Image via Wikimedia Commons
I got a new phone today! I didn’t really need one, and I could have transferred stuff around, deleted all the bad pictures and obsolete screen shots, and made room for another year’s worth of digital clutter, but my daughter was getting a new phone for college, and my husband decided I should have a new one as well.
This seems as good a time as any to provide the periodic reminder: Back up all your stuff! I was frantically saving and sending my history from my favorite texting service (unfortunately, it’s only text that gets saved — fortunately, I am a very text-based communicator!). Back up your stuff! Not just the personal stuff, but the writing stuff, as well!
A new phone is a chance to be a new person by forge new habits while keeping the old ones and making them better. I created some new accounts with cheerful new names and inspiring new passwords. My screensaver is a really cute picture of David Bowie (around 1969, when he was pre-glam), holding a kettle of boiling water. Just what I need to comfort me when I can’t get a real cup of tea (and also, thinking about how PRODUCTIVE he was creatively under all sorts of conditions makes me think I can do a little bit today).
I started a couple of things I may regret — I activated a Twitter app, and filled it with comedians and newsmakers so I can get a pop culture fix. On the one hand, I NEED to stay current for work and for writing. But on the other hand . . . I already spend ten to twenty minutes a day on Twitter.
That’s nothing compared to the time I spend on Reddit . . . and I set up an account so I can read and comment on Reddit. I’m going to try to restrict myself to using Reddit during a natural or national disaster (I’ll save my goofing-around-Reddit for the main computer). Wish me luck. I may have to review the habit, and delete that account if it turns out to be too much of a time suck.
It might be too much to ask of a phone — to transform me into an informed citizen of the world who also has time for work and writing. But, it’s fun to dream and scheme.
(I could really use a good app for writing on the phone — even just story notes. My old phone had a “memo pad”, but it soon filled up, and I had to start taking notes on my texting service and sending them to a “group” of just me. That works, but the haikus and character sketches are mixed in with grocery lists and maps of how to get to store X. I am trying to have the discipline to delete stuff that’s not useful anymore, but I get overcome by a feeling that one day — maybe next Christmas — I will want to know exactly what I made for supper on December 24th so I can repeat it. And similarly lame excuses for saving stuff that I probably will never look at again.
(At any rate . . . if you have a good writing app, please share in the contents!)
Eight Ladies Writing 
Congrats on the new phone! It sounds like you do a LOT on your phone. I don’t have a writing app—in fact, I put almost nothing on my phone. Words with Friends, a couple of airline apps, and that’s about it. I text, I email, I call. I’m s simple country girl at heart! But sometimes even WWF takes more time than I like, and I’m tempted to delete it. But then I never do. I shudder to think how much time I’d spend on the small screen if I had anything else on there.
I am almost always a consumer on my phone, not a producer. I read the news and some twitter in the morning (which links me to more news). I look stuff up on my phone during the day, and when I’m brain dead, I veg out to YouTube (mostly late night news/comedians) for a couple of hours. Then, I often meditate before bed with something from YouTube (practically speaking, I’m probably out like a light after 10 minutes or less most nights).
I produce on my laptop — letters, correspondence, and the short story or blog post that comes along.
I’m starting to wonder if it’s a good idea to try and switch things up. On one hand, I’d like to be more productive on my phone, and opening up the computer on Sundays and evenings is often such a chore. But on the other . . . YouTube sucks me in, and there goes my productivity for that session.
We’ll see; it would be nice to have better note-taking capacity.
Hooray! Everyone loves a new phone! And what a great reminder to back up your data. world Backup Day is coming up on 3/31, so you’ve taken care of my post for the year. LOL! Happy phone setup and I hope you enjoy using it!
LOL, the conflict is strong with this one, but I think I’ll be happier with it than without it, after I get a few more things switched off.
(-: Mine was very much a light warning. If you want to give a stronger one (and update any info that was in your post I linked to), I think we could use another reminder! Particularly since it’s a World Backup Day. Perfect timing — get the computer in shape before any April Fool pranks! I think you should do it!
I love the idea that you’ve taken the mundane task of transitioning to a new phone as an opportunity to create same new (positive) habits. I hope it all works out as planned.
As for a writing app, I don’t do much (if any of that) on my phone, but on my iPad I mostly just use the “Notes” feature or create a draft email to myself. EverNote is the only app I can think of off the top of my head that has been recommended; don’t know if that would work for you or not.
I know someone–can’t remember who–that swears by EverNote.
Jeanne: Yeah, I have the same feeling. Is it one of us? Or am I just remembering good reviews? Hmmmmmm.
It’s probably me. (Are you shocked?;-)). I love Evernote. Sometimes I’ll go for long stretches of time without opening it, then I’ll have a week like this past one where I’m in it almost every day. You can put it on your computer as well and everything syncs up so you can access it from either device. You can type in notes; embed photos, videos and links; and add files. I back up my xls series bible to it. It works well for my brain. YMMV.
Well, then, I guess I should try it! For sure! I’ve got too many unorganized thoughts flying around, and I need to get them pinned down so I can analyze them.
I’ve tried using Google Calendar to remind me to “meditate” on different aspects of work and craft, but I usually ignore it instead of stopping everything (which is usually not anything important) and doing it.
EverNote was recommended by the Google Play Store, and I have heard the name thrown around quite a bit . . . I may have to look into it!