A new operating system to rival Windows will launch about this time next year.  On Wednesday, Google announced its new Chrome OS will release on netbooks and will build on its increasinly large Web 2.0 market.

This is a natural expansion for Google.  For years, they have had to rely on other operating systems like Windows and Apple (not to mention Linux) to bring their products to consumers.  Google has created a series of applications that move all of our data to the web and reduce the need to store files on our hard drives.  The new Chrome OS will build on this strategy and be a lightweight (i.e. it’s NOT going to eat up a lot of hard drive space), fast moving system for the growing netbook market.

This helps budget minded computer users as well.  I haven’t used Microsoft Office for a long time now.  Google Docs takes care of 95% of all of my file needs for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.  I use another third party application online to manage my banking accounts and everything is online making it easy for me to manage all of my business whereever I travel.  All I need is a web connection to keep things up to date.

I’ve been wanting to buy a netbook for some time now but might just wait a few more months to see how this develops.  My only concern is that developers come up with new software designed to run like Google and that it will run with or without a connection like Google Gears allows.  There are a few times where I might need to access a file when I’m not online and much of our church software (song presentation) is running on third party applications that could be ported over to the Web 2.0 format.

In any event, competition is a good thing.  Having Google as a competitor will make its rivals better innovators.  I can’t wait to see what Google’s OS will do.  You can bet I’ll be one of the first to give it a try once it’s available.

A File In the Noguchi System

Are you ready for a new way to file your “stuff”?  Perhaps the old file cabinets just aren’t doing it anymore?  While traditional methods of filing still very much have value, I’ve found a way that works for me and it came all the way from Japan.  It’s called the Noguchi system named after it’s apparent creator Yukio Noguchi.  I say apparent because Noguchi’s website is entirely written in Japanese and he’s never marketed this approach outside of his home country.  Years ago, I first read of this system at a website no longer in existence.  Since then, many have asked for a more thorough rendering of the system with appropriate diagrams on how to use it.  It’s really simple and not much explanation is needed but for those of you new to the system and wanting to try something different, let me give you a basic rundown of how the Noguchi system works.

At right you can see what a file in the system looks like.  To get started using the Noguchi system, you need to purchase some A4 or 9 x 12 envelopes at your local office supply store and then cut off the tops where you see the dotted line.  From there, you place a document that you want to file in the envelope and then label it at the side.  As you can see in the picture, the title of the document goes first, followed by the date, and then you can color code the file with a marker or label if you like.  Personally, I use the 1/2″ x 3/4″ self adhesive neon labels you can but at any office supply store.  I use different colors to code files for family, professional, church, school, or tax documents (I gave my tax documents their own color so I could find these easily when preparing my returns at the end of each year.

How to File a Noguchi File

Once you have your file completed, then it’s simple to put into the new system.  You simply file the document at the far left of your filing stack.  You file these documents vertically on a bookshelf.  Thus, the need for multiple filing cabinets is eliminated.  As you can see in the diagram at left the files are always filed to the far left thus, the most active files in the system will always be in the left side of your stack.  Using this system, when you access a file you automatically re-file it to the far left when you are done.  Lesser used files naturally migrate to the right of the stack.  The “Holy Files” that you see referenced in the diagram are old files that you no longer need in an active stack but you do not wish to discard. A simple filing box from the office supply store can quickly put these files in a place where they are easily found if needed months or even years later.  In most cases you will find several files will eventually wind up to the right and can be discarded whenever you choose to cull old files.  (For me, this is usually at the end of August).  After nearly four years of using the system, I have very few “Holy” files and my stack stays fairly neat and tidy.  I store everything from manuals, tax forms, medical records, church purchase orders, and insurance forms.  Obviously, there’s more but the beauty of this system is it can be naturally tailored to your use.

Another plus is that I find myself filing things much more quickly now than before.  I can quickly grab an envelope (I cut up several at a time) and label it when I need to file papers.  It takes a minute or so and the paper is quickly put away for easy retrieval when I need it.  The only horizontal file I really use anymore is my “43 folders” tickler file that is set up per David Allen’s instructions in “Getting Things Done”.

Many bloggers are asking for more thoroughness with the system but honestly, that’s all that’s required and all that I remember reading from the initial site that told of its design and use.  I’m sure if Noguchi really wanted the money, he could come up with an ebook to sell for $5 on the system to make it more complex but the beauty of the Noguchi filing system is it’s simplicity.  To try to add things to it would take away it’s very reason for using it.

The Noguchi system isn’t for everyone.  I know of many very “Concrete” and “Linear” thinkers that might find this a bit alarming.  But for someone who’s an “Abstract” organizer like me, the system does what I need it to do without creating a lot of clutter and stress.  So now you can think (or file) outside the box when it comes to storing your important documents.  Let me know if you try this and share your thoughts with me.

Screen Shot from GTDagenda

A few weeks back I received an email from Dan Baluta, creator of the online “Getting Things Done” application “GTDagenda”.  I was asked to try out the software and give it a review.  I wanted to be as thorough as I could so I asked Dan for a few weeks to actually use it on a daily basis as it’s designed to be utilized.  For the past month or so, I’ve used GTDagenda and gradually added my work to its various features.  I’m pretty comfortable navigating through it now so as I completed my re-reading of “Getting Things Done” this past week, I wanted to let you know about this software and see if you think it’s for you.

To begin with, GTDagenda is an online application.  This means you can access your task lists anywhere and even on your mobile phone.  I’m not an iPhone user but there’s an iPhone application you can add to your phone to use GTDagenda or you use one of its other mobile applications depending on your phone service.  I’ve gradually been moving all of my data to Web 2.0 applications where possible so this was a natural progression for me.

The screen shot at right is a good look at the “summary” of what GTDagenda provides.  Your goals in the top left are based on your levels of focus, the primary subject of Allen’s latest book, Making it All Work. As you identify your various goals, you will then begin to think about the outcomes of what you want to achieve and that will begin the process of “Project” lists.  Each project can then have any number of “Tasks” associated with it.  GTD fans are well aware of this process.  Each night, you review your various projects and their associated task lists and you then can mark certain tasks as “Next Actions”.  You can also add loose tasks that have no reference point as well.  You can then review your “Next Actions” list, print it, or write them down to add to a supplementary paper system.

Of course, you can use any number of context tags to add to your tasks so you can review by @call, @home, @errands, etc.  Again, these tags are familiar with Allen fans but they simply just divide the tasks so you do what needs doing depending on where you are and how much time you have.

GTDagenda is the first system I’ve used that gently nudges you to think about your various tasks and to what ends you are doing them.  If you define your goals ahead of time and strive to focus on things that will move you forward towards them, it does cause you to pause as you add a task to see if this task fits a project and ultimately, a goal.  The system incorporates all of Allen’s main points in GTD so fans of the system looking for an application that can manage everything from the most mundane tasks to their career and personal goals will like this.

Another addition that I enjoy is the “checklist” feature.  For repetitive daily and weekly tasks, you can set up your “checklist” area on GTDagenda and review them daily.  For me, I include such things as taking out the trash, working out, my daily devotional time, and routine weekly tasks associated with the church I pastor.  You can find numerous applications for this feature I’m sure.

One other thing I want to point out is that the system is customizable.  If you use other systems like Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits” or Leo Babauta’s “Zen to Done”, Baluta includes instructions on how to customize the various modules to work within these systems.  If you read my early morning post on developing a system, this site is pretty self-explanatory and you can devise something that works for you I’m sure.

GTDagenda has several levels of membership from free on up so it’s affordable, easy to use, and I think it works well for what I do to manage all of the inputs coming at me each day.  I will give it a solid recommendation for you and your productivity friends to try and see if it will work for you.  Let me know what you think when you try it out.  I think you will like GTDagenda!

On the web: https://www.gtdagenda.com/

On Friday I posted a review of the best selling productivity book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen.  In the review, I promised to review for you a new Web 2.0 application I’ve been experimenting with to manage my goals, projects, and task lists.  That review is coming later today so check back in a bit for that post!

For now, I wanted to share a post with you that’s a few months old to get you thinking about adopting SOME system to help you get more productive and feel at peace with your commitments.  Dustin Wax at the Lifehack blog had a great post in January on the need for a system…

Some read a lot of productivity books and sites like Lifehack and feel like they can take a little bit from here and a little bit from there and call it a day. Others hate the idea that someone like Stephen Covey or David Allen could know their own needs better than they do, and so reject the idea of using “someone else’s” system.

You can read the rest of his post here..

I’ll see you back here a bit later today!

Yesterday, I baptized a lady by the name of Peggy.  Peggy recommitted her life to Jesus earlier in the week and surprisingly, she had never been baptized.  When I explained to her about the reasons for being baptized and also the fact that Jesus modeled it for us, she wanted to follow the Lord in baptism also.  Since Peggy is in a hospital here in Denver, I wondered if the staff would allow a ceremony in their chapel.  They did and on a beautiful sunny Friday morning, Peggy came dressed in her hospital bathrobe and 20-25 of her closest friends.

Immersion baptism wasn’t possible but the staff at the hospital made every effort to bring what they could to the ceremony.  I explained that this was all about the heart and the actual act itself would be God honoring regardless.  The hospital is Catholic in origin and it’s beautiful stained glass sanctuary let in a marvelous prism of light.  The many colors danced in the sunlight as a cup of water from the baptismal font was brought forward for me to use by the hospital chaplain.

As her husband poured the water onto her head and I began to pray, I saw tears welling up in her eyes.  Her body is ravaged and doctors are doing all they can but in this moment, God’s Holy Spirit moved in a way no human being can ever hope to move.  I was reminded of the scene of Jesus’ baptism when he came up from the waters…

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
(Matthew 3:16 ESV)

The presence of God filled that space as we baptized her in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  People clapped and some raised hands in praise to the Lord.  Peggy hugged me tightly and thanked me for my time.  As a servant of God’s, I could see no other place I would rather be.

After shaking hands and posing for pictures, I left the family to their celebration.  Only God knows how the medical processes will work.  But on this day, Peggy confirmed to her God, her family, and friends that the Holy Spirit’s work had just begun and her eternal destiny is now secure.  It’s all about God.  To Him be all the glory and honor.

The sunlight on my face as I walked back to my car was warm and welcome.  God’s presence was amazingly powerful as I thanked him for calling me to serve Him.  I’m still awed that he called me out from a successful career to serve Him in a place where I knew no one.  He has guided me every step of the way and never failed me.  I love Him.  That’s enough.

Be blessed this holiday weekend.

The Cover to the GTD Audio Book

I’ve been a fan of business consultant and author David Allen for several years now.  In 2004, I purchased his world-wide best selling book “Getting Things Done” and read it over a few days.  In a few short weeks, I was busy getting my “mind like water” (a reference in the book for peace!) and putting my tasks into well organized lists/

Over the years, I’ve experimented with a number of ideas, tricks, and tips in an effort to tweak things but ultimately, Allen’s methods are the ones that work best for me because they begin with the end in mind.  Recently, I decided to re-read GTD via audio book (hence the audio book cover at right) and reviewed my old notes from five years ago and realized I needed to tighten up some areas of my overall planning.  The author recommends this because we tend to forget little things along the way.

The essence of Allen’s system (for those who’ve yet to read the book) consists of a workflow chart that forces you to take action on each and every item that is tugging for your attention.  To be brief, Allen insists you do the following.

• Collect
• Process
• Organize
• Execute

There’s obviously more to consider but for the most basic setup, this really is it.  You take the time to record items coming at you for action, process them into various lists depending on their context, and then organize your day around executing those tasks that need to be completed.  The result is a “mind like water” as you are proactive in your planning.  This takes away the stress of being reactive every time something comes your way.  Your system will allow you to move on tasks that otherwise might get lost if you only keep them in your head.

There’s so much to discuss here but it’s best for your to read it yourself.  Allen really breaks down not only the day-to-day stuff that needs done but also gives you the opportunity to spend some time on long range goals which sometimes get put on the back burner of our lives.  Planning long range is what brought me back to college for a graduate degree and also to look 3-5 years out for our church building that we now occupy.  The process DOES work.  But it only works if you put in the effort.  If you read the book and do nothing other than simple to-do lists, you will not benefit much.  That’s why when people ask me about the book, I recommend you read the book first either as an ebook or paperback but the text has many diagrams and charts in it designed to ease you into the process.  The audio book is valuable but for me, it made sense listening to it with a knowledge of the system as it reminded me of some areas I was lacking in.  If you simply cannot read the actual text of the book, then do allow yourself the audio book.  It’s an abridged version and runs about 2:48 long  (3 cd’s).

On Monday, I’ll share with you a Web 2.0 app I’ve been experimenting with over the past few weeks to manage my lists and various areas of focus.  Have a great weekend!

Seth Godin writes on his blog that he is in disagreement with Malcolm Gladwell over the concept of “free” in the market place.  Here’s an interesting comment:

In an attention economy (like this one), marketers struggle for attention and if you don’t have it, you lose. Free is a relatively cheap way to get attention (both at the start and then through viral techniques).

I agree with Godin.  In the business world, free opens the doors for many other items that you may wish to purchase.  Each month, “Christian Audio” gives away a free audiobook for you to listen to.  There are no strings attached and the quality is outstanding.  Why do this?  To get you to come back and purchase other books.  I have.  Once I experienced the quality and got hooked on listening to their books, I wanted more.

A lot of online writers are offering up small pieces of work for free so that you can “try” their product. Leo Babauta at “Zen Habits” did this when he offered up a shortened ebook to promote his first published one.  It was a great idea.  It opened up vistas for new readers, created some needed viral marketing, and if had value!  It wasn’t just a cheap download that only had value if you bought the book.  It stood on its own.

As print media vanishes it will be imperative for writers to find ways to communicate with their fans and potential fans.  The concept of “free” has merit.  What do you think?

I’ve not really done much of a review of my data like I should when checking out my visitors and the most popular posts but I figured it might make a good review post given that these are the posts you’ve read the most.  Those of you on my Twitter stream, got an early preview of these posts yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon and evening..But for those who didn’t, here are the top 5 posts (by total views) that this blog has received in the last quarter.

#5 “Twitter Ego” I just posted this last week so I was surprised at the number of views it received so quickly.  I wasn’t really trying to criticize but merely make an observation as to what constitutes a good follower base for Twittering.

#4 “Circa Steno” The Levenger company has quite a following so this one didn’t surprise me.  People want to read others’ experiences with the products since most of them are purchased online.  I’m a big fan of Circa/Rollabind products and use them extensively so I like to share my thoughts on the products I buy.

#3 “Moleskine Fans on a Budget” My review of the Piccadilly notebook that pretty much clones the Moleskine.  Another no brainer in terms of views since the Moleskines have their own website and loyal following.

#2 “The Cussing Pastor” Ed Young’s video on pastors using what many term “mild” cuss words during their communication.  This has been a hot button issue that many have picked up on and in less than 11 days, this post shot to the number two spot on my views for the quarter.

And finally…the number one post in the past quarter…It was actually a bit of a surprise….

#1 “Piccadilly Sundial Agenda Review” My review at mid-June of the “Sundial Agenda” planner evidently was a hit with many.  In just over two weeks, this post received more views than any other in the past three months.  It is a pretty cool planner but I was really surprised at the total number of views this post received..and it’s still getting more.

When looking at just the just the past month, not much changed really other than my post on “Marketing Discipleship” came in at #4 for the month.  It bumped the “Circa Steno” review out but the other top four listed above remained.

So far the busiest day in my young blog’s life was in January when 204  people dropped by on a Wednesday (1-7-09) to check out the posts here.  And since I moved all of my blogging here 15 months ago, this past month has been the second highest month for total views next to January of this past year.

All of that to say “Thank You” for stopping by here.  I’m humbled that with so many choices to read these days, so many folks come by here to read and interact with the posts.  I’m grateful to have made so many new friends and look forward to many more years of fruitful blogging if God allows!  Have a great July!

In his book “The 7 Practices of Effective Ministry”, Andy Stanley asks his readers to start the process outlined in his book by doing one thing: Clarifying the Win. What is it you are shooting for?  What steps do we take to get there.  As a pastor, our church meets quarterly to remind ourselves what business we are in.  I regularly mention it from the pulpit.  We are in the business to create transformed lives.  To use a term coined by pastor and author Nelson Searcy, we track RTL’s or “Radically Transformed Lives”.

It’s easy to get caught up in the daily administrative work that must be done to keep a church moving forward.  It’s easy to create a lot of “busy” work to give yourself and others the impression that you are effectively using your time.  This applies in all areas of work but in the pastorate it can take the form of many little tasks that would be better delegated or those that could be done more efficiently.  This week, two very different people made decisions to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and thus, began the process of RTL’s.  One is perhaps nearing the end of his life (only God knows) and the other is in the very beginnings of her adult life and is having a child.  Both saw need of a savior and both have now inherited eternal life from the Master and Creator of all things.

To be certain, those mundane tasks must be done.  But as I sat outside on my porch last night and began to consider the week’s events, God used it to bring back a point that I always try to keep front and center.  HIS kingdom is what matters.  While the “other” things have value, if they are not being tweaked to bring about repentance and RTL’s then they need to be scrapped no matter how nice they look and no matter how much they keep us “busy”.  If all my energy isn’t being poured into RTL’s, then I’m wasting my life energy that He gives me.  Even pastors need a re-calibration from time to time.

In your business, as a pastor or otherwise, have you Clarified the Win?  As a Christian serving in the local church (if you are not the pastor), let me ask you…Are you working toward seeing yours and others’ lives changed?  How many RTL’s are you seeing?  While Salvation begins the journey, we are called to disciple and mature in our faith.  In business, we should celebrate the wins in our company.  Even when I worked in radio, our department (On Air) celebrated accoplishments from time to time.  No matter how small it was, it was our time to keep our team together.  In the church, we celebrate as lives are transformed for God’s glory.

If you’ve not taken time lately to “re-calibrate” and find out why it is you are doing what you are doing, now would be a good time to do it or at least make a note to ponder it at your next break!  May God Bless you today.

To build on my repost of Jay Baines’ writing yesterday, I wanted to give you some additional reading on this topic.  Mike St. Pierre at “The Daily Saint” put together a snippet on how to make sure you make time for the Almighty…

As my seminary professors turn over in disgust at this post’s title, I fully acknowledge that (theologically speaking) God is already everywhere.  No need to await His arrival and yet our mindfulness of God is at times lacking.

You can read the rest, including his tips by clicking here!

The reality is many Christians make very little time for God much less those who don’t know Him.  How do we improve?  What can we do?