Mail.app and Gmail really don’t work well together, which prompted me to switch back to the Gmail web interface. Fluid is a perfect companion…not only is Gmail in its own application window, with no browser clutter, but the icon in the dock shows a new mail badge. Perfect!

Sure, for school, but a lot of teenagers do that because they have to. But I mean I wake up a lot earlier than I need to on these days. And the weekends? 7 or 8 o’clock, which isn’t that early, but it is relative to my age. Most people I know aren’t even thinking of getting out of bed until 10, and much later than that isn’t unusual. So why do I get up early? Aristotle said:

It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.

Not sure if any of those benifits have been placed upon me, but I do feel a mental boost during the day when I have some quiet time to begin my day. Plus it gives me more time to do work (I feel extremely productive in the early hours) and to have a leisurely breakfast. It works for me!

Inspired by http://www.plurk.com/p/7fc7q.

Having a long conversation on the phone made me realize just how powerful voice is. It also made me realize just how impersonal IM and email can be/feel. It’s amazing how nothing can really replicate the telephone and voice in terms of expression when you can’t be face to face with someone. How cool is that?

1. Reduce your distractions [sometimes]. Yes, it’s been said a million times, but it is an important part. Everything gets done a lot quicker when you don’t have new IMs, email, and social networking posts coming in. When I have a lot of homework or other work to accomplish, I’ll just close out of all that stuff on my computer. For short things, I find that balancing work and play isn’t that hard.
2. Make your environment work for you. This goes hand in hand with reducing distractions. Everyone has his or her personal preferences on how their space is set up. The ideal workspace puts everything you need at your fingertips. Whether messy or neat, the important part is that it works for you.
3. Have a game plan. Know exactly what you need to get done before you even try starting. One way to do this is by using a to-do list, whether on paper or digitally using something like Remember the Milk or Things. I’ve found that simply making a list of what you want to get done goes a long way in getting started.
4. Don’t overstuff your day. I’ve found this especially true with homework. Getting it done as soon as possible (the day it’s assigned ideally) reduces the work every day. This requires some self-discipline: if you put something off, that’s when you have too much work on your plate. Sometimes this isn’t preventable, but it’s best to try to do things right away if there’s time.
5. Block up your time when working on long projects. Working straight through major projects is something I used to do, until I realized the importance of breaks. Even five minutes to get up, stretch, and get a drink of water can be re-energizing and help you keep focused on the task at hand.

Let me apologize for the lack of content lately, too. Unfortunately, I’ve been busy lately, but hope to post more now that I’ve changed the format up a bit. I’m rediscovering what a powerful front for thought a blog really is.

Now, Think David is the personal blog of David Owens.

It’s really exciting…if you have any questions or critique, please email us: tadapodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

Support Guy: Unplug your modem, wait for…

Mom: The modem? Which one is that? David? He says to unplug it for a minute, then plug it back in.

Me: Tell him our neighbors are out, too…it’s not the modem.

Support Guy: Please just unplug the modem to make sure.

Mom: Do it to make sure.

Me: I can’t.

Mom: He can’t.

Support Guy: Why not?

Me: There’s a battery in the modem…

Mom: It has a battery.

Support Guy: (pause) Okay, well, can you go and look at the cable box?

Cue 20+ minutes of more time-wasting questions, after which they decide to come between 8 and 12 the next day.

Honestly, this just makes me hate the bad customer support that companies provide. People like my mom do not know everything that you may know, company, so you should be able to adapt to the different levels of each customer. At least give them something other than the same generic steps you tell everyone, and maybe a little training on customer relations. Especially when people trust you enough to use you exclusively.

I recently got an iPod touch, and as almost all iPod owners know, the polished aluminum back may look pretty in the store, but every scratch is easily noticeable. Not only did I want to protect the back from further scratching, I also wanted to make sure the iPod was safe whether in a bag, in my pocket, or anywhere else.

After reading a lot of reviews for different cases on forums and other websites, I decided to try the Speck Armorskin case (the black model–it also comes in clear, and camouflage, oddly enough.) It’s been great so far.

In the package:

Contained within the packaging was the case itself (I believe it is made of silicone) and a screen protector. The screen protector was much easier to put on than some reviews made it out to be. Peel one end off, stick it on the iPod, smooth it out, peel the front face off. Very easy to apply, no gunk, nice and neat. Obviously, the case went on very easily–it just slipped over the edges of the iPod touch.

Likes:

Design on back: The square pattern makes the iPod really easy to grip…in fact, much easier than the iPod without the case on.

Easy access to bottom ports: The iPod can be plugged into the USB cable without having to take the case off (I’m sure almost all cases can do this anyways)

Case is back-only: I prefer cases without front covers so I can quickly and easily use the iPod. This is the best of both worlds: Protection for the back (the case) and the front (the screen protector)

Dislikes:

Non-uniform covering of face: The lower portion (and the home button) are covered by the case. The top portion above the screen is uncovered. It’s not a big deal, but I think it would have looked better aesthetically to have both areas covered by the case.

Conclusions:

The ArmorSkin is really an excellent case, especially when considering its cheap price…I purchased it on Amazon for around $16. If you’re looking for something to protect the iPod and the screen as well, the ArmorSkin is a great choice.

I got a Moleskine about a month ago (the 5×8.5″ ruled version,) and have to say it’s the most amazing I’ve had yet. Here are 5 reasons why I’m loving it so much.

5. Design

The notebook just looks great…it’s simple and very professional looking.

4. Paper Quality

The Moleskine paper is just a joy to write on. It doesn’t rip or tear easily, and the nicely rounded corners turn easily.

3. Durability

The cover is sturdy, the elastic band keeps everything together…what more is there to say? My Moleskine goes almost everywhere with me, and it still looks great.

2. Back pocket

The back pocket is one of the things I like most. I can hold different cards and papers like library book lists or post-its. When school was in session, I put hall passes in the pocket, too.

1. Organization

Before I got my Moleskine, I tried several methods for my to-do list; some were computer-based (such as Remember the Milk) and some were written (scraps of paper, small pads of paper, etc.) Nothing really worked. Now, with my Moleskine, I have my to-dos, important things to remember, and other notes with me all the time. The bookmark is handy too!

I’m interested to see what others use their Moleskines for, too.

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“So we decided that instead of inviting them on, let’s follow their predictions and record it on Pundit Watch. We did that through stealth for a month, and then at the end of the month we launched it and said, ‘Hey, we’ve been following your predictions, and here is your performance.’”

Read the full article at Bloggasm.