Get Organised with Trello

Blaugust Day 9 - Introducing Trello

This week, I've just started using a new organisational tool called Trello. I'm still getting used to what it can do and how I can use it but my first impression is that it could be really useful to get my stuff arranged all in one place. Of course, it could also turn into a nice shiny toy to play at getting organised with. It's going to take some thinking and setting up to make it practical so that is yet more time when I won't be doing the stuff on my list!

I'm thinking of it as a giant whiteboard where I can stick my post-it notes and move them around as I need to. However, that's not how I currently work my to-do list so it's not as easy as just transferring stuff to Trello!

Trello can also do much more than just be a giant to-do list. You can invite other Trello users to a board where you can both add, arrange and edit the cards on a project. We used it for the first time this week to organise our show notes for the Journal of Marcus Ty episode 46 and it made it really easy to get our thoughts straight and in show order too.

It was Marcus that introduced me to Trello and we'll be using it for show notes going forward. I'll be able to add a card for any interesting bits of news I find in between shows and make notes for my week in WoW section too. As we record every two weeks, I sometimes forget the good stuff that happens just after a show by the time we get to the next show!

I've also started a board for each of my blogs - to pin post ideas, good articles and links and any other blog-related stuff. I definitely foresee a distinct reduction in bits of paper floating around my desk which should also help me remember stuff as I won't be losing the bit of paper I jotted it down on! I'll be using it straightaway for my Blaugust planning too!

You should be able to click the picture to get a much larger version if you'd like to read the welcome screen :)

Have you used Trello or something like it? What do you think?

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Yet Another Last Minute, Late Night Post!

Blaugust Day 7 - Time to Get Organised!

These blogging challenges are a great way to get into the habit of writing every day but I'm struggling to get everything done that I want to do anyway so I've kind of added yet another item to my to-do list.

I think I've had a little breakthrough though - I just realised I can't just sit down and write a few paragraphs about any old thing just to fulfill the Blaugust challenge. It's no fun for me and I'd guess it's a waste of time for anyone who pops in for a quick read. I need a plan!

When I did the A-Z Challenge last year, I had a lot less stuff on my plate so I sat down and used the Google calendar to jot down ideas for the days. I'm pretty bad at brainstorming alone though so a concentrated 'let's plan this' is not the best way forward for me. I'm more of a 'random thought at odd times' kind of girl so I've put a small notebook and pen in my handbag. That way, I can jot down my ideas when I'm at work at least.

I tried the 500 words a day challenge back in May too but I didn't time that very well. I was in St Louis for two of the weeks of the challenge and was hopeful of getting a post done whilst Cold was at work but it proved, yet again, that my planning skills suck!

So tomorrow, I'm going to sit down and try to plan some Blaugust posts. Even if I leave gaps in the calendar, it will give me something to work towards and maybe this time, I'll actually finish one of these challenges!

How do you organise yourself for blogging challenges? Do you just wing it or do you plan it out? Any suggestions?

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Just Somebody That I Used To Know?

Sad Dragon

Yesterday I read a very sad post by Mushan about an old guildie of his. It struck a deep chord with me as I too have lost touch with people from old guilds that I used to spend all day with & I have no idea what ever happened to them. I have no reason to believe anything terrible has happened but I'll never know & that's the crappy part of online friendships!

But even deeper than that, it took me back to one of my main worries last year when I had my cancer. I have some wonderful & very close friends online but none of my family have a clue who they are. What if something bad happened during my operation? How would my friends find out where I had disappeared too? It was a big worry at the time but of course, with hindsight, it was just a worry. I did actually leave a name & phone number with the nurse but I don't think she really understood how important it was to me. I know she was being reassuring by telling me she wouldn't need it but that didn't help! lol

Around the same time, something happened on one of my stock photography sites - a contributor (photographer) died, leaving a large portfolio of work on the site which was still earning money. His family also had no idea of his online activities and it was only chance & a good management team at the stock site that worked out the legalities for them.

Mushan's post got me thinking again - I have multiple online personalities, split between my gaming, my photography, my crafts, my writing & my general friends - am I being big-headed to think they would want to know what happened if I just disappeared? I don't think so. I know how I feel when someone I consider friend or even just a regular online acquaintance stops appearing on my twitter feed or drops me on Facebook. I wonder if they are ok, then I start to wonder if it was something I did or said to upset them. Yes, eventually I stop worrying so much but it still niggles sometimes!

I'm facing another operation in the next few months so it's probably a timely reminder for me to get my stuff in order, just in case. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine but there's always that tiny little bit of doubt & this time, I'm going to do something about it! I'm not sure quite what though! I'm definitely going to put my login & passwords for my social sites in a safe place and probably put a few special contact names in there too. That's just for my online stuff, obviously I have to sort the rest of my pile of crap out too - my desk looks like an explosion in a paper factory most of the time and I wouldn't want my Mum to have to sort through it.

I know this seems kind of maudlin, but actually I'm not. I feel this is a positive thing to do. It's one less worry & once it's done, I don't have to do it again any time soon! It's just getting my affairs in order but in a very modern sense. My parents have had an 'if something happens' folder since I was a child & I guess now I'm beginning to grasp why. They obviously had us kids to worry about but almost all their friends were in the same circle & would have heard any news very quickly. It's so different these days with friends all over the world, some very special to me indeed, but they may never hear any news of the worst was to happen.

I can't be the only one who's thought like this though!  Have you? What did you decide to do?

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