Monthly Archives: September 2007

My Holiday Plans

Posted on by
Reply

This year is slip-sliding toward the finish line and I’m always amazed that every year dissolves so quickly. I’m equally amazed that each year gets faster — or my memory is getting faulty and it only SEEMS faster than the previous year.

I would be depressed, as I usually am when this hits me, but I’m planning a wonderful vacation in December and that’s keeping me on track. With something as fantastic as a cruise in the near future, it’s so much easier to focus on getting things ready to go!

So, while everyone else is stressing out about the holidays, I’m taking my family on a ship and literally sailing away. I expect this to be the most enjoyable, most hassle-free holiday in years — and I can’t wait! Continue reading →

Pump Up the Creativity: Oblique Strategies

Posted on by
1

I’ve only recently discovered “Oblique Strategy Cards” — now available in a fifth edition. Apparently I’m a little slow sometimes, but I LOVE the concept.

They are, according to the creators:

Observations on the principles underlying what we were doing. Sometimes they were recognized in retrospect (intellect catching up with intuition), sometimes they were identified as they were happening, sometimes they were formulated.

They can be used as a pack (a set of possibilities being continuously reviewed in the mind) or by drawing a single card from the shuffled pack when a dilemma occurs in a working situation. In this case,the card is trusted even if its appropriateness is quite unclear. They are not final, as new ideas will present themselves, and others will become self-evident. Continue reading →

Simpler Organization Techniques

Posted on by
Reply

The simplification bug has hit me again. It’s like a constant thing in my life … sometimes just a dull ache, other times (like now) it’s a sharp, painfully compelling urge. For those of you who have delivered a child (or who have assisted with this process) it’s like the overwhelming urge to push at the end of the labor portion of bringing a new life into the world. It’s hard to explain and impossible to deny.

So, I’ve been looking… ok DROOLING… over at Levenger.com again. I also find myself looking up a slew of postings over on DIYPlanner (I just love that site!).

You see, whenever I decide to simplify, I find a way to convince myself that buying something really cool to help me accomplish that simplification is the ticket. I’m not saying buying a “clutter busting” book or a “how to organize your life” magazine or a great organizational tool isn’t helpful, but the absurdity of buying to eliminate clutter isn’t lost on me. Continue reading →

Open Source Software for the Virtual Assistant

Posted on by
Reply

If you are a remote services provider, a virtual assistant or a freelancer, you may be interested in cutting corners on software costs — so long as you keep the best, most effective tools in your “virtual” shed.

I recently joined a panel of other remote consultants and virtual assistants for a RemoteProfessionals.com teleconference on starting to work with real estate professionals. During this free “how-to” seminar, I also distributed a handout listing what I consider to be the “Essential Open-Source Products” for those in this business.

If you would like your own copy of this PDF… Continue reading →