From the archives: I went digital (2009)
An entry on diyplanner.com from 21 December 2009:
“2009 has been a difficult year for me and my family. Many changes have occurred, many heart breaking events, both on a personal and professional level. As a result, I had to make a lot of changes to my planning habits, in order to keep up with everything. Unfortunately, sadly, I ended up going digital. Kicking and screaming, mind you. I physically miss the feel of paper and pen. I miss planning my months on little index cards. I miss jotting notes on little index cards. I miss little index cards. *sigh*
When my mother-in-law’s cancer went for the worse and we moved to her town for two weeks to be at her side for the end, I brought my computer with me and my agenda, but since all my work was done by computer, all my meetings on my computer, all my messages by email, my agenda went forgotten in the hotel room most of the time.
When two of my colleagues tried to stop my promotion and started spreading libel and smearing my reputation, my computer, my on-line journal and my digital correspondance records became my primary tools. My day book never kept up with the daily changes to my meetings schedule with the union reps and the department head. I fought the trolls and won, I got my promotion. But my day book went by the way side again.
When my father suffered an infarction, I had to purchase a cell phone. I had been fighting the good fight against that one for years and years, but I had to buy one months earlier then I had planned. I wanted to wait for the Droid phone to make a final choice. Coronary disease made the choice for me. I knew that if I got a phone, ever, it would be a smart phone. I got an iPhone. And it took only a week to come to the conclusion that if I had a smart phone with me 24/7, there was no point in my carrying a day book around. Especially since I was already trying to keep up with my email planning in it already...
I have a confession to make: I’m now using iCal for planning. I am also using the notes feature in Mail and the Notes app to jot ideas. I have not used an index card in weeks. I feel ashamed. Really, I do. I miss paper.
The only paper survivors to my passage to digital are my notebook. My meeting notes, my article ideas, my presentation planning all still start in the bound notebook. My class discussion ideas also. It does mean I pull it out less often than before, but at least it means I still have some stationary with me. The circa notebook is still my friend when I go to a conference. I write down all my conference notes and then file by date and topic. Since I go to 4 or 5 conferences a year, I don’t carry that one often, but it’s still my go-to for conference related insights.
2010 will see me being a digital girl all the way. I will not be printing planner pages for 2010 for myself. I did print some for Mamou and I made a pingouin desk calendar for him, but not for me.
I miss paper.”