This is a great way to start an album. Takes a minute or so to really get going; my only complaint is that I wish it was twice as long.

Download

Listen and buy the whole album on Rdio.

I just spent the last 5 minutes testing my personal theories on some simple NYTimes interactive tests. As I imagined, I scored quite well on the Focus portion and fell short of average on the Juggling Tasks (multi-tasking) test. Care to see how you perform?

I’ve always wanted them to mesh together with the current feed but hadn’t done it before today. Sorry. Though Tumblr is far easier for things like this, I’m not in the mood to make the full switch yet; but I do get the feeling that the sidebar links go unnoticed. We’ll trial this for a bit and see how it goes.

Feel free to yell at me below for adding more clutter to your life. I’m also doing some slight layout/site tweaks but nothing too crazy. Please let me know if something doesn’t work in your browser.

I am by no means immune to this conundrum. I am as easily, if not more, distracted than anybody else out there but I can say that slowly I think I am getting better at it. I’ve been blessed to work for myself now for almost five years and in that time frame I have been able to refine some of my processes over and over again to help aid my work-flow and hopefully allow me to get a little quicker/better at what I do so I can spend more time with the distractions that I really love.

The following is a list of software (both local and web-based) that I use almost daily for what I do. Of course some of it is directly related to my profession so you’ll probably have no need for a few but maybe you’ll find an item or two that might help you along as well.

Time Tracking: Toggl (Free)
I’ve been using Toggl now for probably the better part of 3-4 years. Originally a web-only tool, it has now been developed into a cross-platform local app built on Adobe Air meaning you can run on Windows or OS X. It allows for multiple users, unlimited projects and does a decent job of reporting. The interface isn’t the greatest but it gets the job done. There is a paid version but honestly I don’t know what else it offers.

To do list: Teuxdeux (Free)
I’ve tried everything from pen & paper to local apps like The Hit List and even web-based project management tools like Basecamp. Right now the one I am most comfortable with is Teuxdeux. Designed by Swissmiss, it’s very minimal, allows for the user-feedback of actually checking off items and organizes in a way my brain thinks, a single week overview.

Invoicing: MacFreelance ($45)
This is an area I am still tweaking. In five years I haven’t found the right solution for my invoicing. In the past I’ve done the Quicken thing, a web-based option or two and even gone as far as attempting to build a custom-designed invoice in InDesign (which lasted for about two invoices). MacFreelance does a fine job of keeping all of my records together but they have the poorest looking invoices on the market with very little ability to customize them. As to why I haven’t bought into others like Billings, Harvest or Xero? I’m cheap. And paying $10 a month just to be able to send invoices isn’t high on my list. Suggestions?

Banking: EECU
We use a credit union for all of our banking needs. They’re fine as far as financial institutions go. I like that they’re small but it’s also the same reason I dislike them. Their location in relation to us is inconvenient and while they do have online-banking, its usefulness is mediocre at best.

Application launcher: Quicksilver (Free)
I am slowly coming around on the idea of launch applications for computers. For the longest time I was a mouse man but with the onset of carpel-tunnel as well as their ability to save time I am slowly seeing their benefits. I’m on a Mac so I use Quicksilver (in which the developer got bought by Google so we’ll see how long it continues) but there are other options like Launchy (Windows) & Alfred (Mac). Having the ability to open applications without leaving the keyboard will save you time.

Keyboard shortcuts (Free)
I hope this seems slightly remedial to you but if it doesn’t then you should definitely pay attention. Keyboard shortcuts are your friend. They save you time as well as giving the ability to not have to jump back and forth between the keyboard & the mouse. I’ll list a few of my favorites/most used but feel free to chime in with your own. And for the most part, these will be cross-platform by just changing the Cmd (Mac) with Ctrl (Win).

Cmd+C – Copy
Cmd+V – Paste
Cmd+X – Cut
Cmd+Tab (Mac) | Alt+Tab (Win) – switch between open windows
Cmd+H – Hide window (Mac)
Cmd+W – Close window (Mac)
Cmd+Q – Close application (Mac)
Alt+F4 – Close application (Win)
Cmd+R (Mac) | F5 (Win) – Refresh
Cmd+O – Open file
Cmd+N – New file or message in email
Cmd+T – New tab in a web browser

And possibly my favorite:
Cmd+Enter – Takes a word/phrase and surrounds it with the htt://www. and .com in a web browser so you don’t have to type the whole thing out. Chrome & Safari actually use Ctrl+Enter (Mac)

Learn your keyboard shortcuts. It is one area where I can for sure say my productivity has increased over time from the use of.

This has grown a little longer than I originally intended which is somewhat ironic since it is a post about my work-flow and productivity. I’ll just throw down a to be continued and try and pull in some of my other software in the next round.

The preceding is for a series in a writing experiment that I am participating in called Project52. If you liked it, feel free to follow along and read other #p52 articles – or even better, subscribe to all of my writings by RSS or Email.

I was always the good one of the bunch growing up. First to tattle on others and equally fast to cower in shame when I knew I had done wrong. But today was going to be different. At ten years of age, I was out to prove myself.

Our neighborhood grocery store was small, larger than a convenience store but much smaller than the big box variety. I bet I made eight laps around its isles that day. My friends as I saw it, had started a life of crime; and like any good follower, I was going to get into the action.

The bins were located near the produce section at the front of the store. They differed from the candy section, which had its equally enticing sugar treats, but I wasn’t ready for such a bold strike on my first attempt.

I knew the consequences of my actions were grand. Public shaming, life in prison and the ultimate worst possible scenario: parental notification. With all of that firmly planted in my mind, I was going through with it and was going give it the best attempt possible. My bike was positioned perfectly outside for the fastest possible getaway. Even at ten, I knew my best option was to head in a different direction of my home in case the chase was on. It didn’t help that I lived half a block away. The stage was set. I was Billy the Kid. And I was going down in a blaze of glory.

My friends were there that fateful day, egging me on to conquer my fears and join the dark side. It probably wasn’t the case, but their acceptance felt like it rested solely on my ability to make it out of the store without paying for my candy.

As I took one final lap, I scanned the scene. One checker in her mid-seventies and one customer emptying her cart on the counter. It was go time. I grabbed. One pack to be exact and made my way determined for the door. My heart was pounding and my hands were sweating, I was convinced everyone in the place knew what was happening. As I made my way past the checkout stands, I made sure not to make eye contact – I would have caved on the spot. The lump in my throat grew with every step. Ten feet to the door. Seven. Five. Three. Contact. Luckily, the Western Family had automatic doors or I may not have been able to think clearly enough to get one open. Freedom.

I made sure not to run until I cornered the building and made it out of window view. And then I turned on the jets. My buddies were positioned on their bikes and mine was sitting there like a horse ready to be mounted and pushed to the limits. I pedaled harder on that bike harder than any boy my age could imagine. Those Smarties were like rocket fuel to my feet. I glanced back only once to see if the heat was on but alas, no workers were out searching for me. Still, I took back roads and loops just to shake any possible trailers and finally entered my yard from the alley. I had made it.

As I sat on my back porch getting high-fives from all of my friends, I came to realize is that those Smarties just didn’t taste the same – they were golden. Each bite was better than the one before, getting sweeter as I made my way down the pack. I stood up to the challenge that day, and the challenge was defeated. My prize: an eight-cent package of Smarties and a lifetime membership to a group of buddies that would ride together for years.

That single package of Smarties was my only foray into the life of crime; thankfully, Smarties are still around today to remind me of what could have been. As I envision it going forward, there will probably be a day when my two sons attempt the same stunt I did. My only hopes are that they learn their lesson early on and that Smarties will be around to provide some of the same stories to them as the sweet candy gave to me.

I am Billy the Kid.

Note: This was written and submitted as an unsolicited piece to Jason Santa-Maria for what looks to be running of 8 separate guest posts on candy this month. After submission, I got a nice note saying that he did enjoy it but already had his hands full with the articles he requested from certain writers. C’est la vie, it was fun penning it.

I’ll keep an all-shoe post on the to do list for another week.

Band of Outsiders : button down – sea island

As with most things I wear, I have rules concerning button down shirts. I’m a big fan of button down collars on shirts without a tie. Not so much with one though. Call me crazy but why would a person take the time to dress up a look with a tie and then cinch it off with a couple of buttons on a shirt? Let it breathe.

No need for a tie here, this shirt kills on its own. Slim fit goodness. $325

(via Opening Ceremony)

TOMS Cordones

TOMS is notorious for two things: their great “One for One” mission/cause to match every pair of shoes purchased with a donation to a child in need and the fact that their shoes are completely hideous.

They took a step closer this month in creating something slightly more wearable in the fashion department. The Cordones almost resemble a real shoe now and have the option to wear laces if desired. I’ll admit, I’d come closer to wearing a pair of these than I would the saddle shoes above.

Mens:

Womens:

There are times in my life when cause trumps design.

(via TOMS)

Standard / Quiksilver OG Scallop White Boardshorts

Now that summer is officially over, its time to pick up a pair of these great retro board shorts. Slightly shorter length than what you find in Old Navy today, and a pretty sweet color scheme. They look like they were taken directly from the original Bruce Brown classic, The Endless Summer.

Editor’s note: This is a MUST rent for anyone. 1966 classic. Fun for the whole family. Not kidding.

Bonus: If you’re in NYC, Miami, Downtown LA or Hollywood, you can get these – or the three other designs – from a specialized vending machine.

(via The Standard)

New Balance 574 Clips Sneakers

It’s really a good thing for my bank account that these are limited in both number and places to buy. The 574 Clips are a limited edition (4 separate colors) of shoes made from leftover scraps in the New Balance factory. There will be 120 released of each color, totally 480 pairs of shoes at an extremely reasonable price of $75 a pair. Along with each pair will be a Polaroid image of your shoes in some situation that you can then visit their website to “claim” your shoe from their 480 videos. Viral marketing and design at their finest.

Houston and/or San Antonio, you are not far enough away for me to completely rule out this purchase.

(via Uncrate)

The final piece will be included on a DVD called “Here Comes Science” by Feel Good Anyway.

Update: The DVD was actually released yesterday, you can pick it up on Amazon.

“Someone with less passion and talent and poorer content can totally beat you if they’re willing to work longer and harder than you are.”

Upon launching Note & Point last week, I did get a feeling of accomplishment and pride that I hadn’t felt in a while professionally speaking. The ability to take a project from concept to finish in a matter of a few weeks and get the kind of positive feedback we received, it made the idea of doing it again seem much more plausible.

And I didn’t even have to skip a meal.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

The Internet Lottery team in conjunction with South Africa 2010 Internet Lottery is proud to inform you that you have won US$ 1, 430,365.00 (One Million Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Five United States Dollars)

WHY YOU HAVE WON?

Your E-mail address is one of 5 lucky Addresses that have won in the weekly Promotion.

HOW DID YOU WIN?
The Internet Lottery, is an Internet based Lottery, Whereby all winners are selected by internet/email server, this email server visits all Internet providers and email address around the globe, be it .com, .org, .net and all country based web abbreviations, as you have .ca in Canada and .uk in United Kingdom, AOL and hotmails. We select one million email addresses from all over the globe after which 5 email addresses become the winning e-mail address.

WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?
This International Lottery was organized and sponsored by African Internet Society (AIS) to create more awareness for African internet Society and The South Africa 2010 Soccer World Cup.

DETAILS ON THE WINNINGS?

Your Winning Serial Number is: ZAR/1010/ZA/2009, Batch Number: 1710/ZA/2009.
Just contact our processing agent / regional claim department below for claiming of your prize and remember to quote your Serial and Batch Number for easy processing of your prize. That’s it!

Agent: Mr. Kular Christ
Tel: 00 27 71 041 9494
Email: kularchrist@kenn.zeichen.ws

To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please contact your agent with the following details in any correspondences with our designated agents.

1 ) Full Name:
2 ) Address:
3 ) Ticket Numbers:
4 ) Batch Number:
5 ) Serial Number:
6 ) Winning Number: & The Bonus
7 ) Date of Draw:
8 ) Phone Numbers:
9 ) Fax Numbers:
10 ) Email Address:
11 ) Sex:
12 ) Age:
13 ) Occupation:

You welcome by Irvin Khoza (chairman of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee)
Congratulations again