Jan
4
Written by:
Christine Sindt
1/4/2010 12:23 AM
I'll admit, I didn't do a great job on my 2009 resolution: Keep my e-mail in-box under control. Oh, I tried, I really did. I learned how to use all the advanced settings for Outlook (Did you know there is actually a limit to the number of "rules" you can set?) I solicted helpful hints from friends, like "Move your sent items to a separate folder." I even tried using flags. But, all was to to no avail ... my inbox kept getting too full, and I could not send items until I purged.
Here's the problem as I see it:
1) It's too easy to forward junk. Seriously, please do not e-mail me cute little kittens with a note that says I must forward it to my ten closest friends or I will have bad luck. Trust me when I say my ten closest friends don't care if I have bad luck (and they mean that in the nicest possible way.)
2) Why do attachments from my editors get stripped but I get 30 copies of "how to have more fun in the bedroom?" I truly don't understand how some of those words make it through my spam filter. No one I want to talk to would use the word $^&% in an e-mail.
3) My friends need to use Snapfish (photo viewer) or yousendit (document sender). Honestly, I really do want to see pictures of the kids, or the house, but seriously, high-res photos to my inbox? How about I just check them out on Facebook?
4) I must stop giving my e-mail address to patients (too bad it's published in the university directory) ... "Hi, Dr. Sindt, Hope everything is going well with you. Hey, I just noticed my eyeball is sitting on my cheek. Do you think that's a problem?" signed Joe Schmoe at 11:00pm Friday.
5) There is just too much connectivity. I can check my e-mail on my laptop, on my phone and now on the airplane. The bad news: My remote login does not allow me to push items to that separate folder ... and, well, by the time I get back into the office I forget about it (hence the flags).
The problem I have with resolutions is that I think they are cumulative. Just because it's a new year doesn't mean I can let go of the last year's goal. As a result, I'm still trying to lose the baby weight (yeah, my youngest son is 10), get eight hours of sleep a night (age is helping me with this one), and stay in touch with old friends (maybe I should send them some cute little kittens).
So, what is my resolution for 2010? I have organized my kitchen pantry! But alas, since my family insists on eating, it's not looking good for this one either.
What's your resolution?
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