15 years! Looks like it’s time to repost the old poem (’02, ’05, ’09). Happy Anniversary, Amy!
Do you know,
I would quietly slip
from the loud circle,
When first I know
the pale stars are blooming.Ways will I elect
that seldom any tread,
In the pale ev’ning meadows.
And no dream but this:
You come too.–Rainier Maria Rilke
There was a time when I was a complete honk for Getting Things Done, aka GTD. I first read the book back around 1999 or so, when I was working in Org Dev for a megacorp. I’ve been implementing, tweaking, and falling off the wagon ever since. I still think GTD is the seminal work in the field of personal productivity, but there are other shining lights. Two of my favorite are Mark Forster’s Do It Tomorrow and Mark Hurst’s Bit Literacy.
Anyway, these days I’ve kind of got my productivity schtick figured out. Not to say that it doesn’t need tuning from time to time, but I’ve basically settled on my toolset. Because of that I don’t really poke around the old personal productivity blogs or pay much attention to that space at all. Even so, the last week brought three interesting productivity-related items to my attention. Without much comment, here they are:
1. A drink company wrote a very thorough screed on using GTD with Evernote, called The Secret Weapon. Lots of people have taken a crack at this setup, but this is the nicest tutorial I’ve seen. Evernote really can be a universal capture tool for many people.
2. Mark Forster came out with a new time management system called Final Version. You can get the details by subscribing to his newsletter on his web site. I’ve looked at it, and it’s pretty straightforward. No special tools needed, and it can be easily implemented with pencil and paper. Might be worth looking at if GTD gives you fits.
3. Finally, speaking of GTD, David Allen has an article in the current NYT about the relevancy of GTD to today’s workers. Good reading.
If, like me, you’ve got one or more BAHA sound processors, you probably have searched for a decent direct audio input (DAI aka Euro plug) cord or cable to connect the sound processors to your iPod, iPhone, laptop, Discman, whatever. I’ve tried several and I’ve finally settled on the one I think is the best. I’m passing it along here because it’s probably easier to find than buried in the BAHA_PPL Yahoo group.
The one I’ve been using and enjoying the most comes from Oaktree Products and the item number is DPV1M. Here’s a direct link: http://goo.gl/HBsLz That link goes to the bilateral version. If you only need one side (monaural), look for item number DPS800 or here’s a direct link: http://goo.gl/DxtvJ NOTE: I’ve got no financial interest in either the manufacturer of the cable, nor the retailer. I’m just a happy customer.
The reason I think this is the best DAI cord/cable is that the DAI connector is gold plated and the sheath covering the wires is rubberized. I do a lot of physical activity which invariably gets sweat around the BAHA units. Typical cords have a silver colored connector and it quickly starts to corrode and need cleaning/maintenance. The gold plated connector resists this kind of corrosion better. The rubberized sheath is very similar to current iPod earbud cables, which resist tangling when coiled. They are very nice. The best part is that my binaural cord is cheaper than the monoaural cord sold by Cochlear.com. And Cochlear.com doesn’t even sell a binaural cord (as of this writing…I heard it’s in the works).
The one catch to all this is that the seller of the cables, Oaktree Products, is a wholesaler to audiologists. So you’ll need to either be an audiologist or have your audiologist put in the order for you. Their shipping was pretty quick–I ordered a couple of cables and had them within a week. These cables are so good that I never want to run out (in case of loss or damage), so I think I’ll be ordering up another couple pretty soon.
The problem:
Runkeeper.com is a great service for tracking runs, but sometimes you want to create a new route based on a data file you might have. Currently (August 2011), there’s not an obvious way to do that. By default, Runkeeper wants you to physically map out routes using their mapping tool. That’s great for short routes on roads, but it’s less practical for longer trail runs.
The solution:
Here’s the tl;dr version…there only five steps:
Here’s the longer version…
I’ve been running lately. I’ve run a bunch of 5k races in the past, but usually right off the couch…no training. I’d been floating around without a goal, so I figured that training for a 10k would be a good one. I used a training program on RunKeeper.com to get ready, and it worked great. It ended up that I couldn’t run the race I’d registered for, but that was okay. I’d been running plenty of 10k’s all by myself.
Anyway, after training for the 10k I needed a new goal. That’s pretty easy to figure out, since it’d just be the next distance up from a 10k which is a half-marathon (13.1 miles). It doesn’t take a genius to see that it’s just one distance after the next. The thing is, I don’t really have any interest in running a road marathon (26.2 miles). I do, however, have an interest in running on mountain trails. So I started looking into trail running which led me to learn about ultramarathon running, which usually happens on trails. So here’s my secret: I’m kind of interested in running an ultra.
So, in the course of looking around and trying to find more info, I ran into iRunFar.com. The proprietor, Bryon, recently wrote a book about training for ultras called, Relentless Forward Progress. My copy arrived about a week ago, and I’ve been devouring it. It’s been an easy read, but full of great information from a wide range of runners. The book has several essays from elite ultrarunners, along with some super practical advice on training, nutrition, and equipment. It’s been a completely worthwhile purchase, and definitely a book I’ll be referring back to frequently.
I wasn’t sure how this post would factor into the simplicity focus of this blog but, as it happens, ultra running tends to be at the forefront of the minimalist movement in terms of footwear and gear. Guys like Tony Krupicka really epitomize minimalism and ultra running. Tony in particular tends to barely attend to hydration and nutrition on his long training runs. I’m definitely not quite there, but I understand what he’s doing in terms of trying to acclimate his body to being able to function under extreme hardship. Highly commendable.
I wouldn’t classify myself as a minimalist runner, but I’m testing out whether shoes with a lower “drop” have any value to me. In the past I’ve always run in standard running shoes which had a heel significantly higher than the toe. This differential between the ball of the foot and the heel of the foot can be as much as 12mm. I’m currently running in a pair of Inov-8 Road-X 255‘s. As I write this, I’ve got about 80 miles on them. They’ve been a fine shoe, and though I’ve got no complaints, I’m also not the most sophisticated evaluator of running shoes. I’ve been intentionally conscious about my running form, and trying plant my foot under my hips rather than land on my heel as I run. I think I’ve been doing okay with this, but it’s kind of hard to coach and evaluate myself!
I’ve got several friends who run in Vibram Five Fingers, which I personally find aesthetically abhorrent. I’m sure it’s a fine shoe, it just looks ridiculous to me. Which of course has no bearing on whether a shoe is a good performer on the road or trails. The big benefit to the VFF shoe is the ‘zero drop,’ or the lack of differential between the heel and the forefoot. This lack of drop is not unique to the VFF, as there are several shoes on the market with the same quality. I’m guessing that Vibram is marketing the independent movement of toes as a differentiating factor among its offering. Whatever. If the VFF shoes work for you, and your dignity can absorb the blow, more power to you. I’ll find other options.
I think this post on better Internet literacy is just right on. Especially the question about ‘what are the 10 things we wish everyone on the Internet knew.’ I’m not sure I can come up with a full ten things, but here’s a shot at it, and I’m poaching some of the things the original author mentioned…
Relatedly, this post about eight critical skills for the future is also right on the money. The skills listed are sort of higher level thinking, but important nonetheless:
Others have also mentioned the lasting importance of two ‘old school’ skills: time management, and money management. That sounds right to me…as long as time and money are in short supply for individuals, these skills will be critical.
Another good reason to avoid neckties. (I thought Semmelweis figured this out 160 years ago)
Just a quick pointer to my recent review of the porteur rack I’ve got on my bike.
