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Simplify your time: Stop running and start living! Book Review

dietdew24oz — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 17:44:29 +0000

(get your copy today) Simplify Your Time: Stop Running & Start Living!

Simplify your time: Stop running and start living!

author: Marcia Ramsland

This is an excellent time management and organization book – and I have read many of them! The book is set up to read and implement for 30 days (if you prefer). Each day offers advice for taking control of you day, time, and life. One thing I appreciate about this author is that she asks what will you do with the free time that you have - this is a valid point. If you get organized and manage time well, what will you do with the free time? She weaves goals and dreams perfectly into the strategy of time management.

Contents

Week 1: Time-Saving Habits to Simplify Your Daily Life

Day 2 – Day 8

Week 2: Time-Saving Tools to Simplify Managing Your Time

Day 9 – Day 15

Week 3: Time-Saving Skills to Simplify Your Lifestyle

Day 16 – Day 22

Week 4: Time-Saving Strategies to Simplify Your Future

Day 23 – Day 30

Quotes from the book

Being rich is having money;

being wealthy is having time.

-Margaret Bonnano (pg. 1)

Bad habits are really nothing more than the wrong decision made over and over. So always decide to be early.

-Diana DeLonzor (pg. 9)

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then,

is not an act, but a habit.

-Aristotle (pg. 14)

Think about it: E-mail is really nothing but a bunch of

interruptions and distractions that appear in your in box

without an invitation.

-Julie Morgenstern (pg. 21)

Up to 70 percent of a magazine is advertisements...

-Don Aslett (pg. 27)

Watch your thoughts; they become your words.

Watch your words; they become your actions.

Watch your actions; they become your habits.

Watch your habits; they become your character.

Watch your character, for it will become your destiny.

-Frank Outlaw (pg.49)

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.

-Will Rogers (pg. 139)

A high-quality life has a lot more to do with what you remove from your life than what you add to it.

-Cheryl Richardson (pg. 157)

"Small is Beautiful"

Kishore A — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:22:49 +0000

Have we, human beings, come of age? Have we, as a civilization, matured? Have we finally become the masters of our environment? Can we possibly think that our civilization is here to stay?

The primary concern is technology. Since the dawn of civilization, man has made use of his knowledge of the laws of Nature, to make his living conditions better. For example, he discovered the use of fire, which kept him warm during winter, enabled him to eat cooked food and kept wild animals away. Similarly, he invented the wheel, the plough...

Civilization is closely associated with the development of technology. Does this mean that a progress in civilization is impossible without an advancement in technology? This seems to be the popular idea. That we can live "better lives" with better technology. For being efficient, it is generally felt that we have to use the latest technology.

But does it really work out that way? It depends on what you mean by "efficient". If you are referring to maximum production with minimum labour involved, probably you are right. But we are already feeling the adverse effects of using the latest technology, on our life sustaining ecosystem. There many crucial factors that are ignored while estimating this "efficiency". The exploitation of natural resources, pollution, degradation of human work to inhuman labour.

Technology is nothing more than technical "know-how". It is man who decides "what" to do with it. And don't you feel that there is something wrong in the preconception that the only way forward is using the latest technology? It's becoming more evident by the day. It's pretty obvious that we cannot infinitely advance in a materialistic way, as our planet is finite. But what do we do when the fantastically short-sighted economics which govern our world neglect all those qualitative factors and concentrate only on one thing- economy, or profitability.

E.F.Schumacher develops in his book, Small is Beautiful the interesting concept of an "Intermediate Technology"- technology that is superior to the primitive tools which early man used, but which is simple and sustainable and accessible for everyone- most importantly, a technology that is appropriate for the community concerned. Schumacher foresaw the danger of underdeveloped countries trying to develop along the same lines as the developed countries leading to a dependence of the poor countries on the rich for technology, and increasingly for the basic necessities of life. We are witnessing the vindication of his fears in today's globalised world.

Small is Beautiful is a work full of wisdom that we badly need today. Let me leave you with a few quotes from the book.

"Ever bigger machines, entailing ever bigger concentrations of economic power and exerting ever greater violence against the environment, do not represent progress: they are a denial of wisdom. Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology towards the organic, the gentle, the non-violent, the elegant and beautiful."

"[A modern economist] is used to measuring the 'standard of living' by the amount of annual consumption, assuming all the time that a man who consumes more is 'better off' than a man who consumes less. A Buddhist economist would consider this approach excessively irrational: since consumption is merely a means to human well-being, the aim should be to obtain the maximum of well-being with the minimum of consumption. . . . The less toil there is, the more time and strength is left for artistic creativity. Modern economics, on the other hand, considers consumption to be the sole end and purpose of all economic activity."

"Man is small, and, therefore, small is beautiful"

Not Walking the Talk

Monica — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:03:11 +0000

You would think with all of the simple living books and blogs I read and have read and even after taking a voluntary simplicity class that I'd be making progress rather making regresses. We still eat too much fast food. Not as much as we were, but enough to where I know we can cut back. I'm late in signing up for our CSA produce share. It's not too late to join but two weeks have already passed. I've envisioned an herb garden in my kitchen window and a beginning a garden in containers and then slowly venturing into taking out large shrubs and bushes to have raised beds. None of that has taken shape yet. I don't line dry as much laundry as I should. I'm still working out the logistics of where to put a clothesline on our lot. I still haven't used the dang breadmaker or even making yeast bread from scratch or pie crusts from scratch. Keebler and frozen pie shells are my crutch. Sad, but true. My days still have an off-beat rhythm which works sometimes and other days not so much. I don't need all of my time regimented but it's nice to feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day rather than wondering where the time went and feeling like I didn't do anything worthwhile.

The biggest albatross around my neck is clutter. I've written about my struggles with it for almost two years. I think that it is keeping me from doing all the things I want to do. I need to let go of personal things that no longer hold any meaning and things I've hoped to make money from that have no chance of being salvaged, repaired or re-purposed.

While I realize that there isn't a cookie-cutter mold that says to succeed at simple living, one must do an entire checklist of things, it is difficult when I look back and wonder if I really have come far at all. I'm also trying not to compare myself to others when it comes to accomplishments or if I'm not, for instance, doing what so-and-so is over there, well then, I must be doing something wrong. At this point, I just want to wipe the entire slate clean and start over from square one.

New Design, New Theme

-Rob — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:34:53 +0000

In case you have visited Notorious R.O.B. before, you will surely notice that I have changed my blog theme.

I was using the Blix theme before (y'know, with the glowing eyes and all) which was a great theme.

But in putting the Onboard Informatics blog together, I came across a Wordpress theme named The Journalist. It really appealed to me not because I'm a journalist -- in fact, I really would rather not be one of those -- but because of its simple, clean, minimalist design that really emphasizes the writing.

The increased legibility from the larger fonts and the lack of clutter made it appealing to me, since I tend to write lots of words for no real reason at all.

It's sparse, almost Spartan, but... I am really on a simplicity kick of late. So here it is.

Expect new content soon -- the Inman conference and the RE Bar Camp were amazing experiences. I've met so many great people, got to know quite a few, regret not being able to spend time with many others of you, but look forward to the next meeting. Oh yeah, and I got a ton of ideas for future posts.

And of course, I should have more time now that my major project for the first half of this year is finished.

-rsh

Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be a...

7macaw — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:03:35 +0000

Some parents buy toy robot kits for their children, hoping the young ones will grow up to be NASA engineers. Some parents spare no expense when buying sports equipment for their kids, and some have virtually unlimited budget for science books.

Toy robots, basketball hoops, baseball mitts, books - these items bring fun to the kids and hope to their parents. But of course, there's no guarantee your child becomes the next Shaq, so investing in basketball hoops today may not translate into free NBA tickets in 15-20 years. Therefore, some parents prefer not to get their hopes high, and aim for something more down-to-earth instead.

Much more down-to-earth:

Hello [Design] World!

Jason Clark — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:55:11 +0000

The purpose of this blog is to complement my professional existence (as a graphic designer and cartographer) with my growing passion for simplicity in design. I desire simplicity in everything! It could be my age, but I prefer to think it is a more sophisticated palette.

As a young designer, it always seemed important to create complex and overly-designed work, as if that was what was required. You would never dare just to carefully set some nice type on an expanse of white space—or aleast, I didn’t. However, today, whilst client requirements sometimes work against you, I have a desire to simplify all design work to its core elements—stripping away all that is superfluous.

I wouldn’t say that I am an ardent minimalist, but I have a great appreciation of the Swiss design principles and aesthetics of the mid- to late-twentieth century. Josef Müller-Brockmann is very much an icon to me, together with other great designers of that period such as Paul Rand and Tom Eckersley. All had a strong graphical approaches that were confident yet simply and skilfully executed—underpinned by well thought through and strong concepts. You could not save your bacon by quickly applying drop shadows or bevels in those days!

This blog will build up a series of articles and thoughts on design (and the desire for simplicity), sprinkled with a few tutorials and ‘tips-n-tricks’. I hope to updating this blog on a weekly basis, so please visit again.

Not as Hard as it Sounds

David — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:49:49 +0000

One of the most common areas people search for advice is the area of social interaction. Amazingly, most of the advice available doesn't help at all.

That isn't to say it's bad advice. Most of it is really good and useful to know, but it's simply not applicable. Knowing the differences between an open question and a closed question is great and all, especially if you are writing interview questions, but they won't help you in the middle of a conversation.

Other advice is too general to be immediately useful. For example: be yourself. Sorry, but if you are looking for social advice, you probably either don't like yourself, don't want to be in social situations or don't know yourself well enough to apply this advice. It's still good advice, but it's not specific enough to be used in most situations.

What most people seeking advice on social interaction need is quick specific tips that can be done on the fly, in the middle of an interaction or even right before for preparation. Therefore, the solution to improving social interaction is nothing big and great, but rather something simple and applicable.

Simple and Applicable

Right off the bat, remember that these tips are not going to completely turn around your entire social life. Rather, they have the potential to turn around an entire interaction, an entire conversation. Read them well and read them carefully and consider giving one a try next time you're in an uncomfortable social situation. Here they are:

1. Stop caring - my top guess is that you probably don't even know the person you are interacting with; that's why you're uncomfortable, right? Well, just stop. You don't even know this person; why in the world would you care what they say about you? Oh right, maybe they'll go tell others that you're weird or creepy or something, but you know what? What kind of person goes around talking about someone behind their back like that? Do you really care what that kind of jerk thinks about you? Better not.

2. "Man, you just need to relax." - The first time I went to meet a girl's dad, I was a little nervous. Her friends had spent the last week telling me horror stories about him and when I finally was there, I was simply scared out of my wits. Interestingly, it turned out to be one of the best conversations I've ever had about myself and provided me with new insight and ideas about who I am.

When I arrived, I was scared, nervous and could barely manage to make conversation. He invited me to sit in a large reclining armchair and my whole body was tight with tension. My legs were together, my hands were in my lap and my breathing was in my chest. His words to me? "Man, you just need to relax. Lean back, spread out. Nervously, I tried, but he wasn't fooled, "Just relax, man."

By the time my girl arrived from work half an hour later, we were laughing together and having a blast. Why? Because I wasn't worried anymore; I'd simply relaxed and that's all it took.

3. Be straightforward - I hate following up that last one with another girl story, but this is probably the best tip I have to give you.

In high school, a girl and I were great friends. We'd been friends for years, we got along great, we'd help each other with everything; from every view but mine, it looked like a perfect friendship. You see, I started falling for her about four years into the friendship (and at that point, I was practically her brother). At that point, I had no idea how to proceed to let her know how I felt. So what did I do?

I took her out to lunch, manned up the courage and let her have it. I had planned to say, "So here's the deal: I really like you a lot, as more than friends and I'd like to know how you feel about that," which is about as straightforward as you can get, but instead I ended up saying something like, "So, there's this girl and she's been driving me crazy and she's you." See, even though what I had planned didn't work out, I managed to retain the straightforward approach and you know what? It worked.

So be straightforward, don't beat around the bush. Let them know precisely what you want and how you want it. It sounds tough, but is so relaxing once you get the words out. It'll take all the stress of the conversation and throw it away from you. Really give this one a shot; even if it fails, it's totally worth the story.

4. Be persistent - Hang out with people who have the sort of social skills you want to have. You're going to feel like a total loser, trust me. But it'll be worth it, because soon they'll rub off on you and accept you as one of their own. It'll happen sooner and cooler than you think. For best results, use this tip in concert with...

5. Imitate others - While you're busy being with the people you admire, watch what they do and how they act. Then do it yourself. One of the things you'll notice is that this will drastically improve your interactions around everyone else you interact with.

6. Lead - Take the initiative! When conversation lulls, say something. When you don't know someone, introduce yourself. When volunteers are requested, stand up. By stepping forward and putting yourself in the spotlight, you are placing yourself in a position to be admired. Extra tip: next time you go to the grocery store, beat the cashier to the punch: ask them how their day is going before they can ask you!

7. Do your best, then forget about it - Never, never, NEVER beat yourself up over a bad conversation. We all think of something better to have said or to have done twenty minutes after the opportunity is gone. Don't worry about it. Another opportunity will come, so focus on doing your best next time and forget about any mistakes you may have made in the past. Think of it as a learning experience and things will go better next time.

8. Be honest - So what if you're the only one without a crazy vacation story! That's no reason to make one up. To begin with, it's really hard to make up realistic stories and if you overdo it, people will be able to tell. It's just way too risky; don't do it. Besides, you'll feel better too.

9. Contribute - If you do nothing but listen, you and your partner will both leave the conversation feeling shortchanged. So tell a story or give an explanation or do something for your half of the conversation responsibility.

10. Speak up - Very simple: talk louder. When you speak, the point of projection shouldn't be at the back of your mouth; it shouldn't be in your head at all. In fact, you should be projecting from either your chest or the base of your neck. Feeling your point of projection will come with practice, but for now just try to feel where your words are coming from. That's your projection point. Maybe even ask a friend who sings to help you sing. Extra tip: take an acting class; you'll learn how to project your voice on stage and also learn some improv tips.

11. Smile - Open up and smile. Grin your head off. If there is nothing to smile at, make something worth smiling at. Smile, smile, smile!

These eleven tips are simple, easy to remember and will definitely help you in the middle of a conversation. Remember that these tips are not designed to completely turn around your entire social life. That takes time and effort, but these will get you started on the right path and will even help you make significant progress. So next time you're feeling a little uncomfortable, give one of these a shot!

Thankful Thursday

annkroeker — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:14:34 +0000

Prairie Prologue reminded me that it's Thankful Thursday. She linked to the carnival hub at Sting My Heart.

So I pause, in my thinking and learning and reading and writing and cleaning and planning, to give thanks:

Laughter from upstairs. Two children putting dresses on stuffed animals.
Neighborhood swimming pool. Having one's own pool sounds like a lot of fun, but sharing the cost with neighbors and knowing there are lifeguards on duty is a mighty fine alternative.
Books, books, books! Whether I'm enjoying the story of a fiction book or ideas and information from nonfiction, I'm grateful for books...and for the people who write and publish them.
Blogs. What did we bloggers do before there were blogs? I guess we journaled. Or we just kept all of those words bottled up inside {shudder}.
Modern Medicine. Eleven years ago, Belgian doctors accurately diagnosed and operated on The Belgian Wonder, saving his life after his aortic valve was destroyed by a bacterial infection. Today, strangely, his brother-in-law is in the same Belgian hospital, while doctors treat a dangerous infection in his leg. We also await the outcome of a friend's cancer treatment. As we wait and pray, we're grateful that God has allowed for advances in antibiotics and other technology and medicines--some of the many means by which surgeons and doctors can treat illness and disease.
Dishwasher. Although we could live without a dishwasher and wash our plates and cups by hand, I'm still grateful to have the helping hand of our machine. We were able to find a water- and energy-efficient model, reducing my guilt at the frequent loading and unloading we deal with some days.
Washing Machine. While we could certainly wash dishes by hand, I shudder to imagine washing clothes by hand. I know it can be done and was done for millenia and is done in other countries even now, but wow. I guess I'm a spoiled, soft, American housewife. The thought of washing by hand--such a lot of work! I'm so grateful to be able to run the clothes through the machine (which also happens to be an energy- and water-efficient model, by the way).
Clothesline. I really like hanging clothes to dry during the summer months. We've strung a clothesline between a tree and the swingset, and I can hang up three loads a day if I need to. I love heading out there with the basket loaded down, our happy dog padding along beside me and flopping down to chew on a stick while I clip our T-shirts and shorts onto the line. It's quiet. I ponder and pray.
Bibles. The fact that I can use the plural to write that word is something to be grateful for. In some countries, to have a complete copy of the book of John to study would be marvelous. I have all 66 books of the Bible in more than one version! I have my main Bible, and another that is broken down into portions to read through in a year. And I have a small one that was a gift to me years ago that can fit in a purse. And I have the King James version I bought for myself when I was in junior high. And the Living Bible that I bought after I didn't understand the King James. So many translations to choose from--all in my own home. I am so thankful to have such extravagant access to the written word of God. I should be poring over it.
Food. Following news of the global food crisis leaves me grateful to have enough money to buy supplies at the grocery.
Goodwill. The store, as well as the attitude. The Goodwill store has been the first place I stop when we're interested in shopping for clothes or household items. Sometimes we turn up a single blouse or an interesting tray for the kitchen. However, every once in a while, we hit the jackpot. So, whoever donated the queen-sized purple Pottery Barn crinkle puff bedspread--I could kiss you! Thanks, also, for the coordinating summer-weight quilt. And the purple floor lamp. You helped me affordably redecorate the shared bedroom of two girls who longed for that exact quilt.
All that I need for life and godliness. A friend of mine reminded me of this verse found in 2 Peter (1:3): "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." It's been so true that just at the right time I'll be given some word or some reminder that will answer the cry of my heart or a deep questioning of my soul. His divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness...through my knowledge of Him.

It's a good exercise, to stop and be thankful. To turn to the Giver of all good gifts and give thanks.

Merci beaucoups, mon Dieu, L'Eternel, Seigneur Jesus.

For more thankfulness overflowing on the Internet, visit Sting My Heart.

To think I almost missed it

outtahere — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:02:19 +0000

I was walking around my garden this afternoon and I almost missed it. I was walking up the stairs of my porch when I spotted it. What drew my attention? Was it the movement? Was it the slight difference in color? And I do mean slight. Look closely. Are you missing it? Would you have missed it too?

[caption id="attachment_188" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Are you missing it?"][/caption]

Click here to find out what I almost missed.

Simple Delights

outtahere — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:01:19 +0000

[caption id="attachment_185" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Butterfly on the zinia in my garden."][/caption]

Sometimes just the simplest things will bring joy into a moment. It has been so long since I have seen a butterfly. Perhaps since I moved to town. (Not a big town, mind you but huge compared to country living.) Why is it that we pass by those simple delights when things that seem to be more "important" seem to be keeping our vision focused elsewhere? Everywhere God gives us simple delights to make our day more pleasant. It reminds me of an Allen Levi song called "Why Flowers?"

but why the many colors
that fill our eyes with wonder,
why the sounds of music
that stir our hearts to tears,
unless He is a happy God
full of joy and full of beauty
why seasons, why sunsets, why flowers?

~Allen Levi

Oris Watches - A Review Of The BC3

fashionteen — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:02 +0000

Oris watches are very affordable, beautiful Swiss watches. They feature mechanical movements - some with automatic winding - with a trademark red rotating red rotor. The range of Big Crown watches is a particular favorite of mine and, while I was initially drawn to the Big Crown with Pointer Date collection, I've now shifted to the more modern styling of the BC3 collection.

I had my heart set on the Big Crown with Pointer Date. I wanted a large watch with a black face and black leather strap and this Oris watch seemed to fit the bill, in terms of price and design. There is a choice of case size but, to my mind, the large crown is best complemented by a large case. I liked the largest case in the collection - 40mm model reference. Oris is well known for its pointer date watches and I really liked the red-tipped horseshoe shaped pointer. I loved the simple Arabic numerals at each hour mark and the day numbers on the outer rim.

However, there is one feature I don't like, and that is the hour and minute arms. They seem slightly too ornate. By this I mean, the minute hand has straight sides that taper out slightly before forming a wedge at the top; this wedge is then topped with a slim needle-like pointer. The hour hand is smaller and features straight, slightly outwardly tapered sides that then change into an oval shape that is topped with another needle-like pointer. The overall look of the watch is very nice but I just would prefer simpler hands.

This brings me to the Oris BC3 - the 3 stands for third generation of pilot's watches. This collection is unequivocally modern in design. There are currently two models in the collection; each comes with a matt stainless steel casing, black dial and either a black rubber strap or stainless steel bracelet. Both models come with a day aperture at the 12 o'clock position and a date aperture at the 6 o'clock position.

There are two sizes of case; 40 or 42mm. The shape of the casing is the same for both, with a slightly raised though flat bezel - the Pointer Date watch comes with a fluted bezel. I really like the simpler lines of the case and bezel of the BC3. The simplicity of design is carried through on to the dial. Both the hour and minute arms are the same in design - with the hour being shorter. They are simple straight, thickish and end in 'long' wedges.

The design of the dial differs slightly on the two models. While both have Arabic numerals at each hour, one watch has a small luminescent dot above the numeral (with two above the 12), whereas the other, features dashes (rectangles) above the numerals with two appearing above the 12. My preference is for the dashes, as they better complement the straight, plain arms and general smooth-edge design of the watch.

If you're a lover of big crown, big watches then the big crown collections of Oris watches will certainly appeal. The Big Crown with Pointer Date will be for those who like a more traditionally style of watch but for those like me who want a more contemporary looking watch the Oris BC3 will be the first choice.

makes sense...

mle08 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:39:55 +0000

Simplicity is an essential characteristic of greatness.
~Unknown

Wow. If only I could achieve that . . .

Fly Lady (website review)

dietdew24oz — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:57:08 +0000

Sink Reflections (get the book)

http://flylady.net/

Join FlyLady. (Don't forget to read your Welcome Letter when you join!)

Shine Your Kitchen Sink
Getting Dressed to the Shoes
Baby Steps, Baby Steps
Declutter 15 Minutes a Day
Take Regular Breaks!
FlyLady's Eleven Commandments

As You Make Progress:

You will be ready to develop your own routines, build your own control journal, and start work in the zones. Here are some examples:

Example of FlyLady's Routine
Building Your Own Control Journal: Check out FlyLady's 15 Steps for building a control journal - a little bit at a time.
How to Declutter
Breaking Your Home Into FlyLady's Zones
Tips for Not Getting Sidetracked
FlyLady's Moving Tips: Are you moving from one home to another? Check this out!
FlyLady's Crisis Cleaning: a crash cleaning marathon session in 15 minute intervals.
FlyLady's Vacation Planning and Packing List
FlyLady's 11 Points to Preparedness for Evacuation
http://flylady.net/pages/flyinglessons.asp

DIYPlanner.com

dietdew24oz — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:42:17 +0000

This is a great site that has many templates for planners and ideas galore for organization of your daily schedule... This is also the site where I learned about Moleskine journals!
____________________________________________
Welcome to DIYPlanner.com!

We are a community of people who see the value of paper as a medium for planning, productivity, creative expression, and exploring ideas. We encourage visitors to share advice and inspiration, and we love to see submissions for templates, kit images and story articles. We are also the official home of the free D*I*Y Planner kits. Please enjoy your stay, and make yourself at home!

Moleskine Ruled Reporter Notebook

http://diyplanner.com/
____________________________________________