Whew!

I’m always mildly freaked before I present, and then surprised afterward by how much fun it is. This time around I was presenting some new material, and I was really happy with the result. This was in part because of the extra-welcoming crowd — a few people even drove well out of their way to come say hi, which made me feel all aw-shucksy.

Anyway, it’s time to start taking this show on the road more, we’ve been having a blast. If you missed us this time, but want to come say hi, the next place I’m scheduled to present is at SxSW.

Now I’m going to bed. Tomorrow, Detroit! I’m hoping they’ll have cocktails there.

Indianapolis

My presentation is tomorrow, and then we’re headed to Detroit for a few days.

Best thing we’ve seen here so far? A girl in her car using the cigarette lighter to plug in her hair crimper. Not nearly enough hair crimping going on in parking garages these days.

Weekend Plans?

I’m doing a presentation at the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library* IUPUI University Library Auditorium (755 W. Michigan Street) on Sunday! I’ve never been to Indianapolis, so I have a good buzz of curious anticipation going.

If you live anywhere near there, please come. There’s a reception afterward where I’ll be signing books, and drinking tea, and possibly feeling slightly bewildered (the way these things can sometimes make you feel). At that time, it would be so lovely for you to say, “Hi Maggie, I’m [your name here].” And then I’ll say, “Nice to meet you!” And then we can make faces at the baby.

See you there!

*Oops! The library is co-sponsoring the event, the university is hosting.

Resolving Conflict Quickly

I just wrote a post on 43Folders about The Four Agreements. If you’re not familiar with 43Folders, it’s my friend Merlin’s productivity blog, and it’s pretty darn useful. Anyway, post excerpt:

I dread conflict. In fact, when I know a confrontation is imminent, it’s all I can think about. I mull it over when I could be labeling file folders, I ponder it while my inbox burgeons, while my 3×5 cards gather dust. Conflict is my productivity disaster.
Fortunately, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz gave me a few significant tools for moving past conflict in any arena…

Read the rest.

Steal This Idea: Customized Goal Charts

I want customized goal charts that someone else designs and prints for me.

I want to go to a site where I fill in the title for my chart, then choose a chart template:

-Zen
-Bright
-Dots

Choose how I want to measure my progress:

-bar chart
-pie chart
-check boxes

Choose from a selection of letter-press like images as decoration, and then choose the format I want:

-Email me a PDF so I can print it
-Print this and mail it to me so I can hang it on the wall
-Make this an interactive web page I can use to chart my progress

I would choose to have them printed about the size of a collectible rock-show poster, and then I’d hang them on the wall behind my desk. You could fill in the charts with a pen, or use pretty stickers to check off your boxes. In my dream, the design would look something like the posters from Lizard Press or Really Good Things, Etc.

How about it, programmers/designers? If you can just get it to the point where you can email me the PDF, I’d pay about $20 a PDF and take it to a print shop myself.

Now, in the meantime, you Etsy letterpress folks or those with sik screening capacity should consider making up a set of small posters that allow people to write in their very important goal lists. Offer about ten variations that all look good together, so you could hang a grouping of goals and it wouldn’t look dumb.

Do this! Do this, my friends! It is a good idea.