Gmail now has Exchange integration.

Not that this matters directly to my life, but it got me thinkin':


I use GMail for my personal email and my Hot Breakfast email. My Hot Breakfast email is provided by GoDaddy, but instead of reading it separately via GoDaddy's webmail, I just pull it into GMail and have it labeled "Hot Breakfast!" so I can see it easier and also filter for it.


My work (knapp-it.com) email is also hosted by GoDaddy, but the only way I read my KnappIT email is either by firing up a browser and using GoDaddy's interface, or by using a totally separate email app (K-9 Mail) on my phone. KnappIT and Gmail never touch. 


But now I'm wondering if I should re-examine that.


So... people who have both a personal email address and a work email address... what are some pros and cons to keeping them separate, or reading them all through Gmail?


One pro I can see is that Gmail lets me use a rich text editor on my phone that would come in handy for work-- right now if I need rich text for work I have to be sitting at a PC.  But a con would be that I wouldn't be able to easily say "I will not be at work after hours" if I have work emails coming into gmail after my US business hours. (I have lots of overseas students who use my videos. I don't always want to answer them at 9:30PM.) 


Thoughts?

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8/3 '16 8 Comments
Your work hours are not determined by technology, they are determined by you, the business owner. If you set the expectation that you are available between X and Y EST, that's when you're available, no matter when you get your email.

Hope that helps.
Love you!
I'm really good about not dealing with work emails after hours, but that's because I let the technology act as a sliiiiiight barrier. If I don't wanna work after hours, I don't click on my phone's KnappIT email icon... or if I'm actually sitting at my comput0r, I simply don't go to my webmail page. But I have the sinking feeling that if I tell my KnappIT email to get sucked in via Gmail, I'm not gonna be able to resist. I'm gonna fall into that dumb ol' trap of "Aw, I can just knock this out real quick..." and the next thing I know I'm now working dumb hours.

I have shit for discipline, especially when it comes to helping people... and especially especially when it comes to overseas students who want to give me money overnight if I'd just send them an invoice (which I do not want to do at 10:30pm).

Blegh.
This just made me think about Gmail's capabilities and I might have a solution.

In Gmail's labeling/filtering capabilities, there is an option to bypass the Inbox during labeling. If you did this, then you would have your work emails within Gmail but not visible without clicking on the "Work Email" label, and hopefully avoiding the urge to work during off hours.

Let me know if I'm not being clear here. It is early, I haven't had any coffee yet, and my eyes are still half shut with sleep. :)
I think your cons outweigh your pros.
I think you're right.
I still keep them separate - but with a quirk:

I used OWA's settings to forward both a text to my phone and a copy of the email to my Gmail for Really Important Folks at the office.

It's a bit overkill for many folks, but I like knowing that there's no chance Ill miss that important message from Da Boss.
Hmmm. My KnappIT email isn't Exchange, but I wonder if my GoDaddy email has some functionality like that... if not, I wonder if IFTTT can do some magic without handing over the keys to the castle. Lemme think on this, but you're giving me ideas.
Thanks, yo!
No problemo! Hope it helps. :)
 

Copied from FB, because I want to save this for myself.  Writing this made me so happy.

 I'm not asleep. I like Hillary Clinton and I am thrilled that she got the nomination. I voted for her and I will be proud to vote for her again. I'm watching the DNC and I am moved by all of the speakers and their genuine regard for her - not only politicians and stars, but also Americans who she has helped over her many years of public service. I realize that I am opening myself up to bashing because I stated my opinion here, and I expect it, but I am not going to ruin my evening fending off personal attacks. I read news, I listen to political podcasts (all liberal, but not all pro-Hillary Clinton), I dig in and find out facts. I am not uninformed or foolish, and I am not looking for a debate or an argument. When Bernie Sanders emerged as a candidate, I read about him exhaustively, and when the accusations of corruption emerged, I researched them, using multiple sources, and I don't deny that the DNC did some shady shit, though I question whether it is new or same shit as always, just exposed. I am not insulting Bernie Sanders supporters, though I am sad that some progressives are so angry at Hillary Clinton that they will not even read her true, provable progressive record or her positions on the issues before voting against her in protest. I am a progressive liberal with an independent mind, and I'm with Her.

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7/28 '16 8 Comments
I'm just saying hi. (This is to remind me to go back and read this later. I am currently studying and on a roll, so I will be back, but OPW pinged up and I had to peek. Judging from a quick skim, I need brain engagement big time for this post and my brain is currently occupied elsewhere.)
I'll be back
xxxx

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So, if you want to hear my take on why I enthusiastically support Ms. Clinton, I will be happy to tell you ... okay it may end up as an OPW post anyway, but let me address the Trump issue.

I understand that the last thing people want is "more of the same" and that is why Mr. Sanders on the left and Mr. Trump on the wrong ... I mean right got a lot of support.

When I watched the debates, I watched the Republicans partially because I like drinking games and partially because I wanted to know which R candidate was the least of the evils, who would I not mind as President, who would I be least scared of. Trump was a possibility - he was not an evangelical like Cruz, he is from New York which has a diverse population, he knows a lot of entertainers (who tend to be liberal or at least socially inclusive), he wasn't anti-teacher like Scott Walker or a train wreck like Carly "HP layoffs" Fiorina.

This is where Trump lost me - when he talks about forcing Muslims to "register", he is talking about discriminating against American citizens based on their religion. As a Jew, I know what that looks like from the other side, and I am not just talking about the Holocaust, I am talking about the Inquisition, about the attacks on synagoges in Paris that happened in either 2015 or 2016 ... recent. Once religious discrimination starts, it doesn't end well, and if "they come for the Muslims and I say nothing", I have no illusions that the Jews will be safe - that's me and my children, that's my family.

Also, I know we vary on gun control, but Mr. Trump has stated that one of his first actions as President will be to eliminate gun free school zones. That's a zero-sum thing for him to say - his children are either too old to be in school or are in private schools and have bodyguards. My children are in public school and while yes, they are in a very safe community, eliminating gun-free zones in schools is a terrifying trend. It makes me think of Elle in lockdown when the Stanford shooting happened, Leah, terrified, texting and praying. No, this man cannot be allowed to lead our country, he cannot be allowed to dictate policy.

Also, last night at the DNC was basically "security/defense" night. Republican military officers spoke and said that they trusted Ms. Clinton as commander in chief and that they were deeply concerned that Mr. Trump bragged that the military would torture people if he told them to - the military is all about order and discipline, about following the rules and being the good guys, and this retired naval officer (a Republican) was so horrified ...

https://www.demconvention.com/speeches/rear-admiral-john-hutson-ret-2016-dnc-speech/

Here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9l9uBkoYZg

Also, Michael Bloomberg, who is a self-made billionaire and richer than Mr. Trump, and who was the Republican Mayor of New York City (he took office right after 9/11) when Ms. Clinton was the Senator from New York, he spoke in praise of her. He's now an independent, not a Dem. He ran on his record as a businessman.

Mr. Bloomberg, speech text:
http://www.vox.com/2016/7/27/12302828/michael-bloomberg-dnc-speech-transcript-2016-democratic-convention

Speech video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n3vuf-rbd8

The speeches blew my mind - these are the guys I used to hate, the party of Ronald Ray-gun, the guys who wanted prayer in schools and women in the kitchen, the don't ask, don't tell guys, the keep women out of the military guys (these are generalizations about the Republican party, not specifics - it's what people like Hutson and Bloomberg represented to me), and they spoke in full-throated support of Ms. Clinton. It's fascinating and a little terrifying - because you know they'd be up at the RNC if the nominee were Jeb Bush or John Kasich.

Republicans think a FEMALE DEMOCRAT will be a better, safer Commander in Chief than Donald Trump. Holy shit.
My friend Olympia, who recently returned to Australia with her American husband (after 15 years away) is also a huge Bernie Sanders fan.

I find American politics is something I am not quite so up with...(at first, I thought Trump running was just a huge gee up...no such luck.) And lately I am so tired of the political climate in my own country that I can barely be bothered to look elsewhere...(Political apathy, I am currently wallowing in it. I will snap out of it, but right now I just done with it all.)

Very brave indeed. But then being a woman and expressing any kind of opinion has always had to be undertaken with courage. I wonder if that will ever change?
Excellent point. I updated the post to use both candidates' full names. I think Ms. Clinton gets called by her first name because her spouse is an ex-POTUS and people associate the last name with him, like they called Bush II "W" to distinguish him from his Papa. Still, Ms. Clinton works nicely and I LOVE that you are calling her Ms. not Mrs.

My mother HATES being called "Mrs. Marvin Klein", and when I was growing up, I didn't quite get it because I am an unashamed over-the-top Daddy's girl, even at age 44. She explained to me that she was her own person, not an appendage of my Dad, and that resonated. I got a card a while ago from my Aunt, Susan and it was addressed to "Ms. Michelle Houser". Houser said, "It should be Mrs. - you're married." I educated him on why "Mrs./Miss" is unacceptable and Ms. = Mr.

So, Ms. Hillary Clinton - HELL YEAH!

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When I got really annoyed at conservatives disrespecting Mr. Obama, I started calling him "Our President". :)
That happens a lot here. All our female pollies seem to be addressed with their first names and the men with their last. It's a bugbear that crawls right up my arse too. At best they use both names for women but generally speaking when Gillard was PM she was constantly referred to as Julia.
(Whilst I am not a fan of Julia Gillard due to certain personal dealings with her, she was a very accomplished and capable politician who never got the respect she deserved.)
 

Right now is a reasonable time to have Fear of Missing Out. 

I'm in the city where the Democratic Party just appointed its first female presidential candidate. Today hundreds of people turned away representatives of the Westboro Baptist Church from an LGBT clinic with music and colors and love, and turned the protest into a block party.  There is a ton of dissent, and that's the magic of democracy.  

Last night I stayed up till midnight, glued to a screen, watching the DNC speeches.   Today I regretted not getting enough sleep. I spent the day shackled to a screen, watching training videos for work. I was shoving the pointy ends of paper clips into my fingers to keep from falling asleep. There are so many better, more beautiful things I could have done with my day. At least I'm (technically) helping people. 

Screens aren't helping me. 

When I got home, I decided that 92 degrees was as reasonable as the weather would get before dark, and took Squeaky for a short walk (about a mile).  We outran a door to door salesgirl who was working the block (I'm perfectly happy with my energy supplier, thanks!) and went once around the local park.  The playground has a baby elephant fountain, that blasts water into the air from its trunk on hot days. Squeaky and I went over to cool off. She didn't like the shower itself, but liked being cooler, and chased the droplets splashing in the puddles. 

An African-American toddler boy was playing in the shower. The evening sun silhouetted him and turned the droplets gold. I wanted to take a picture, but I don't think it's right to take pictures of people without their permission.  He loved Squeaky. She looked at him and sniffed, and he held out his hands to her and laughed. But, he was a little shy, and Squeaky was tired.  The boy's dad and I smiled at each other. It was hot and time to go home. 

So, maybe I'm not missing out, I just need to minimize screen time. 

This is a sculpture from Roosevelt Playground in Mayfair. It's about 7 or 8 feet up on a pedestal, and I just found out that it's called The Dove Of Peace. 

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7/27 '16
 
 

Here is a thing. 

I can't be with Ted every night this week. He's on his own, in his apartment. He usually prefers to be with my mom at night. He likes being independent, but in touch with others, like how a family usually rolls, as they wind down for the night. 

When the storm tonight was bad, I called him to check in. He was ok: he had power and cable and snacks, but he sounded a little scared and lonely. We talked about summer rain and barometric pressure. I assured him he would be fine, and I'd call him in an hour to check in. 

I posted on Facebook, an open thread, asking people to send him kind wishes, to help him get through the storm.

The storm of goodness that came through, boy, let me tell you. Big hearts bigger than the Grinch's in Whoville on Christmas Day. 

I called him at the requested check-in time, and told him what happened.

"Oh, good." 

I know that when his phone rings, it drives him crazy, so I don't want to call him again tonight. 

I am so lucky to have a front seat to goodness. 

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7/26 '16 2 Comments
You are the best sister.
He makes it easy, sometimes.
 

Writerly Folks:

I was wondering if I could get some thoughts on the following items. I listen to a lot of podcasts about writing/publishing, but those are (in a sense) only one source. So I thought I would turn to youse guyz since I know there are more than a couple writers here.

Publishing

  • Is traditional publishing still a thing that is worth pursuing?
  • If so, how worthy of pursuit is it? Meaning: How much would you give up / fight for that over self publishing / digital publishing?
  • If so, why? Is there some singular element that just puts it way out in front of self/digital publishing?

Tools / Resources

  • Is there a resource you use all the time (podcasts, writing software, website(s)) that you use and couldn't live without?
  • What do you most commonly use to do your writing? Pen and paper? Word? Scrivener?

Process

  • Do you have a routine for writing? What is it?
  • Do you have a production schedule? If so, why?

Why

Just wanted to point out that I wanted to do this post mostly as a discussion starter. I'm curious about the way you fine folks think about writing as work. As such, I'll comment below with my own answers. That way you can reply without being affected by my answers. You can also read them first if you prefer.

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7/6 '16 7 Comments
*****Publishing:
*My response to the 'is traditional worth it' is VERY weighted by the podcasts that I've been listening to. They all recommend (effectively) two paths:
**"Artist Authors" - if you're looking for a creative outlet from writing and a means to see your book on the shelves of Barnes & Noble, then traditional is still kinda the only real way to go. Yes, it's technically possible through self publishing, but it's exponentially more difficult than if you go through a publisher.
**"The Authorpreneur" - if your focus is to write as a means of producing income they all recommend self publishing through Amazon and the like. This is because of factors of scale and the ability to do it now and start work on the next book, effectively creating a collection of 'products' as opposed to spending time/effort/money attracting publishers.

Yes, I recognize that my source of information is the vendors of gold panning tools and equipment rather than the prospectors. That's why I wanted to have this discussion, and why my questions are worded the way that they are. :)

*****Tools and Resources
*I currently keep things pretty simple. If it's 'just a quick note' I use Google Keep (http://keep.google.com). If it's anything remotely larger (sometimes even rough drafts of emails or blog posts) I use Google Docs (http://drive.google.com). If my focus is to get it online and get an immediate response, I use OPW, LJ, or (sadly) FB.
*I absolutely geek out on tools. This is a real problem for me when it comes to being productive. This is why I've mostly stuck with Google Docs. I have it everywhere, I know it works, and I don't have to learn a new UI. Sometimes forcing myself to stick to Docs is painful, but it's been the right answer until now. I keep hearing about Scrivener on the podcasts I listen to. My saving grace has been that it costs money, so I've been able to keep myself from getting it because "I already have a solution that's free and works." So, of course, I'm dying to hear from any of you that might already use Scrivener. ;)
(((ETA: It occurs to me that I really only mentioned Tools and not so much with the Resources, so here's one for you: The Writing Excuses Podcast. It's a 15 minute / episode show, the cast is a fantastic group of varied writers, and they actually get me thinking about the craft of writing - every episode.)))

*****Process
*This is where I fail. Hard. I have NO real process, and NO real schedule whatsoever. I often start a schedule (see also: NaNoWriMo, Writing Chain, etc) but often fall off that particular wagon.
*This is why I have not been productive in any REAL way when it comes to writing. Working on it, but I would love to hear what you fine folks do to keep to your process/schedule.

Okay, that's about it from me for tonight. I'm going to go try to be productive on that writing project of mine...
As a side note re: scheduling - I just set up a Google Calendar to plan out my writing and give myself a schedule. I would like to have my first book complete by year's end and a (really) rough for a second cranked out during NaNoWriMo this year.

Ambitious? Yup. Still...

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That is completely understandable - sounds yummy!
I read Chuck Wending's blog, Terrible Minds. It's funny as hell. He seems to have said everything he wants to say about publishing, but I'm sure the relevant posts are archived.

I strongly believe that if you write for a goal that is overly specific, you might as well be writing Mad Libs. I think if you write something that feels really true, an idea you can't let go of, your work will have more of an impact.

I think there are a lot of carts before horses in the writing and publishing podcast game.
*"...an idea you can't let go of..."
Jesus, do I hope your right. The whole Patch thing started back in early high school. I'd call that not able to let go.

*"I think there are a lot of carts before horses..."
So very true! Still, I feel like the earlier I think about the cart(s) the better off I'll be when the horses get moving. I should probably still be more focused on the horses though.
Just another quick response to say that I've read a half dozen of Chuck's posts about publishing.

I like them. I like his thoughts on the subject. He's a shades of grey guy and so am I. The best option in almost any scenario is never absolute white or absolute black, but some balance of the two.

And you're right - he's funny as hell.
 

Hey oneposteristas,

Apparently posting from Android was jacked up big time.

Sorry.

I am embarrassed to say I post rarely enough from my own Android phone that I didn't experience this for much too long.

But, it's fixed now! I installed a newer version of ckeditor which resolved the underlying issue.


I also added a "+" button for adding the next tag, in case you're on a device that won't let me capture the comma key for that purpose, which has been my own experience on Android.


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6/30 '16 2 Comments
Thank you!! I thought it was just me.

Yaaaay!
Oh hell yes! I did this in time to help someone else genuinely affected!
 

I devoured this book in two nights.



That link might be showing the wrong cover picture.  Whatever. Jane Steele is an orphan's tale, rags to riches, sexy murderous poignant poetic socio-political mysterious Gothic fun. 

"...we are doers of deeds...and as such lose parts of our flesh along the way, and can only pray to meet friends and lovers who can help to stitch us back again, and that we can make them whole in turn." 

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6/15 '16
 
 

"If a lady ever extends you a privilege — and it IS a privilege — you don't tell anyone. And don't ever think she owes it to you." — My father

Once in high school I was an asshole. OK, one time in particular. I was riding in my dad's car with my brother and a friend, and I recounted a rumor about the sexual activities of a female classmate.

My father pulled over, whipped his head around, and gave me the lecture of my life. Which ended with the paragraph above. I can still hear his voice as I think about it.

I usually think of my mother as the principal reason I have always been a feminist (aka "someone who considers women to be people"), but remembering this, I realize I haven't given my father enough credit.

He started out making a point about her privacy and her reputation, but also said something more important: it was hers to give. Hers alone. No one else's to take, or gossip about, or criticize.

We can go back to arguing about whether we "need feminism" when every father in the United States tees off on his son with this lecture. Well before it's too late. Just in fucking case.

Not "don't get caught." Not "we'll sweep it under the rug so you can keep swimming." Not "next time don't get so drunk, kiddo."

Hers to give. Not yours to take, or talk trash on. Ever.

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6/7 '16 5 Comments
"It's hers to give. Not yours to take." That right there, says it all.
You have always been very respectful of me and I have always appreciated it. I know that's weird to say, but I don't take it for granted.

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Thanks Katie.

The post is actually kinda on fire on Facebook. Still racking up dozens of shares a day. Wish it wasn't trending because something horrible happened to an innocent person, but I'm glad I could budge the needle a tiny little bit.
I like your dad.