Friday, December 29, 2006

How to make a New Year's resolution and stick to it

The new year is upon us and that means the parties are all over and it's time to get back to business. The new year makes us feel as if we've got a clean slate to do the things we have been meaning to do the past year.
If you have written down your New Year's resolutions and stuck them to the refrigerator your not off to a bad start. The first thing on you list should be to get the book"Getting things done" by David Allen. David Allen is well known as a "productivity guru" and gives seminars on organization and effectively completing projects. This book shows methods of productivity for both home and office.
One of the methods in the book is to write down your goal in a notebook or pad of paper then write specific tasks or milestones that will get you to the goal. So if one of your resolutions is to "lose 20 pounds", write down the tasks that will get you to that goal such as "Exercise 20 min a day". You can get as detailed as you need so the task can be completed without making you make you feel overwhelmed. The next tip from Allen's book is if a task takes only a few minutes to complete, just finish it and get it done with. If it is paperwork make sure that you file it away if it needs to be filed. If it not important or does not need to be kept, throw it out. You do not need to clutter you desk with completed work.
What is great about the methods in this book are that you can start using them right away. By the end of the book you will have a system to deal with and organize your life, which will help to keep you focused and actually stick to those resolutions throughout the rest of the year. Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 28, 2006

A haiku a day keeps the ninja at bay

My buddy at work always has a store of surprises. Especially since we are mortal enemies; me being a ninja and he a pirate. Check his new collaboration www.daily-haiku.com which will soon allow others to participate in the fun of a thought provoking haiku on a daily basis. By the way, you should duck at random times. You’ll thank me later!

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Sopping Wet and Satisfied

It seemed like a simple enough task; Install a water filter. However, hidden in this medial task lie a worldly truth; things are not always a simple as they seem. I glanced through the directions, putting aside my male ego, so I would have an idea of what I was doing. I'm not exactly experienced in plumbing, but I know enough to think I can fix stuff on my own. I got out every wrench, vice grip, and pliers I had to make sure I had everything to make this job smooth and painless. Under the sink I discovered a fairly common plumbing configuration. Copper piping leading from the cold water out-flow to the faucet. I seems the previous owners had a ice maker/refrigerator water dispenser since there was this piercing saddle valve which made installation of the water filter a little more difficult. The instructions stated to place the adapter provided in between the cold water supply line and the faucet. The problem is that copper piping is not that flexible and I was not able to bend the the pipe easily. (Don't forget about the saddle valve in my way). I connected the parts back on to the water line and turned on the water to test for leaks. Needless to say I was sopping wet in no time. While messing around to try to get a better seal I bent the pipe to much and it sprung a leak. Now I've done it! I have to replace the pipe. luckily I knew from experience and watching "This Old House" that they use flexible piping in the 21st century. Off to Home Depot I go. I ended up having to go twice since I was lazy and didn't bring the broken pieces with me to make sure I bought the right parts. A nice elderly gentleman in the plumbing section helped me find the flexible faucet connector that would let me finish this little project. The water filter is now installed and working bring me and my family clean and good tasting water which left me with a satisfied feeling. I will, however be more careful when judging the difficulty of a project. Next project: Install a garbage disposal. Don't worry, I'm calling a plumber!

Saturday, December 23, 2006

First Post EVAR

O.K. I've been on the internet a long while and this is the first real post on a blog or forum of any sort. Kinda weird, huh. My online habits have been of an internet scavenger. I search around looking for what I want and when I find it, I'm out. I sign up for forums and message boards to read through the content but I rarely post anything. My decision to start this blog is to add to the collective knowledge base that has become the internet we know today. I have leeched my share of information and I figure it's time to put some of my insights and experiences out there in hopes that someone that is looking for that information will find it useful. My only concern is that I hope I will not be adding to the endless chatter and noise that has filled the net like spam. My next post will be of more use.
/End of useless banter.