My mother is a recovering perfectionist. It’s been decades since she ironed pesky wrinkles from her cotton socks, and just last week she left a dirty dish in the sink overnight…imagine!
And while I’ll joke about her few remaining semi-obsessive habits, there is one that I appreciate and fully embrace: Anything that touches your skin or that’s with you all day must be great quality.
That may sound crazy—and heck, it may be crazy—but that doesn’t make it less valid. We don’t benefit in any way from constant, close proximity to cheap, crappy stuff. If you doubt me, use substandard toilet paper and body lotion, or wear poor quality underwear, socks, or pantyhose. Heaven help you if you go for all those cheapies on the same day: Welcome to Itch City, population 1.
So, giving credit to Mom’s influence and in the spirit of Ten Tech Tools for the Mobile Entrepreneur by Kyle Claypool from On Your Business, here are five quality business tools that make my day, all day, every day:
Moleskine
I bought my first Moleskine notebook a few weeks ago, and I don’t know how I functioned without it.
Wait, that’s a lie. I know exactly how I functioned without it, I just don’t want to admit that I jotted important notes, article drafts, and business plans on Post-Its. Yup, I scribbled my hopeful bits of genius on (and among) little yellow stickies as if they were disposables like “buy kitty litter”. Which they weren’t, though that didn’t keep a few from getting tossed…*gulp*.
Now my ideas have a luxurious home in a 3 x 5 reporter-style notebook with an inside pocket…between sturdy, flexible, water-resistant black covers…on lusciously smooth, no-glare, subtly lined, acid-free paper. My notebook is a treasure filled with treasures. I carry it everywhere, and keep it bedside at night just in case I get a glimmer in my sleep.
I don’t know why I hesitated to get one, but I know why I finally did—Nick at Put Things Off is a consummate Moleskine Enabler.
Uni-ball Roller Grip Pen–Micro Point, Black
If I’m gonna write on paper designed to steward my scribbles for 500 years—and I’m gonna—it makes sense to spend a bit extra for acid-free, fadeproof pens so the scribbles may last as long as the paper. I prefer black for the readable contrast and the teensy 0.5 mm point for fine writing in my small notebook. The grip is textured, the cap fits tightly, it looks slick, and I’ve never known one to leak.
I buy them by the dozen. I’ve never used one up because I tend to give them away long before they’re dry. I always gift them to borrowers who remark on how well they write. If a cashier/client/friend/whoever likes it enough to acknowledge how cool it is, it’s theirs.
Ergonomic Keyboard With Built-In Mousepad
I don’t have one of these anymore, and I’ve been miserable without it. It’s been surprisingly difficult to replace my much mourned Ol’ Faithful. When I find a similar keyboard, it: 1) is way expensive, 2) doesn’t have a keypad, 3) has a centered mousepad, rather than one on the right, and/or 4) is craptacularly made by a company who shall remain nameless lest I scar my tongue with bitterness.
That said, I’ll have to get over the price tag because my want recently graduated to a need. Among blogging, school, and livin’ a geek’s Internet-oriented life, I type 10+ hours per day, almost every day. I truly need the one keyboard that always gave my wrists an easy time.
Cingular HTC 8525 SmartPhone
Cingular has gone for good, but my phone and rollover minutes live on! When Dan first showed me this phone—his eyes glittering with tearful admiration—I thought it was total overkill. I thought “What possible reason would I ever have to work the Internet on a friggin phone?” Now I think: “Thank heavens I got the unlimited data plan!”
These days, I do a notable amount of business while in line at the post office, in the eating area at Costco, and while sitting in stop-and-stop traffic on the Beltways—without speaking a single word. The 8525 has a simple interface and a full keypad that’s wee, but easy enough to type with. It’s an ideal tool for checking email, monitoring site stats, reading my feeds, and keeping an eye on Twitter. If Wordpress would let me write posts with it, I could manage every aspect of this blog from my phone.
iPod Nano/iTunes/Audible.com
My technological triumvirate of entertainment and education! Along with virtual stacks of mystery/thriller audiobooks and a little music, my iPod stores a library of business seminars to listen to while I’m looking for and editing photographs, tweaking designs, or doing laundry—anything but writing.
My second generation nano is pink, so it’s difficult (though not impossible) to lose in desk clutter or in my purse. Even in it’s thick plastic case it weighs little, and it comfortably clips to my waistband when I don’t have pockets or a free hand.
iTunes is so well done and easy to use that I smile every time the application opens. Audible.com is friendly with both iTunes and Windows Media Player, and adds listening features to my iPod that I don’t get with audiobooks ripped from CD.
What Would You Pout Without?
Of course I could live without any or all of these five things, and I did for quite a while. But each of these has added something intensely fun and/or useful and/or pleasurable to my work day. I would survive the day if any or all were lost, stolen, or broken…but I’d surely pout from get up ’til go to bed.
Et tu? What are your favorite work toys? How did you discover them?
{ 47 comments }
I’m with you on the Moleskine. I use to carry around my Nintendo DS and play Sudoku whenever there was dead time waiting on someone. Now I just carry my Mokeskine and jot down my ideas and such.
While I don’t have an uber-phone yet, I have plans to get the new iPhone when it gets the new version in a few months and can only imagine how blissful it will be to have the Internet all the time.
Recent blog post from Jeremy Davis: 1/2 Priced Tattoos
Ditto on the Moleskine.
I’ll also add WordPress. It’s the engine that drives my blog, and participation in the blogging community helps drive my business. (Though I’ve been a bit absentee lately.)
And extra large sticky notes. Perfect for a to-do list that needs to stay visible.
Recent blog post from Joshua Clanton: Web Typography - Differences in Anti-aliasing
Mornin’ Jeremy—Oooo, iPhoooone
What a beautiful toy! Come back or post and let us know what you think of it? Or write a post and let me know so I can link to it? I’m still surprised how much I love and use my phone, and I’m not even using all the features.
Glad to have another Moleskine lover in the house…the It’s Just A Notepad naysayers are sure to arrive, and I’ll need the backup
Thanks for your comment!
Hi Joshua and welcome!
Yes, absolutely Wordpress. Where would you/I/we be without Wordpress (or Post-Its, now that I think on it)?
It’s an essential tool that doesn’t have to cost us a cent, is reasonably easy to customize, and best of all: is well-supported by it’s adoring community. When I first the logo t-shirts, I wondered how folks could get so excited about a platform/framework. Now I know!
Very interesting article on Web-based text, by the way. I learn something new every day, hanging out with you clever experts…
Thanks for your comment
I wouldn’t worry too much about Moleskine naysayers. Pretty much everyone in our corner of the Blogosphere is enamored with it.
Plus the Put Things Off article you mentioned is a great convincer for those who say “Nay”.
I also wrote a Moleskine Madness post right after I got mine if someone need more convincing.
One business tool I would be miserable without, in a word, the internet. Occasionally the internet goes down at the office. People go home. It’s that essential. More essential than the phone. Occasionally it has gone down at home. Imagine two teenagers w/out the internet. Essential? Absafriggenlutly.
Recent blog post from James Hipkin: Small Business - Is the Internet Right for You
Hi James! — Too true! Without the Internet, where would any of us be?! No Internet? *shudder* I don’t even like imagining it. That’s like losing a cell phone. And I’m only half joking
How funny is that about the no-longer-essential telephone? You’re so right…I can use the Internet to call people with Skype, or get in contact with IM, email, Twitter, etc. We do need our phones, but they’re not mission critical like they used to be. Unless they’re cell phones. With Internet.
I can’t even imagine two teens, let alone two teens without what may be their core communication and entertainment device.
To think, your kids are (maybe?) too young to remember calling a number…with a phone, attached to a wall by a cord, to get the current weather and forecast. They know all the video glam and detail of Weather.com…
Whoops! Wasn’t watching the clock. Gotta run to lunch. Back in a few hours…just talk among yourselves
Hi Jeremy—Fun Moleskine post
I left a comment…
The thought that scares me the most about not having cell phones would be meeting someone for whatever reason.
I have a friend who is always consistently late for whatever reason and I couldn’t imagine how much more difficult it would be to connect with him if I had to call him from my house and tell him to meet me somewhere at 6:00 and trust that he will actually be at the said location at 6:00. Without cell phones I would just wait there for 30 minutes hoping he would show only to find out later that he overslept or forgot or whatever, so I completely wasted my time.
I seriously doubt that I would even try to meet with him if we didn’t have cell phones.
Recent blog post from Jeremy Davis: 1/2 Priced Tattoos
I used to use those Uniball Rollers, but the points are so sharp they would sometimes tear what I was writing on. Maybe I just right too hard. I switched to the Pentel Energel roller. Smooth, acid-free, dark ink dries quick. I love it.
Also: Index cards and binder clips. Binder clips of all sizes. Cannot get by without the binder clips!
******* Recovered from Comment SPAM Hell
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Love the post. Like you, I’ve got my own power-pack that I can’t live without, although it varies from your list slightly. (these are NOT affiliate links — just links to pics in case you’re interested.
#1: Robert Bateman 6×9 Landscape Sketchbook I filled up one Moleskine before switching to this book. Moleskines are nice but I like having more space to doodle and write. Once you’ve gone without lines, there’s no going back!
I’m lefthanded, so coils are a problem, but I turn this landscape format book 90 degrees to make a cool ‘reporter style’ notebook.
2. Pens — I use a Pilot v5 grip black ink pen or the knockoff from Supreme Basics. I like these a lot but I’ll have to give your uniball a try too.
3. MEC Travel-All Shoulder Bag aka my Man Purse. My notebook fits perfectly in the back pocket. Blackberry and iPod fit in the front flap. An apple, banana and maybe even a sandwich. in the middle and I’m set for a day’s adventure. I use the small size but there is a larger size that will take 8×11 paper in the back flap. But I hate carrying paper so I went small. At $15 it’s a steal.
#4. Google Reader. More addictive than coffee and much, much healthier than cigarettes. No information-obsessive geek could survive without his or her favorite RSS reader and for me that’s Google Reader. Better than email.
Can’t really think of a fifth. I’m trying to tame my blackberry addiction so I’m leaving that one off the list
Recent blog post from Mark Dyck: ScribeFire makes blogging even easier
Shoot — I tried a comment that was likely sent to ‘comment spam hell’ because I added links. Just wanted to add some pictures in case I didn’t describe my fav’s very well. Oh well…
The main points, minus some of the flowing but unmemorable prose:
1. Used a Moleskine. Liked it, but didn’t love it. What I LOVE is the Robert Bateman 6×9 Sketch Book. Really thick paper. No lines (oooh, the freedom!) I can turn it 90 degrees and use it like a reporter’s notebook. The paper absorbs ink really well so no smudging. Smudging and coils are an issue because I’m a lefty. The paper is a bright white and that goes well with my…
2. Pilot V5 grip pen. Black ink. Love it. Can’t find it much anymore but the Supreme Basics knock-off works very well too. I put the pen in the coil of my notebook and put both in the back flap of my…
3. MEC Travel-All Shoulder Bag a.k.a. my Man Purse. The 6×9 notebook fits perfectly in the back flap. Phone and ipod in the front flap. Fruit and perhaps a sandwich in the middle and I’m ready for everything. ($15 at Mountain Equipment Co-op www dot mec dot ca.)
4. When I’m home, or work, or online at all I am completely addicted to my RSS reader. Google Reader in this case. BBB posts at my fingertips. Other ones too, but not as good.
Love the blog, love the tweets. Hope this version takes.
Recent blog post from Mark Dyck: ScribeFire makes blogging even easier
Crystal,
You use MY pen? In a world of pen choices that is pretty funny. I love those things—smooth and beautiful.
I could not live without my 7 Habits planner. Nope, not a minute. I’ve been a planner addict since before Covey put his out, but from the moment that lovely device became available we’ve been inseparable. My life is in there, literally. I could get fairly poetic but I’ll spare you. Best. Tool. Ever. No battery pack required.
Regards,
Kelly
Recent blog post from Kelly: Inspiration Points: Where Is Your Business Centered?
Crystal, that’s it. I’ve been reading Nick and other’s raving about Moleskine notebooks for months now. I’m finally going to have to give it a try.
My HTC 6800 smartphone is indispensable. Especially after the recent firmware update that enabled GPS & EVDO-A broadband. I shell into my servers, check gmail, twitter, & brightkite. I’d be lost without it.
I’ve drooled over iPhones for awhile, and love the slickness of them. But until they support broadband speeds and a pop-out keyboard, they aren’t quite practical for my needs.
Recent blog post from sterling: Magento - Revolutionary eCommerce for Small Biz
Nick turned me on to Moleskines too! Now, I can’t function without it. My husband mocked me for jotting down notes in it while waiting for a movie to start this weekend. I can’t help it…thought comes to mind, thought goes into Moleskine.
I’m going to try these pens…I haven’t found one I love yet.
I have the AT&T HTC 8925 (Tilt). I switched from Sprint to AT&T for this phone alone. I love it. I wasn’t sure I’d need the internet on my phone either, but I can’t live without it now. I can look up cheap gas prices, check my email, and answer MonkeyBoy’s strange questions (like “What’s the biggest city in South America?” or “How far away IS China, mom?”).
I am a total Google Addict. I’ve written about my love for all things Google here: http://rpgcentric.com/blog/?p=34. I couldn’t live without Google.
I’ve been a Moleskine addict for years now and I truly can’t live without it. My best ideas were born out of Moleskine moments. Hehe. I use a Pilot G-Tech C4 on it. I would love to use my fountain pen, but it goes through!
Moleskine and one of my Waterman pens. One of the first things I replaced after Katrina and a Winsor Newton Series 7 Red Sable Brush # 10 thanks to a private donor in North Carolina. I had a couple of sketchbooks with me and a pencil or two, but it wasn’t until I had those essentials back that I could paint again. Add a few pigments, some paper, and I am good. So yep. Essentials.
Recent blog post from Janice Cartier: Yellow Rises, Blue Goes Across
Hello Hello,
1) iPhone, paid for itself in two days.
2) The ability to send things to “print” on a mac and save it to a PDF. So I can write and develop in Omni or Pages yet publish in a PDF,
Sweet!
rowan
Recent blog post from rowan: 1
@rowan Oh…you’re so right on that. Adobe has been a godsend (I’m a pc user). I printed for the first time in my new office location in over two weeks…and it was a fax from my old vet that I have to take to my new vet. So, nothing at all for work…thanks to Adobe’s Print to PDF function.
Recent blog post from Sandie Law: 1
Hi Mark and welcome! What a fab list you have here…especially that wunnerful little bag. I like that it has a long shoulder strap.
Women’s purses these days are either wallets with armpit straps or massive hobo bags you could hide a toddler in. Your Man Purse is lookin’ kinda good to me…
Thanks again for the list!
@Kelly—How funny is that?! Out of the 34 gazillion pen choices available these days, we use the same one? But, it was inevitable. You know not very many roller balls are fadeproof and water-resistant. And because it took me ages to read each pen pack and track these down, I’m committed to them. Or I need to be committed…whatever.
@Sterling—Going to get your Moley? Woohoo! As for your phone…thanks for the firmware reminder, I need to take care of that. Don’t know if I’ll get all the bells and whistles you got, but I’m sure hopin’ to! And re: the iPhone, our pop-out keyboard is a class all its own, isn’t it? The iPod is prettier, but I wouldn’t trade.
@Sandie, welcome and thanks for your comment! Aren’t we a pair? I have the Moleskine AND the phone out. Good thing, too. I shot out a tweet during Iron Man, and if not for @WritingJourney, I wouldn’t have stayed until the very very end. Our hubbies can laugh, but we know what we’re doing
And I have one word to say about Google: GooOoOOoogle!
Joy, Howdy and welcome! … Moley lovers unite! How cool to have Folks In The Know like you around to enable/encourage Moleskine newbies like Sterling and me! What are you using for a fountain pen? @RichardINK on Twitter has amazing treasures to covet, but I’m hoping I can find a nice, affordable one.
Hi Janice—I’m so sorry for what you lost, and very glad for what you’ve replaced. You’ve made me appreciate my best bits even more…and put a new face on this clutter I could care less about. Buckets of blessings to you
@Jeremy—I absolutely agree about cell phones and meetups. Absolutely. As corny as it may sound, Dan and I use our cells to check in with each other in mega-stores like Target and Costco. Beats playing Marco Polo across the aisles
@Matt–Howdy and welcome! You are so right about the sharpness of the point. Not a pen I can use with a piece of paper in my palm or lap…ouch! And binder clips…yum! Have you seen the little teeny tiny ones that hold, like, 8 sheets of paper? Perfect for when the standard size is too much, but a paper clip is not enough. Thanks for your comment!
Hi Rowan, and welcome! Hey, that’s a fantastic ROI for anything, let alone a cool, slick phone. Fabulous! As for PDFs…*sigh* What a great way to “remember” the Internet. You’ve got your just-as-I-typed-it documents, for me PDF is about capturing a website as it was that day, because tomorrow that clever design idea may be something completely different. Thanks for your comment!
Rowan,
That is so true about Mac’s print-to-pdf! I use it when I’m away the printer (with laptop) and surfing the ‘net. Print-to-pdf, put it on the desktop, and when I get home, I don’t have to find it again. I love the ease of that feature.
Crystal,
A list like this could make a simple, (nearly) gadget-free lady get an itch for more bright shiny things. Well done!
Until later,
Kelly
Recent blog post from Kelly: Inspiration Points: Where Is Your Business Centered?
When I did work I carried my Moleskine with me at all times. That and my Sensa pen, always blue ink for those pesky legal documents. NEVER without them. The fact that I used a Moleskine for my notes instead of an ugly legal pad made for some very interesting conversations!
Recent blog post from jo: The Ever Elusive Smith
Funny how we become so dependent on things without really trying, or realizing it! I would be absolutely lost without my cell phone and laptop (with internet of course) and I can’t forget my DVR on the TV, I’d never see any of my shows!
Great Post! Very entertaining!
Recent blog post from Jenny: The Sky Was On Fire!
They who said the Internet being the business tool they couldn’t go without is right. COuld any business function in today’s market without standard Internet access?
Great suggestions here! And I love your mother’s counsel.
In addition to favorite paper/pen/smart phone/google reader, I get great use and value from these less-personal, less-glamorous business/life tools:
>my verizon air card - just plug it into an laptop or guest computer and I’m connected SECURELY from anywhere;
>my GoToMyPC.com account — puts me at my office desktop from wherever else I might be working — they’ve got a discount of $99/yr if you look for it;
>my new jawbone headset — the noise cancellation really IS as good as their ad!
>my roller-ball mouse: they’re hard to find now, and need an adapter to USB, but rolling that big red ball in place instead of moving my mouse all over the desktop is a heaven I am grateful for any time I have to use someone else’s computer;
>the large clear plastic writing pad covering my lovely wood desktop that’s pretty only if you don’t have to write on its surface.
And a bonus pleasure: some high-end stickers (yes, and some silly ones like the kids like) that say funny, hip or encouraging things in great style (along the lines of the knock-knock line) which I affix to client snail-mail invoices (after sending PDFs), or other paper correspondence. It gets the item noticed, shows a sense of humor/style/appreciation, and seems to make-nice. I’m a consultant so I also buy stickers from the drugstore meant for teachers, cheering with “way to go!” and “you’ve done it!” etc. Silly, but everyone likes gold stars…
Crystal,
Excellent post, most excellent. I missed the start of the party, but better late than never!
(How *dare* work get in the way of me coming back to comment at BBB?)
Anyway, I love your list.
Hmm, 5 things.
1. Hipster PDA
2. Moleskine
3. Google Docs
4. Gmail
5. Google Reader
If I have those, I’m good to go, and since I can access 3-5 from any computer that has a network, as long as I don’t forget 1 & 2 I’m okay.
(I *sleep* with 1 & 2 beside the bed…)
-Brett
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: how to switch - part 1.
Brett’s comment made me want to reread the whole great post, which I did. Being reminded that the issue of QUALITY was key is making me hunt down some of those recommended pens/bags/planners right now! Thanks!
@GirlPie,
Do you know if the jawbone will work with a PC? I’d like to get a good wireless headset, but I’ve not heard any “real world” reviews of these. They look really good, though.
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: how to switch - part 1.
@James - can’t tell you, my computers aren’t blue-toothed and I haven’t read the booklet yet (guess that’s my weekend project.) But here’s the link to the Walt Mossberg review:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121081185733893753.html
IF that happens to be subscribers only, I’ll also email the text of the article (5/15/08) to you (and anyone else) because I don’t want to tie up this swell conversation Crystal inspires.
@GirlPie,
I just had a quick Google and CrunchGear said it worked fine with BT on a Macbook Pro. So maybe I’ve found my headset!
Walt’s review was good. I want his job!
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: how to switch - part 1.
Brett — Many apologies for calling you ‘James’ — glad you found the right gear (and glad I didn’t email anyone named James that review - ha!)
@GirlPie,
LOL, I knew who you meant and all of the Jameses I know at the various blogs I read are cool Jameses so I wasn’t offended at all.
I didn’t figure I’d say anything (it’s the Libra in me…)
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: how to switch - part 1.
@ALL! Woohoo, what a greatly fun list of stuff y’all love to love! As nifty (or even more so) than the things we have in common are the things we went in different directions on, like cell phones and pens.
Jo, Jenny and Adam—Big welcome, and thanks for adding your comments. I’m going to try that Sensa pen, kiss my DVR (because watching shows when we have time, rather than miss out or have backwards priorities is mighty stuff, isn’t it?), and genuflect to the Internet…which has made all things possible for me (including connecting me and the hubby-to-be).
I love that you guys took the time to drop a line or two or thirty
Every comment is appreciated, whether big or small. But if I stay here and respond to each one as deeply as I’d like, I’ll never get caught up on my schoolwork! Just a few more weeks and I’ll have more bandwidth to offer. Bear with me, k?
Yeah, the internet is definitely the BEST business tool out there.
If you can send email with your phone you should be able to write a posts from it. I’ve never done it, but there is a way with WP to post through email. I wish there was a plugin to allow moderation of posts through email - then that could be done through a phone too.
This might seem crazy to some people, but I couldn’t live without my external touchpad (http://www.cirque.com/pages/?section=10&page=72).
I can lay it on my lap or anywhere at any angle that’s comfortable. I love it! On the programmable buttons I have copy, paste and Enter, so I can minimize my use of the keyboard.
Recent blog post from Trisha: Friday Favorites
I feel very attached to my iPod, LG Chocolate, and of course my computer
Hi Allie—Welcome and thanks for your comment! Most excellent toys you have there. I thought it clever when LG made the Chocolate buttons so like an iPod’s.
We may not know what the buttons do, but at least we know where they are! One less thing for us to learn..
Good list, but I can’t do without my laptop. Need to be contected where ever I am at.
Hi Trisha—Welcome and thanks for your comment! Sorry I missed you way back when you left it
I found the setting to post via email…very exciting! If I find a plug in that allows us to manage comments from email, I will surely come back here to post it.
And folks DO think we’re crazy for the touchpad thing, but hey, we’re fabulously comfortable and productive people, so I don’t pay ‘em any mind.
@Chris—Hi and welcome! Laptops are glorious things aren’t they? Work and play from just about anywhere. You’re right, if there was a 6th tool, it would be my good ol’ laptop.
Thanks for your comment
I don’t go anywhere without my Flip Note.
It’s a small notepad in a metal case held closed by a ball point pen.
Perfect for those quick notes, especially as I get more senile.
It’s an essential tool that doesn’t have to cost us a cent, is reasonably easy to customize, and best of all: is well-supported by it’s adoring community.I can’t even imagine two teens, let alone two teens without what may be their core communication and entertainment device.
Excellent post, most excellent. I missed the start of the party, but better late than never! we become so dependent on things without really trying, or realizing it! I would be absolutely lost without my cell phone and laptop.
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