Tag: gregupdate

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from 14 Jan 2023, taken during a walk at Kent Park.

Three Years Later

In about two weeks we will all be looking back on three years since the start of the pandemic. For some people life has returned to normal. For others, it hasn’t.

I’ve been working just about every day during that period — weekdays, weekends, morning to night. During “break times” when I’m not 100% focused on helping someone with their tech needs, I’m catching up on the administrative aspects of running a business. I remember heading into November 2020 feeling wiped out and needing a break. The holidays rushed past, with support requests pouring in even on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years. It’s been non-stop for three years now.

There’s been a decline in the quality of tech products and services. At the same time, customer support has become more of a quagmire with complex support automation and longer hold times. This means there are more problems to solve, and the resources needed to solve them are fewer.

Because problems are more frequent, and solving them takes longer, it’s increased my workload. I’ve had to let go of some businesses I was supporting to make room for more individuals with support needs.

The chaos in the industry described above (poor products and dwindling support) could result in greater tech support costs for people. Someone needing 5 hours per year of support in the past may now need 20 hours or more per year. I’m trying to absorb some of the cost and look for innovative ways to delivery more support to more people for less cost per person through free online support materials and guides. Also, I’ve kept my hourly rates the same as they have been for over 20 years.

In addition to the general poor state of technology these days, there are increases in the number of security threats. If you follow the news, you know that scams are on the rise and coming at consumers from every angle: text messages, emails, phone calls, pop-up ads, postal mail, and social media scams.

It’s really a challenging time to be in the tech industry. A December 2022 report from Stanford states: “… in 2022 alone, over 120,000 people have been dismissed from their job at some of the biggest players in tech – Meta, Amazon, Netflix, and soon Google.” [Source]

This month I noticed two separate global banking institutions had gone completely offline. Their websites simply wouldn’t load. I checked a site that reports on such things, and people around the world were having the same problem loading those sites.

In January 2023, NPR reported on attacks of the national electric grid. [Source] About two weeks ago, the FBI stopped a neo-Nazi plan to bring down Baltimore’s electric grid. [Sources: PBS – Reuters]

We’re seeing massive outages. It’s possible that some workers among those 120,000 who were laid off may have been serving some important support roles.

Yesterday, Feb 17, a report by Ars Technica revealed that another major data breach happened to LastPass, the group that maintains logins for numerous critical systems around the world. A highly positioned employee had their home computer hacked, resulting in access to critical information. [Source]

Four days ago, the Wall Street Journal reported an increase in iPhone thefts where the victim loses all their contacts, emails, photos, and files in a matter of minutes after being locked out of all their accounts and having their bank accounts drained. [Source]

As reported in September 2022, one group of 12 people from the Minneapolis area engaged in targeted smartphone thefts that resulted in $300,000 in total losses for a total of over 40 victims. That’s just one theft ring – in one city. [Source] So, the losses to individuals are increasing.

Just at the moment when “big tech” needs to step up to protect consumers, the industry has decided to jettison the most skilled workers in an effort to “downsize” and maximize profits. It’s like railroad companies cutting back on safety measures. Bad things happen.

I’ve described above the “state of tech” as we head into 2023.

In these first two months of the year, I’ve been following other important news stories: earthquakes in Turkey, war in Ukraine, economic collapse in various countries, climate extremes, environmental concerns globally, severe drought in the states reliant on the Colorado River. The list goes on.

At present, it doesn’t seem possible that the wars will cease, or that water will flow from dry sand to end the drought, or the rubble left after multiple earthquakes will be replaced with newly restored communities. To those who stay informed about these and other stories, one may conclude that it’s time for something similar to Hospice for Humanity.

I live in Iowa where, at least up to this moment, we find ourselves on the end of the sinking ship that is above water. This results in a sense of being wearily grateful. We don’t have atmospheric rivers, mudslides, earthquakes, forest fires, regular flooding, drought, war, and other challenges.

I feel that offering tech support is a way of serving the people in our community, and indirectly helping people around the world. As I talk to others here in our community, they share my concerns about the state of the world, and, like me, they are looking for ways to help in areas where people are suffering. They give to charity and offer their expertise to help. In this way, I feel my efforts are multiplied. I’m helping those who are looking for ways to bring healing to the world.

Years ago I visited an elderly woman in the hospital. She was not expected to leave the hospital. I’d gone to say goodbye. She had little strength left in her. I think it was two or three days later I went to visit the woman’s family to offer some comfort in a difficult time. I was greeted at the door by a woman who had just finished baking some pies — one pie was in hand. I entered, and it took me a moment looking at the woman with the pie to realize it was the dying woman from a few days ago. As you might imagine, I was a bit confused. Apparently she had a somewhat miraculous recovery.

I mentioned above that it may be time for a kind of Hospice for Humanity. It seems that way sometimes. But I want to remember the elderly woman in the hospital who recovered and think about how humanity can recover. That’s the image I want to focus on and the future I want to work toward.

Actors

I saw an inspiring message by Sally Field from the Screen Actors Guild awards on Sunday, 26 Feb 2023. I’m sharing it here because it’s touching and inspiring. I hope you like it.

• UPDATE: For some reason, as of 21 Apr 2023 the official video has been removed from the Screen Actors Guild YouTube channel.

Subscribe

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

Thanks

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

GREETINGS

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from 18 Dec 2022, looking out the window through condensation at a winter sunrise.

December 2022 Content

There have been 15 new posts to the Resources For Life dot com website for the December 2022. These are mostly year-end reports on various topics with videos. To view these, visit the What’s New page. [View]

Public Interest Outcomes

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed teaching on various tech topics to groups of people at the University of Iowa, Kirkwood Community College, and at the Iowa City Public Library.

When I think about the need for digital literacy to be available to everyone in our community, I imagine starting a non-profit organization to serve that mission. I’d find board members to guide the organization. I’d seek out donors and corporate sponsors. I’d buy, build, or lease a facility where the digital literacy courses could be offered. I’d hire staff to teach the courses. Curriculum would be developed. There would be a lab with computers and other tech devices that get refreshed every few years as needed.

So often when I envision a new business or non-profit, I realize the goals and outcomes are already being served by an existing entity — usually above and beyond what I could have imagined. The successes and failures have already been experienced. Rather than trying to establish something new, I seek out what’s already established and working — then I support, donate, join, and/or volunteer.

In recent years, I’ve started donating to the Iowa City Public Library to support the series of free tech classes open to the public. [View ICPL Tech Classes]

This is a perfect example of envisioning a public interest outcome, then finding someone who is already achieving that outcome with great efficiency. It’s such a weight off to know that mission is already being served and with such excellence.

Everyone has had the experience of thinking “Wouldn’t it be great to have _____” or “Somebody should really _____.” Quite often, it turns out that what you’re imagining is already being done.

It’s difficult initially to give toward an enterprise where it’s not run precisely as you would run it. Maybe you’ve come up with a great catchy slogan or name for an organization and prefer that over what’s already established. If we can step back, and focus instead on actual outcomes, then the process is less important to us. The same goals are being accomplished.

When I learned that the library was offering tech classes, I suggested they create a dedicated page on the website to list them, and offered some suggestions on how that could be done. Their web person took care of the details. It was an opportunity to have a bit of input and personal influence. It also gave me a web page address to send people to in promoting the classes to my own computer customers and through social media. [View ICPL Tech Classes]

Through giving to the ICPL and perhaps in some way having some influence on the success of the library, I feel like I’m a shareholder of something really valuable.

Another example of “Wouldn’t it be great to have _____” is the idea of having a team of people who serve the retired and senior members of our community. I envisioned this more on the scale of a neighborhood, as “Home Services” that could be offered by able neighbors. On a small scale, close by, there is a lot we can do to help neighbors. I setup a Home Services page on the Resources For Life website. [Learn More] It’s a template for what neighborhoods could establish — basically make the entire city a retirement community, one neighborhood at a time. An organization called TRAIL of Johnson County is doing this county-wide, as a formal non-profit group with many people involved. It’s another example where I’ve decided to donate to an organization that’s already doing the thing I thought would be a good idea. It’s already being done, and being done very well. [Learn More About TRAIL] They now list me as a local resource for those needing tech help.

What’s really nice about Iowa City and Johnson County is that whatever you can think of, it’s probably already being done. You can give and get involved, and feel good about the impact.

TECH ARTICLES

My tech writings, buying guides, and support documents for December 2022 are on the Iowa City Tech website featured on the posts page. Only a few new items were added last month. [View]

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from a walk at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area in Iowa City on 23 Nov 2022.

Fall 2022 Content

There were 38 new posts to the Resources For Life dot com website for the fall 2022 season (Aug-Sep-Nov). A variety of topics are covered including world news, healthcare, religion, politics, and environmental issues. Some interesting music videos are also featured. I’ll share some of that below. To view all of the fall posts and articles, visit the What’s New page. [View]

Tech Articles

My tech writings, buying guides, and support documents for the fall 2022 season are on the Iowa City Tech website featured on the posts page. [View]

Singing Circle

The video below is from one of the music-related posts for fall 2022. The singer Michal Elia Kamal of the band “Light in Babylon” from Istanbul, Turkey was a guest of a singing circle in Tel Aviv called “Unite in Babylon” performing the Hebrew song “Hinech Yafa” (25 Apr 2018)

Subscribe

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

Thanks

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

GREETINGS!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from a walk at Lake Macbride on 8 Oct 2022. It’s a nice example of the colors of fall in Iowa.

Resources For Life News

For the Resources For Life website, I’m now providing seasonal newsletters rather than monthly installments. The fall newsletter was posted on 30 Oct 2022. [View]

Tech Recycling

As a result of my tech work, people give me their old computers, electronics, power cords, and other tech accessories. These are items that typically contain plastics and metals that shouldn’t be throw in the trash. If still functional, they may be of use to someone, or should at least be recycled to separate the materials and inner components to be repurposed.

Some devices need to be securely erased or reset before sending to a recycling facility. Working but slightly older devices can be sold on eBay. The selling process requires photos and descriptions for items being sold. I’ve been pleased to have a use for the collection of boxes and envelopes that accumulate from shipments received.

I’m estimating it will take me several months to slowly go through the excess items I have. I’ve created a resource page with recycling information for the Iowa City area to help others who are wanting to get rid of their old tech devices. [View]

Companies like Nimble sell tech accessories made from recycled materials, and with every product sold, they pay the shipping for a pound of your old electronics to be recycled. This seems like a nice full-cycle approach to responsible tech sales. [Learn More] Outfitters like The North Face are also pursuing circularity.

The Circular Business Model is described in Harvard Business Review in this way: “…manufacturing companies are talking about what’s often called the circular economy—in which businesses create supply chains that recover or recycle the resources used to create their products. Shrinking their environmental footprint, trimming operational waste, and using expensive resources more efficiently…” [Source]

These efforts help reduce electronic waste (e-waste) and preserve a cleaner planet for the next generation.

100% Solar Printing and Scanning

Using small-scale solar energy for powering specific devices has been a fun learning experience. I have a single solar panel that generates 65 to 70 watts of power in direct sunlight. The energy is stored in two battery packs of about 500Wh total. Even with the shorter days of fall heading into winter, and the sun getting lower in the sky, there continues to be a surplus of solar power beyond what I can use for the items I’m running on pure solar power.

Other than charging smartphones, small electronics devices, and AA rechargeable batteries, I have two power-hungry devices running on solar power. I have an old Dell laptop computer that pulls about 50-watts when charging (about two hours once a week). I also have a printer that uses about 10-watts with occasional 20-watt loads. When not in use, I turn it off. Since I’m only using it a few minutes a day, it isn’t a significant drain on my available energy.

The ability to print with 100% solar power is enjoyable. I use paper made from sawmill waste chips. The paper is manufactured using wind energy and hydropower. With the print setting usually on draft mode, the ink used is minimal. I make sure to have a small notice on each document printed indicating that the printing is 100% local solar power with eco friendly paper. I feel it’s important to distinguish local solar from energy credits or offsets.

To avoid having piles of paper around my desk and office, I scan all paper documents. This declutters and makes it easy to find items later. Postal mail items, invoices, receipts, notes, and bills are all scanned, shredded, and recycled. Any envelopes, cards, or scraps of usable paper are repurposed rather than recycled.

Free is Too Expensive

I created a website in August called Iowa City Free to help distribute items locally rather than selling them online. I did my best to offer many very nice working new items that are typically in high demand such as webcams, smart speakers, and more. I promoted this to thousands of people. Over several weeks of effort, only one person responded.

It seems that most people want to click a button to order something new online and have it shipped to them. The money isn’t an issue. It’s more a matter of convenience and selection. I can understand that. Another consideration is that people feel they can afford to buy things, and don’t want to deprive someone who is truly needy. “Oh, no. Let someone else have it.” I guess that says something about the community I live in.

Of the people who are financially strained, who might be interested in free items, they find that free is too expensive. They don’t have a means of transportation to come and get free items. I could ship items to needy people, but they have no permanent address. They would like a computer, but have no money for Internet service. There’s a long list of support and resources needed by people who are in difficult circumstances.

For the Iowa City area, we have an organization called CommUnity Crisis Services that offers an array of services and resources to meet people’s needs. That’s probably a better way to get support to those who need it.

An aspect of the Iowa City Free initiative was to also provide simple conveniences to neighbors, particularly those who are elderly. Perhaps someone needs an envelope and stamp, or needs a FAX sent. Simple items and services can be a great help to others and require very little from the person offering them. This aspect of Iowa City Free is further explained on the Home Services web page.

Reverse Flow Currency Economy

The key for a healthy economy is to have money (or value) flowing. The traditional flow of money is from the recipient of a product or service to the provider — consumers buying things.

In the 1970s, the closest experienced to a Google search was provided by Lexis (for legal documents) and Nexis (for magazine articles) — these later merged to become LexisNexis. I was able to test out these services in the early 1970s during their rollout. These services were available for about $100 per hour initially. That’s about $670 per hour in today’s dollars.

By the late 1990s, Google launched a more comprehensive search service for free — equivalent to money (or value) flowing to consumers at a rate of $670 per hour across billions of computer screens. Trillions of dollars in value per day. Lexis still has value for legal research, but most everything else is available on Google, including 10 million miles of 360-degree street view for maps.

Today when searching the Internet, it is possible to earn money or other valuable rewards (such as planting trees or donating cash to non-profit groups). This is an example of reverse flow currency economy.

This past week, natural gas prices dropped below zero in Texas and Europe. I suppose that means people receive checks in the mail instead of bills. Or maybe it’s like the oil industry where profits climb, but consumers pay more at the pump.

In my own business of tech consulting, I’ve had situations where a person needs computer repair services, and I provide them with a replacement computer and the tech support needed to set it up — for free. I regularly have opportunities for profit sharing to benefit my customers — rather than shareholders. Because my customers are my shareholders. Throughout the year, this takes the form of discounts, cash back, gifts, and sometimes tech accessories or peripherals.

It will be interesting to see how our world economy changes in the years ahead with more being available for zero dollars or negative dollars.

Life as a Generalist

I’ve been thinking about how the Iowa City Free website might evolve to serve local needs. Having area services listed in a single place can be helpful, so that’s at least one benefit of the site.

I received a call this morning, midway through writing this article, from someone needing to find a home for some hens. The caller was told by someone to contact me as a community resource person who might know how to find a home for these hens. This was a referral as a result of the Iowa City Free initiative. I was able to provide some guidance. It was nice to be considered as someone with expertise in finding homes for hens.

My life-long full-time vocation has been as a technologist, but I also try to be a modestly informed generalist in a variety of topics. I think this is inspired and strengthened by having a liberal arts education. Whatever a person’s primary career may be, the application of their skills and insights can be expanded by having a broad-based education and familiarity with the world. This broad and global perspective helps me better understand the needs and life of the diverse people I serve.

One day I was on LinkedIn and took a moment to review my list of skills, as submitted by the people who know me. It’s an impressive list of 31 skills. One day I hope to live up to the perception others have of me. Missing from the list is the skill of tech services provider — the one skill that has been my life-long career and specialty. This doesn’t discourage me. My resume and referrals from loyal customers over several decades affirm to me that my tech abilities are recognized and valued. But it’s an interesting example of how we may become known for something other than how we would define ourselves.

Trust in Democracy

Some years ago, I was hired by a group to promote public support of a project. I was very enthusiastic about the project and offered support above and beyond what I was paid for. I believed that the project would be welcomed by our community. It was for improvements to some local government buildings. As is typical with taxpayer-funded projects, there were some people in favor and some people against it.

My feeling was that the strongest and most effective support of the project would be achieved through clearly and fairly offering all perspectives. With approval, I made video recordings of those speaking in opposition to the proposal. I produced videos of their presentations with nicely styled visuals and PowerPoint slides.

I believed if the public could hear a fair, balanced, and effective presentation of all viewpoints, the consensus would be in favor of the project. A super-majority of votes was needed for approval.

I still believe the effort I made was the most effective way to promote the project and give it the best chance of success. Being respectful of people, even if they are in opposition to something you support, is the best choice. Acknowledging good points made by opposition is the most honest and reasonable response. Being rude, insulting, and unfairly trying to discredit someone in opposition angers those who are the target of such treatment and causes one to lose the respect and support of those who are undecided.

Ultimately the project did not receive a super-majority of support. However, had I chosen to engage in ‘dirty politics’ for the promotion of the project, I believe it would not have had as much community support and votes as it did receive.

In many respects Iowa City is a small town. After the election, I would frequently encounter many of the people who had strongly opposed the project. They would stop and engage in a friendly conversation. Some thanked me for my help in opposing the project. I think some people believed I was working in opposition to the project — because I was always friendly, polite, and respectful at public events. They just assumed I must be on their side.

I’ve approached other public initiatives and politics in general with the same perspective. I trust Democracy more than my own subjective opinions and views. It is certainly an effective mechanism to determine what serves the sentiments of a majority. Given a respectful, educated, and informed public, Democracy helps us aggregate a diversity of views and ideas to find what our collective crowd-sourced ‘super-computer’ intellect concludes is an ideal approach to a challenge or goal.

We have a midterm election coming up on November 8. I’ve always waited until Election Day to vote. This year I voted early. I want to make the shift in mindset to vote early. It feels uncomfortable — like celebrating a religious holiday at a convenient day of my own choosing. Similar to observing Passover or Easter in August.

Election Day is the equivalent of a religious holiday for those who value democracy. I think I will always recognize the official day as special and worthy of observance and reflection — perhaps by reading history books or watching movies and documentaries about democracy. It might be nice to have some traditional Election Day ornaments that symbolize the people, places, events, and principles of democracy. It’s an opportunity to revisit high points and low points in the history of democracy, and to think about how we can foster an ecosystem that supports vibrant democracy. The thing about self-governance is that you don’t really notice it or appreciate it. When fascism rises up, you notice that.

We currently have some people who want to leapfrog over democracy. They don’t pursue respectful dialog or value being considerate of others. They believe the most aggressive and heavily-armed people should rule. They have formed militia groups operating independently from and in opposition to government entities. They have spawned extremist individuals and groups. Their dream for America would be marauding hoards of militants vying for power, guided by an ever changing constellation of conspiracy theories.

Below is a two-minute video commentary that summarizes the danger of increased violence in American politics. The video is from 2016, but in today’s political climate, in light of ongoing aggression directed at legislators, this video seems even more relevant. [Source]

As people understand, value, and trust in democracy, we can reduce the trend toward violent uprisings and civil war which is a destructive “continuation of politics by other means.” A peaceful healthy democracy is always better than the alternatives.

Disclaimer: In business and public interest endeavors, I work with a wide spectrum of people who represent various political and social perspectives. I’ve encountered respectful, intelligent, competent, and trustworthy people who come from a variety of backgrounds. So, I’m disinclined to wholly endorse a single narrow group with a blanket statement of approval while rejecting any other group — political, religious, or otherwise. Instead, I support and advance certain values and principles wherever they may be fostered.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

GREETINGS!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is the view looking southwest from Trumpet Blossom Cafe on 24 Sep 2022. It’s nice to see flowers and pollinators in urban areas.

This month’s update is longer than others from recent months. I hope you enjoy it.

Photography

I’ve created a page to share my photography. At present there is a photo that was published in a book about Lake Tahoe. I hope to add more links and materials to the page in the coming months. [View Page]

Tech Tips for Protecting Vision and Hearing

I wrote an article today with some tips on tech devices and settings for protecting vision and hearing. [View]

It’s a topic I’ve written on in the past, but I wanted a refreshed version of the information.

Tea Time

I’ve been drinking more tea lately, and keep several varieties brewed and chilled for drinking throughout the day. Having a variety helps make drinking tea interesting and flavorful. So, I’m less likely to get bored and lose interest.

I have a simplistic way of visually categorizing the teas based on their appearance when brewed. There are a few different common colors that tea might have once brewed.

I like to have a fruity tea on hand. These are not made from tea leaves so they are called a tisane. This is usually red it appearance because of the color from hibiscus and berries which are common ingredients. The chai spiced tisane blends can have an orange or brown color when brewed. I like to have traditional green teas and black teas either hot or cold. Some of the teas have a light green color. Others have a dark traditional tea color.

So, through the day, I can keep drinking a variety of teas, benefiting from their unique properties, and enjoying the variety of flavors.

In recent years, purchasing tea in 1-pound bags as resulted in a surplus of tea. I want to use up the tea that has accumulated and then start trying some new teas.

Spiced Coffee

A tea-adjacent beverage I enjoy is fresh ground local roasted coffee mixed with chai spices like ginger, cinnamon, green cardamom, black pepper, clove, and allspice. Mixed with milk, this results in a delicious spiced coffee similar to Lebanese coffee.

Low Cost Low Power Tech

It’s part of our human nature to want to share experiences.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m interested in devices that can be used by as many people around the world as possible. This is why I’m most excited about devices that are priced economically and have low power requirements to operate.

In my own daily life, relying more on solar power, I’m becoming more interested in low power tech devices. Installing more solar panels really isn’t “the answer” for most homes. A few solar panels are easily purchased and setup, but many people don’t have the space or view of the sky for an array of 5, 10, 20, or more panels. Small-scale solar is more practical, affordable, and possible for people.

Present-day household appliances and electronic devices have very high power demands. The ideal combination would be small-scale solar paired with low power devices. In this month’s update I share about some interesting low-cost low-power devices.

The computer for Everybody

I was able to purchase the Raspberry Pi model 400 computer in March of this year when it was available for $100. It is a keyboard that contains a computer and comes with a mouse. [Learn More]

The Raspberry Pi Foundation states on their products website: “… we make computing accessible and affordable for everybody.”

One of the challenges with making a computer for everybody is that everybody wants one. As a result, they are now in high demand for their practical value, and also as a novelty item. This is driving prices up. They are being sold on Amazon now for about $190. [View]

One of the greatest benefits of the Raspberry Pi computer is that the operating system can be installed and a computer setup in about 3 minutes or less of hands-on time. The setup includes an open-source office suite of software with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation software, an email client, and an Internet browser. The operating system is a version of Linux, so it is compatible with the millions of Linux computers around the world. The interface is similar to Windows, making it easy for most people to use.

The computer uses about 5 watts of power, so it’s a great choice for people using solar power.

Before you ditch your current computer and order a Raspberry Pi, you should know that it’s suited for basic tasks, but most intensive computer users would still need a typical desktop system for their typical workload.

Amazon Kindle Scribe

On 29 Sep 2022, Amazon announced various updated versions of their products and a few new devices. In my opinion, one of the most interesting products announced is a new 10.2-inch Kindle reader with digital ink note taking capabilities. It’s called the Kindle Scribe. It is priced at about $330 to to $420 depending on the configuration. [View]

These devices promise 12 weeks of use between charges based on 30 minutes of reading a day (or 42 hours), or about 3 weeks of writing 30 minutes a day (or 10.5 hours). It’s clear that the battery life estimates in weeks, as provided by Amazon, are based on casual periodic reading and not all-day use of the device.

The battery life for reading is longer due to the special static display technology of Kindle Paper White displays. Writing requires an active display with higher refresh rate, and this uses more power, so the expected runtime on a single charge is less.

The battery life estimates are based on a backlight level setting of 13, but since the Paper White technology generally doesn’t rely on any backlighting, I’m very curious to see what the battery life would be in a real-world daily use scenario without the backlight on.

You’ve heard of people tailoring their driving habits to optimize fuel efficiency, particularly with hybrid vehicles. This is known as Hypermiling. That’s what I want to do with this new Kindle Scribe system to find out if it can be used as an ultra low power alternative to computers — at least for reading and writing, which are two of the most predominant tasks we use computers for.

Depending on the power demands of the Kindle Scribe, it may be an excellent tech device to run entirely from solar power.

All versions of the Scribe include either a basic stylus or an enhanced stylus. This new stylus technology does not use batteries, and does not need charging. By including the stylus for free, Amazon is clearly wanting to entice customers and stand out from Apple — given that an Apple Pencil (stylus) is a separate $130 purchase. [View]

I’ve pre-ordered a lower price Amazon Scribe model with the enhanced stylus for review. I want to do some testing of the device to creatively explore the range of tasks can it perform, and also discover the real-world battery life. The devices will be shipping and available in stores on November 30.

If you mostly use your computer for reading and writing, a Kindle Scribe may be a helpful and simple tool for much of your work.

The Kindle Scribe seems like a good tech device for places in the world with limited electricity and Internet access since it can hold thousands of books and easily run on solar power. As we increasingly see power outages in the United States and elsewhere, having an energy efficient device can be a good device to have available.

For reading without note taking, Amazon is releasing a new Kindle in ten days that will cost $99 and have many tech benefits beyond what a computer can provide. [Learn More]

One Million Views

I was happy to learn that my photos posted to Google Maps have had over one million views. These are mostly posted with my written reviews of businesses, but also include photos of parks and other destinations.

Google Maps gives me access to a much larger audience than my own website or social media services like Facebook that functions as a broker between me and my contacts, requiring that I pay to share posts more thoroughly and effectively with my family and friends.

The photos posted to Google Maps are adequate, but not as sharp as the originals. So, it’s not a way to showcase photos with great clarity and precision, but they are good snapshot quality sufficient for people wanting to get a general idea of visuals. The quality is reduced by Google so the photos require less bandwidth to display and less storage space.

You can view my Google profile page to see the reviews and photos. [View]

The $29 Smart TV

Today I received the new Google Chromecast system. It’s a small $29 device that provides smart TV streaming with HD (High Definition) resolution output of 1920×1080 pixels. [Product Page]

It’s a lower resolution video compared to 4K, but it’s the standard that we’ve come to accept for high definition video over the past 20+ years. A higher resolution 4K version is available for $40 on sale, normally $50. [View]

The 4K resolution system would produce a resolution of commonly 3840×2160, but that’s not needed for lower resolution televisions, and it requires a faster processor, faster internet, and more storage capacity. So, it’s an example of where the lower tech vintage standard may serve just as well as the newer standard.

My interest in this device is prompted by fiber internet service being installed in Iowa City by a Cedar Rapids company called ImOn. [Website]

This has resulted in many people having video streaming tech questions for me. I’m familiar with Roku, Apple TV, and some other streaming options, but I wanted to be familiar with this cheaper $29 option as possibly a better streaming options for people to use.

With a low-power portable flat panel HDMI display, and this smart TV device, it would be possible to have a tiny television that could run on battery power for many days. This interests me because it’s a good device to power with the off-grid solar system I’ve been using.

SOLAR POWER

Last month I switched to solar power for most of my tech devices. A small panel and two battery packs allow me to have unlimited solar-sourced power through overcast days and at night. I’m using solar power for my smartphones and wireless accessories like mice, keyboards, trackpads, headphones, watch, and rechargeable AA batteries.

The power packs have an LCD display to show power input from the solar panel and power output. This makes me more aware of how much wattage is received from the sun, and used with devices.

Because printing and scanning are relatively low power, and used briefly, I am able to do all of my printing and scanning using 100% solar power. I found some paper available at Best Buy that is made from sawmill scraps and produced using wind and solar energy. [View]

I hope to expand on these small measures of progress, starting with an easily attainable foundation of sustainability and growing from there.

This helps meet a goal of using and promoting more sustainable technology choices for the Iowa City Tech initiative. Having portable solar power lets me continue using solar power even when I’m at a remote job site. With multiple consecutive sunny days, I bring computers online and can complete customer service requests with solar power. People are encouraged when I can tell them that all the work on their computer was done using 100% solar power.

Year Month Day Date CODE

With filenames, documents, and even some online posts, I will use a date format that includes the year, month, and day to create a unique serial number for a document that makes it easier to find in my computer or on the web. For this document, since it is a monthly update, I only include the year and month (202210) in the title.

On my computer, I am able to quickly search for items created in October 2022 by searching for 202210. Even when adding contacts to my address book, I will include that date code in the notes so I can easily see a list of new people. This comes up in busy months when I might try to recall the name of a new customer from a few months ago. I can just search on 202207 to find all new customers from July.

IOWA CITY FREE

Last month, I wrote about the Iowa City Free project. [View Site] The website has a resources page that lists free services in the Iowa City area. [View]

I’ve been trying to give away items for free, but haven’t had much luck with that. For some reason, selling items is an easier way to downsize.

I may begin using eBay as a method for listing items at low prices with a broader audience so it doesn’t take as long to get items to people who need them. People in the Iowa City area can get items for no shipping cost. I may figure out a way to keep the items free for people who request that.

Giving items away is an eco friendly way to downsize because recipients of items do not need to generate the income required to purchase those items new. Generating income typically has a negative impact on the environment (such as traveling to work and using supplies or energy while working).

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Photo: Below is a photo I took on 16 Sep 2022 at Pikes Peak State Park. [Learn More]

GREETINGS!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from my morning walk today.

SOLAR POWER

This month I will be switching to solar power for most of my tech devices and work-related energy needs. This helps meet a goal of using and promoting more sustainable technology choices for the Iowa City Tech initiative. Having portable solar power lets me continue using solar power even when I’m at a remote job site.

I’m using some products from Jackery. [View] Using a 100W solar power panel, in 3.5 hours the 293Wh Jackery Explorer 300 system can be charged to about 80 percent (234 watts). [View] Presumably the difference between the 350 watts (3.5 hours at 100W) of charging energy and the 234 watts of resulting stored energy reflects the efficiency of the charging process.

The Jackery Explorer 300 is fairly small and light weight, so it can be carried in a backpack or on a bicycle. It allows access to solar generated power in any location at any time of day.

Having two Jackery Explorer 300 systems would allow for one to be in use and another to be charging on alternate days.

I may at some point purchase more of the folding portable 100W solar panels from Jackery (or build my own) which would allow simultaneous charging of multiple battery power storage units, of faster charging of larger ones.

I have access to a very large solar array of panels that produce thousands of watts of power most days. That normally gets pushed back into the grid, but any power captured and retained is more economical than what the power company pays. Using the solar array, it would be possible to use dual charging for the Jackery Explorer 300 and get an 80% charge in about 2 hours.

If you know someone with a solar array who is pushing power back into the grid, they would probably be more than happy to have you pay them the equivalent of 10 cents per kWh rather than getting paid a fraction of that from the power company. If you have an electric car or electric bicycle, this is a way to give yourself the electricity at full value rather than getting paid very little for the power pushed into the grid.

When you pay the power company 10 cents per kWh for electricity, but are only offered 5 cents per kWh for the power you give them, it seems unfair. The pricing is based on the fact that power companies pay wholesale for energy they buy or produce, and they resell it at retail prices. They can’t afford to pay retail prices for energy and resell it at the same price for zero profit. With zero profit they would not be able to pay their employees and maintain the national power grid.

Let’s say you make apple sauce. You can sell it to a grocery store for $3 per pint, and they will sell it for $5 per pint to their customers. Or you can sell that apple sauce directly to people you know for $5 per pint. However, you can’t sell that apple sauce to the grocery store for $5 per pint and have them sell it to other people for $5 per pint. They wouldn’t be able to pay their employees or bills.

Energy from the grid at 10 cents per kWh is fairly inexpensive. A $600 expense for a solar energy source is fairly high. For some people that could be equal to a year of electric bills. It would take some years to bring your solar sourced power cost down to 10 cents per kWh. An advantage of this type of solar powered battery backup system is that it can offer sustained power in an outage, it offers power in locations where no other sources exist, and it offers (hopefully) cleaner power.

DROUGHTS and Floods

Over the past week I was studying recent news of water scarcity and global flooding. I created posts for these topics with video news coverage from recent months. [ Water Scarcity News | Global Flooding News ]

I don’t spend an excessive amount of time going too deep into the details of these and other global crisis news stories, but I do want to be informed about what the rest of the world is going through and consider what can be done to help those who are impacted.

Some of us live in cities and communities not impacted by droughts, floods, fires, war, and other challenges. It seems to me that we have a responsibility to serve people who are struggling around the world.

Iowa City Free

The Little Free Library initiative promotes the installation of small library boxes in local neighborhoods. The “Free” aspect of that project is only a small part of the benefit provided. Of more value than the savings is the convenience of having books to read that are a short walk or bike ride distance for many people. This also helps build community.

Partly inspired by the Little Free Library project, I setup a website this past month called Iowa City Free. [View Site] It has a resources page that lists free services in the Iowa City area. [View] However, the primary goal of the site is to provide a list of free items available. It would be nice for there to be a “Little Free General Store” in neighborhoods across the city. For now, I’m just using the website for distributing items. I’m often given usable electronics and see this as a way to get these items to people who can make use of them.

Giving items away is an eco friendly way to downsize because recipients of items do not need to generate the income required to purchase those items new. Generating income typically has a negative impact on the environment (such as traveling to work and using supplies or energy while working).

Free used items compete well with new items. This reduces consumerism and the manufacturing of new items.

When downsizing, there are a few options depending on the items:

1. DONATE — Donate to stores like Crowded Closet, Goodwill, or the Habitat ReStore.
2. GIVE — Give away items that are too big and heavy to ship using eBay and inconvenient to sell.
3. ORGANIZE — Any items to be kept should be organized so they can be easily found, used, or distributed later.
4. SELL — Sell items on consignment through stores. [View List] Or, use eBay to sell unique items not likely to be in demand by any buyers in a 100 mile radius. An online service like eBay connects you with millions of potential buyers more likely needing whatever it is that you’re selling.
5. RECYCLE — Recycle cardboard, plastic, paper, glass, metal, and other items that aren’t usable.

Simplifying and minimalist living is a goal that many people have. The option of giving items away is an important part of downsizing.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

GREETINGS!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from about two years ago, on a nature walk 30 Jun 2020. 

Monthly Summary

The month of July was ver busy with tech work and website work, so I don’t have much new to report.

Google Pixel

This year, on 7 March 2022, security updates for my 2017-model Moto X4 phone were no longer available due to the outdated Android 9 operating system. I was hesitant to continue using a non-secure device given the many security breaches in the news recently.

My plan was to get another Motorola phone, either a Moto G series or Moto X series. I ended up having a need to buy a loaner phone for my tech library, so I purchased a Moto G Power 2022 for about $200 and that went out on loan right away. It lacks NFC for tap-to-pay purchases, but otherwise is a very nice smartphone with 3-day battery. I’ve seen it occasionally go on sale at about $160 on Amazon. I’ll get a chance to review that later upon its return to the tech library later this year.

I ended up getting a Google Pixel 6a as a replacement for my Moto X4. I’ve written a longer article on the topic if you’re interested. I originally included an early draft of the article in this month’s newsletter, but subsequently created a separate post on the topic. [Read Now]

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

GREETINGS!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photo above is from my morning walk on 26 June 2022.

Daily Walks

I’ve been going on daily walks each morning, and it’s been a really helpful practice to start each day off in nature with a clear head.

Earlier this year, pressured by an excessive workload, I had been starting my days early with desk work. Tech work is mostly sedentary whether sitting at my desk or someone else’s desk. So, the walks are a way to ensure some exercise and activity during the day.

The walks are also an opportunity to take some photos.

Adjusting Service Focus

I continue to provide tech support to people in the Iowa City area, and some from other locations who either moved or have been referred.

As the need for tech services has increased, and the time involved in resolving issues has increased, I’ve had to make adjustments to help as many people as possible.

I’ve been gradually reducing tech support for business customers and shifting my focus to mostly seniors and people serving in public interest work.

Breaking News

It seems like every day there is a major breaking news story. Usually these mark a continuation of an existing crisis or threat like climate change, natural disasters, or the war in Ukraine. Sometimes there is a new development that requires an adjustment in thinking or awareness.

On 24 June 2022, the Supreme Court issued a ruling on the Dobbs case which overturned about 50 years of legal precedents. I’ve written a brief commentary about the ruling. [View]

I spent the past year developing a fiction short story about what might happen if the United States became the Divided States. I decided to stop developing the story because it was too dark and implausible. The ruling one week ago by the Supreme Court has started in motion the unfolding of events that I was concerned about. This is explained in my commentary. [View]

It can sometimes be difficult to stay focused on day to day work when such significant developments and changes are happening around us. A person wants to stay informed and responsibly involved in civic obligations. So, I’m trying to keep a balance between staying focused on my work, but socially informed and involved.

Understanding and Kindness

Among the people I know — family, friends, and those I offer tech help to — there are many social and political views.

Because of my role in serving the community, I feel it is particularly important that I be understanding and kind to everyone regardless of their views.

For this reason, I try to be reserved and thoughtful in presenting any observations and views about social issues.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Greetings!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. After more than two years of staying close to home during the pandemic, in May we decided to make a trip to Saint Louis and spent a couple days there. The photo above is from the Missouri Botanical Garden on 6 May 2022.

Time Tracking

I began developing a time tracking system back in April. It’s a grid system with each square of the grid representing a minute of time. This allows for easy visual tracking and review of time spent on projects. I’ve revised the system slightly since I first developed it.

This paper-based system can track time, exercise, finances, sleep, nutrition, and handle other entries throughout the day.

I use a 3-hole punch for the pages which have a gutter margin for the binding. Staples has inexpensive brass binding fasteners to hold the pack of pages.

Paper is available made from sawmill waste, produced using wind energy and hydropower. [Learn More]

Included as part of this paper-based time tracking system, are half-sized sheets of paper used for notes and daily task goals. The reason for the 1/2 sheet is to save paper, and be able to reuse existing scrap paper.

Spending more time with pen and paper results in less time on my smartphone, and less time spent on social media, YouTube, and other distractions. Less screen time, and more time with pen and paper, seems to result in a more calm and grounded day.

US Postal Service

In pursuing my goal of reducing daily screen time, I’ve started using postal mail as an alternative to email. This is particularly helpful for communicating with people who have trouble with technology. Something as seemingly simple as email actually requires many systems to be functioning properly.

If I have something that I want someone to print out, it’s easier for me to print it and mail it to them. This avoids having them encounter problems like being low on ink, out of paper, having Internet problems, computer issues, etc.

Using postal mail is a low-stress simple solution for communicating. It reinforces low-tech alternatives. I want to be supporting the postal service. It’s really valuable to have a national network that makes it possible to send a letter or package thousands of miles for pennies. Sending a physical letter, card, or gift is a more personal way to connect with people.

Artist Promotion

In the past I would occasionally send out prints of my own photography. Lately with my return to using postal mail more frequently, I’m sending out thank you note cards featuring local Iowa City artists. One artist I am supporting is Mara Cole, who has some nice water color paintings of flowers. [Example]

I’ve created a “self-print program” for supporting artists and promoting their work. I use 5×7-inch photo paper for the prints, and the artist gets paid for each print to help support their work. On the back of the print I put a sticker with the artist name, the name of the work, and contact details for the artist. This is a fun way to print-on-demand and choose art that seems to fit the recipient of a thank you note.

I don’t write on the printed card. That way the recipient can use it as a note card for someone else if they want. I have some 6×9-inch envelopes that work perfectly for sending 5×7-inch prints along with a separate note. [View Envelopes]

Only a single first class stamp is needed for postage to send a 6×9-inch envelope. An extra ounce stamp can be used if needed for sending several prints.

Staples and Best Buy

In recent years, I had become a regular Amazon customer. I like the selection, crowd-sourced product reviews, low cost, and fast shipping options. We now have an Amazon warehouse in our city. Yet, I feel that Amazon is still not quite as ‘local’ as stores like Staples and Best Buy. With these local stores, I can still purchase online and get fast free home delivery.

For items I purchase online, returns are much easier with local stores like Staples and Best Buy. For some products, I like the ability to go into a local store and visually examine and compare items before purchasing. For these reasons, I like the combined convenience of online shopping from local stores.

You Can’t Grow a Computer

The pandemic resulted in millions of people working from home. Those people all wanted printers and laptop computers. This created a global shortage of equipment.

More recently, supply chain issues and limited chip availability have caused further shortages of technology. This year, the war between Russia and Ukraine has abruptly disrupted the supply of neon which is essential for computer manufacturing.

Computers and chip-based devices require mining of rare minerals and other non-renewable resources.

I like relying on a paper-based system because I know it is more renewable and sustainable than a computer-based system. Paper can be made from sugar cane production waste, bamboo, or other materials. Computers can’t be grown. They can only be mined and produced at great expense.

The other benefit of a paper-based system is that it requires no electricity. It’s more reliable. It’s easier to use and improve.

I’ll still use computers and tech devices, but with less reliance and dependence on them.

A system that you can grow from the ground is much more advanced than one made with diminishing scarce non-renewable materials.

MY LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM PLAN

Last month I mentioned that I created a page for my long-term and short-term plans. It’s something I’ve been developing and thinking about for many years but want to get it written down and expanded on. [View Page]

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 22 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

GREETINGS!

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. The photos featured above are explained below and are part of the “Lives of Service” message in this month’s update.

Lives of Service

The University of Iowa celebrated its 175th anniversary this year. [Learn More] The photo at the top of this page is of the Old Capitol (15 May 2021) and a quotation from the Iowa Memorial Union (2 Dec 2017). The quotation is one of my favorites about higher education, and reflects the mindset of those who instructed me while I was at Iowa.

“And if this magnificent structure is to fulfill the dreams out of which it has arisen, it can only do so by stirring the impulses of the young men and women of Iowa to lives of service to mankind.” ~ James Weaver, 1926

I manage a curated news feed on Facebook and Twitter that focuses on public interest related news about the University of Iowa. Subscribers include University departments, faculty, and area journalists as well as students and others interested in the University. [View on Facebook]

Resources for Life

About 25 years ago, I established Resource For Life as an outreach initiative focused on self-funded public interest work. Consistent with that theme, an early name for my tech support consulting business was Public Interest Computer Consulting (PICC). The tech consulting and public interest work continues today.

About a year ago, I took the main RFL website offline and replaced it using a simpler HTML version with just a few pages. I took a year to reflect on the direction of the project. This month, I’ve brought back the full dot COM website under a new simple WordPress design. Some of the older outdated content has been removed. [View dot COM Version]

The dot ORG version of the site is designed using pure HTML pages. It is intended to have a singular focus on public interest and reference resources, without the additional superfluous content on the dot COM site. Being developed with pure HTML pages, the content loads extremely quickly, regardless of the device being used, even for people in areas of the world with slow and limited Internet service. [View the dot ORG Version]

Just a few days after the redesign launch, Google was gracious enough to reindex the site and put the content on the first page of search results on many terms — allowing me to retain the position and rank of a website with 20+ years of history. So, site visitors began streaming in from all over the world, including visitors from Moscow and Kyiv. It’s encouraging to see such an interest in the project.

Going forward, I’ll be making a greater effort to have content on the site less likely to become outdated. Also, instead of having monthly newsletters, I’ll be focusing on four announcements per year to coincide with quarterly seasonal news. The purposeful streamlining and simplification of the site will help me spend more time on other projects.

Giving it Your Best

We’re all familiar with the term “giving it your best” which conveys the idea of doing your best or working your hardest on a project.

In my life, I have developed the habit of spending the early morning hours on writing. These are the most focused, efficient, and productive hours of the day. Much of my writing would be technical reference guides or social commentary writings for the Resources For Life website.

Over the past eight months, I’ve been using those best hours of the day to work on a very worthwhile project involving a public interest research website. [View Site]

I’ll plan to share more about the project in the months ahead. It’s very aligned with my own interests, so a good fit.

Time Tracking

My daytime hours can be very chaotic with multiple requests coming in simultaneously by phone, text message, and email. I triage those requests, and refer most people to other service providers, or provide free phone support for those with simple questions.

Sometimes I get to the end of a day, having responded to numerous request, and I feel exhausted from having helped so many people. Yet, it’s hard to charge people for brief text exchanges, email replies, and short phone calls. So, I’ll work 12 to 16 hours with little time for a break and have no income.

These numerous daily disruptions interrupt my income-producing work and make it difficult to track billable time. So, I don’t get paid for the numerous short support requests, and am unable track how much cumulative time I’ve spent on substantive work requests.

A project that might normally take an hour, could take 3 to 4 hours with numerous interruptions.

This past month I’ve been developing a paper-based task management and time tracking system. It’s extremely simple, efficient, customizable, easy to setup, and easy to use. The system facilitates greater focus and documents how every minute of the day is spent.

I’ve used computer software and smartphone apps for time tracking, but those have a big learning curve and require some fumbling to use. They are a distraction and use up time to track time.

The paper-based system I’ve developed works much better for my purposes.

My Long-Term and Short-Term Plan

I’ve created a page for my long-term and short-term plans. It’s something I’ve been developing and thinking about for many years. [View Page]

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.