Eric Mack On-Line

Eric Mack On-Line www.ericmackonline.com http://www.ericmackonline.com/ica/blogs/emonline.nsf/ en-us Fri, 4 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700 Freedom is never free (Revisited) Fri, 4 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700 Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=freedom-is-not-free-revisited-2008 http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/freedom-is-not-free-revisited-2008 America Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/freedom-is-not-free-revisited-2008?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/freedom-is-not-free-revisited-2008 commentary on The Pledge of Allegiance:

Image:Freedom is never free (Revisited)

Red's commentary offers a glimpse into the meaning of these words and what it means to recite the Pledge as an American.

If you have never heard it, I invite you to watch this video from July 4, 2002.

Here's something else to think about: Freedom is never free.

Whether at the physical or spiritual level, the freedom that we enjoy today came at a great cost.

This Fourth of July, let us give thanks and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/freedom-is-not-free-revisited-2008 http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/freedom-is-not-free-revisited-2008?opendocument&comments eProductivity Preview Update for July 1, 2008 Tue, 1 Jul 2008 09:24:00 -0700 eProductivity preview program continue to pour in. We decided to increase the # of preview kits we will offer to 200 so that everyone that completes the application will be able to participate.

It's been interesting to read the forms that people have filled out to learn who uses Windows (99%) and who uses Mac (< 1%) and which versions of Notes folks are using. (Lots of activity in Notes R6.x and R8.x) and what challenges people face trying to get things done in Lotus Notes. I'll have lots to share as times goes on.

Meanwhile, I'd like to offer a special thanks to the bloggers that have picked this up, and I encourage you to visit their blogs:

Michael Sampson:
eProductivity for Notes is About Ready To Go ... Eric Has a Special Offer

Chris Blatnick of Interface Matters:
eProductivity for Lotus Notes...Want To Be Way More Efficient?

Stephan Wissel:
Procrastinator Professional and (e)Productivity

Ben Poole:
Do you want to get things done?

Oliver Starr of GTD Times:
Eric Mack to Launch eProductivity: your chance to get a preview in this post

(If I have missed anyone, please let me know. If you are a GTD or Notes blogger, let me know and I'll add you to our pre-launch list.)

I am preparing the preview kits and
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=eproductivity-preview-update-for-july-1-2008 http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/eproductivity-preview-update-for-july-1-2008 eProductivity Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/eproductivity-preview-update-for-july-1-2008?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/eproductivity-preview-update-for-july-1-2008 eProductivity preview program continue to pour in. We decided to increase the # of preview kits we will offer to 200 so that everyone that completes the application will be able to participate.

It's been interesting to read the forms that people have filled out to learn who uses Windows (99%) and who uses Mac (< 1%) and which versions of Notes folks are using. (Lots of activity in Notes R6.x and R8.x) and what challenges people face trying to get things done in Lotus Notes. I'll have lots to share as times goes on.

Meanwhile, I'd like to offer a special thanks to the bloggers that have picked this up, and I encourage you to visit their blogs:

Michael Sampson:
eProductivity for Notes is About Ready To Go ... Eric Has a Special Offer

Chris Blatnick of Interface Matters:
eProductivity for Lotus Notes...Want To Be Way More Efficient?

Stephan Wissel:
Procrastinator Professional and (e)Productivity

Ben Poole:
Do you want to get things done?

Oliver Starr of GTD Times:
Eric Mack to Launch eProductivity: your chance to get a preview in this post

(If I have missed anyone, please let me know. If you are a GTD or Notes blogger, let me know and I'll add you to our pre-launch list.)

I am preparing the preview kits and will send them out in batches of 25 as the completed applications are received. I plan to send the first batch tomorrow morning.

Some folks wrote with questions, e.g. what versions of Notes?, will I get a free trial?, etc.. I refer you to the eProductivity Preview Invitation which has all of the details. (Be sure to scroll down the page as there is a lot to read.)

Thanks, I look forward to posting great news, soon.

Eric

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/eproductivity-preview-update-for-july-1-2008 http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/eproductivity-preview-update-for-july-1-2008?opendocument&comments 24-Hour Preview of eProductivity for Lotus Notes Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 -0700 eProductivity™ for Lotus Notes®

As you may know, we completed the eProductivity beta program in early January, 2008 and for the past six months we have been doing pilot programs with various companies around the world. Now, we are getting ready to share eProductivity with the public. (I know, it's been a long time.)

People in the pilot program tell us that they recover up to 30-minutes each day in time spent processing their email or managing their projects and actions. They also love the Weekly Review Coach that we have built into eProductivity. I think it's the ultimate GTD® implementation tool for Lotus Notes; however, don't take my word for it. I'll leave that for you to decide. I’m about ready to push the GO button and formally launch the commercial version of eProductivity.

Before I do, I want to make sure that our end-user download and evaluation process is easy to understand. I’ve decided to invite the first 100 people that respond to participate in a 24-hour preview of eProductivity.

If this sounds interesting to you, read on…

Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=24-hour-preview-of-eproductivity-for-lotus-notes http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/24-hour-preview-of-eproductivity-for-lotus-notes eProductivity Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/24-hour-preview-of-eproductivity-for-lotus-notes?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/24-hour-preview-of-eproductivity-for-lotus-notes eProductivity™ for Lotus Notes®

As you may know, we completed the eProductivity beta program in early January, 2008 and for the past six months we have been doing pilot programs with various companies around the world. Now, we are getting ready to share eProductivity with the public. (I know, it's been a long time.)

People in the pilot program tell us that they recover up to 30-minutes each day in time spent processing their email or managing their projects and actions. They also love the Weekly Review Coach that we have built into eProductivity. I think it's the ultimate GTD® implementation tool for Lotus Notes; however, don't take my word for it. I'll leave that for you to decide. I’m about ready to push the GO button and formally launch the commercial version of eProductivity.

Before I do, I want to make sure that our end-user download and evaluation process is easy to understand. I’ve decided to invite the first 100 people that respond to participate in a 24-hour preview of eProductivity.

If this sounds interesting to you, read on…

How the 24-hour preview will work:
1. Sign up for the 24-hour preview of eProductivity
2. Next week, I will send the preview kit to the first 100 people that respond.
3. You will be asked to share your feedback and initial impressions.
4. I will send a free evaluation key to those that respond with detailed feedback.

If you want to experience eProductivity for yourself and you are willing to help us get ready for the public launch, I hope to hear from you.

Eric Mack

PS. I appreciate that it takes time to review a product and write up feedback about your user experience. For the people that choose to send us detailed feedback with comments, I will enter them into a drawing for free licenses of eProductivity.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/24-hour-preview-of-eproductivity-for-lotus-notes http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/24-hour-preview-of-eproductivity-for-lotus-notes?opendocument&comments Disaster in the Philippines; life is precious Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:30:00 -0700 disaster in the Philippines this weekend as a deadly Typhoon Fengshen unleashed strong winds and heavy rains that caused great destruction, leaving tens of thousands stranded on rooftops. The death toll is high and the the fate of the passengers on the ferry that capsized remains unknown.I received a text message yesterday from my friend and client, Pastor David Sumrall or the Cathedral of Praise telling me that they had been without power for the past 14 hours. Water in the streets is many feet deep.

I have grown attached to the people of Manila as I had the opportunity to serve them last year as I delivered an eProductivity conference. The people I met are resiliant and have a strong sense of community and service, even in the midst of trials and storms. (Seems like we are all in storms these days... How's your faith?). In all, I know that God is in charge and our faith remains unshaken even though the storms rage around us. Life is precious and we know how long our time on earth will last.

My prayers go out to the people of the Philippines and the COP community and those affected by this Typhoon. I'm sure that as things stabilize, Pastor Sumrall and his staff will organize opportunities to minister to those in need and I pray, too, that this will be a time of great testimony as people experience God's love through the service of the COP community.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=disaster-in-the-philippines-life-is-precious http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/disaster-in-the-philippines-life-is-precious Philippines eProductivity Conference Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/disaster-in-the-philippines-life-is-precious?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/disaster-in-the-philippines-life-is-precious disaster in the Philippines this weekend as a deadly Typhoon Fengshen unleashed strong winds and heavy rains that caused great destruction, leaving tens of thousands stranded on rooftops. The death toll is high and the the fate of the passengers on the ferry that capsized remains unknown.I received a text message yesterday from my friend and client, Pastor David Sumrall or the Cathedral of Praise telling me that they had been without power for the past 14 hours. Water in the streets is many feet deep.

I have grown attached to the people of Manila as I had the opportunity to serve them last year as I delivered an eProductivity conference. The people I met are resiliant and have a strong sense of community and service, even in the midst of trials and storms. (Seems like we are all in storms these days... How's your faith?). In all, I know that God is in charge and our faith remains unshaken even though the storms rage around us. Life is precious and we know how long our time on earth will last.

My prayers go out to the people of the Philippines and the COP community and those affected by this Typhoon. I'm sure that as things stabilize, Pastor Sumrall and his staff will organize opportunities to minister to those in need and I pray, too, that this will be a time of great testimony as people experience God's love through the service of the COP community.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/disaster-in-the-philippines-life-is-precious http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/disaster-in-the-philippines-life-is-precious?opendocument&comments Meet me at ILUG 2008 Mon, 2 Jun 2008 17:36:07 -0700 ILUG 2008 Conference.

Ian and I look forward to hanging out with Bruce, Ben, Ed, Alan, and many others. If you plan to attend, send me an email or find me. Ian and I will be there wearing our way cool white eProductivity logo shirts.

This year's conference promises to be a great one with many speakers and the opportunity to network with key folks in the Lotus Notes community. I'm also excited to have been invited to be one of the speed geek presenters; I plan to show off some productivity tools for Lotus Notes. 12 presentations in 1 hour. Should be fun.

Each year the ILUG organizers outdo the previous year's conference. This year is no exception; as part of their marketing & promotion campaign Paul Mooney arranged for Aer Lingus to temporarily paint their entire fleet of aircraft with the ILUG Shamrock so that we would get into the ILUG spirit as soon as we took off...

It will be a fast trip but I plan to make it a productive one. If you plan to attend let me know. Time permitting, I'll also try to blog a little.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=meet-me-at-ilug-2008 http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/meet-me-at-ilug-2008 Lotus Notes Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/meet-me-at-ilug-2008?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/meet-me-at-ilug-2008 ILUG 2008 Conference.

Ian and I look forward to hanging out with Bruce, Ben, Ed, Alan, and many others. If you plan to attend, send me an email or find me. Ian and I will be there wearing our way cool white eProductivity logo shirts.

This year's conference promises to be a great one with many speakers and the opportunity to network with key folks in the Lotus Notes community. I'm also excited to have been invited to be one of the speed geek presenters; I plan to show off some productivity tools for Lotus Notes. 12 presentations in 1 hour. Should be fun.

Each year the ILUG organizers outdo the previous year's conference. This year is no exception; as part of their marketing & promotion campaign Paul Mooney arranged for Aer Lingus to temporarily paint their entire fleet of aircraft with the ILUG Shamrock so that we would get into the ILUG spirit as soon as we took off...

It will be a fast trip but I plan to make it a productive one. If you plan to attend let me know. Time permitting, I'll also try to blog a little.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/meet-me-at-ilug-2008 http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/meet-me-at-ilug-2008?opendocument&comments What gets in the way, when implementing GTD in Notes? Tue, 27 May 2008 08:30:00 -0700 what gets in the way, when implementing GTD in Lotus Notes.

If you currently use, have tried using, or are considering using Lotus Notes as your GTD implementation tool, I hope you will post your thoughts...
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=what-gets-in-the-way-when-implementing-gtd-in-notes http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/what-gets-in-the-way-when-implementing-gtd-in-notes GTD Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/what-gets-in-the-way-when-implementing-gtd-in-notes?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/what-gets-in-the-way-when-implementing-gtd-in-notes what gets in the way, when implementing GTD in Lotus Notes.

If you currently use, have tried using, or are considering using Lotus Notes as your GTD implementation tool, I hope you will post your thoughts...

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/what-gets-in-the-way-when-implementing-gtd-in-notes http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/what-gets-in-the-way-when-implementing-gtd-in-notes?opendocument&comments Productivity Countdown Fri, 23 May 2008 15:43:51 -0700 I usually do OK tracking individual actions and small and medium sized projects. These are items for which I can easily envision the completed state - I know what "done" will look like and I know I will mark these complete in a few days or weeks. Sometimes, however, I have projects where the completion date is not days or weeks ahead but months or years ahead. I find those harder to keep in front of me. Even with regular review, I sometimes find it hard to keep a sense of time about a project that is off in the distant future.

As I prepare to launch eProductivity, a GTD implementation tool for Lotus Notes, I need to keep one or two key milestones in sight at all times. Specifically, we have a few big milestones - things like "launch web site" or "Prepare for meeting with David" or "Deliver presentation to IBM" that we have been working on for many months or in the case of the product launch, several years.

Several months ago, I watched a NASA Shuttle mission video and I was inspired by their countdown clock and their mission elapsed clock. I decided that I needed my own countdown clock, so I decided to create one for myself.

Starting with a countdown clock mechanism that I purchased on-line, I created a custom clock face and built five eProductivity countdown clocks. I set each one to the date of a key milestone. I kept one clock for myself and I sent the other four to key people on my team. Now, I have a tangible reminder of the event and the time remaining to complete. I've had the clock on my desk for a few months now and it's been a
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=productivity-countdown http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/productivity-countdown eProductivity Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/productivity-countdown?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/productivity-countdown eProductivity Countdown Clock

I usually do OK tracking individual actions and small and medium sized projects. These are items for which I can easily envision the completed state - I know what "done" will look like and I know I will mark these complete in a few days or weeks. Sometimes, however, I have projects where the completion date is not days or weeks ahead but months or years ahead. I find those harder to keep in front of me. Even with regular review, I sometimes find it hard to keep a sense of time about a project that is off in the distant future.

As I prepare to launch eProductivity, a GTD implementation tool for Lotus Notes, I need to keep one or two key milestones in sight at all times. Specifically, we have a few big milestones - things like "launch web site" or "Prepare for meeting with David" or "Deliver presentation to IBM" that we have been working on for many months or in the case of the product launch, several years.

Several months ago, I watched a NASA Shuttle mission video and I was inspired by their countdown clock and their mission elapsed clock. I decided that I needed my own countdown clock, so I decided to create one for myself.

eProductivity Countdown Clocks for my team - notice dancing Ian?

Starting with a countdown clock mechanism that I purchased on-line, I created a custom clock face and built five eProductivity countdown clocks. I set each one to the date of a key milestone. I kept one clock for myself and I sent the other four to key people on my team. Now, I have a tangible reminder of the event and the time remaining to complete. I've had the clock on my desk for a few months now and it's been a fun reminder of an event that I am looking forward to. The key question "What's your next action?" keeps me focused on the little things that I need to accomplish to achieve my goal.

It's been a fun way to get things done.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/productivity-countdown http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/productivity-countdown?opendocument&comments Happy 37th Birthday, Ian Sun, 18 May 2008 15:46:25 -0700
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=happy-37th-birthday-ian http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/happy-37th-birthday-ian Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/happy-37th-birthday-ian?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/happy-37th-birthday-ian

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/happy-37th-birthday-ian http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/happy-37th-birthday-ian?opendocument&comments Getting Nothing Done with Fire and Water Wed, 14 May 2008 17:58:57 -0700 Making it all work.

David's been submerged in the details of the book writing for some time and, with the current draft off to the publisher, it was time to hang out.

David and I got a few minutes to geek out with the new Nokia E90 Executive Communicator and talk about Notes 8. (We kept the geek talk to a minimum.)

Then, we visited with several of the David Allen Company team in David and Kathryn's way cool "outdoor living room".
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=getting-nothing-done-with-fire-and-water http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/getting-nothing-done-with-fire-and-water GTD Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/getting-nothing-done-with-fire-and-water?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/getting-nothing-done-with-fire-and-water Making it all work.

David's been submerged in the details of the book writing for some time and, with the current draft off to the publisher, it was time to hang out.

David and I got a few minutes to geek out with the new Nokia E90 Executive Communicator and talk about Notes 8. (We kept the geek talk to a minimum.)

Then, we visited with several of the David Allen Company team in David and Kathryn's way cool "outdoor living room".

Next time, I'm bringing marshmallows, chocolate, and gram crackers!

(Left to right: Eric, Pat, Natalie, Kelly, David and Ellen. Foreground: Molly, the chief of security and public relations.)

We had a wonderful time. On the way out of town, Paul Garth invited us for a tour of the new world headquarters of The David Allen Company:

The all-glass conference room is equipped with the emperor's new conference table and chairs. (Only GTD black-belts can see it.)

Paul prepares to demonstrate the office fountain to Amy, Emily, and Kelly:

See, girls... I just dropped a pebble in David's new fountain... How does the water respond? Right, It does "pebble."

Paul and I wondered what would happen if we dropped in a rock (just to test David's theory, of course)...

Yup, the water responded appropriately; I left Paul to mop up the lobby...

I hope Kathryn doesn't read this blog post.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/getting-nothing-done-with-fire-and-water http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/getting-nothing-done-with-fire-and-water?opendocument&comments How can a husband honor the mother of his children? Sun, 11 May 2008 13:45:00 -0700 Roger Reece gave a fitting sermon for mother's day in church today. After the usual formalities, including reading Proverbs 31, extolling the virtues of The Excellent Wife, Roger asked this question: How can a husband can honor the mother of his children'?

Research has been done that says that the most number of things we can remember is seven plus or minus one. Well, guys, let's start with two;. I want to take a look at two things we can do as husbands to love the mother of our children:

How can a husband honor the mother of his children'?

1. By recognizing his own God-ordained role in the family
Men, we have a responsibility to lead our family, to care for our family, and to protect it. Too many of us fail to do this. It's more than a missed opportunity -- it's our responsibility.

2. By loving the mother of his children with sacrificial love
Men, we are called to love our wives as Christ loved the church. (Ephesians 5:25) Our children are watching what we do and how we treat their mother; they will learn more from what we DO than what we say. This will impact them and future generations (our grandchildren). Are you loving the mother of your children sacrificially?

Of course, there is much more that we can do, but I think these two points get to the core of our role and responsibility. Still, there are so many areas in which I can improve. How are you doing with this?

I'm blessed to have a wife that is a living and godly example of an excellent wife to her children. She is my Proverbs 31 wife. (yes, including Prov 31:21). I hope and pray that my daughters will grow up to be like their mother.

Her children do call her blessed and she deserves my praise.

Happy Mother's Day, Kathy. Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=how-can-a-husband-honor-the-mother-of-his-children http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/how-can-a-husband-honor-the-mother-of-his-children Family Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/how-can-a-husband-honor-the-mother-of-his-children?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/how-can-a-husband-honor-the-mother-of-his-children Roger Reece gave a fitting sermon for mother's day in church today. After the usual formalities, including reading Proverbs 31, extolling the virtues of The Excellent Wife, Roger asked this question: How can a husband can honor the mother of his children'?

Research has been done that says that the most number of things we can remember is seven plus or minus one. Well, guys, let's start with two;. I want to take a look at two things we can do as husbands to love the mother of our children:

How can a husband honor the mother of his children'?

1. By recognizing his own God-ordained role in the family
Men, we have a responsibility to lead our family, to care for our family, and to protect it. Too many of us fail to do this. It's more than a missed opportunity -- it's our responsibility.

2. By loving the mother of his children with sacrificial love
Men, we are called to love our wives as Christ loved the church. (Ephesians 5:25) Our children are watching what we do and how we treat their mother; they will learn more from what we DO than what we say. This will impact them and future generations (our grandchildren). Are you loving the mother of your children sacrificially?

Of course, there is much more that we can do, but I think these two points get to the core of our role and responsibility. Still, there are so many areas in which I can improve. How are you doing with this?

I'm blessed to have a wife that is a living and godly example of an excellent wife to her children. She is my Proverbs 31 wife. (yes, including Prov 31:21). I hope and pray that my daughters will grow up to be like their mother.

Her children do call her blessed and she deserves my praise.

Happy Mother's Day, Kathy.

143

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/how-can-a-husband-honor-the-mother-of-his-children http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/how-can-a-husband-honor-the-mother-of-his-children?opendocument&comments Microsoft: Save Windows XP! (or I’ll switch to a Mac?) Fri, 9 May 2008 16:23:55 -0700
I have been running Windows XP for many years. Other than my unfortunate experience with Toshiba and the Tecra M4 Tablet, my experience with XP has been excellent. Since moving to my Lenovo T60p I have had the most reliable and productive work system in my experience. As many of you may know, Microsoft has announced the end of XP, however, their replacement, Vista, has not been well received by the IT community. (I do run Vista on my wonderful Lenovo X61 Tablet PC and as a Tablet OS it's the best, but I do feel like my productivity has taken a huge hit compared to XP.)

If I were forced to choose between Vista and a Mac OS on my primary machine,
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=microsoft-save-windows-xp-or-ill-switch-to-a-mac http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/microsoft-save-windows-xp-or-ill-switch-to-a-mac General Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/microsoft-save-windows-xp-or-ill-switch-to-a-mac?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/microsoft-save-windows-xp-or-ill-switch-to-a-mac
I have been running Windows XP for many years. Other than my unfortunate experience with Toshiba and the Tecra M4 Tablet, my experience with XP has been excellent. Since moving to my Lenovo T60p I have had the most reliable and productive work system in my experience. As many of you may know, Microsoft has announced the end of XP, however, their replacement, Vista, has not been well received by the IT community. (I do run Vista on my wonderful Lenovo X61 Tablet PC and as a Tablet OS it's the best, but I do feel like my productivity has taken a huge hit compared to XP.)

If I were forced to choose between Vista and a Mac OS on my primary machine, I might switch. My past concerns that key programs that I needed were not available for the Mac are gradually going away; some of my favorite productivity tools: Lotus Notes, eProductivity, Personal Brain, and MindManager all run on the Mac.

I would prefer to remain on my present laptop with XP; it is my most productive tool. Windows XP works great and I love the variety of Windows programs available to increate my productivity (e.g. GyroQ and Activewords, to name a few.) However, when I need to purchase my next computer, if Microsoft will not let my purchase XP and if they have not fixed all that is broken in Vista, I'll explore other options.

If you would like to see XP stick around, there is something you can do. InfoWorld is trying to get 300,000 signatures. From InfoWorld:

Microsoft plans to end most sales of Windows XP on June 30, despite a deep reluctance by many business and individuals about moving to Vista. InfoWorld believes such an expensive, time-consuming shift with problematic benefits should not be forced on Windows users, so we have decided to rally XP users to demand that XP be kept available.

You can do your part to save Windows XP, here

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/microsoft-save-windows-xp-or-ill-switch-to-a-mac http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/microsoft-save-windows-xp-or-ill-switch-to-a-mac?opendocument&comments A Mac killed this man’s inner child Mon, 5 May 2008 15:05:30 -0700
Warning. This guy is really upset and, toward the end, uses a few curse words to express that. (Sorry, I guess he's really upset with Apple.)

Have a great day. I'm off to reload my Vista PC; it keeps bluescreening.

Via: GTD Times
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=a-mac-killed-this-mans-inner-child http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-mac-killed-this-mans-inner-child DeProductivity Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-mac-killed-this-mans-inner-child?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-mac-killed-this-mans-inner-child
Warning. This guy is really upset and, toward the end, uses a few curse words to express that. (Sorry, I guess he's really upset with Apple.)

Have a great day. I'm off to reload my Vista PC; it keeps bluescreening.

Via: GTD Times

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/a-mac-killed-this-mans-inner-child http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-mac-killed-this-mans-inner-child?opendocument&comments GTD Mastering Workflow with Kelly Forrister Fri, 2 May 2008 08:45:00 -0700
Kelly Forrister is our presenter today, so I'm certain it will be a great day of learning and fun with a group of people committed to getting things done at work and play. I've had the good fortune to work with Kelly at four different organizations over the past 15 years. She's as passionate as I am about productivity and she's also a geek and we share a mutual interest for high-tech gear to support our productive lifestyle. (If you haven't done so, check out Kelly's blog.) Oh, and did I mention that Kelly uses Lotus Notes? She and I have been using Lotus Notes productivity since the early R3/R4 days.

Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=gtd-mastering-workflow-with-kelly-forrister http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-mastering-workflow-with-kelly-forrister GTD Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-mastering-workflow-with-kelly-forrister?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-mastering-workflow-with-kelly-forrister

Kelly Forrister is our presenter today, so I'm certain it will be a great day of learning and fun with a group of people committed to getting things done at work and play. I've had the good fortune to work with Kelly at four different organizations over the past 15 years. She's as passionate as I am about productivity and she's also a geek and we share a mutual interest for high-tech gear to support our productive lifestyle. (If you haven't done so, check out Kelly's blog.) Oh, and did I mention that Kelly uses Lotus Notes? She and I have been using Lotus Notes productivity since the early R3/R4 days.

The GTD Mastering Workflow seminar is a relatively new format for this material. Instead of the traditional 2-day seminar, David Allen presents a one day seminar, called GTD RoadMap, which covers the high-level perspective of GTD, including theory and application. The second day, is called GTD Mastering Workflow, and it covers more of the hands-on DOING part of GTD. Together they provide a great introduction, or in my case a refresher, to all things GTD.

The information in the seminars hasn't changed much - it's proven and it works. It's also simple. Too simple. That's why I find it refreshing to hear it again to see what I missed or what productivity tip I'm now ready to hear.

Well, the seminar is about to begin, so I'll sign off for now. Time and wireless-access permitting, I'll try to post updates on the NotesOnProductivity blog.

Eric

* Long before these seminars took on the GTD brand, they were called "Managing Actions and Projects". Same great stuff, finely tuned for results.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/gtd-mastering-workflow-with-kelly-forrister http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-mastering-workflow-with-kelly-forrister?opendocument&comments What makes a good GTD list manager? Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:52:00 -0700 Kelly Forrister, recently posted her thoughts on what makes a good GTD list Manager.

I think Kelly's done a great job of defining the key requirements of a good GTD list manager. She proposes several key features to look for:

Sorting lists by context
Ability to assign a due date
Portable for on the go access
Easily accessible
More attractive to you than repelling
Doesn't force priority codes
Place to capture additional notes
Ability to search and sort in various ways.
Robust enough to handle all of your stuff.

The timing couldn't be better for me, as I'm in the process of doing a market analysis and writing copy for eProductivity for Lotus Notes, my own GTD implementation tool for Lotus Notes. I think Kelly's list serves as a good foundation of the core features that any sound GTD implementation tool, whether low-tech (e.g. paper) or high tech (e.g. Lotus Notes) should offer.

If you have not read Kelly's excellent blog post, I encourage you to read it: What makes a good GTD List Manager?

In addition to my own criteria, I plan to run vanilla Notes and eProductivity for Lotus Notes through Kelly criteria and see how they fare. Might make for an interesting discussion. I'll blog my thoughts over on NotesOnProductivity.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/what-makes-a-good-gtd-list-manager http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/what-makes-a-good-gtd-list-manager?opendocument&comments GTD Times blog launches and I’m a contributor Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:20:02 -0700 GTD Times recently (and quietly) launched. I've been asked to be a guest contributor; I'll be in great company.

This is a GTD Community planned in part by my late friend Marc Orchant. Marc and I had spoken about this project and I'm delighted to see it continue on, if nothing else as a tribute to a topic he was so passionate about. - GTD. GTD Times is now in the capable hands of his friend, Oliver Starr.

GTD Times promises to become the premier go to site for all things GTD, and I'm excited to be a part of the community.

I'll start contributing to GTD Times, shortly. (I'll still be blogging here,too.)

I'm honored to be a part of the GTD Times team.

You can read Oliver's welcome and introduction, here.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=gtd-times-blog-launches-and-im-a-contributor http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-times-blog-launches-and-im-a-contributor GTD Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-times-blog-launches-and-im-a-contributor?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-times-blog-launches-and-im-a-contributor GTD Times recently (and quietly) launched. I've been asked to be a guest contributor; I'll be in great company.

This is a GTD Community planned in part by my late friend Marc Orchant. Marc and I had spoken about this project and I'm delighted to see it continue on, if nothing else as a tribute to a topic he was so passionate about. - GTD. GTD Times is now in the capable hands of his friend, Oliver Starr.

GTD Times promises to become the premier go to site for all things GTD, and I'm excited to be a part of the community.

I'll start contributing to GTD Times, shortly. (I'll still be blogging here,too.)

I'm honored to be a part of the GTD Times team.

You can read Oliver's welcome and introduction, here.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/gtd-times-blog-launches-and-im-a-contributor http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/gtd-times-blog-launches-and-im-a-contributor?opendocument&comments What’s new with eProductivity for Notes? Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:45:00 -0700 eProductivity guy still needs a haircut.

Behind the scenes, things remain busy as we work with clients that are currently getting things done with Lotus Notes and eProductivity using David Allen's GTD methodology.

At the end of last year, we completed the eProductivity beta program, and at the end of this month, we will wrap up a four-month eProductivity workgroup pilot program. We are now getting ready to turn on the web site so that the world can see what we've been up to. We still have some work to do on promotional materials, strategic partner relationships and training people to become future eProductivity coaches to support enterprise deployments.

I've decided to make eProductivity available both as purchased or subscription software so that users may choose the option that will serve them best. I'm going to need a bunch of people to test the new license activation system, if you'd like to help and (get a free preview of eProductivity at the same time), contact me.

Otherwise, if you have signed up for the this eProductivity Newsletter, you'll be invited to a sneak preview, soon.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=whats-new-with-eproductivity-for-notes http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/whats-new-with-eproductivity-for-notes eProductivity Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/whats-new-with-eproductivity-for-notes?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/whats-new-with-eproductivity-for-notes eProductivity guy still needs a haircut.

Behind the scenes, things remain busy as we work with clients that are currently getting things done with Lotus Notes and eProductivity using David Allen's GTD methodology.

At the end of last year, we completed the eProductivity beta program, and at the end of this month, we will wrap up a four-month eProductivity workgroup pilot program. We are now getting ready to turn on the web site so that the world can see what we've been up to. We still have some work to do on promotional materials, strategic partner relationships and training people to become future eProductivity coaches to support enterprise deployments.

I've decided to make eProductivity available both as purchased or subscription software so that users may choose the option that will serve them best. I'm going to need a bunch of people to test the new license activation system, if you'd like to help and (get a free preview of eProductivity at the same time), contact me.

Otherwise, if you have signed up for the this eProductivity Newsletter, you'll be invited to a sneak preview, soon.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/whats-new-with-eproductivity-for-notes http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/whats-new-with-eproductivity-for-notes?opendocument&comments The eProductivity Equation: Get Connected & Get Creative Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:41:00 -0700 how to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes.

Today, I share some thoughts on the value of getting connected to people who have a similar interest in getting things done and the information to help you become a GTD blackbelt.

To learn more about my Knowledge Worker Productivity equation and to join an ongoing discussion about using GTD & Notes, visit the Notes on Productivity Blog.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=the-eproductivity-equation-get-connected--get-creative http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-get-connected--get-creative GTD Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-get-connected--get-creative?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-get-connected--get-creative how to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes.

Today, I share some thoughts on the value of getting connected to people who have a similar interest in getting things done and the information to help you become a GTD blackbelt.

To learn more about my Knowledge Worker Productivity equation and to join an ongoing discussion about using GTD & Notes, visit the Notes on Productivity Blog.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/the-eproductivity-equation-get-connected--get-creative http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-get-connected--get-creative?opendocument&comments A Homeschool Family Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:15:00 -0700
It's hard to tell where the comedy ends and reality begins. It's like something straight from the Sampsons. (No, that's not a typo.)
Created by comedian (and homeschool dad) Tim Hawkins.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=a-homeschool-family http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-homeschool-family Homeschool Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-homeschool-family?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-homeschool-family
It's hard to tell where the comedy ends and reality begins. It's like something straight from the Sampsons. (No, that's not a typo.)
Created by comedian (and homeschool dad) Tim Hawkins.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/a-homeschool-family http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/a-homeschool-family?opendocument&comments The eProductivity Equation: Coaching to get it right Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:15:00 -0700 how to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes.

Today, I share some thoughts on the value I found in hiring a productivity coach to help you learn how to get things done.

To learn more about my Knowledge Worker Productivity equation and to join an ongoing discussion about using GTD & Notes, visit the Notes on Productivity Blog.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=the-eproductivity-equation-coaching-to-get-it-right http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-coaching-to-get-it-right Lotus Notes Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-coaching-to-get-it-right?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-coaching-to-get-it-right how to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes.

Today, I share some thoughts on the value I found in hiring a productivity coach to help you learn how to get things done.

To learn more about my Knowledge Worker Productivity equation and to join an ongoing discussion about using GTD & Notes, visit the Notes on Productivity Blog.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/the-eproductivity-equation-coaching-to-get-it-right http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/the-eproductivity-equation-coaching-to-get-it-right?opendocument&comments Lotus Notes and GTD - The eProductivity Equation: Mobility Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:15:00 -0700 how to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes.

Today, I share some thoughts on how to mobilize your Lotus Notes-based GTD implementation.

To learn more about my Knowledge Worker Productivity equation and to join an ongoing discussion about using GTD & Notes, visit the Notes on Productivity Blog.
Eric Mack's personal blog

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/trackback?open&id=lotus-notes-and-gtd---the-eproductivity-equation-mobility http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/lotus-notes-and-gtd---the-eproductivity-equation-mobility Lotus Notes Eric Mack http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/lotus-notes-and-gtd---the-eproductivity-equation-mobility?opendocument&comments http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/lotus-notes-and-gtd---the-eproductivity-equation-mobility how to ramp up quickly with GTD and Lotus Notes.

Today, I share some thoughts on how to mobilize your Lotus Notes-based GTD implementation.

To learn more about my Knowledge Worker Productivity equation and to join an ongoing discussion about using GTD & Notes, visit the Notes on Productivity Blog.

Originally posted on Eric Mack Online ]]> http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dxcomments/lotus-notes-and-gtd---the-eproductivity-equation-mobility http://ericmackonline.com/ICA/blogs/emonline.nsf/dx/lotus-notes-and-gtd---the-eproductivity-equation-mobility?opendocument&comments