the big inbox dump

The Big Inbox Dump, or How Unclutterer Saved My Life!

A while ago, I watched Merlin Mann's "Inbox Zero" presentation at work - watch the video. It sounded so great, but I just couldn't find enough info in his articles on HOW to actually get there. I had not hundreds, but thousands of emails in my work Inbox! We're not talking about *gasp!* months of emails, we're talking two years of emails!!!  And I'm here to tell you; this truly is one of those things that only gets worse if you put it off.

Seeing as how I had 13,758 messages in my Inbox, over 6,000 of those unread, it was time to do something. (That doesn't even include the thousands of others that I automatically filter out into other folders to "read later" - mailing lists like "for sale" or "miscellaneous".)

Do you have any idea the kind of stress that puts on a person??? The psychological weight, the helplessness, the constant feeling of being overwhelmed?

Yesterday, I'd finally had enough. I vaguely recalled an article that had a method I thought I could at least start with, I just didn't have time for it at the time. I tracked the article down on Unclutterer: Simple strategies to clear email clutter — From Gina Trapani of Lifehacker.

The key to this for me is the very first point: The Big Inbox Dump. You make a new folder/label called "Backlog", select the entire Inbox, and put it in there. Then you go back in and pull out the important emails from the last day or so that need action and put them back in the Inbox. From there, you have to go back and work through the backlog, archiving and deleting ruthlessly. I'm staying on top of keeping an empty Inbox, but I do have a gazillion folders/labels, which they don't recommend. One thing at a time.

Right now, I'm just reveling in my Inbox; 3 action items, 0 unread.

btw: this is how i dress now

I'd love to hear your feedback about a recent article in Marie Claire about women and fashion at Google...

The article: Women at Google

The photos: Fashion for Work at the Google HQ (requires Flash 9 to see photos, even though it doesn't tell you, it just blanks out.)

What do you make of this?

Some of the photos didn't go to press, including one that included *gasp* actual Googlers, in a glass conference room and no laptops, with the female "Googler" in that bright yellow jacket/short-short-shorts combo and hooker heels, pressed against the glass. (Nice, right? That's how I spend all my meetings.)

So - in case you were under the common misconception that we wear jeans and t-shirts around here, guess again! After a while you get used to the $4000 ensembles with F-me pumps and micro-mini lamé dresses. Riding a bike in one of those is a bitch though!

google doodle: legos

You should go check out the Google doodle on the Google search page today - it's the 50th anniversary of the invention of the Lego building block.


Congrats and thanks to Dennis Hwang and his crew for another outstanding Google doodle.

here i come, chicago!

Tomorrow morning I leave for a business trip to Chicago. I'll be there through Friday. I'm going on some customer research studies, and I'm really looking forward to it.

I'll be staying on the Miracle Mile, so I'll be doing a little shopping. I had to pack a big coat because it's too big and fluffy and fabulous to wear on the flight, so I have absolutely zero room in my suitcase. It is packed to the hilt, so if I buy anything, I'll probably have to get it shipped home! :) I'm going to have to work extra hard on sticking to my diet, and the plan is to work out at the hotel gym every morning. There will be a lot of other Googlers there for the DUX conference, so that'll be cool.

I'm working on the photos from both the night at the Exploratorium and from JR's birthday party. Hopefully I'll finish them on the flight, and can upload them when I get all settled into the hotel room.

Over and out.

NaBloPoMo

Otherwise known as "National Blog Posting Month", NaBloPoMo is a challenge to post something to your blog EVERY DAY IN NOVEMBER. No exceptions. This includes Saturdays and Sundays, Holidays, business trip days, even the day you leave for Jamaica. So I'm going to do this. I may have tried last year - I don't remember. Undoubtedly, if I did, I failed.

At least I know that November is one helluva full month - there should be lots of stuff to post about. Such as the very cool thing that a very cool doggy thing we all know and love won yesterday at this work thing. Picture-y things to come.

Anyways, tonight I'm going to a work party with JR that his company is having at the Exploratorium. I love that place!

changes and upcoming excellence

Sorry things have been dreadfully silent around here - much has been going on at work. I've switched to a new and exciting project: TV Ads! You may have heard the recent media hubbub about our newly announced partnership with Nielsen.

I've been very busy with interesting new UI work, and an incredibly excited and motivated team. It makes it easy to put in all kinds of time on the work, but it means I've been neglecting the ol' blog. And there has been so much going on outside of work too - exercising, dieting, planning for the trip to Jamaica, planning for both our families to be here for Thanksgiving (don't worry if you've been to visit us - we've rented a big house for the six of them to stay in - we're not all crammed into our tiny little place!), and we had to throw together costumes for a Halloween party on Friday. I LOVE Halloween, and I was completely unprepared. At least we'll be prepared for Wednesday's Googleween party. And even Winston will be getting in on the game. Wish him luck to win the dog costume contest!

google.org: Global Development

I'm taking a 2-hour class every Wednesday for 10 weeks here at work. It's all about Global Development, and how Google.org can have a positive impact. This is the second week of the course, covering Poverty at the Personal Level. I always feel I don't understand the details of these issues enough, and this course is absolutely fascinating. Upcoming are topics like Education and Health, Equity and Gender, Productive Agriculture for the 21st Century, Globalization, and Think Globally, Act Googley. (And that's not even all of the topics.) Each course has required reading, and recommended reading, and then presentations from the course. It's a commitment above my regular work commitments, but it's so fascinating that I'm so glad I signed up for it.

Actually, the class filled up immediately - I think they were expecting 100 or so people, and 650+ signed up. That's amazing! It makes me so happy to know that I work with so many people with a thirst for learning about issues like these.

I'm so lucky to work somewhere that makes this kind of learning freely available to it's employees.

google dance (a recap)

I was looking forward to this event because it was a lot of fun last year, but lots of the UXers didn't go or were out of town this year. It just wasn't the same.

On the up side though, it didn't look like all the set-up was going to come together in time, so I e-mailed Anne, one of the coordinators, to see if they needed any help. It turns out they did. I got to distribute t-shirts to Googlers, which is a total madhouse. We even ran completely out of shirts. But I had a lot of fun - I always have fun when I get involved in setting events up. It kind of brings me out of my shell. I think I'll volunteer for more things like that. (I also got a "STAFF" shirt, which rocks.)

But back to the event itself - there were arcade games everywhere, pool tables, product demo stations, shaved ice vendors, beer and wine, and some good food. I didn't stay for the DJ and the dancing - my feet were tired from standing up for so long handing out t-shirts (that ankle still isn't at 100%), and I still had out-of-town guests to get home to.

The amount of fun I had behind the scenes reminds me how much I enjoyed being the self-appointed social coordinator at my old job, setting up get-togethers and retro shirt days. And it just occurred to me that my mom loved that too - she actually had a business for a while setting up conferences and events. So it must be in my blood. That makes me happy.

just a regular ol' tuesday

Today is just like any other Tuesday, except Aaron & Shannon are looking at a rental just a few blocks away this morning that we really hope will be THE ONE, and tonight is the Google Dance.

It's been really nice having Aaron & Shannon in again; we can get a glimpse of what we've really been missing this whole time - close friends to go to dinner with, or have movie nights with, or get smashingly drunk with at a moments notice. Last night we took the bus and then walked to a great little restaurant at Market and Church called Chow. It's one of those places that we've always wanted to go, just never taken the opportunity. It was yummy: really good food was eaten, and Stella Artois was consumed. Ahhhh... A week or so ago we got a taste of how nice it is to have friends so close after going over to Rick's place to learn how to play craps - you can have a great time, consume too many alcoholic bevs, and WALK HOME. We really, REALLY hope they get this apartment a few blocks away.

Also, going rental-hunting with them this weekend was very eye-opening. Read Aaron's description of it: it's dead-on. Each one had something perfect AND something absolutely intolerable. The land-lady at one was like something out of a movie. You can't write characters that are that freaky.

Although this wouldn't happen any other time, they also saved me from a street-cleaning day parking ticket yesterday. Our neighbor Pam came banging on the door to let them know my car was still on the street, and they moved it and then moved it back. Yay!!!

The other part of the normalcy of the day is Google Dance tonight, where a gazillion SES Conference attendees come to the G-plex to drink and rabble-rouse and see all kinds of cool stuff and listen to good music. Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed, there may be actual dancing. We'll see. And then I get to ride the shuttle home, so I don't have to worry about driving. I love that! Plus, I get a cool t-shirt. And come on, that's really what it's all about.

Hopefully I'll get good photos tonight and then be the responsible blogging/flickring adult that I'm supposed to be and immediately upload them and blog about the event. Why they have to do this on a Tuesday night is beyond me.

Between 10am and 6pm though, it really is just a normal day. Maybe I need to find some way to become involved in organizing of these things, because just talking about tonight makes me feel like today is a blow-off day. I'd rather be helping set it up than doing my regular work.

So, be sending your good vibes our way at around 10am Pacific time, because that's when A&S see the last place.

And, after re-reading this post, I see that the repeating thread is alcohol consumption... Here's to a less alcohol-related post in the future. *clink*

full weekend

Today is the G summer picnic, over at Shoreline Amphitheatre - I'm getting ready to head over there as I blog. Tonight we're going to the Dark Matters Opening Night Party at Yerba Buena. Tomorrow night we're going to the Laughing Squid: Paradise Lost party. (Even though SFPD has canceled the Flaming Lotus Girls performance (bastards). Oh, gosh. There is just too much going on to even list here. Good times. Good times.

the week from hell

Let's just get the work stuff out of the way first: I had two projects with tight deadlines go horribly wrong last week, one because I just hadn't pushed myself the extra mile to design the most elegant and simple solution I could devise. Because of my stupidity, these projects that were supposed to be out of my hair last week were pushed into this week. And this week I needed to concentrate on a third project that needs to be ready for a presentation tomorrow. And The Decemberists show was tonight.

So at the end of an already frustrating week, JR and I decided to just get a motel in Mountain View for the whole week, starting last Saturday, because I literally can't afford to waste that much time commuting when I need to be working. And for a little sanity. Except everything's booked. Some conference or something.

Then something came up*, and we couldn't stay in Mountain View all week anyways, so we just decided to spend the weekend. And voila! We can get a room at the Cypress Hotel, a Kimpton hotel. If you don't know these - go stay in one! Now! The Cypress is pet-friendly, so we could take Winston with us, and the hotel was so luxurious. tiger print carpeting, thick brown "fur" throws, and cheetah print robes. And I put out what is perhaps my finest work to date this weekend. JR and I have decided we should do this more regularly. (Not work weekends, but stay at fabulous hotels that don't even have to be far away. Then again, if it was actually related to the hotel, maybe the G could see fit to expensing it. That'll be the day!)

* I just don't have the time or the energy to go into it now, as I still have a lot of work to do for tomorrow. And a whole lot due Friday, too. So maybe I can write about what came up when I can take a breath - Saturday maybe? We'll see. JR will be away skiing this weekend, and I might take the opportunity to sleep from Friday night til Sunday noon. :) What came up was health related, so just send me good vibes, 'kay? Love ya.

sxswi 2007

Well, we're back. Great panels, great schmoozing, got to see some of my own personal internet rockstars, and drank til the wee hours. Incredible parties. Check out some of the photos:

Flickr Set: SXSWi 07

So far, I've only uploaded the ones from my powershot. I still have to upload the ones from my Rebel.

After the conference was over, JR and I headed for San Antone to see family and friends. I got to see my dad's new house (amazing!). My sister Karolyn came down from Houston one night. And we had such a great time with our friends! Hi friends! :)

That's all for now. I'll tell you how I torqued my back while crashing to my knees (busting my right knee for the THIRD time now), but it'll have to wait.

SXSWinteractive calendar by google UX

The UX Team at Google has put together a public Google calendar with all of the daytime panels and nighttime events (the map link even goes directly to that nightspot): SXSWi 07

You can copy the events you want to see to your calendar (Gcal or otherwise), subscribe to the feed, etc. I've already found it handy to keep track of everything going on at once and see what I've chosen to attend.

It's kind of wonky being in a different time zone, as the events currently appear in my calendar as 2 hours earlier than listed, but it will be right when I change my time zone to CT on arrival in Austin.

If you get a chance, check it out - it's a useful tool I'm pretty geeked about having helped create. :)

austin's on google transit in time for sxsw

From the Official Google Blog: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/

Music, Movies, Mayhem, and the Metro
3/08/2007 08:52:00 AM
Posted by Tom Sly, New Business Development

I'm thrilled to report that, as of today, the Capital Metro Transportation Authority of Austin, Texas is the 10^th agency to become part of Google Transit Trip Planner.

Some of you may notice that we're announcing this new partnership just in time for the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festival, which is taking place in Austin from March 9 to 18. And there is a reason for that...

This year, SXSW has gone carbon neutral. And thanks to the efforts of the Capital Metro team, the thousands of visitors that come to Austin for the 10-day music, film, and interactive festival can do their part to reduce carbon emissions by planning their SXSW experience using public transportation. As an added incentive for SXSW attendees, $1 day passes are available for purchase on board Capital Metro buses and provide unlimited use of Capital Metro services for an entire day.

Using Google Transit, I now know that when I arrive in Austin, I'll be taking Capital Metro from the Airport to the Convention Center, and, from there, I'll do my best to take in as much of the action as possible. So, if you're part of an agency that offers regular bus, light-rail, train, or ferry service, come find me amidst the movies, music, and interactive panels at SXSW, or drop the Google Transit team a line.

Source: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/music-movies-mayhem-and-metro.html

snow globe 2007

Every year, the G takes everyone on a ski trip. Ours is to Squaw Valley, in Tahoe. They rent out all of the resorts up there, and in the middle of the Village they have firepits and smore fixins and hot chocolate and a huge snowglobe. You get one free day of skiing (or snowboarding or iceskating, etc.), and they throw a huge party and everyone stays overnight.

They bussed us from AT&T Park in SF early on Tuesday, and then back mid-day Wednesday. The weather was gorgeous during the trip. On the trip to the summit (9,050 ft), one of my co-workers and I discussed our plan for our first ski trip; "Just don't embarrass yourself". That was my mantra for the party.

The place our team was in was incredible! Conveniently, that was also where the big party was. There were 3 rooms: Polar (ice), Jungle (rain forest), and Aqua (water). The '80's cover band came on just when everyone was drunk enough to sing at the top of their lungs and dance their asses off. Perfect timing. I had 3 drinks, and by the time we left to go to a room party, I was more than feelin' the drinks. At an elevation of 6,200 ft, I was feelin' the drinks. Apparently I am more susceptible to the al-key-hol at high altitude.

I went with Jocelyn to the room party anyways, but I knew I'd made a bad choice when they wanted everyone who entered to take shots from a water bottle filled with 151. It was a paradox: I was not drunk enough to throw caution to the wind and chug, because I knew I was too drunk to chug. "Is this the wisdom that comes with age?" I thought... and then I knew that couldn't be it because that's when I left to go back to my room and throw up. And all of this was by midnight.

By morning, I had the worst headache and I could barely eat. But from what I heard, I was smart to leave when I did, as a number of people stayed and forgot to stick to the mantra. 151 can do that to you.

sxsw interactive 2007

I'm gonna be there, are you? If you are, let me know in the comments or if I don't spot you there, swing by the Google booth and say hi!

JR (of McAfee) will be there too. As will Lee, of frogdesign.

Funny... first time I get to go to SXSW Interactive (in Austin - an hour from San Antonio, where I lived and worked for 6 years) is when I move to San Francisco. All I'm sayin', you know, is ... makes you think.

Google invades San Francisco, grabs Gap office space

UPDATE: Damn SF BizJournal. Must've bowed under pressure (from Google?) and removed the article. Luckily it can still be found (thanks to Google!)

I'm just passing on the news folks. I am in no position to confirm or deny it.

But man would that be cool! That would eliminate the only detractor from my job - the 1+ hour commute each way. And the cost of that gas-o-line.

Of course, I don't know where they'd put a T-Rex in this location...

t-rex at the g-plex, originally uploaded by ashleyv.