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So, I’ve taken up running again after a break this summer. I feel bad for taking the break but I’m one of those people who sweat profusely when exerting even the tiniest of effort anytime the temp is above 75 degrees. About the only thing I hate more than sweating is heat so, there lies the reason (excuse) for the break.

That said, one of the reasons I love running is that it is one of the few ultimate minimalist sports. Assuming you have use of your legs, you literally have everything you need to do so. You don’t need any further equipment to run. You don’t even need clothing. You might get funny looks or arrested running naked and barefoot but that does not mean you can’t.

That said, it does help at least a bit to have the right gear. Because I have had a few people ask (or give me their opinions) I thought I would mention what I use, why, and how I’m getting back into the running game.

For shoes, I swear by my Newton Momentum trainers. These are designed to be used with the Natural Running technique developed by the company’s founder and outlined in his book of the same name (on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/nzkrTr and highly recommended). Also good for those that use the Chi running technique. These are light, strong, and allow for a feel similar to what one would get running barefoot. Plus, you get less comments on the loud colors than you would wearing crazy looking Vibram Five-Fingers.

I chose an all-terrain shoe because I knew when I got them last year that there was still plenty of winter yet and that means running in ice and snow.

For clothing I have a bunch of Nike Dri-Fit hand me downs from a friend who shrank out of the larger size thanks to his regimen. No matter how you feel about big corporate Nike, the quality, look and design (i.e. how it works) is impressive. That said, I’ll need to stock up on some cooler weather gear soon and will likely branch out to other brands if I find good deals.

Getting back into running, I’m using the official Couch-to-5k program from Coolrunning. Though I have had previous running experience, I have found this program to be good for forming a running habit which is really the first goal. I fell out of mine so I need to develop that again.

I’m also using the official Couch-to-5k iPhone app to prompt me and track my progress. Finding it good in actual use so far even if the interface leaves a lot to be desired.

Finally, someone asked what I was using for headphones and if I use a band for my iPhone.

For headphones, I use the Sennheiser PX 200-II i which I purchased based on a recommendation post from Marco Arment. They are fantastic. Lightweight, sound great, with excellent sound insulation.

For the iPhone, I just hold my iPhone. Clench it in one hand. Which may be insane but it works for me for now.

I share such moments with my daughter too often to count. She and I crowded around an iPhone, an iPad, an iMac. Watching movies, dancing to music, learning, growing.
Without his vision, none of these moments would exist the way they do today.
Thank you, Steve Jobs, for each moment like this.

Earlier this evening, when Beatrix arrived home from a play date, she bounded enthusiastically through the door as usual and wrapped her arms around me. My wife, having heard the news, told Beatrix “You should give Daddy an extra big hug.”
“Why do you need an extra big hug Daddy? What happened?”
“I lost a good friend, honey. He died.”
“Why he died?”
“Sometimes people get sick. Too sick to keep living. So sometimes they die.”
She leaned back in my arms. Took a good look at my face. Caressed it on either side with both hands. Then threw her arms around me and squeezed me long and tight. Into my ear she whispered, “I’ll be your friend. I won’t died.”
She is insanely great.

Many regular readers know that, when it comes to simplicity and clutter, my wife is quite my opposite. Her idea of organization is generally to sort piled things into more piles. These piles then sit right where they are waiting for something to happen and that something is generally a mystery that results in nothing happening. Then, there is also the matter of a three year old little girl who’s belongings are strewn about as well and… Well…

Thus, it is not unusual for one to walk into the home of Mr. Minimal Mac and find things not so minimal at all. 

That said, it is a real struggle for for me that I largely keep inside. Because, getting any cognitive or creative work done in such environs is very difficult for me. I have become pretty good at ignoring it for a time or finding a little spot in the house where I can keep some semblance of order (or ignorance). But, even that becomes beset on all sides and impossible to contain eventually.

It is at this point where I finally snap, reach a fever pitch, and spend all night cleaning. This happened just this past Saturday night. After a long day out and about and a very enjoyable evening with friends I came home and realized that I could not even answer a single email, let alone start another full week, with the clutter that had slowly begun to consume every surface. And since the burden appears to be one I bear alone in my household it is generally I who must lay said burdens down and put them in their proper places.

Now, to those in a similar situation as mine, please keep in mind that to those others in our life, the clutter may have cognitive value to them in the same way simplicity and order do for you. For instance, those piles may represent a sense of belonging and place to them. Seeing all this stuff they have makes them feel comfort in knowing it is not lost or missing. It actually may be a representation of how productive they are. So productive in other areas of life that they don’t have the time to clean and organize. It may also be overwhelming to them as well, so much so that they are paralyzed by it. 

All I’m saying here is that our goal of uncluttered simplicity is likely just as strange and wrong and foreign to those who are the opposite as they are to us. Compassion and acceptance are required on both sides. The (often imperfect) path I attempt is to allow my wife to see that it is I who is willing to take responsibility and ownership for my needs in this area, doing the work to see that those needs are met, while allowing her to be who she is without judgment.

This is not always easy, I know. I struggle with it daily. Then again, are these things ever easy? Perhaps they should not be. The work is proof of it’s continued worth. And, she is worth so much to me that such work seems like a bargain.

One of the many benefits to having an iPad, an iPhone 4, and 11 inch MacBook Air is the swiss army knife of portability options at your disposal. Before leaving the house, I take inventory of my day and decide which of these tools I might need. Because of the extreme ease of portability of the options at hand, making the choice for any combination or all does not mean too much extra burden. That said, why take anything with me I don’t absolutely need?
I often leave the house with nothing but my iPhone, this is not abnormal. What is unusual is that, when taking inventory of my needs, I determined that all I really needed was a keyboard. I was going to a quick lunch meeting and then to do some writing. Sure I could bring my iPad or MacBook Air but, the only thing I really needed to get the writing done was a keyboard. So, I threw one in my bag and here I am.
Between the iPhone, the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, and Hog Bay Software’s PlainText I have all the tools I need today. I have this little plastic card stand I got somewhere (don’t remember where) that just happens to hold the iPhone in landscape at the perfect viewing angle. I’ve got the headphone plugged in to listen to some ambient music while I type. Outside of one of those folding Bluetooth keyboards I have seen, I can’t think of a more perfect fast and light computing solution.
I think it is easy to think of the iPhone (or iPod Touch for that matter) as something less that a “real” computer. That, somehow, one can’t get real work done or that it could never be a true replacement for a full size machine. I, personally, don’t believe that and often seek ways to see exactly how much I can get away with just using the iPhone. In fact, I have even written the first draft of one of the chapters in my book on the iPhone using the onscreen keyboard. Was it the perfect solution? Maybe not but it was the resource I had at hand so that made it the perfect one for me at the time.
I have heard tales that, for some households in other countries, the smartphone is the only “computer” they own. They are inexpensive, portable, easily sharable with other members of the family and perfectly capable for many tasks. While some may scoff at such a challenge, I feel it is really no challenge at all. The real challenge is overcoming our comfort, convenience, limits and pre-conceived notions.
Just more food for thought.

When I encounter someone brand new to the Mac, either a new client or someone who reaches out to me via email about switching or having recently done so, this is the text file I send. I thought it would be nice to share this with the world. Perhaps it will be useful to you or those you love.

Welcome to Macintosh.

Congratulations! You are now a proud owner of one of the most elegant and powerful tools on the planet. The very beginning of your experience is the essence of the idea of minimalism – everything you need and nothing that you don’t. Each item, icon, and even the desktop background chosen equally for its function and its beauty.
When you first turn it on and get past the welcome music and basic setup information, what you are presented with is a completely clean desktop, a dock filled with all the applications one might need to get started, and a basic set of important status items (time, wifi, etc.) in your menubar.
Contained herein, is everything you need to create and enjoy the creation of others. To engage in conversations across space and time. To be entertained and delighted to the point of laughter and moved to the point of tears. To make the next multi-million dollar movie or write the next great American novel. To make a lasting impact on millions of strangers or leave a legacy for our children. All of this done with unparalleled ease of use in a package that fits into your briefcase or on your desk.
Of course, we don’t think of a new computer this way. But perhaps we should. Because, right out of the box, with no additional software needed, the Mac includes all of the tools one needs to do any of these things. Let’s take inventory:

• Safari – This is one of the fastest web browsers ever made. Built on web standards, with an open source core, it takes the task at hand seriously. It is chock full of features such as tabs, advanced security, private browsing, form and user/password autofill, and bookmark management. But mainly it keeps those out of the way so that you can get online and to work as quickly and easily as possible.
• Mail – A fantastic and modern email client with support for POP, IMAP, and even Microsoft Exchange based email. It supports multiple accounts, junk mail filtering, rich HTML support, multiple signatures, and advanced rules. It’s a powerful tool that is easy to set up and use.
• Text Edit – This is a surprisingly flexible word processor that even seasoned Mac users don’t know the full capabilities of. It has the ability to create lists and outlines, advanced spell checking, advanced text formatting, allows for embedded images, photos and hyperlinks, and it can open and save in Microsoft Word document format including the recent “docx” format.
• Preview – Not only a powerful application for viewing and annotating PDFs but also a nice image viewer and editor. You can do fairly advanced color correction, crop and resize, and change file types (.jpg to .png for instance).
• iCal – A pretty good calendar.
• Address Book – a pretty good contact manager.
• iChat – A really decent and fairly advanced IM client with support for voice, video, and screen sharing.
• iLife – This is a suite of applications all built around the theme of digital organization and creation. It includes: iPhoto for organizing and editing your digital photos. iMovie for creating professional looking movies from your video. iDVD can be used to create professional looking DVDs from the movies. iWeb allows you to create nice looking WYSIWYG websites. Garage Band is for performing and recording music.

The items mentioned above only just begin to scratch the surface. Your new Mac comes preloaded with all the tools most people need to get their daily tasks done or even change the world. The only thing you need to bring to it is your motivation to do so.
That said, some people do have particular needs that require more software that does not come preinstalled. For instance, many require a more robust word processor or spreadsheet program for their jobs. Some require a more professional photo editing or design program. All of these things are available to you to install if you need them. They are just a search, purchase, and download away if you need them…
Wait! Don’t move so fast there. I said if you need them and that is a very important if. Don’t just assume you need them because you think you do or because someone who does not know what your needs are tells you you do. I would argue that the majority of computer users can get by just fine with a fresh out of the box Mac.
In fact, I would argue that that easiest way to find out what you really need is to use your Mac as it ships. Do everything you need to do. Go about your daily business. When you run into something that you need to do but can’t seem to find a way to do it with the applications that come preloaded on your Mac, here is the steps to take.

• Search online to see if there is a way to achieve your results with the tools at your disposal. You may be surprised to find out the capabilities you don’t know exist in programs like TextEdit, Mail, or Preview. Even programs I have used for years sometimes still reveal surprises. Look through the menu choices in the programs you have. Study the preferences. You may be amazed at what you discover therein.
• If number one does not turn up what you need, then do some searching for all of your options. Need to build an image from scratch? Think Adobe Photoshop is the only way to do that? Think again. There are a half-dozen programs I could tick off that can do the same thing just as well for far less cost and learning curve. Do some research. Look around. Find the tool that is right for you which often is not the one everyone talks about.

I could go on and on about the awesome programs that I use daily and could barely live without. The problem of course is that I found these mostly through the same methods I described above and just being engaged with the development surrounding the Mac platform. All of these are also under regular scrutiny and evaluation. Just because I needed something for a particular project or task does not mean I need to keep it installed forever. That said, at this moment and on most days, I’m pretty satisfied with my Mac. I’m certain you will be too.
The idea here is to slowly, methodically, and purposefully build the perfect computer. Perfect in this case is subjective. Perfect is what is exactly right and enough for you. Just as mine is for me. The Mac is a great foundation on which to build this exciting new future. Have fun!

Since keeping your Mac clean seems to be a popular topic, I thought I would take a moment to highlight a couple of products I have used for quite some time.
As a Mac Consultant, I often run into keyboards and screens that are less than sparkling (Honestly, who’s really is?). Because of this, as a service to my clients I often will take a few extra minutes to spiffy up their Mac a bit before leaving. Kind of a nice value-add that anyone would appreciate.
For cleaning keyboards and other hard to reach spots, I depend on Cyber Clean. The best description I can give it is “goop”. That said, this goop molds itself into the tightest spaces and picks up dust, crumbs, dirt, and other detritus that is otherwise hard to get. It’s looks nasty, feels strange, but works like a Christmas miracle.

To clean the screen, I absolutely swear by iKlear. I have used it ever since getting a sample at Macworld about ten years ago. Nothing does a better job on portable screens. Nothing. I usually keep a stash of the iKlear Travel Singles in my bag. In less than a couple of minutes I can have a screen looking like brand new.

Between the two of these my Macs, and those of my clients, are always shiny.

I have talked before about final choices and sensible defaults as a way I bring balance to my life by reducing the number of choices I have to make. I have recently identified one other method I increasingly use to simplify in this manner – delegating choices to someone or something else.

For example, when listening to music at home, I rarely seek out a specific album or artist. Most often, I use iTunes Genius Playlists or iTunes DJ to do the selecting for me. Even more recently, since it’s release, I’ve been using the excellent KCRW Music Mine and just hitting play. In both of these cases, I’m happy to place my trust in these tools and let it run. I don’t need to think about what kind of mood I’m in and searching through thousands of choices. I simply hit play.

Another way I have been doing this, and this is an idea I learned from a good friend, is when ordering at restaurants. Instead of looking through the menu and trying to decide my meal, I delegate the choice to the server. I simply ask, “What is good today?” or “Bring me your favorite.” and they, more often than not, are happy to oblige. Now, one must have a pretty broad palate (I do) and one must be OK with the idea that what is delivered may be the most expensive item on the menu (this has been rare for me) but, in general, I’m delighted with the results of such experiments.

In both of these cases, one takes a risk that is based on the trust that the person or service will make choices that are agreeable to you. It helps that in both I have broad and curious tastes and therefore it is hard for me to be disappointed. That said, I think there is under-appreciated delight in randomness, serendipity, and surprise. I wish to fill my life with more of it and this is one way to do so.

As stated last week, I plan to start going a week wIthout some things in order to best evaluate my needs. It should come as no surprise to any of my patrons that I have been struggling with how I approach social networks.

Don’t get me wrong, they are a great tool for communication and engagement. In fact, there are many people that I have met and converse with primarily through social networks that I would call my friends. I would not have been able to build these relationships without these tools.

I have no problem with advertising at all. When it is done well advertising can connect people with really useful products and ideas they may not have heard of otherwise. If a social network wants to go down the advertising path to pay the bills, I can support that.

I guess what I’m increasingly uncomfortable with, and the reason for this break, is two fold:

• I find I spend and share far too much of my time and words there with no clear intention of why I’m doing so. Are the things I’m saying really things others need to know? Is it helping them in any way? Is it helping me by sharing them? Could the words I’m sharing there be better shared some other way? On a website or a book? With a tool that allows me better control and retains personal ownership.
• As a writer, I make my living off of my words. Is a social network, as a tool, worth the trade of letting someone else profit from my words as well? Is it OK for them to listen into my conversation about the double-shot of espresso I pulled and then deliver a burr grinder ad into my stream? Does the fact that I happen to be in the market for a burr grinder make that transaction OK? Because, those words are ultimately what they sell to advertisers and use to deliver “relevant” advertising to us.

Once again, I’m not saying it is good or bad one way or the other. I honestly do not have an answer. These are all questions, along with many others, I will be pondering during my mini-sabbatical. I will also be pondering how to come back with a better intention and approach. Which, ultimately, is what we should be seeking with any tool we wish to use well.

When was the last time you went a week without something? Perhaps something you enjoy. Perhaps something that you struggle with. Perhaps something you are sensing transition with.

Maybe, for some of you, you have done so or are doing so right now due to circumstance. There has been bad weather and flooding in the eastern United States. For some that has meant a week without power, telephone or Internet. For far too many in the world at large a week without food or shelter is a regular occurrence.

This is a question I have been sitting with for a while now. I think it is often times important to do without in order to get a better sense of our place within. Perhaps a week without Twitter or Facebook will help you better understand the value that you derive from it. Perhaps a week without caffeine will help you better frame your dependence on it. Perhaps a week without your iPhone will help you evaluate your use of it.

The week is intended to help one see the advantages as well as the disadvantages so that one may determine the best approach. That may be a revelation that the thing you went without holds an important place in your daily life. It might also determine that after a week you could do another until you find you did not need it at all.

Starting next week I’m going to go without something. I have not quite decided what that is yet (hence the “next week”). I’ll announce what it is next Monday so that I may be kept accountable. This is not a directive nor am I trying to start some movement. I’m just asking a question aloud in the hopes that the asking may help others as well. If you too are inspired to go a week without something, I welcome the camaraderie and would love to hear about your experiment and experience.

Stay tuned.