Archive for May, 2006

USA-Only: Look up Phone Numbers

Here's a mash-up of Google Maps with an Area Code and Exchange finding service (called NPA-NXX in the schema used by telephone providers in the US). I tried it and got great results on five random searches. When one enters in the appropriate information and clicks search, a Google Map with a pin showing the general vicinity of that exchange is returned. I hope this expands to other countries. Phone

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: npanxx, software, tool, tools, web2.0, website | no comments»

Open Source USB Privacy Suite

Traveling Forever has a very informative and useful article on how to set up a USB stick for encryption and anonymous surfing, if you're concerned about your internet privacy, especially when it comes to your government's use of your data. You see, there are fundamental problems with the way the internet was designed in regards to security and privacy. Every email message or web address sent unencrypted (probably every message… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: data, eff, freedom, privacy, protection, security, software, usb | 4 comments»

Wanted: Your Best Workflows

One thing that is "evergreen" with the Getting Things Done set is the topic of workflows. HOW do you do things? What's your process? How do you settle in and decide what to attack first, second, and so on, until you're done? My good friend, Shawn, and I were talking about workflows when I wrote about Gmail and the calendar. So, it got me wondering, what are YOUR workflows? Share… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: Productivity, work-life, workflow, workstyle | 4 comments»

Answer a Forum Question: Planning

(Leon's going to poke me for this). I haven't gone to the forums much yet. I've focused on putting up front-page material, and hadn't really taken the time to see what the Community was about. Wow! There's lots going on there. So, imagine my surprise when someone has come to YOU asking for help. Beijaflor writes: Gentlepeople I live in a society in Asia that isnt really into 'support' systems or… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: community, forums, Lifehack, Productivity | 3 comments»

Gmail Hack 2- Use the Calendar Right Away

I was making plans with someone today via email, and as I use gmail as my client, I noticed something: there's a little button above the text entry area (up in the right corner) that says "Add Event Info." I clicked this, and right there inline, was the option to throw the plans right there into my Google Calendar. Oh, and it auto-generated a .ics file, in case my mail… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: calendar, gmail, google, googlecal, hack, workflow | 4 comments»

To Do List, Your Way

Jake Olefsky's Toodledo is another take on an online to-do list. It joins the ranks of Tadalist, Remember the Milk, Voo2Do, and many other services. But you know what's cool? Jake makes it so you can customize it in lots of ways. Want to remove columns that don't matter to you? No problem. Just change the settings. Want to make recurring tasks? Easy cheesy. Best of all, Jake's good at… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: gtd, software, todo, website | 1 comment»

Reinvention: It’s something you can do

Fourteen months after the first one, I tried to put together a Reinvention Forum with the Ho‘ohana Community of my Talking Story blog (which by the way, is a virtual community you are warmly welcomed to join into).

I’ll be frank: I had my doubts that I could pull it off, and as things do have a tendency to happen as your expectations have led them to, the entries for… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Rosa | Tagged: idea, motivation | 4 comments»

Step-by-Step Beginners Guide to Project Management

Lee Iwan has written a great article on a beginners guide to project management. He gives a 16 steps of outline in organizing any size of projects. He hightlights the importance of participant and team members as human resources are the key for project success: In my experience, projects must; actively involve all the group members, have excellent communication and access to project information, have a shared desired outcome, have specific… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Leon | Tagged: Management, project | 1 comment»

How-to: Wall mounting a LCD or Plasma

The greatest advantage of LCD and Plasma TV is that it is thin in size, and they are just perfect to mount it on the wall to save spaces. Normally it should be mounted by a professional installer, but if you are bold enough, Home Theater Blog has a quick how-to on it:

Over the weekend I helped a friend wall mount a Panasonic LCD and thought to… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Leon | Tagged: hardware, home | 9 comments»

The Structured Procrastination Strategy

John Perry introduces a concept called Structured Procrastination. In the article, he shows it may not be a bad thing at all to procrastinate in certain situations. It is an interesting concept: ... Structured procrastination means shaping the structure of the tasks one has to do in a way that exploits this fact. The list of tasks one has in mind will be ordered by importance. Tasks that seem most urgent… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Leon | Tagged: procrastination | no comments»

Take The Sword In

You probably haven't re-read your copy of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People lately, but there's a great part in Habit 5 (Seek first to understand, then to be understood) that talks about confrontations. I use that advice often, and almost always to the effect that Dr. Covey promises. Good! You See it Differently When confronted by a difference of opinion, especially when the person who disagrees with you sounds almost… Continue reading

May 31 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: 7habits, Communication, covey, hack, Lifehack | 1 comment»

Gmail Tidbit: Add a Picture

Brian at Hybernaut showed me something new in Gmail that I hadn't noticed. In the "for-what-its-worth" category, you can go into settings now, click PICTURE (which is near the top), and you can add a picture to your email address, such that other Gmail users can see the floating image when they mouse over your "from" address. Clearly not the most world-expanding hack you've ever seen, but kind of neato… Continue reading

May 30 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: gmail, hack | 6 comments»

The Moleskine Social Network

You have at least one Moleskine sitting around, don't you? Aren't they built right into the Lifehack.org action figure kits these days? Sacha Chua uses hers to keep track of people and conversations she encouters during a given day. It's fascinating. I'm somewhat notorious for writing notes during conversations. I keep 'minutes' in a little black book that I always carry with me. I can't help it! I love learning… Continue reading

May 30 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: conversation, hacks, Lifehack, lifehacks, moleskine, networks, social, stewe+boyd | 2 comments»

Get STUFF Out of Your House

Not unlike my earlier post, "Editing Your Life," I'm still obsessing over the ideas of cutting to make space for things that matter. Let's talk about that in your house. I'll admit that there's a recurring theme to this post: DONATE THINGS. THROW THINGS OUT. If you're the ultimate pack rat, skip this post.

Old clothes- You're saving clothes that fit five years ago for when you drop that

May 30 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: cleaning, clutter, hacks, Lifehack, lifehacks, organization | 10 comments»

On NOT Managing Software Developers

Stevey's setting up quite a piece about managing (or not managing) software developers. In this installment, we learn about some of the mindsets that drives one to choose to be a manager, and some of the thought processes of the people you'll eventually manage. If you have true empathy for your engineers, they can forgive almost anything. Which is good, because you will make mistakes. We all do. Of course, you'll… Continue reading

May 30 2006 | By Chris | Tagged: Management, work-life | no comments»

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