how to beat the DMV

Thanks to my genius friend Shy, I discovered a workaround for the aforementioned bastardized government service we call the DMV. I thought I should share it with you, since it's something I never knew, and you may not either.

Join AAA. For about $70 bucks (a $20 joining fee and a measly $50-something annual fee), you can become a member of AAA. That means you can renew your registration through them. In other words: YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE DMV EVER AGAIN. Can you hear me jumping for joy through the very words on this page? Because I am.

There happens to be one of those handy dandy AAAs two or three blocks from my house, and they're open until 5:30, which means I can make it there before they close. Upon hearing that I could do it there, I jumped the earliest possible shuttle home, stopped in, joined, walked up to their "DMV Stuff" desk (no line), spoke to the (very nice & helpful) lady behind the counter, and renewed my registration. They have the stickers and everything!!! They do only take cash or check, so I found out how much it would be, ran to the ATM next door, and came back with cash. $411 in cash, mind you - thank you, SF parking cops with an overblown sense of what constitutes CITY SIDEWALK vs. MY DRIVEWAY!!! But that's a whole other story...

Let me just let it be known that I think it is pathetic that we have to resort to private businesses to do what a government service is supposed to do. I say if that's the case, shut down the DMV and privatize the whole damn thing. If there was competition in that arena, we could expect at least a modicum of service from these agencies. But there's not, so we can't.

Now children, what is the moral of this story? That's right! Fuck the DMV. Join AAA.

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.

sign the petition

(formerly "let them know how you feel") Apparently the meaning of this post was lost to some, so let me clear it up for you. We are destroying our planet, through our own laziness and the government's lack of action on the problem. Better choices are out there, but we're not forcing the powers-that-be to make them. So, if you care, let them know how you feel - they can't keep ignoring us if we make our voices heard.

And minimize your own impact; take to heart some of the personal actions you can take in your own life to make a difference; at home, on the go, at work. Carpool. Reduce/Reuse/Recycle. Save energy. Things as simple as changing your air filters on time - I know that's something I need to start doing. We also consume lots of water bottles in our home, because it's so convenient. Even though we recycle, that's not enough; we shouldn't even be buying bottled water at all. That's a personal change I want to make, at home and at work. It's hard, but every little bit counts. Just like every little voice counts. They all add up. So go sign the petition. Make yourself heard.

mental, physical, emotional exhaustion

With the way work has been this week, and working really hard on the house last weekend, I'm really feeling the bite. When we went to the EFF party the other night, I could hardly form a sentence without losing my train of thought or forgetting a ... you know ... those things ... WORD! That's how my brain has been working recently.

Today, I can't concentrate, I can't focus, my eyes and face are all puffy, I keep forgetting what I'm doing or saying. So did this article ever ring true:

Sleep: You Need More.

His list of things that sleep helps with is exactly what I need help with right now. I'm going to make an even more concerted effort than before. My #1 New Year's Resolution is now Sleep.

"i work at an internet company"

I'm losing track of all the funnies from a friend of mine about working at a company that has made it it's mission to be an "internet company"...

• I can't read Twitter because I work at an Internet Company.
• I can't see Flickr because I work at an Internet Company.
• I can't use Campfire because I work at an Internet Company.
• I can't see YouTube because I work at an Internet Company.
• I can't use Gtalk because I work at an Internet Company.
• I can't see Vimeo because I work at an Internet Company.

What's next? "I can't access the internet because I work at an Internet Company."???

This just begs for a "redneck" kind of joke:

"You know you don't work at an internet company if..."

ask ashley™, #2

Stepping outside the box, today's question is from an actual reader! (An almost-lawyer in Houston who would prefer to remain anonymous.) :D

Dear Ashley,

My neighborhood pub has $12 steak night every Monday during happy hour. I like steaks, and I like happy hour, but the two combined always render my Monday evenings completely useless. What can I do?

—Nap-Time Nelson

Dear Nap-Time,

Looks to me like you're screwed. How can anyone resist $12 steak AND happy hour?!? Accept that Monday nights are reserved for uselessness. As some Zen master said, "It is what it is."

Also... are Stella or Duvel included in happy hour? If so, you are truly lost my friend. And I might come visit you next Monday.

—Ashley

Ask Ashley™ is not to be confused with (or impinge upon the trademark rights of) Ask Abby™.

ask ashley™, #1

I've started a new series* in which I discover simple solutions or how-to's and come up with questions that ingeniously ask for help with the thing I've found the solution for. Who knows? Any of you might have the same exact problem.

Dear Ashley,

I like wearing tennies, but it just takes too darn long to tie the laces, and I hate Velcro. There has to be a better way!

—Tied in Knots

Dear Tied in Knots,

I've got just the solution for you! It's called the Ian Knot, and once you get it down, you'll amaze friends, wow strangers, and no longer waste valuable seconds tying regular old knots. The site with picture/text instructions can give you the basics, and then to see it in action (repeatedly, and paused, and in slow-mo), watch the Ian Knot Video on YouTube. After lots of practice, you'll be amazed at how simple it is, and how fast you can tie your shoes. The hardest part is in re-learning the very first knot — it goes in the opposite direction than all of us were taught. From there, the bow is easy.

This is how all children should be taught to tie their shoes from here on out. Screw that bunny and tunnel stuff. If you are a parent, teach the kiddies like this. Become part of the Ian Knot revolution.

—Ashley

* Not to be confused with (or impinge upon the trademark rights of) Ask Abby™.