Reaching Inbox Zero
This afternoon, after catching Merlin Mann’s presentation on the Worst Website Ever for the second time, I wandered over to 43 Folders. I think I’d been to the site a few times before, for whatever reason, but I don’t recall ever spending a lot of time there. Anyway, one of the articles which caught my eye was the post on Inbox Zero.
I’m a geek for organization. I completely buy into the idea that, if only I could be more organized, I would be happier and less stressed out. I’d heard the term “inbox zero” before, a concept which is pretty much self-explanatory, but I had no idea how a person accomplished such a thing. The last time my work inbox was empty was the day I turned it on for the first time.
Then, I watched the video of the Inbox Zero presentation that Mann gave at Google in 2007. And a light came on. Most of the advice that Mann gives could neatly be defined as “advanced common sense” (a term Mann uses more than once during the presentation), but it was all stuff that I just never did.
I used the remainder of my workday and the better part of my bus ride home implementing elements of the strategy outlined by Mann. And let me tell you what: I feel one hundred times better than I did this morning. I still have just about as much to do as I did this morning, but I have a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
If you have any problems at all with an unwieldy inbox, I can’t suggest this video strongly enough.
Frat Pack Upcoming Movie Grading Guide
My brother-in-law Alex was the first person to ever use the term “frat pack” in a conversation with me, and I actually thought that he didn’t know what he was talking about when he explained that the members of the group included both Judd Apatow, who I think is a genius, and Ben Stiller, who I think is probably the worst thing to happen to American cinema in the last two hundred years (except, maybe, for Owen Wilson, who might be worse). So, I went home and looked up the term on Wikipedia. And sure, enough, Alex was not bullshitting me. There is such a thing as the Frat Pack.
And now, according to New York Magazine’s Vulture, there is apparently a definitive way to tell if a film featuring these fine folks will be any good or not.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is also written by an Apatow acolyte, Freaks & Geeks vet Jason Segel (3), who also stars along with Undeclared’s Carlo Gallo (1.5). Sadly, it’s directed by Nicholas Stoller (-2). We are promised wangs, “several scenes,” so let’s say three minutes (3). No big stars, but Kristen Bell is at least as proven an actress as Katherine Heigl (3). That gives us a relatively solid movie, with a total score of 8.5 — somewhere between Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Not bad!
Any other Apatow fans up in hee-ah? What do you think?
[Via Kottke]
Geek Force Five Mentioned on News Askew
The fine folks at News Askew were kind enough to mention Geek Force Five in their write-up of the possible release date for Zack and Miri Make a Porno. I’d like to take a moment to welcome any News Askew readers who are visiting us for the first time, and I’d also like to thank Brad and Chris of News Askew for the shout-out.
Trailer for Next Month’s Episodes of LOST
If you didn’t catch the sneak peek at the end of last night’s absolutely stellar episode of Lost, or if you’re just itching to see it again (as I was), then head on over to DarkUFO. He has a streaming copy of it, ready for you to drool over.
April 24 can’t get here fast enough…
Last Week on Lost: Ji Yeon
Teasing tonight’s episode for Entertainment Weekly’s Doc Jensen, Lost executive producer Damon Lindelof says, “Yes, you’ll find out a lot about [Kevin Johnson]. But you’ll ALSO learn why bearded Jack was unable to jump. AND where the Others are holed up. AND, according to those silly promos, apparently someone dies, too.”
As it did last week, Lindelof’s weekly tease has gotten me ten times more amped up for tonight’s episode than I already was. I’m not a huge fan of episodes centered around the former castaway who is now going by the name Kevin Johnson. Knowing that we’ll learn a little bit about Jack and the missing Others tonight, in this last episode before a month-long break, is awesome.
So, I can’t wait for tonight, and I’m sure that you can’t either. In the meantime, here (below the fold) are some of my thoughts on last week’s episode, “Ji Yeon,” which I re-watched last night on the bus ride home while simultaneously working on my novel (yay for multitasking).
