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The Right Productivity Tool

I am becoming increasingly convinced that the reason someone’s not as productive as they want to be is not because they haven’t found the right stuff to organize their life. It’s because they keep getting more stuff to organize their life. Because here’s the problem: any productivity tool will have flaws. So if you’re looking for the “right” productivity tool, whatever tool you choose, its flaws will […]

'Bologna, Via Marco Emilio Lepido - SS9' by Pom Angers on Flickr

Project Debt

Last night, I slept deeply and dreamed copiously. When my alarm went off, I slowly surfaced into the real world in one of those strange grey modes of thought where my mind was unfettered by reality but still aware of it. One belief crystalized: I have too many projects. This happens to us all; to me it happens frequently. Most of the time, I sigh, acknowledge it, and try to whack my way through the weeds of my projects. […]

Minimalism vs. Frugality

Most of us need to control our spending. Many people at some point realize that their finances are, well, not where they should be. Many of them respond with a focus on frugality, and look for cheaper cell phone plans, coupons, combined internet and cable plans, and streaming services. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with reining in your spending, and psychologically you may need to start with simple […]

'stack' by hobvias sudoneighm on Flickr

The Power of the Scanner

We still receive a lot of paper. People hand us receipts and flyers. We get bills and statements in the mail. I don’t keep all of these, of course, but all my life, I dutifully kept mortgage statements, credit card statements, any unusual financial notices, etc. I’ve gone paperless with as many bills as I can, but some places are still old-school. I told myself I’d sort through them all. I honestly […]

Pursuing Minimalism

August 3, 2017: the day my copy of Fumio Sasaki’s Goodbye, Things arrived on my doorstep. Sasaki’s earned a reputation as one of Japan’s leading bloggers about minimalism, documenting his 5-year journey towards reducing his possessions. My curiosity got the better of me, and since Japanese self-help writers tend to be less aggressive than their Western counterparts, I figured I’d see what he had to write on the subject. I devoured the book in 2 […]

'a White Room' by Richard Schatzberger on Flickr

Hello, again.

My, this place is dusty. I’ve been gone from this site for over three years now. Much has changed since then, personally and globally. I’ve moved houses, switched employers, abandoned a couple of hobbies, and taken up a couple of new ones. Three years ago, I felt like I didn’t need a personal blog. Social media didn’t quite replace blogging, but it made blogging less […]

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