Dan Antion

Heal Thyself – #1LinerWeds

I spent forty-two years organizing data and information. I spent the last twenty years of my career, learning how to, and helping others organize documents and information better. I took classes. I taught classes. I sat for a test and attained a certification! And yet, during a recent project, I let my guard down for a few moments days months OK, for two years!

In my defense, when I began this project, I wasn’t sure how best to organize things. By the time I knew what I should be doing, I was comfortable with the way things were. On Friday, I sent my daughter (also an information management professional) the following text:

“When you know you have to reorganize where files are stored, but you know where everything is right now, how long do you procrastinate?”

This is not to say that these files are a mess, or that I haven’t made use of certain best practices. It’s just that, if I stumbled across this when I was still employed, I would shake my head and wonder.

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, If you would like to join in on the fun, you can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.

Lazy day.
There’s a playground in there
Baby Smoke
A nap in the sun
There won’t be too many sunsets through bare trees.
It’s been cold the past few days. Good thing Maddie loves her coat.
He attaching the second cable
The guy in the bucket is getting clear.
The plane is quite a bit higher, but it doesn’t look like it.
That big branch has been cut free.
They swing it out to the ground crew to cut up.
Splotch on the sidewalk
After a few foggy days, we had some bright sunshine.
Morning after the storm
My favorite tree at the start of our walk.
Depending on the timing of our walk, the flag can block the sun

82 comments

  1. Everything is relative to where you are and what you are doing in life. It just may not be as important today as it was then. Plus, they are probably files shared with another human who may not be as tuned into to data organization. :-) That being said, I bet you could teach a user friendly class at your local senior center and have a waiting list for the class. Think it’s going to warm up soon? Happy Wednesday to you and Maddie on your walk.

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    • Everything IS relative, and I will get around to this some day, but right now, this works.

      When I retired, I had thoughts about teaching some classes. I even had thoughts about volunteering at our high school. The pandemic quickly pushed those thoughts to the side. Maybe they will make their way back to center stage later this year. I’m not sure the school still has the program I was interested in. Again, maybe next year will be different.

      We’ve been walking in the low to mid twenties this week. I think it gets better tomorrow. I hope so. Thanks for dropping by.

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  3. Thank you! I needed that photo of the napping squirrel! That was a real LOL for me, and I’m still chortling. I think he just watched the news, and I know how he feels. As for organizing files, I’m with Judy, above: what needs organizing depends on where you are in life. If you do indeed know where things are, you’re way ahead of me!

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    • I’m glad you liked our little napping mother. Perhaps she needed a break from the kids. She came down later for a couple peanuts, but she wasn’t in a hurry. The chaotic mess I have at the moment is working. I’ll straighten it our later.

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  4. Hi Dan – I need to re-organise … I guess these longer days will help. (I hope! – otherwise I’ll be napping – great example from the squirrel – brilliant photo). Our weather is much like yours – but another cold snap is winging its way down from that pole area. Cheers – and I’d love to know Faith’s answer! Hilary

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    • Thanks Hilary. We are finishing (I hope) a cold snap that has been with us since the weekend. I won’t be sad to see the milder spring temps return. I think that squirrel could sleep anywhere. She does make me want to take a nap.

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  10. I love your one-liner. Would love to know Faith’s response! Love that napping squirrel. He has relaxing down to a science. There’s no mistaking Baby Smoke for another squirrel, is there? Poor guy.

    I ❤️the sidewalk art. Mother Nature is always full of tricks.

    That’s a terrific shot you got of Old Glory in the glare of the sun. And the playground enveloped in Pam’s velvet fog is a winner.

    Happy Hump Day. Hope the rest of the week is…well organized!
    Ginger

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    • Faith’s replay was “Decades!” which is probably what it will take. If I think about the work involved, I’m going to look back at the picture of the squirrel.

      The past few weeks have given me some great views of the flag.

      Thanks for the comment, here and at Pam’s place, Ginger. She brings my pictures to life in a way I can only imagine.

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  12. The napping squirrel is so cute! Organization has always been one of my strengths, so I had friends ask me to help get them organized. Yeah, that worked until it didn’t. Disorganization dies hard….

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  14. Wonderful photos, Dan. I’ve never seen a sleeping squirrel. They’re always darting here and there, barely even pausing. I think you’ve captured something rare! As for files, ugh, I soooo need to do some organizing.

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    • We see that squirrel napping every now and then, Gwen. She does seem to be comfortable. I always tell myself that “winter is a good time to get organized.” I guess I’ll let this mess wait a few months.

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  15. I remember when I attended one of those “clean desk” seminars. Changing what we know and what works Is cause for procrastination. Looks like all the creatures are ready for spring.

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  16. Regarding organizing stuff I remember procrastinating for over ten years before taking things out of many boxes from a move. I knew where everything was – it was somewhere in one of those boxes.

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  17. I teach Lightroom and Photoshop plus computer use and file organization. The biggest hurdle is getting folks to go along with my file structure or create their own file hierarchy. Then getting them to sort and move the files. 90% of the time they do not do it and just leave the mess. One reason people like Mac computers is one doesn’t have to know where the files are.

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    • Organizing files is an easy concept to understand, but not so easy to put into practice. It’s relatively easy for a specific task, but it gets harder when the files have multiple uses. Throw in the need/desire to have multiple versions and most people are quickly over their head. My problem on this drill was that I didn’t know some of the reasons I would need these files when I started the project. As I proceeded, I got used to what I was doing and so did the software that I use. It will be easier next time – that’s my story ;-)

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    • It is, Teagan, and one that can wait awhile.

      Baby Smoke bounces all over the yard and goes from tree to tree. He gets along well with the others. His feet are definitely squirrel feet (they twist around when climbing down).

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  20. I have so many unkept ‘organized’ spaces, Dan. Well meaning loved ones have set me up with apps and programs which have so much promise but which, sadly, I never have time to spend getting familiar with. I love the bunya and the splotch heart. ❤️

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  25. A nap in the sun steals the show today, Dan. I’m not as organizedd as I want to be and every year when tax time comes around, I find some things I fell behind on doing. I’m vowing to do better next year (not that I’ve ever said that before.) :-)

    Blogging question: do you have a professional “membership” on WP? I’m just about out of space at the $8/month level and the next is “professional.” You apparently bought/rent your own domain name as well. My alternative is to start a new, free blog and I don’t think I really want to do that.

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    • The squirrel did steal the show. She is adorable.

      I am at the $8/month level. I dropped my image size to 800×600 so they have very little impact. You can’t reduce the size of published pictures, unless you delete them and upload smaller files. Otherwise WP keeps both versions.

      I did buy my domain (from GoDaddy).

      I think I’ll have to step up to the professional level at some point, but I’d rather do that than manage my own space.

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  27. Flexibility is one of my favorite things about retirement. I’ll get to it one of these days, is a frequent thought. Sometimes there are more important things, like taking cool pictures of heart shaped splotches and lounging squirrels.

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  29. HI Dan, you have made me feel a little more normal [smile]. My blogs are a little muddled when it comes to categorisation. Well, I assume they must be as I’ve never done anything to facilitate categorising my posts. Hence the only way I can find anything is by using the search button on the all posts icon.

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  30. I instantly thought of my thousands of photos that are unorganized and not where they should be, so thanks for the reminder. I’ll get to it some day…maybe…

    Hope you’ve had a pleasant and peaceful week, Dan.

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  33. Oh, I need to organize. The list is long. Those of us who are spontaneous are not good organizers, but great procrastinators. Sigh! Your photo gallery is terrific- no one gets a photo of a sleeping squirrel in a tree. Honestly, you should send it to National Geographic.

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  35. Oh, that napping squirrel! And I know what you mean about organization. When I put everything away, I can’t find anything anymore. You can’t mess up your piles and stacks and mounds, man!

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