On getting your house in order

There must be something in the water here in DC. Lately, quite a few folks have asked me how to begin getting organized. My first answer is usually: make one huge to-do list.  That’s usually followed up by me loaning you a copy of David Allen’s Getting Things Done. If I’ve not yet made you read it, no worries. It’s coming.

But honestly, making lists and reading great advice isn’t going to help you if you haven’t made a pact with yourself to stick to it. It’s tough because, at first, living an organized, task-driven existence takes a lot of discipline until it becomes an actual habit. And that takes a good month or so.

Here’s how it usually goes down: you’ll be an organization rock star for the first week, but will then find yourself slipping back into post-it notes and double-booked-induced panic attacks by week three. Don’t let that sway you. Just sit down, consolidate all the brain clutter into one master to-do list, and start all over again.

I keep myself on track using tricks from both GTD and Bit Literacy, which is the book that introduced me to Goo To Do. I’m on year two of using this online to-do list; I can’t even tell you how much I love it.

Of course, I totally dig the fact that folks come to me for this sort of advice. Your questions and successes have been great inspiration for my Her Nashville columns; please keep them coming!

What about you? Are you well-organized guy/gal? Share your tips and tricks in the comments!

Hooray! Wordpress loves me again.

So, this morning I was a little mad at Wordpress, the platform upon which Flackrabbit is built. I felt betrayed:

“Wordpress, I’m confused,” my draft post from 9 a.m. read. “You love on everyone else but me. Lately, you’ve been sort of, well, difficult to deal with. I find myself turning to Twitter and even Picalicious to share good, cool or odd news. It’s just easier than watching you take away my editing tools, or fighting with you over HTML tags. (sigh).”

I was quite down. But then! Then! I logged in just now and found that hubs had magically found a cure for what ailed Wordpress. All is right with the World Wide Web again. Thanks, GroovySoup!

Just another reason why we love living here: Free Jazz!

Free Jazz (and not free sangria) in the Sculpture Garden! Check it out:

DC, week three!

It’s time for an update! First though, let me say that I’m really sorry I’ve been neglecting my Flackrabbit reporting duties. I realize that if you don’t know about Picalicious, or if we don’t stalk each other on Facebook or follow each other on Twitter, you might not be aware of how much I TOTALLY love DC.

So let me tell you: I TOTALLY love DC.

Over the past three weeks, lots of great stuff has happened for Team Newman; sure, it’s scary – just picking your life up and moving – but it continues to feel right. Everything that we have been stressing or fretting over keeps working itself out. It truly is a blessing.

Things I’ve been meaning to do for years, I’m doing. Like changing banks. There is no US Bank here in DC, so I’ve switched to SunTrust. Let me just say that I’m really, really enjoying their customer service and user-friendly website. I highly recommend them. I even earn interest on my checking account.

I’m really loving my gig. Again, I won’t be going into detail about it on this blog, but I keep pinching myself. I’m very blessed to have this opportunity and I love the pressure that comes with knowing they really took a chance on me, so I’ve gotta deliver. That may sound odd, but I dig it.

Dave moved up last week – and he loves it here. I’m so blessed to have him. He moved his whole life and business up here for me; I don’t know how I’ll ever repay him for that. Thanks, baby! In related news: Dave did Karaoke last week and I have proof! Just had to share.

Georgia is settling in well; of course, she’s got Dave, so she’s got that going for her, which is nice.  However, we are confused about why she’s starting to act like a real dog now. Exhibit A: she lays on the floor at your feet. That’s just weird.  We think the wall-to-wall carpet – that I hate -  is very empowering to her.

We continue to walk around awe-struck that we actually live here. We can walk out of our apartment and buy produce at the farmer’s market, or buy a bottle of wine at the little place across the street, or take the metro to the zoo, or just mosey across Pennsylvania Ave and hear free jazz in the sculpture garden. All without a car.

In other news:

• Team Newman is sad to report that Rebecca is leaving us right when we got here. We are uber happy for her and her fabulous new job in Dallas – but we are sooooooo sad to see her go! Be sure to check Picalicious on Sunday for pics of her going away party.
• Team Newman is happy to report that we have not been completely lost in the city yet, nor have we felt unsafe. You folks seem to be particularly curious about the latter half of that statement. We feel fine here! Swear!
• Team Newman feels obligated to report that it rains a lot here. Like all the time. We’ll be purchasing trench coats in the neat future.

And finally, don’t forget to pick up the June issue of Her Nashville! This month, Chic Geek answers some for your frequently asked questions – check it out!

BWI airport jogger and a little DC update

Say what you will about how odd this lady is (not to mention how completely mortified her teenage daughter was) as she jogs through BWI Thurgood Marshall airport; she’s got great calves:

I was stuck in the airport for about five hours; she jogged around the people mover for two of them. She even jogged in place at Aunt Annie’s Pretzels while the cashier fetched her a handful of napkins for her glistening brow.

Odd, I tell you. Odd. I mean, I’m all about multitasking, but this was a bit too much. And hilarious.

In other news, I’m positively loving DC.

Although I won’t be going into detail on this blog about my gig, I will say that I’m blessed. It’s an honor to have this opportunity, and the warm welcome was the icing on the cake. I spent the first week there on my own; came home for some family time this weekend. And of course, Mere’s AMAZING wedding. (Congrats, Mere!) I return to Our Nation’s Capital this afternoon.

Dave moves up this Thursday – yay! He’ll bring up the poodle and the wireless router; two very important items in my life that I’m barely making it through the day without.

Oh! And you harassed asked, we listened: Picalicious is back, baby! The photo-a-day goodness is here!  Now you can check out photos of my Amtrak train hitting a deer, my sadness over the fact that there is no Fat Tire in DC, and of course, pictures of cool cars that Dave keeps seeing without me.

As always, I appreciate all the emails, phone calls, texts, Facebook wall posts, Tweets and snail mail you’ve sent my way; your support and encouragement has made this adventure possible – and so much fun!

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