Steward our Energy

A friend sent me a link about being an introvert and being a church member (of any church). It was rather interesting to see that a lot of people are spiritually devoted, but sometimes have issues fitting in to congregations of their various religions.

Somehow I followed a list of links and got to this website.

http://www.introvertenergy.com/introvertenergizer/introvertenergizer-02-07.php

The woman writing on this site brought up an interesting term that she attributed to the Dalai Lama.

Basically, it's taking care of ourselves when we need to - get rest when we are tired, walk when we need to think and/or exercise, read a book when we feel the need, etc.

With all the work I've been doing for work, home, church, people, and personal projects I'm realizing that I'm forever being a poor steward of my energy. I've gotten better in the last couple of years, but that is only because I have far less energy than when I was like 28 years old, or 30 years old or even 35 years old.

Anyway, this is one of those little terms that I am going to remember to implement into practice.

So, I'm going to keep writing because it's getting all of this out of my head so I can rest better.

To Do list Brain

So, I'm assuming that everyone has read about the guy with the "beautiful mind" and about those people that can remember dates, events, and names from everyday that they've ever been alive.

Sorry to disappoint, but you already know this fact - I am not one of those people. I will admit to knowing only about three phone numbers, but since my phone holds about 200 I will keep praying that it doesn't falter.

I am plagued with my own special brain. I have "to do" list brain. Everything that happens to me every minute of the day goes through my sensors (ears/eyes) and somehow translates into a possible "to do" for my list. Whether it is amazing idea or website address that I need to add to my idea list or delicious account or a memory of a past experience to post to my blog or someone that I should write a thank you note to or an idea of another business to create or even to remember to think of others in kinder ways....it somehow always translates into another "to do."

Over the years I have translated this list into notebooks used at work, little artsy books that I carry in my purse, web widgets on iGoogle and Google Notepad, official Franklin Planners with special inserts that never quite fit my life, electronic Outlook lists on the work computer, Ta Da lists (website), or a cheap notebook...all used in an attempt to manage this onslaught of "to dos" racing through my head.

For now, I have come across a solution that has worked for about two months. That typically means it is a habit, correct? It's Excel. Yep, the excel spreadsheet. At first it was one scrolling list with correctly labeled columns - Tasks, Type (personal, work, research, financial, blog, exercise, etc.), Notes, date completed. But, that got a little unwieldy.

Now I'm up to about 5-6 separate worksheets so that I can manage things in small chunks. The last tab is "completed items" and I just copy/paste the "to dos" to that worksheet when I'm done.

Sound time consuming? No, it actually saves me from constantly copying over old to do lists by hand. Since I'm in front of a computer about 12 hours a day that is the best way for now.

Whew. Why do I care? I enjoy documenting life. Seeing the patterns. Analyzing what I spend my time doing (another blog entry to come). Finding ways to make some things more efficient so I free myself up for stuff that is more meaningful to me.

Alas, writing this down makes me realize that this is kind of a nerdy thing to do, but it will be done nonetheless. Anything to get these things out of my mind and on to paper/electrons will help this mind get freed up a little.

So, time to cross off the entry - "Blog - to do lists" - completed 2/13/2009

Skymall gadgets

So, I just flew into San Francisco for the final four rugby games. I was on a non-stop thank goodness, but I was so enthralled with my Fast Company magazine and the Skymall catalog that I didn't even look up what kind of flight I was on. It wasn't a 747, but it did have the multiple sections. I like those because then I get the first row of a new section that has more leg room.

Anyway, I love the Skymall catalog. It is my favorite catalog (besides Eddie Bauer) because every page brings a new surprise OR something that I thought of inventing and didn't. One of my goals in life is to invent something that makes it into the Skymall magazine.

They have the coolest gadgets. Some of which are very useful for photo and video projects. You can get little gadgets that convert the audio tapes to CD, old records to CD/DVD, old videos to DVD, slide converters, converters directly to the iPOD, and converters that convert your videos and stuff to the right format for the iPOD/MP3 players, etc. Most of the gadgets don't require you to even hook up to your main computer. I wish I had purchased some of these before I completed my video and slide converting project, but I honestly don't think these were in the magazine back then. After all, I take every Skymall catalog home with me every time I fly.

Anyway, take a look at http://www.skymall.com/

P.S. I guess I should add that I actually have purchased several items from the catalog. I know some people think that no one does, but I'll admit that I'm willing to pay more for something that promises to be unique.

Another "It's been a day and it's not over yet" entries

Well, I'm doing that thing that I always thought amusing in grad school - quoting oneself in another document. It seemed like a lot of experts started doing that perhaps to further solidify belief in their own unique idea. But, I did write a blog entry a while ago about a bad day - http://rebeckeronline.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-of-those-days-and-its-not-over-yet.html and I have had another bad day. Or, shall we say, another bad week.

Tomorrow I become a fully vested employee at my job and so I'm being all the more open with my feelings about it. The past year I've really spent a lot of time and effort in gathering all of the past and current project information and creating a taxonomy with surrounding processes for a content management system, a database that will feed information to another massive database and a project request website. All of these things basically put my entire job into an electronic, paperless set of systems that are easy to maintain while also providing tons of information to all of these people that want to have data about every little thing all the time.


I've tried to do what is best for all the users of the systems and more importantly - provide realistic solutions that people can learn quickly.


Unfortunately, what trumps this is politics and turf. So, now instead of gratitude for all the work that has gone into taking a bunch of information/documentation/etc. from multiple servers, emails and "My Docs" folders, I'm getting major push back for taking initiative, utilizing resources effectively, and completing this over a span of 200-300 hours with little complaint. My new boss and my old boss are starting to "protect their territory" and instead of enabling some of us to move forward and do what people are hired to do (work smart, contribute, innovate, etc.) they are pushing back on anything that looks like a solution. It is frustrating and most importantly - discouraging. I had to take a walk after my last meeting today because the tears should not be seen in the building, but must be shed.


I've been dealing with push back for a few weeks. Most of the time, I move forward regardless because I do feel like what I am doing is right for the organization and for those that I work with, but there are these moments where the inner strength has exhausted and the will to continue with the task just isn't there. It doesn't help that it is raining and dreary outside. I'm sure that adds to the drama. However, I'm not the only person experiencing this and so it has impact on entire teams of people.


I will make sure to complete everything possible before I leave. I will make sure the status of every project is documented, that there is a "job description" tutorial for the next person, and that there is adequate information for the next person to come in and manage all of the people, politics and projects that are involved in this program. But, there comes a time when the learning experience is complete and it's time to move on. I think my time has come.