Hacked

I'm gaining a new appreciation for the internet.

A few weeks ago, I started using Bloglines to check on my favorite blogs. It was getting so ponderous to check and double check websites for new updates. Christine mentioned using a feed and gave a little 'how-to' on her blog, so I tried it out.

Whoa. I know that many of you are doing this already, so it's old news for you - but, hey - it was new to me. And it is so cool. The drawback is that it takes an extra click or two to leave a comment, and I've noticed that I'm more inclined to read and navigate away, rather than comment. But at least I'm keeping up.

Bloglines made suggestions for feeds, and I took them up on a few offers. One of them - I am not exaggerating - has been lifechanging.

Lifehacker.

It's updated like every 10 minutes, and it's a collection of ways to use technology - specifically, your computer - to really improve your life. As someone who finds hours sucked out of my free time while mousing around on my trusty Dell, this is good news for me. Improve my life. Please.


Here's what I've discovered, thus far, reading Lifehacker feeds:

• Circa notebooks from Levenger. I read about these, watched a few videos, ordered a starter kit. It came today. I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. Somebody read my mind and made exactly what I needed for my life. These notebooks allow you to put various sizes of paper in them - and it's all removable. Interchangable. The plastic cover and pocket folders are sturdy. It's not a spiral - it's all connected by little plastic discs that clip into the paper. Oh. My. Word. As my 17-year old says, "You have no idea." This is good. Really good. It will revolutionize my work life, organize my life and make me happy forever. No kidding.
  
• iGoogle. A front page that works. Shows me if I have mail in my gmail account; has a fast click to Bloglines. The current weather is front and center. News clips. Yahoo without the annoying ads that take way too long to load. My calendar, front and center, which is handy because Outlook has become demon posessed...


• Google calendar. Oh, yeah. It gladly welcomed my Outlook calendar file - opened the door, invited it in to have a drink and sleep over. Now they're playing Guitar Hero together. Okay, not really - but it's good. It does what Outlook does, at least to the degree that I need Outlook - but it's just...well...cooler.
• Right now, I'm checking out a piece of software that supposedly analyzes your music library and helps you identify songs by the beat per minute - enabling you to put together a good, consistent workout playlist. I just started training for the 10k, and I'm tired of clicking through my iPod workout list, because what I thought would be a good track for running ended up being ridiculously slow. I also read about a band called LCD Soundsystem that has a track called 45:33, designed to give you just that - 45 plus minutes of perfect beats per minute for working out. Cool. Check out the link - groovy music.

It's like this whole new world opened up to me. What can I tell you?

I'm going to go play with my new notebook.