My blog is now being hosted on a new server. I don't really know what this will mean in the short run, but it should be an improvement for me in the long run. I am even considering posting pictures soon. I don't know if they will be attached to the blog or if I will set up a different site just for our pictures. I don't really tell me family about my blog, but I'd want them to see my pictures so another site sounds like a good idea to me.
I am also in the process of learning how to use iCal. It is easy enough to use, but I want to do some very specific things, and all new things come with a bit of a learning curve. If I can get iCal set up to be just like I imagined it I will be very happy with life in general and my miniMac specifically.
Here are the things I want to do with iCal...
-Schedule my appointments.
I don't have that many appointments, so I wouldn't exactly have much to schedule, but I want to start getting in the habit, because appointments do happen from time to time.
-Create a recurring To Do list.
-Schedule To Do list items.
I basically want to wake up, go to my computer in the morning, and have iCal tell me what I planned to do that day. I tend to prioritize tasks and events to later dates (I could just say 'procrastinate' but I have a high regard for this particular behavior.) I want to actually get these things done, but my tendency is to reprioritize and then forget. Perhaps iCal can help.
-Develop a make-shift delivery schedule.
When I get my new business up and running I will need to make periodic deliveries. I think that it would be nice to schedule as many of these deliveries as possible. If I can schedule them, then it would be very convenient and pleasing to me to have iCal tell me what deliveries I am making that day.
-Wishful Thinking To Do list
I can't possibly be the only person out there that has one of these. I want a list of things that don't really have a due date, are really low priority, and are sometimes just tasks that I think would be neat to get done. Some examples of this might be reading a book that I am interested in reading, or establishing some order to my filing system. These are things that I don't really need to do, but would like to keep track of for days when I am bored, but wanting to do something productive.
-Share schedules.
iCal seems to do this really well. I don't know for sure, because I am just getting started, but I like what I see so far. Joy often asks me what my plan is for certain periods of time. She'll come to me and say, "So, David, what's your plan for this afternoon?" She claims that she doesn't care what my plan is as long as I have a plan. I've tested her on this, and it seems to be pretty true. I can tell her that I plan to relax and do nothing, and she lets me carry that plan out. Now, I want to sort of reciprocate by having actual plans for a day that I can let her in on quickly and easily. I imagine this sounding something like this --
"So, David, what's your plan for today?" (Joy checks to see if I am on task)
'Well, I plan to do absolutely nothing for the next half hour, and then I am going to get up and put a load of laundry in the washing machine. Then I plan to go to the computer to balance our checking accounts and update Quicken. After that I've decided to clean the hammie bin, vaccuum, and then I'm going to go get dressed and go for a run. After the run I plan to shower, and then I'm going to study until I feel like it is time to make dinner.'
I think that she should like that.
Posted by David at January 2, 2006 05:21 PM