Friday Ad Haiku: Simplify

There's something about the notion of simplicity that intrigues me. A downplayed genius to it. Our world has more moving parts than ever, more things pulling for my attention, and certainly more stresses than I can possibly stress over. The thinking has been to create tools, apps, platforms that aggregate and multi-task and help us get through it all. I can dig it.

But sometimes simple inspires.

For all my digital debauchery and complex media machinations, when it comes to organization, there's one thing I've never gotten past: The Analog To-Do list. My BlackBerry, My Outlook, My Google and Facebook Calendars are all great, sure, but there's a psychological aspect to them that's intimidating. Overconnected. Overwhelming. Overdone.

So I scribble lists in notebooks instead. And then I cross stuff off as I complete it. Simple. Except that I'm a humongous slob, often spill crap all over my notebook (when I'm not leaving it places), and rarely can read my handwriting.


Then a friend turned me on to TeuxDeux.com a few weeks ago. I was immediately smitten.

It's not flashy. It doesn't sync calendars or geotag my tasks. It simply allows me to write something on a list. And when I've finished it, I click the task to cross it off. Didn't finish the task? Drag it to the next day. Or the next week. Or drop it into the Someday category. Naturally, that's my favorite category; "Write novel" and "Pay mortgage" have had top billing in it from the beginning.

So, no more dog-eared notebooks left behind in train stations - at least, not any with a list that includes "call doctor about mole" or "tell dirty Olsen Twins joke to Kory".

I'm simpler than ever...which is no surprise to anyone who knows me.

Leave complexity
to smart, serious folks. I've
got a one-click mind.


Previously in the Friday 5-7-5: Bumper Stickers.