Re[2]: autofocus was Re[8]: OT sidetracked sisters

Hi Mike,

Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 4:09:04 AM, you wrote:

> Hi Brenda,

> On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 3:05 AM, Brenda <[email protected]> wrote:

>> It's like doing the AF on speed. Its amazing how stuff I've been resisting
>> > gets done just because its the quickest way to get to the juicy task I
>> > really want to do. I love it.

>> I have been doing this lately. There is one book I want to read and another
>> one I need to but don't really want to read it. So I decided I cannot read
>> the book I want that day unless I read some of the book I need to read
>> first. I have to read a certain # of pages so it can go back to the library
>> on time. (Not just read one paragraph so I can say "done".) I am actually
>> reading more each day than the goal.


> Yes, it works ;-)

Actually I was not trying to do the system then. It seems kind of babyish to have to tell yourself you can't do what you want until you do what you don't want.. like telling a little kid you can't have your dessert until you eat your vegetables. But it works.

Interesting how I got myself to answer your longer letter.. I was avoiding it because it was long... but then I wanted to respond to some other mails and I didn't want to write to other people and not you because that would be rude. The person with the Bonsai question needed help and it is hard for me to resist helping people :-) (I also left this letter because I did not want to skip the longer to answer this one. That was supposed to motivate me but it didn't.)

> Yes, that is why I try to do it in order but do a quick scan of the whole
> list to see if there is anything that might ambush me.  It only takes a few
> minutes and it quiets my mind ;-)

good idea

> I actually do like office supplies.  I'm always thinking about how a
> different notebook, format, pen, etc. might work ... but I do draw some
> lines about what I will spend on things.  My handwriting sucks so why would
> I spend $500 for a beautiful fountain pen and more on superb inks and
> parchment paper ... just to scrawl my grocery list ;-)

Anne would say if it motivates you, you should do it. She said she used to not let herself get new office supplies. She would say stuff like you cannot have the new supplies if you cannot stick to the system you are currently using. Eventually she realized she should let herself have the stuff. (Of course I am not saying she would say to use a $500 pen for a grocery list...)

> I think one of those pictures (a few, perhaps) are of implementations in
> OneNote.

Thanks for the info. I don't have the Office suite.

> I love 3x5 cards.  I used to be organized around them ... in the days of
> SHE.  I used to have the colors and pads and the whole thing.  I still have
> my house cleaning stuff in my card box.  It is so much easier than booting a
> computer.

I think it is great that you did the SHE stuff. Some guys would have a hang up about it since it is aimed at a female audience. 

> The hanewriting thing has more dimenstions though.  Writting on paper is a
> different experience than doing it on the computer.  I find that rewriting
> things allows me to think about them and gives me some insight.  It is
> similar to doing mind maps on a computer vs. drawing them by hand.

Yes I can see why it would be different to the mind to do something on computer vs on paper. Even stuff like doing it on a dry erase board vs on paper.

-- 
Brenda