Some Tools

I’m not gonna make this into the GTD blog I thought it might be.  But, but. Just wanted to mention that I’ve had some success lately in life/work and the tools I’m using:

Fitness Stuff

LA Fitneess: Literally a 40 second walk from my desk to its front door.  The ‘having an office near the gym,’ has removed friction and made me work out.  I don’t love commercial gyms, but it’s fine and the lack of friction has caused a 10 or so workouts in the last couple of months.  That’s a lot.

Non-Pedantic-Paleo Diet: I’m not imposing it on my family.  I’m taking full advantage cheat days.  And I sometimes go ‘off plan.’  But for the most part, I’m about 75% compliant with the paleo diet, and that number will settle in at 90-95 sometime in the next few months.  Not being obsessed helps.  I’m not quite gluten free yet, but that’s the direction and I’m not in any hurry to get there.

5-3-1 Powerlifting My friend (and our new project manager Denis) got me onto this.  I’m nobody’s action hero, but I’m way stronger than I was a few months ago.  I don’t have plans to inflict violence or become a roid-rage freak, but being able to bench a couple plates is kind of fun.  I’m not an expert, but I’ve added something like 60# to my bench press in 2.5 months.  First time I’ve stuck with lifting for any “real length”.

Geek Desk: I have an adjustable height desk I got from Portland Office Furniture for next to nothing.  I put my own Ikea top (real wood) on it, along with some arms for my monitor, microphone and Webcam.  I can stand and sit, depending on my mood. And so I do.  I have a stress release mat. It’s a nice segue into Work Stuff

Work Stuff:

Clicky: The traffic is growing, they now have heat maps and it allows me to figure out where my traffic came from.

Headway + WordPress:  I have an on and off affair with WP.  I’m a mostly non coder meaning: I haven’t passed the bar but I know a little bit.  I put all my sub-sites on Headway and I’ll be putting Simplifilm’s mothership there when we get it.  The thing I love about it is that you can make a site as simple or complex as you like.  Headway’s fast (enough), and it’s not locked in.  You can make  changes, add things and you have to know a little bit, but you don’t have to be a “coder”.  It’s the best WP theme on planet earth.

Headway also helps you think like a coder, and that makes planning to learn code (2013 goal) a fun time.

Yesware: Everyone I talk to about this is instantly addicted.  It’s a remarkable, remarkable program that just sits in your gmail (or now, Outlook) and allows you to send templated emails, and have an analytics layer.  Amazing!  I am not yet as efficient as I need to be.

Basecamp: I’ve had a love/hate thing with Basecamp since forever.  The new basecamp has gotten better at not hiding things  from me, and we’re going to b

ScreenFlow: I’m not a pro-video editor/etc.  I love Screenflow because it’s wicked, wicked fast.  You can make amazing things in minutes.  Best. program. ever.

Macbook air:  (With 8gb,) this is the best computer I’ve ever owned.  Nothing is comparable.  Fast, easy on and off. Pushes as many displays as I want.   Get yourself one.

The tools don’t matter much.    It’s not as if something was a silver bullet that made my life better, but the little things: removing friction, having a plan, being relaxed.  Those things matter.