Matt Heerema : Web Design

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Mid-April Design Linkage

In addition to all the GTD links, there were some excellent Web design links. Here are some of the best (IMO)

Getting Creative with Web transparency - rounds up some good cross-browser PNG transparency techniques

60 More AJAX and JavaScript Solutions for Professional Coding - I’m becoming a jQuery or custom-only guy, but there are some neat tricks here.

eXtreme Type Terminology - Typography lingo 101

FR EE Typefaces from Ten by Twenty - Jura, Nevis, and Munro, three of the hottest free fonts I’ve seen.

63 Must-have Grunge fonts - because you know, you need 63…

Take Control of Your Maps - Don’t default to Google Maps API on your next Web app :)

20 Rare Questions for Google Search Guru Udi Manber

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Posted April 17th, 2008 in Web Design by Matt

After having my head down with the Engadget / AOL Tech launch for the last month, I’ve been neglecting organization and pretty much… everything else except for my family. It’s been refreshing to get back into the groove. The inbox is cleaned out, my desktop (computer and physical) is clean again, and I’m starting to communicate with the outside world :)

There were some very good articles backlogged in my feed reader from that time. (most via Lifehacker, Unclutterer, Diethack, and Zen Habits)

How To Cope With A Stressful Life - very helpful read to me :)
8 Little-known techniques to help you burn more fat and calories - going to try and start incorporating these into my diet
F rom 10000 to 0 e-mails in an inbox in 24 hours - It is possible. Do it.
Bringing your bookshelves back to order - constant point of difference between the wife and I :)

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Posted April 17th, 2008 in Getting Things Done by Matt

Giving Birth to a Tech Network

Well, it’s not news anymore, but we re-launched Engadget (and all the sub-Engadgets) and packaged a few other of our sites into a juggernaut Tech-blog network. I am physically and emotionally exhausted from it all. I could write a book on the process, I may attempt snippets of it on this blog. Sorry I didn’t post about it right away, but I needed a few days away from the computer to recoup. Besides, there was enough being written about it anyway. Here’s some of the coverage:

Great work Mark and Erik, and thanks, Snook for the killer jQuery implementation

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Posted April 14th, 2008 in Web Design by Matt

Big News Coming Soon (And I’m Still Getting Things Done)

(In case you missed the other big news going on right now: we’re expecting again :) This will be #2 for us. Due in October. We’re very excited and incredibly blessed. We’d appreciate prayers, if you’re the praying type.)

I’ve been pretty quite on the Internets recently. Been “heads-down” on a huge project ever since SXSW. I’ll get to talk about it towards the end of the week :) I can vouch for the absolute productivity boost of remaining off twitter, out of Facebook/other soc.net sites, and staying invisible or offline of your IM. I wonder how people used to work in the days before these things…

I’m still continuing to study and practice “getting things done” methodology. Focusing mostly on staying de-cluttered. This has had the effect of vastly freeing up a part of my brain I didn’t know was occupied. Here are some recent good links along that line.

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Posted April 7th, 2008 in Announcements, Getting Things Done by Matt

GTD: Discardia, Controlling Cravings, Insomnia, and more

So I’m on my way to becoming a full out Lifehack link blog. Sweet. Maybe someday I’ll get back to writing about Web design. There is much to be said. Until then:

12 Essential Rules to Live More Like a Zen Monk

Living like a Zen Monk is not a big deal for me, however, some of these rules would definitely seem to make for a nicer, more productive life, I think.

Insomnia and Productivity

Turn your insomnia into ultra-productive time. It is easier to get into a state of “flow” (or: hack mode) when no one and nothing is bothering you late at night. I did this for quite awhile about a year ago, out of necessity, not insomnia. Use carefully, however, as it lead to burnout for me.

Interview with Gina Trapani

Some good Q&A with the founder of lifehacker.com.

10 ways to control your cravings

Tips for overcoming your hunger cravings (and thusly, losing weight, or sticking to diets).

Discardia

A holiday season for getting rid of stuff. Awesome. I think I will start celebrating it. Some of the more philosophical aspects of it however: guilt, etc, can only be gotten rid of by what we are celebrating in this current season: Easter, and Jesus’ resurrection and victory over death.

Happy Easter, everyone :)

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Posted March 20th, 2008 in Getting Things Done by Matt

GTD Update and Links

It’s Spring cleaning time. This weekend I was busy uncluttering my life and minimalising my surroundings (starting with my desk). I tightened down my schedule, started a good To Do list system with Things (and pen and paper), reconciled my bank accounts for the last year (I use Mvelopes to keep track of my finances. Great program), and my wife and I have started a crusade against junk/clutter/hoarding.

I’m feeling great. My mind is already freer, I’m feeling less stress, and more ability to focus. I heartily recommend a GTD system and minimalist life style. I have a ways to go yet, but we’re making progress.

Some great links from the last couple days on various GTD-related sites I’m starting to visit after the jump.

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Posted March 18th, 2008 in Getting Things Done by Matt

My first Utter

Here is my first post using Utterz, a cool new service I picked up on at the SXSW Tradeshow. Many many cool things learned, new services discovered (including this one) and most importantly, new faces met. I will be posting about my experiences over the next couple days. Look forward to photos, a little video, and inane rambligs.
Mobile post sent by mattheerema using Utterz.

Replies.

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Posted March 15th, 2008 in Everything Else by Matt

GTD Links of the day

Download Sample Excerpts of “Upgrade Your Life”

I got to meet Gina Trapani at SXSW, very cool. Oddly, motivating to get GTD working for me. I’m going to pick up her book, here are some links to some free excerpts.

speaking of…

The Best of Lifehacker in Upgrade Your Life

From the post:

I’ve pulled together links to all the past posts that informed each book chapter to give you a one-stop preview of what’s inside that cover. Consider this post the unedited web version of the book.

Patterns for e-mail as work conversation

One of the downfalls of the “inbox zero” method is if you work in a company that relies on E-mail for consistent communication, conversation, and avoiding meetings (such as the company I work for). Here are some tips for implementing Inbox Zero in this type of environment.

How To Make Time For Your Personal Goals

I came back from SXSW with a few new personal goals to add to my pile of current personal goals. This list of 11 tips is going to be extremely useful to me.

How My Net Worth Went from $-40,000 to $285,000 in Five Years

Not a GTD tip specifically, but I think I will be posting financial tips here as well. Great article on 6 things this person implemented to grow their net worth dramatically without a get-rich-quick scheme or hitting it rich on the stock market or lottery. Very Dave Ramsey-ish

Bigger Monitors = More Productivity

What a found:

People using the 24-inch screen completed the tasks 52% faster than people who used the 18-inch monitor; people who used the two 20-inch monitors were 44% faster than those with the 18-inch ones. There is an upper limit, however: Productivity dropped off again when people used a 26-inch screen.

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Posted March 13th, 2008 in Getting Things Done by Matt