Green Oasis

In my continuing quest for simplicity on my computer desktop, I have found a new tool: Emerge Desktop. Essentially, I have removed everything from my desktop—this includes the Start menu and the taskbar—except for an unobtrusive text clock and a couple of icons from the system tray. When all windows are minimized, this is what I see.

The reason the image is so wide is because I have dual widescreen monitors at work. (Don’t hate me because of my screen space.)

This also has the salutary side effect of almost completely obfuscating the use of my computer. I get boyish delight at the thought of a coworker’s befuddled look when they sit down down to my computer and grope around for their precious Start menu. Tee hee.

The simple beauty of mathematics. Möbius transformations.

An excellent introduction to the central philosophy behind Getting Things Done from the man himself. GTD (as it’s known to the dark cult that surrounds it) is the art of stress free productivity.

(via lifehacker)

I’ve decided to work through the Simple Living Manifesto, a list of 72 ideas to help simplify. I began with step one: make a list of my top 4-5 important things. I reflexively began to rattle off: family, work, school, and so on but stopped myself. Are those really the most important things in my life, or are those means to an end? I paused and tried again.

Throughout the day, I pondered on what my most important things are. I finally came up with this list:

• Life—the survival and propagation life
• Knowledge—learning the truth
• Peace—contentment and satisfaction
• Compassion—suffering with others and working to alleviate the unnecessary pains of life
• Love—to love and be loved

I value these things. I can’t justify why, but I don’t feel any need do so. I just want them. Perhaps I value those things just because I’m human.

On to the next steps: evaluate my commitments and my time. Everything I do should support those goals.

We could use a few more people like Fred Rogers:

Maybe it sounds hokey, but Mr. Rogers really did make me feel like I was his friend.