Organizing for Change

  What is AI? I Mean Really? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the the buzzword of the day. It seems like you can't go a minute without hearing someone talk about, read a news story about, or encounter another example of AI as good or evil. That being said, I feel all of these conversations are valuable, and quite frankly necessary.  It is about more than some theoretical conversation, these tools are here and must be acknowledged. Unfortunately, many see AI as a silver bullet, shortcut, or quick fix. The truth is that it is an extremely powerful and capable tool, but just that, a tool. The issue arises in that most tools can't really do any harm without assistance. Usually, it is the human that makes the mistake in using the tool. I know, many of you are saying that is still the case with AI. I would argue that it both is and isn’t. Let's look at an example of what I mean. A lot of people have been comparing AI to various other productivity or organization tools, such ...

After the initial livestream with the E -Team, I began thinking a lot about where this journey (YouTube, Blog, Patreon, Discord) started and where it might go. Don't get me wrong, there is no vision on my part of this being a primary source of income or even a significant one. However, I am curious to see what the potential is and explore the possibilities. I posted my first video, a trailer, on December 10, 2023. It's hard to believe that in those ten months over 1,400 people have subscribed to my YouTube channel. Quite frankly, I wasn't even sure that monetization was ever in my future. This whole thing started as a hobby to share information and learn a new useful set of skills. As a full-time staff member in higher education and adjunct instructor, I work online a lot. I teach face to face, online, and hybrid courses facilitated with technology on a constant basis. Not to mention the other roles that come with leading a teaching and learning center, such as: Profess...

I am asked all the time about open-source programs, resources, and other free alternatives for things that can be prohibitively expensive. Don't get me wrong, sometimes there are easy answers. Big companies will offer generous discounts to educational institutions, non-profit organizations and even individual educators. However, as we also know, sometimes, there is a significant barrier when talking about access to knowledge. Let's step back for a minute and think about what is necessary versus what is desired. Of course, "free" always sounds better and seems more desirable. However, what does free really mean? After all, most of us understand that there is some inherent cost to everything. The real question is more about who is paying that cost and what are we willing to accept? Below, we will explore three primary sources of "free" resources and talk about the implications and tradeoffs involved. For our purposes, we will look at publicly available r...

Just recently, I achieved a milestone that was not even initially a goal when starting my YouTube Channel . After all, I was not a professional video editor. I had no background in YouTube or video production, other than working in the educational space with recorded lectures, instructional design, and educational technologies. Beyond wanting to develop my skill set and as a hobby, I thought YouTube and blogging might be a good way to share some useful information for professionals looking to better organize their time and work lives. Again, I had no idea that this might be something people would really subscribe to. I was really inspired to try this by several people in the e-ink space when I was researching my eventual purchase of the Supernote . Right before turning 50 in December of last year, I decided to jump in and try to create something. Admittedly, my first few videos were rough, and not something I feel was my best work. I started with a 4K document camera that doubled as my...

Welcome to our final installment on three years with the Supernote A5X. This particular post will look at some of the most important enhancements that have happened since I purchased the device. Hopefully, the other two posts have given you an idea of why I chose Supernote as my platform, how I use it, and a glimpse of why I continue to do so. As a long-term owner of this piece of technology, hopefully this is a perspective you have found useful The image above is not an over exaggeration as to the the updates, new features, improvements, and functions that have happened in that span of time. However, we will only be looking at new features here, and why I believe they represent something important. While I understand that this is a long post, I promise that you will find the information useful if you stick with me until the end. If you want the TLDR, you can skip to the comments sections, but you may regret missing something important.  2021 Additions April 26 Added date format op...

Welcome to our second article in the series examining my first 3 years with the Supernote A5X. After making the decision to purchase the device, I was very impatient and tracked it through DHL multiple times a day. Luckily, it arrived earlier than expected. Now that I had the A5X, it was time to get started. Below are some things to consider and how I incorporated the device into my workflow.  Don't Let it Sit Probably one of the best pieces of advice I can give after buying a new piece of technology is to  use it!  I know this may seem obvious, but think about it. How many times have we gotten a new gadget and been all excited, only to end up getting frustrated and putting it on a shelf or in a drawer? That would be the biggest mistake you can make if you feel like you made the purchase for the right reasons .  When I first got the Supernote, I started writing with it right away. Luckily, it arrived over a weekend and I was able to play around with the features, get...

Three Years Ago Three years ago, I received a device that truly transformed my life. This may seem like hyperbole to some, but there are many times in our lives that technology enhances and optimizes our workflow. Think of the innovation of the personal computer (Mac or Windows, pick your favorite), the introduction of Word Perfect, Microsoft Word, and eventually Google Docs, the invention of the spreadsheet, or the iPhone and later Android. We are living in unprecedented times with AI and other tools on the march.  It's amazing to step back and just look at the technology landscape over the years. So, why I am so excited about a device that in some ways is much less flashy, capable, and with far less functions than the ones in the previous paragraph. Well, let me tell you. It is because the Supernote A5X and other e-ink tablets are striving to do something that no PC, phone, or device has really tried to do. Instead of changing the way human beings work, it is attempti...