Managing the To-Dones for 2012
With the latter part of my 2011 being a bust, I am welcoming 2012 with open arms and with the resolve that I’m going to look back on 2012 and say that it was an awesome year.
I first had written a “to do” list: a set of New Year’s resolutions, if you will. Then I realized, this probably won’t get me where I need to be. Though a to do list can be a good productivity tool, especially in the workplace, I find having empty checkboxes to fill doesn’t really motivate me to do the tasks noted next to them. And when I see the empty checkboxes that result from my inability to meet the expectations that I have set, it gives me this sense of failure, and I am further de-motivated.
What does motivate me is seeing in retrospect things that I have done or have observed. It gives me the feeling of “Wow, I can do this…because I had been doing it before.” I have known this for some time as I have been actively tweeting for the sake of keeping an archive of all of it.
So instead of doing this only in tweets (which are open to the whole wide world), I’ve decided to formulate a way to have a way of noting all the things I do, keeping in mind my endearment for writing things out as well as using databases and technology.
In the shot:
-My MacBook Air showing Bento 4
-My 2012 Weekly Moleskine for me to recollect my feelings of the day
-TWO 2012 Daily Moleskine Diaries: one to note mundane details about my day, another for a 365 Gratitude project I’m starting
-My iPhone 4S with various apps, including Bento, My Fitness Pal, and ScatterBrain
As I utilize and tweak my “system” further, I’ll get to the decision on posting more details about how I have everything working together. Doing this visual for now, which was posted at a low resolution (and looks downright awful.)
Oh, and yes, I do keep a “To Do” List: a disposable post-it note in my Moleskine.
Pen Review: Sakura Sumo Grip II Gel 05
Copping out again by using a picture of something I wrote to be a blog post.
I decided to do another pen review. It’s very rare for me to find a pen at my local drugstore that that suits my discriminating taste. It was quite a delight to come across the Sumo Grip II Pen. I was never impressed with the Sumo Grip line of pens, but the Sumo Grip II is quite exceptional with its gel ink and finer point (05, which translates to 0.45mm).
When I got to use it, the pen turned out to be an even bigger pleasant surprise. Though it’s not perfect, it’s quite good with its consistent smooth writing and comfortable barrel.
It’s great to have another pen to add to the “good” collection!
The “List” for 2012
I am normally not for making New Year’s Resolutions but I felt compelled to write down a list of things I had to remind myself of. 2011 had started off really great, but in the latter part of the year, things fell to the wayside. I know that hoping is for the birds and I should actually just make things happen… Being self aware will just have to be the first step I take….
Pain for the Pain.
It was earlier this year that I had begun to be bothered by a pain in my left shoulder. It totally hindered my range of motion where I wasn’t able to lift things above my head or even move my arm a certain way without pain. I thought it was just post exercise aches, but when it didn’t go away, I started to become alarmed. Well, I wasn’t alarmed enough to see my rheumatologist right away. After 4 months of bitching and moaning, I finally saw my rheumatologist on my routine check up. He told me that I had tendinitis and that with a steroid shot, I would feel all better. The shot hurt like hell, but made the tightness in my arm go away.
I should have known that it was not to last. The pain gradually returned in full force. I awaited my next doctor visit, ready for my next steroid shot. But no…
“I’m sending you to physical therapy instead.”
My reaction to that: What the hell? You can’t just pump me up with drugs?
After my first session yesterday, my fear was realized: the doctor had prescribed pain for the pain. As human beings, our instinct is to avoid pain and discomfort, which explains why I never liked stretching this pain out. I have to learn, however, to “lean into my discomfort” as I have read in so many books lately. Only in taking the discomfort will I be able to cure this pain…
I won’t like it, but I know it will be worth it.
Thank you, Uncle Steve…
Back in January 2006, I had to do a 100+ page group paper on Apple for my senior project for my BBA at UH. Not sure how my group members and I landed on Apple, but looking back on it, it just was meant to be.
Many nights were spent reading about the man who had managed to make iPod a household word, and how he had also been the one to spearhead Pixar to the forefront of Computer Animated Films. Many nights were spent watching Apple Keynotes on YouTube, in awe of the presence of Steve Jobs at the helm of the company through its ups and bringing it back from its downs. And though it was frustrating to write a paper about a company that kept so much information about themselves under wraps, I was so drawn in to how different Apple was, and how Steve made the company what it was in the face of all the naysayers.
In business school, you learn about differentiation strategy. As I was researching about Apple, I found that Apple was beyond a textbook example. That differentiation even became visualized as I was working on my paper that year. I was one of the few in the College of Business that was sporting an Apple laptop that semester.
I never imagined that in the 5 years that followed, I would be on the receiving end of just how big of a deal Steve Jobs was. Enriched in my work experiences and my own personal life, I have been so impacted by the fruits of Steve Jobs vision, perseverance and innovation. That’s all I can say about that, but for any of you who know about me, you definitely know what I mean…
This morning, Steve Jobs passed away. I, along with world, mourn his passing. I know, though, that while we mourn, we also celebrate the impact he has made on all our lives, and how he has affected the future for all time. Collectively, this is much more than a ding in the universe…much, much more.
Rest in Love and in Peace, Uncle Steve…
Quest for the Perfect Black Pen
I bought several pens from JetPens, giving me the chance to sample more things in my search to find the perfect black pen.
Too tired to type my results. Let me just rank the 5 pens from worst to best.
#5 – Pentel Sliccies 0.4 mm … very disappointing
#4 – Zebra Surari 0.5 mm … I didn’t think this was a ballpoint pen, boo.
#3 – Pilot G-2 0.38 mm … I REALLY want to love this pen, but it just smears way too much
#1 – It’s a Tie: Uni Style Fit 0.38 mm black & Zebra Sarasa Clip 0.4mm … two very good pens!
Zebra Sarasa has the most comfortable feel, while the Uni Style Fit works best with my handwriting with its ultra fine point and smooth feel.
What’s your perfect black pen?
Cat Naps
I am super loved. Hunny bought this for me “just because.” Yes, cat porn is the way to win and keep my heart.
Digital v. Analog
I am a sucker for Moleskine journals. I guess it has to do with the fact that it is marketed toward those who take their stationery very seriously. The paper is of fairly good quality; it can even be considered exceptional compared to the toilet paper grade paper you see on notebooks used as school supplies.
What do I use Moleskines for? I have mostly used them to jot down notes, usually for things I observe or want to do. In writing my thoughts, I figured it would make sense to have them in a dated journal. Certainly, this was an idea that I tried before with other notebooks/planners, but somehow writing in them never gave me the satisfaction to motivate me to write in it on a consistent basis. It may have been due to my perfectionism when it comes to my handwriting (unfortunately, I am not a perfectionist in much else.)
The hard cover squared journal has been my style of choice for my Moleskine journals, which I have been consistent in writing in. I never really gave much thought as to why I like the squared journal over the ruled and plain types. It was only when I was asked by a Barnes and Noble’s employee as I was paying for yet another squared journal that I pondered this. I write fairly straight to not need lines, and a lot of the time, my writing never touches the lines on a ruled journal. I then realized that I like to anchor my writing along vertical lines while making it parallel to horizontal lines, ensuring consistency and straight writing.
So the mission was clear: find a Moleskine dated journal with squared pages and a hard cover. Easy, right? Well, it turns out that squared pages are not journal worthy. (Strike 1) On top of that, the only color they have for their hard cover journal is some weird shade of red that isn’t very appealing to me. (Strike 2!) And being a dated journal, I’d have to wait until 2012 rolled around, and let’s face it, I am not good at waiting when it comes to rolling with an idea. (Strike 3!)
I decided to do what a lot of Moleskine users do: hack it and make it the way I want. I bought a large squared hard cover journal and proceeded to draw the same layout that Moleskine has for their weekly journal (with Saturday and Sunday having their equally big spaces with the other days of the week.). It certainly was easy to draw the lines because I have both vertical and horizontal lines to work with!
My journal started on September 17th, my 32nd birthday. I am hoping that I will be able to use this system of noting my daily ideas, thoughts, learns and musings for at least until my next birthday. And as passionate I am about databases and cataloging digital data, I am happy to have this analog outlet to collect my thoughts. I know I won’t be able to perform search queries with a notebook like I do with my Bento log, but it feels right to note thoughts of the day in this analog method…
I wasn’t feeling too brave in taking a picture of my completed pages. It wouldn’t be a journal worth having if I did feel comfortable sharing, right? That is what this blog is for, I suppose.
When do you go digital and when do you go analog?
Ended Before It Began.
If you haven’t figured it out, my marathon training has been a bust.
It’s been a combination of bad timing and losing steam. With the date of the Honolulu Marathon approaching soon, I am still pondering what I should do. Even if I found the motivation now, it would be too late to train to jog it. What I can hope for now is that I would at least have enough stamina to do a walking marathon. What I can appreciate is that there is time limit to finish (well, there is, but you know what you mean.) When I did the Hibiscus Half Marathon last May, we had to finish within 3 and half hours. Even with a fair amount of jogging on the 13.1 mile course, it still took me a little under 3 hours.
When I go for a “road run,” I am now trying to do more walking with some interval jogging. It actually doesn’t tire to go walking for 5 miles as opposed to jogging it. (Big duh, right?) 5 miles != 26.2 miles, but I’m thinking walking a marathon (with a little jogging here and there) is still feasible.
Belated Birthday Gifts to Myself.
I turned 32 years old a few days ago. It became nothing more than opportunity to splurge on something that I otherwise wouldn’t buy. I ended up placing an order at JetPens.com for some pens that I wanted to try out. Though I would have loved to have to received them on my birthday, they didn’t arrive until 2 days later (which was still quick).
As if I needed another pen…or 12? What can I say? I am very picky about the pen I write with. And after trying so many of them, I’m still on the quest to finding the ‘perfect’ pen. It is becoming something that I am more and more passionate about as I am once again taking up journal writing. Right now, I have two journals; one is a daily one and the other is just one for my thoughts based on things I read or observe. As I use my new pens, I’ll make an assessment and hopefully report later on how they are.