But enough about you

I've got Kinkless mostly up and running now. Sanity is returning. The other night my software told me to empty the dishwasher and reload it and run it, and I did, and it was good.

I was talking to 14limes about how much trouble I was having without my software, and he called what had happened to me a "digital stroke." That's about right. (Matt, where did that phrase come from?)

Since I've started using GTD I've become, let's say, three times more productive. Or else, my productivity has stayed the same but I've only spent a third of the time accomplishing the same work.

I've implemented most of my GTD mechanisms using software called MLO. It's very good software and under active development by a responsive author, so I recommend it highly if you think you might have nearly the same flavor of ocd that I do.

But since MLO is Windows-only, and I'm trying to do everything on my Mac natively for as long as possible before I give in and install vmware or something, I'll probably switch to Kinkless. I've even managed to download Omni Outliner Pro and Kinkless and watch the intro to Kinkless video.

But you know what I'm using to run my life while I'm between apps?

My own brain! No software augmentation!

And you know how well that's working?

Not very well at all!

The flipside to being three times more productive with the help of software is that 3x is the new normal. So when I use only my own brain, I'm operating at 33% at best. Suck. The biggest stinger of all is that I can't seem to find time to get Kinkless up and running because I'm flailing so badly at life's basics this week. I might have to go back to MLO long enough to get me organized enough to get going on Kinkless.

As of 10PM last night, there were 62 books on my "Books to Read" shelf (BTRS). Given that the last time I finished a book was September fourth, and given that I seem to be adding books to the BTRS at a rate of three or four books a week, I knew I had to take action, or my BTRS would quickly consume all the matter in the universe.

New stats:

12 books I have committed to read
3 books I have committed to try to read but it's OK if I give up
13 books on the backup queue -- books I kind of want to read but it's perfectly OK if I just never do
18 books are going into the permanent library without further review
16 books that are leaving my life forever

Happier now. :)

I've been GTDing for the last few days and now my organizer app is almost free of the angry red of blown deadlines. This feels indescribably good. Usually, when I get to this state, I celebrate by goofing off for a few days -- or weeks -- and then I'm right back in scarletville. This time I resolve to get into a few projects that have been on the back burner for too long.

Tomorrow night I start my architecture class at the UW. This is a major piece in the plan to design and build the dream house. I'm very excited.

Everyone else seems to have a cute name for their house. My current house is not deserving of a cute name, but my future house will definitely have one. I'm soliciting suggestions.


Confidential to Z: Sorry so little actual GTD content. Hope you are not disappointed. Feel free to send requests. :)