the printers themselves look great, are full featured and reportedly give fantastic output. Printers have long been the “razor and blades” of the computer world – selling the hardware cheap and the consumables at prices that bordered on robbery. Therefore, this is a rather bold move.
Merlin Mann has a great introduction to Stikkit – a cool new web app that uses natural language processing to parse the data you put into it. Still confused? Go read the link and it will all make sense.
Web Worker Daily shares this good list of Skype tips for Web Workers.