FisherFiles

Email is probably the most important tool computers and networks have brought it. The protocols for using are still evolving, so it is worth a little thought. Does email replace the post or the phone? What are the right things to send by email? Where should you store your email? This week we take up these things, as well as expanding on the email tool as a notebook or to do list.
Mindfeed: Modified Newtonian Dynamics, modeling the reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field, commercially availible quantum computer, quantum optics, NASA lack of science.
Episode Seven

A little review of Episodes 1-5 five and how things should fit together at this point.
MindFeed: Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboraotry (DUSEL).
Music: “Wind Chimes” and “Cool Blast” by Kevin McLeod (incompetech.com)”
Episode Six

Calendars are pretty obvious, so I just talk about a few other things. But meetings, ugh! I talk about some simple rules to keep them from taking all your time.
Mindfeed: thermodynamics and life on Mars, studying the paranormal in the lab and graphene.
Music: “Gypsie Blues (the jig is up)” by midliFeCrisis, “Social Formation” by The Bob Dolomites and “Another Day, Another Dollar” by Bob Maus.
Episode Five

Your two hundred daily tasks are guided by your list of things To Do. You may actually have a physical list, use a computer utility or just remember. We talk about how to make the To Do more flexible and relevant by actually making several lists for different contexts and people, keeping in mind the To Do list connects your projects to your daily tasks.
The Mind Feed: multitasking, value of standardized testing, rings around SN1987A, atmospheres of extrasolar planets and DOE office of Science Memo and response.
Music: “Dilbert’s Blues” by Daveski, “A Lonely Dance” by DASJAMBO and “A Girl Named October” by one blue nine”. All music from PodSafe Audio
Episode Four

The big picture connects with your daily tasks through projects. I think of a project as a series of tasks with a clear, attainable goal; you should know when a project is done. Typically, I think of a project as spanning some amount of time between a few days and a few months. Last week, we talked about buckets, which empty into projects and the weekly review, during which time you take a look at all your projects and see how they are doing. Your projects feed your to do list, next week’s topic.
This week’s MindFeed: the humming of the Earth, dissing the Linear Collider, fusing bubbles and crop strain storage.
Music: “We gotta go” by David Henderson, “Zombie” by Devin Anderson, “I ain’t sorry” by Circle in a Square. All music may be downloaded free from PodSafe Audio.

This week, we talk about places to dump things out of your head (“buckets”) and how to make sure you get back to them (the weekly review). Buckets and the weekly review are the first steps to emptying you mind to make room for the more important, creative thoughts.

Program notes:
David Allen’s Website – many of my ideas start here. Oriented to the wealthy business person, but lots of free and less expensive stuff.
Getting Things Done – David Allen’s book
43folders – excellent techy organization site. Has lots of mind hacks, tech solutions and its own podcast.
MindFeed – last weeks Nature. If you are from MIT, you can access the articles using your kerberos id.
Episode Two

This is the first of a ten episode PodCast about connecting your small tasks to your larger aims. I don’t have many answers, but I do have plenty of questions. On the practical side, we’ll talk about things like time management, work flows, handling e-mail, but always with an eye to the large-small connection. Listener comment is more than welcome.

MindFeed (12:57) – This week’s segment – the ILC releases its design report. Learn more at www.linearcollider.org
Introduction

Waste.m4v

After dropping my family off at Logan Airport, I noticed the 9/11 Memorial while crossing the pedestrian bridge from Terminal A to Central Parking. Here is the brochure.

These are pictures I took as I walked around.

From Dr. Strangelove: George C. Scott chewing