use the organization tools I already have

So, I was dreaming about a new iPhone. I can tell that my life will get hectic pretty quickly, and I wanted to take advantage of some of the Web-based organizational programs that I use. And – oooh! – I could check Facebook at lunchtime! And – ooh! – write e-mail while buying coffee! And be connected to the Internet all the time!

An iPhone would be about $200 and $20 a month more on my plan. And I almost thought I could afford this until I remembered this goal and the reasons I made it.

I want to cut the clutter out of my life, and I want to reduce my spending. What I really need is a PDA. Actually, a paper notebook also would work well, but I take handwritten notes for my job as a newspaper reporter, and I always end up using any scrap of paper in my purse as a spare spot for work notes.

So, I pulled my Palm m515 out of retirement. It’s faster to take notes on paper, so I won’t be tempted to use the Palm for notetaking for work. The only problem is I don’t know if it’s compatible with my Macbook, so I have to be OK with the idea that my todo list may completely disappear. But that’s what’s been happening anyway with my pieces of paper disappearing, and my Web-based programs being ignored because of lack of time. If something happens to the Palm, at least I got another year or two of use out of it.

The iPhone, for now, will wait.

I have shelves of books about “How to Organize” stuff! I call this on-going goal – Project Clean-Up. I find notes that I’ve written and check-off lists of what I have accomplished, but it’s an unending “opportunity”. I’m surrounded with stuff – a lot of stuff. I can and have cleaned out other people’s stuff – but this is MY STUFF and I am attached to it by sentimentality and many other reasons – identity, ego, etc., history, my past, etc. Turning loose – letting go – that’s what I want to do and know how to do – now I will DO IT! Onward!