Paper vs. Electronic Planning

And now we get to the real crux of the matter, no? I’ve been thinking of late about ditching my old methods of planning in favor of some new ones. As much as I’ve often said that there is no such thing as the perfect system, the important thing is simply to choose a system and keep with it, I am in a place where I find that I’ve jumped the rails. I am a GTD ‘er and have been for a long time, (and will continue to be), but until recently I couldn’t put my finger on why the system isn’t working in my favor any longer. I’m pretty convinced that it’s for two reasons. (1) GTD doesn’t account for priority and calendaring as well as I need it to (let’s face it, buying wasp spray and deploying a strategic partnership are not on the same level of priority) and (2) I am simply bored with my planning and organizational tools and need a shake-up.

Because of organizational constraints, I’ve been using a Treo equipped with LifeBalance software to manage most of my GTD tasks and projects. This has worked well (other than the fact that I have to use a Treo.) But lately I find myself being drawn back to using paper as my primary planning tool. I like the tactile nature of it, and I like the ability to make quick changes “on the fly” without navigating my Treo menu system (which, quite frankly, is not unlikely traveling from the Atlantic to the Pacific in a rowboat via North Dakota.) But I’ve not been able to find the “right” fit in terms of a paper-based planning system. And I’m also a bit hesitant to become one of “those people” who walk into a meeting with the monarch-sized leather case containing their schedule, tasks, birth certificate, college transcript, map of Portugal, etc.

I’ve been eyeing OmniFocus as a possible solution (and they have a really great iPod Touch/iPhone app in the queue for release) but again it doesn’t offer me the flexibility and tactile-nature of a paper-based system. It also doesn’t account for calendaring, it is simply a task-management system.

I have used Levenger’s 3×5 Notecard system to hack together a Hipster PDA, and while this worked well for tasks, it doesn’t have the calendaring capability that I need.

I’ve also been checking out the paper planners from Quo Vadis, especially this one. I will need to carry an extra notebook with me to capture meeting notes and plans, but the design and appeal of these planners is tempting, though there is limited room for task management and idea collection.

So… I guess I am looking for a new “holy grail of planning systems.” I’m looking for something that can help shake-up my methodology a bit and keep everything in the same place. I’ll report back if I have an organizational epiphany.

The Bookshelf

Wow…I am on a roll. I’ve uncovered a few unexpected gems this week…

Here’s the scoop on what I’m reading this week (click the cover to see them at Amazon):

BIG THINK STRATEGY by Bernd H. Schmitt
I must immediately say that I thought this would be a fluff piece on “realizing your true potential” or “re-discovering your inner-child’s child” or something similar. Boy was I wrong. I was quite impressed by the meat and practicality of this book. Schmidt offers several strategies for how to generate and execute “big-think” ideas, meaning ideas that shift the thinking of an individual or organization in significant ways.

Who should read it? Anyone who is wanting to advance new ideas within their organization or who is looking to find a new way of engaging the world.

My Rating: SKIP SKIM STUDY SAVOR

THE RIDDLE by Andrew Razeghi
OK…another quick disclaimer. I’m not big on “how to be more creative” books. It’s my general assertion that most of what can be said on this subject is already out there and waiting to be found by enterprising and curious readers. That being said, I found this book by Andrew Razeghi to be bright, concise and immediately practical. In fact, I would almost say that this is one of the most comprehensive books on applied creativity that I’ve read (and I’ve read a bunch of them.)

Who should read it? Anyone who wants to better grasp the conditions that lead to creative breakthroughs.

My Rating: SKIP SKIM STUDY SAVOR

In the queue (for next week):
The Billionaire Who Wasn’t
Inside Steve’s Brain

So…the age-old question. What are you reading? What should be in my queue?

Music, Desktops and More

Ahh… the miscellany. Here are a few items of AC interest that I thought might be helpful:

THE MUSIC:
So…what is that music featured at the beginning and end of AC podcasts? Well… I’m glad you asked. And…it depends on which episode you happen to listening to.

The most “iconic” AC music (that we’ve been using since episode 20) is called “My City in Healing” and it’s by a friend (and fellow Cincinnatian) Joshua Seurkamp. Josh is one of the more brilliant and prolific artists I know and his music has been used and featured in more places than you can shake a stick at. (Even a really big stick.) Check out both of his recent albums on iTunes. They’re great environmental music for relaxing and creating.

Recently we’ve begun using some custom-crafted music by another friend (and also a fellow Cincinnatian) Neil Smith. Neil is also an amazing and prolific artist working primarily in the field of motion graphics and post production, but rooted in graphic design. His work can be heard (and seen) on the intros to AC Whiteboard Sessions and the intros to the Improv series. Check out Neil at his personal website.

THE ART:
Want a little AC on your desktop? Here are a few desktops based on our recent series:

On My Kindle…

For anyone keeping track, (may I suggest you find a hobby?) here’s a short list of what I’m reading this week:

How Would You Move Mount Fuji? by William Poundstone
An interesting look at Microsoft’s “cult of the puzzle” and how it has shaped their hiring practices and operational strategy.

The Maytrees by Annie Dillard:
Soul food. Nothing but soul food.

Accidental Automation

You’re busy, no? Here are a few ways you can get regular doses of AC delivered in convenient bite-sized chunks:

Forget to check the site for a while? No prob. Get our blog posts delivered by e-mail as they’re posted.

Like the podcasts? Thanks. Get them in iTunes or just the feed. (We also greatly appreciate iTunes reviews…you know…just sayin’…)

Do you insatiably want more? Try AC Premium. It’s not for everyone, but our subscribers seem to like it a lot. (That makes us feel good.)

Got an idea or suggestion? We’re all ears. Drop us an e-mail and let us know.

Thanks so much for being a part of AC-world, all. It’s great to be creating with you!

Westward Bound

So… I’m in Seattle for a few days. Highlights of the trip so far:

- On the flight, I finished Steve Martin’s UNBELIEVABLE autobiography Born Standing Up . All artists or anyone wishing to build something meaningful must read this book. Really.

- I finished the plans for AC Groups. They’re coming soon to a city near (or surrounding) you.

- I managed to go through the entire landing with my seat not in upright and locked position. (Symbolically slapping myself on the wrist.)

- Today we’re visiting the Experience Music Project.

- I’m currently in the University District staring through a coffee shop window at my favorite all-time movie theatre sign. The Neptune advertises Scorsese’s “Shine A Light” and beneath it says, “Let’s Spend $9.25 Together.” Beautiful.

Note Zen - Evernote Wows Me

I am an organizational geek. And a note-taking geek. I collect thoughts, ideas, sketches, to-do’s, etc., throughout the day and try to keep them in some sort of self-organized system. This has become more and more of a problem as my notebooks become bigger, and my various media-types become increasingly difficult to sort.

A few weeks ago I listened to Leo Laporte rave about his experience with the Evernote beta. “Yeah…yeah…” I thought. I’ve seen these types of ubiquitous note-capture apps and sites come and go, and none have ever been able to fully do what a good desktop app can (like DevonThink.) It can’t be that great.

I was wrong. Evernote is as close to the note capture tool as I’ve ever seen. It can hold most any type of media, and - the killer app for me - it can read text from images for later searching. For example, here is an image I captured from a whiteboard during a meeting, e-mailed to my Evernote account, and later searched for under “Blog.” It recognized the word “Blog” written in the image, and searched my notes to bring up this image. It also worked when I searched “podcasts” and “journeys.” Unbelievable. (At a bookstore and want to remember the title of a book? Snap a shot and e-mail it to Evernote. Want to capture your whiteboard note after a meeting in searchable format? Snap a picture and e-mail it to Evernote.) It’s not perfect - I’ve hit a few glitches - but it’s pretty close to what I’ve always wanted.

Evernote is still in beta, but you can get in on it via their site. It might take a week or so for them to get back to you, but it’s worth it. Check it out.

Read more…

The Bookshelf

Sorry I haven’t done this in a while. I won’t get through all of them, but here’s what’s in my queue this week:

	(Listening to the audio version.) iWoz This is the autobiographical account of Wozniak’s life and times. Quirky? Yes. Endearing? You bet your mousepad.
	(on my Kindle) Then We Came to the End This is an interesting look at the ad-world of the late 1990’s. The end? Sounds somewhat familiar…
	(on my Kindle) The Maytrees I LOVE Annie Dillard’s richly simple descriptions. They remind me of what I already know.

 Finishing up: Violin Dreams (on recommendation from Peter Block.) Grabbed this one from the library. It’s about one man’s quest for violin perfection.

Want to see more recommendations? Visit the AC Bookshelf . 

Event: Cleveland

Thanks to the State Farm folks for a great (though brief) session in Cleveland. We interacted around "The Creative Ethic." Here are some highlights from the trip:

- This "messianic" portrait of Lebron James hangs just across from where the Cleveland Cavs play. It's monstrous. Something like 10 stories tall. Seriously…

- A big section of downtown Cleveland recently fell into a hole. 

- I discovered Grandpa's Cheese Barn , which is just off of exit 186 on I-71 in Ashland. 

- I finished this book on the drive. (Don't worry…I listened on my iPod…thanks Audible.)

- Columbus has a pro soccer team. Who knew? 

- It's never a good idea to drive with your knees while texting or responding to e-mail. Never. 

“Buck” the System

In prepping the slides for a talk, I re-discovered this little gem of a quote from country music innovator Buck Owens :

“I’m not going to beg and compromise what I believe in just because somebody in Nashville don’t approve… I am who I am, I am what I am, I do what I do and I ain’t never gonna do it any different. I don’t care who likes it and who don’t.”

We can look back with quaintness on what happened to music in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, but it was the courageous pioneering of innovators like Buck Owens that even reached across oceans and laid the foundation for bands like The Beatles and others to blow open the doors to new sounds and methods of exploring rhythm and melody.

Buck Owens “bucked” a system that was cranking out music like widgets on an assembly line. Were it not for him and others like him the world of music would be different today.

DO NOT be like Buck if you want to be safe. DO NOT be like Buck if you’re more concerned about your reputation than leaving a mark. DO NOT be like Buck if you want an easy life. DO NOT be like Buck if you are not willing to go all the way.

And… for the love of all that is good… please never join the cast of Hee-Haw .