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Tuesday, March 01, 2011

The more things change

the more they stay the same.

I now spend much of my time sitting at my kitchen table.  At the old house, I sat in an armchair with my stuff piled next to me. We still have the chair, but it's in the basement, which is dark and messy and I find I prefer the table in front of a big window. We keep the upstairs  fairly neat, so aside from my own clutter, it's usually  pretty calm. There isn't a television within sight of the table either, like there was at my cushy chair. In fact, there is only one tv upstairs at all, in our bedroom.  It's easier for me to do my actual job at the table as well.

I took this lovely picture with my cellphone (too pressed for time to located my camera cable, sorry!), but here's what you can see there:
-the laptop, duh.
-a "drawing" the Bug made me, with a pair of tiny pink socks on top of it.
-a card to send to a friend.
-my pocket moleskin notebook with my master to do list in it. This is the list that never ends. I have an identical one with my library list in it. I'm considering buying one of the bigger size and using it for both things, one list from the front, one from the back. Since both notebooks are usually in my pile anyway.
-my weekly to do list, on a folded sheet of paper. On the other side of the fold is a calendar for the week. I have actually drawn out my layout for both these things in excel and as soon as I have printer ink will use a printed page.
-my current book-a notepad for jotting things down, like what time I started and stopped working, before transferring it onto my spreadsheet.
-the last scratch note I made. All that info will be transferred to the to do list, an email, or a spreadsheet before I toss the page.
-my current work assignment.
-a couple pens. I love Flair pens.
-a cat. Don't worry, I'll move her before we eat dinner.
-usually my phone, but you know, taking the picture with it!

I am planning to get a smart phone when my contract renews and I have to wonder how much of that paper I'll replace with the phone.  I love flipping through pages of lists manually, quite like reading paper books, so it's possible that I won't ever transition to an electronic version.

How do you keep your to do list? What sort of stuff accumulates around you? Do you have a favorite pen? Favorite journal?

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9 comments:

  1. I have a smart phone and still write paper lists - I get great pleasure in marking things off of it and it's not quite the same on a phone.

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  2. Same here! I only write occasional notes for books in series so I remember if I happen on a bookstore when I am not expecting to. Otherwise, I am all paper and pen...

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  3. I enjoyed getting the chance to see your "work" space. I think that I would probably be a lot less distracted on the computer if there wasn't a television around. And I have lists (upon lists) of books that I want to read. I'm a nut :)

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  4. The most accumulation happens at work. I've come to love a little 50 cent notebook I bought at Target--recycled paper, cute orange bird on the front. It holds my ongoing work to-do list. There is an embarrassing and ridonkulous amount of paper that springs up around me. I also have my phone nearby at all times so I can listen to music. I also have several books on my desk and my Nook for reading at lunch. And sticky notes. Lots of sticky notes. :)

    Thanks for sharing your work space!!! The cat is a great touch. :)

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  5. I tried to go paperless and it just didn't work for me. I keep two calendars now: a Moleskine Daily Pocket Calendar and my Yahoo Calendar which I can access via my Blackberry. I use the electronic version as well just for the reminders.

    I have a separate Moleskine notebook for lists, but I tend to misplace it alot. Doesn't really work for me.

    My house is fairly neat but there is one spot on the kitchen counter that attracts a ton of clutter. I have put baskets there, and I go through the pile daily but I just can't get rid of it.

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  6. Oh, the clutter that gathers at our house. When I cleaned up the other day I was AMAZED at the sheer amount of paper surrounding us. My work space varies from sofa to bed to dining room table. I love, love Flair pens as well. Working away from the tv is much more efficient!

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  7. I must have paper...just like I have to have "real" books. I try to keep my calendar and to-do list up to date on my phone but I'm far more likely to have things written in my paper calendar which has stickie notes all over and inside of it of to-do lists.

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  8. I have only been nearly paperless for a long time... with the exception of grocery lists, for which I have only recently gone paperless a few months ago. Those were always on random slips of paper that I would constantly misplace. Now I keep my grocery list in Notes on my iPhone, which is pretty much always on hand. It's not as satisfying doing 'select' and 'cut' with my finger tip as it is to cross off with a pen, but it's working for me.

    Everything (lists, notes, email, contacts, calendars etc..) is on my iphone and macbook which are synced together. :)

    I love blue pens. :)

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  9. I do like your picture. It is very homey and somehow comforting. I like clutter around me. There is clutter everywhere I sit in the house. I use paper to write my notes. I need to see what needs to be done. I have couple of favorite pens (which usually are nowhere to be found) and a favorite type of mechanical pencil. I even have a favorite type of eraser.

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