In part one of my Staying Organized series, I mentioned some of the ways I planned on going e-organized for the new year. It’s been fun and I’ve actually learned a lot about what it’ll take for me to better manage my time. Since the first post some things have changed, so I thought I’d update you on how it’s going.

To get a better plan with Sprint, I ended up renewing my contract and got the Blackberry (BB) Curve 8330. I was reluctant because I was so used to my Windows Mobile phone, but I quickly learned what the BB could do. Under my Google account created a calendar for myself, my wife, the kids, and church. Each have their own assigned colors and I can show/hide which I want to see at any given time. I also created a Google account for my wife, so she would have access to my calendars and the events I entered. I set up the browser on her phone to pull up the mobile Google calendar site when she opened it. That way she’d know what I had planned for the day (I always forget to tell her about stuff I need to do). I still use Google Sync to sync the Google Calendar with the BB calendar on my phone. Trust me, it works great.

I just recently listened to the audio book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen. With the tips in this book, I was able to find a way to fine tune my e-organization plan and add some efficiency to what I was doing. I changed how I used the The Remember the Milk (RTM) app I mentioned in the first post. I used the BB application they created to sync all of my tasks every hour from the website to the phone. Any task, big or small, goes in RTM and I assign date if it’s something that needs to be done soon. This works nice because it allows me to clear my head of all the “stuff” I need to do. It also gives me an organized repository where I can visually see the tasks that need to be done for the day. To make sure the list stayed current, I had to set a goal that all tasks for the day must be completed or rescheduled before I go to bed.

I’ve also started using an application called Evernote that allows me to access/capture ideas, notes and information from my PC or phone. But I’m going to save how I use this for another day because I’m trying to decide whether I’ll post it here or at Liberate Magazine.

Well, that’s all I have for now. I’d be interested in hearing your comments or questions. This may sound like a lot to keep up with, but for me it’s been working. My planner was never with me when I needed it, but I always have my phone. There is a slight learning curve in getting the system together, but the geek in me loves it.

I do have plans on going into each online app I use in more detail, but why do that now when I can have you come back for part 3?

In the world of blogging, you never know how people will react to something you post. Blogging has allowed me to meet a lot of great people and this is no exception. When the Johnnie & Crystal Moutra won the show, I have to admit I was pretty happy for them. Not only did they look like a good couple, the played the game the way it should have been played and earned the respect of everyone on the show. Even better, they were from my hometown, Missouri City, TX (the place where dreams come true), so you know I had to show them some love. Well, the post got picked up by some other sites and became pretty popular. Fans of the Moutras from all over the world left comments, one being from Johnnie’s mom. I contacted her and she put me in contact with Johnnie (thanks Momma Moutra).

I want to thank Johnnie and Crystal for taking the time to answer the questions. I’m hoping this won’t be the last you all get to hear from them on this blog. Also thanks to the folks at ABC for getting us set up. Season 2 of Here Come the Newlyweds will air Mondays on ABC at 9pm Central. I just watched the second episode last night and like season 1 will make for a night of good TV.

When my wife and I got married, everyone called us honeymooners for at least the first five years. How has life changed since the finale of “Here Come the Newlyweds? What have you all been up to?

We purchased our own home on the eve of Christmas. Lol, we moved out my mamas house, and moved not even 2 minutes down the street from my mamas. Other than that, we’re still working at the school (My parents own a private school, Bearrington School in Stafford Tx)……Crystal’s a great teacher (Pre-K 3)…….the children in her class are already reading! and speaking their numbers en espanol. I (John-John) am still the same ol’ silly, handsome, joke tellin’ self….I’ll never change.

According to the ABC website, the show was “all about relationships, the differences between men and women, and the universal issues that every couple must face”. Crystal, what did you learn about Johnnie during the show? Johnnie, same question.

Crystal – That he still didn’t know me! Before the show I used to ask him all the to go shopping for clothes with me…..now we’re on national TV and he gets all the sizes wrong.
Johnnie – Women take too long… I could drop Crystal off at the mall in Houston, drive to Galveston, use the restroom for about 30 – 45 minutes ( #2), drive back, get gas, go back to the mall, and she’d still be trying on clothes…..I’m starting to wonder if she knows her own sizes.

During the final episode of the show, what was going through your mind before hearing the results?
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By Darrell Holmes

Back in May ‘07 we blogged about the importance of being ecologically responsible with the energy and resources we use everyday;  “Necessarily Green“  That posting was probably a bit premature for some folks based on the limited response.  However, the blogosphere buzz over energy conservation is deafening now that the trend has become a paradigm shift and worldwide everyone rethinks the “carbon footprint” we leave.

Early during President Obama’s presidency he initiated special programs aimed at reawakening our bereft economy from it’s prime-lending hangover.  At it’s basics, the plan is to rebuild our economy with more financial stability while simultaneously infusing design and construction practices that are more earth-friendly long term.

For the un-initiated, a new website makes it easier for you to make your space(home or business) more energy conscious outside of just DVR’ing “Greenovate” on Planet Green.  Inergy Solutions offers energy efficient plumbing, electrical, and business solutions to anyone with web access.  Their press release and website are below.  Check out their website and let me know what you think.

U.S. Inergy Solutions offers every product needed for sustainable energy independence; enabling homeowners, businesses and commercial property owners to optimize their usage by reducing waste, increasing the energy produced from within, and implementing efficient energy consumption methods. Our goal is to provide practical, long-term solutions to existing inefficiencies in the present system(s) in the most user-friendly way possible.

• Save your hard earned cash by purchasing less energy from “The Grid”
• Increase dividends by eliminating capital expenditures
• Get the facts on the savings our solutions will generate
• Ultimately eliminate the dependence on costly, outside resources

• Solar Solutions
• Water Solutions
• Lighting Solutions
• Wind Solutions
• Green Building Materials
• Green Living

Each property has a unique path that can be taken to attain independence. This is why we offer many solutions that are thoroughly tested and built to withstand the natural elements. This includes CFL, LED and induction lighting, rainwater harvesting, gray-water filtration, photovoltaic solar panels, wind turbines, solar water heaters, and efficient generators just to name a few.

www.inergysolutions.com

I get these emails from a member of the church I attend and thought I’d share:

2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 In our life we are overwhelmed with ‘information’. But so often information isn’t what we need. What we need to face the challenges of life is ‘formation’, the shaping of our lives into the people God destined us to be. The responsibility for this formation belongs to the Holy Spirit, the living, active presence of God who is with us every second of every minute of every day, concerned with every detail of our development.

Paul writes, ‘Every detail works to your advantage…So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace’ (2 Corinthians 4:15-17 TM). Note the words, ‘we’re not giving up.’ Any time we want to move forward, obstacles are going to get in the way, and God’s Word teaches us that we should expect nothing less. The author HG Wells asked, ‘What on earth would a man do with himself if something didn’t stand in his way?’ Why did he say that? Because pushing against stuff strengthens our muscles! Each obstacle we overcome teaches us something new. We start shaping up, getting smarter and more confident. Check history, the greatest people were those who faced the most difficult challenges and found their true selves in the process!

I found out about Dallas South Blog via Google while searching for more information about Tavis Smiley’s visit to the Dallas area. I started reading the articles and was hooked on the very well-written, informative posts about the southern sector of Dallas. Due the fact that South Dallas had a large African-American population, the blog became my source of information for what was going on in the community.

Over the last couple of years, Dallas South Blog has grown into a popular online destination for those looking for stimulating political/social dialoug on a local and national level. This growth is largely due to the efforts of blogger Shawn Williams. But with growth, comes new oppotunities to take what you do to a higher level. This is where Dallas South News comes into play.

The Dallas South News will be a nonprofit organization utilizing technology, journalistic principles, and social media to empower and inform diverse communities.  It will provide news coverage in the areas of local politics, education, health, housing, as well as commentary on state and national politics. As with all nonrpofit organizations, help is needed to keep it running and there are three things you can do to get involved.

So, now that I’ve captured your attention, click here to learn more about how you can participate in the Dallas South News endeavor.

Here in Texas, Fort Worth ISD is closing all schools until May 8th due to Swine Flu concerns. The first closures that I’d heard about were in Richardson, TX and there’s talk of more to come. Check out the Star Telegram to learn more about the closings.

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself and lessen the chance of you catching the virus:

• Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
• Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
• Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
• Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.

Call 1-800-CDC-INFO of visit the Center for Disease Control website for more information.

Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! The Walgreens Take Care Clinics have started a program called the Take Care Recovery Plan which provides access to free healthcare visits for current and future patients, and their families, who have lost their jobs and are uninsured. The offer applies to any Take Care Clinic patient that loses his or her job on or after March 31 and has no health insurance. Any other individual that visits a Take Care Clinic as a patient after March 31, and then loses his or her job and is uninsured, may qualify for the offer for the remainder of 2009.

In a time where many Americans don’t have health insurance, I’m glad to see Walgreens offer this program. To learn more or see if you qualify, call 1-866-Take-Care (1-866-825-3227) and press 3 for Take Care Recovery Plan information.

You can support the fight against heart disease Wednesday, April 8th by participating in the American Heart Association National Start! Walking Day. This is the day when adults nationwide can make the pledge to Start! walking to become active and heart healthy, especially in the workplace. Black people have a higher risk of stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes than those of other races and most of the risk factors can be corrected if we take the time to better care for ourselves.

There are many benefits to walking and its one of the easier ways to exercise and improve your overall health. Taking just 10 minutes three times a day to walk will help you live longer. In fact, studies show that just one hour of vigorous exercise will increase your life expectancy by two hours. I’ll be the first to admit that I need to do better when it comes to exercise, so you can count on my participation. All it takes is the commitment to take the first step.

Here are some tips on what you can do to support the National Start! Walking Day:

• Begin by inviting co-workers to wear their sneakers to work .
• Encourage employees to get in their 30 minutes of walking that day.
• Change one of your meetings to a walking meeting, and let your colleagues know why.
• Start! Shopping for something green to wear. It shows you support the Start! movement.
• Host a walk and/or rally to show your commitment to living longer, healthier lives.
• Get Everyone in Your Company Involved

For more information visit the National Start! Walking Day website and set up your own personal MyStart! Online Tracker to track your progress.

The President reflects on lessons from his time spent outside Washington recently, which only reinforced the core principles in his budget. The budget will be his central focus throughout this week.

source

President Obama is putting web designers to work with ANOTHER website! To ensure that everyone who can take advantage of the President housing plan can do so, the Administration launched MakingHomeAffordable.gov – a site where you can find out everything you need to know about the President’s plan and whether you qualify. As it stands only loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are eligible. If you are not sure who owns your loan, you can contact Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac directly by clicking on the links below and completing the forms for each company.

Fannie Mae

• 1-800-7FANNIE (8am to 8pm EST)
• www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup

Freddie Mac

• 1-800-FREDDIE (8am to 8pm EST)
• www.freddiemac.com/mymortgage

Be sure to check out the calculator that allows homeowners to estimate the possible reduction to their monthly mortgage payment they might receive under the plan. To see the press release of the new website visit the whitehouse.gov blog.