It seems as if I go through this every couple of years - should I plan everything I have to do for work electronically, or should I use paper? Or should I use a hybrid method? Years ago, I could keep everything straight enough in my head, but as I grow older, notes are better and better.
I've tried using Google Keep and Tasks, and some other to-do list apps that don't exist anymore. I find Keep very useful for saving recipes and creating shopping checklists. Eventually, after I got my head around how to organize it, and I started using Trello for some things, including tracking interaction with customers, and their stage of the training journey, one of my Rocketbooks for meeting and phone conversation notes.
Since Rocketbook partnered with Panda Planner, I've been thinking of adding another one to my collection. I truly love not using paper all the time and emailing my notes to any one (or combo) of seven recipients or storage areas using the handy app. But while the Panda system is intriguing, it may be too complicated for my needs. And buying it as a Rocketbook just seemed a little extravagant when I wasn't sure how much I'd like it.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I found Momentum Planners. Six months worth of writable (or not) PDFs for $6. A good price, and a good product. I was able to get my head around that better than Panda, so I've been trying it out for the last week and a half. It seems workable, and I can limit the number of pages I use because I don't need a separate sheet for each day; the weekly sheet works well enough for plenty of things.
So I'll give it the full six months and see if it's worth buying the next set.
Now, for the other highlights of this two-week period:
Audio - Serial hit the podcast airways with a bang with the Adnan Sayed story. The follow-up about Pfc Bowe Bergdahl was almost as good, but season three - a year inside an American courthouse - was eye-opening and fascinating. Now, as part of the NY Times, Serial is presenting Nice White Parents, a five-part series about building a new schools system, and what gets in the way. The story is compelling, but Channa Joffe-Walt is no Sarah Koenig, host of the first three seasons. I miss her.
Books - The Four Agreements and The Four Agreements Companion by Don Miguel Ruiz. i looked at the first title several times over the last two years, and finally decided, in these pandemic times, that it might do my spirit some good. Ruiz talks about how to live in a way that will make you free, following the four agreements - be impeccable with your word; don't take anything personally; don't make assumptions; always do your best.Sounds easy, but it's not.
Music - Rick Astley. Around the time I was graduating college, Never Gonna Give You Up was a hot hit. It was the only Rick Astley song I was interested in. I heard it the other day and decided to look Rick up. What I found were a couple of good albums released in the last four years - Beautiful Life (2018) and 50 (2016), yes, the year he turned age 50. Here's the playlist.
Video - I revisit this every now and then, and point it out to people during discussions of public speaking, because I love the courage of the speaker, Megan Washington.
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