Oh, Cozi- How I Heart You!

One of my initial reasons for starting this blog was to bring some personal accountability into my quest for an organized life. Consequently, I hoped that being more time efficient would clear calendar time for hobbies and interests that have long been lingering on the back burner.

I wrote awhile ago about the fabulous FlyLady and how her ideas had helped me regain a bit of control over household CHAOS (if you peruse her site, you'll learn what this stands for). I have to admit that I've been fluttering ever since returning to work, and there have been a lot more days than not where I just threw in the towel and said, "Whatever will be, will be!"

But despite this frequent feeling of defeat, I vowed to continue feeding my healthy addiction to Cozi. Thanks to the FlyLady, I discovered this precious organizational gem, and it has brought some much-needed calm into my world. You see, pre-Cozi, on many a trip to the grocery store with my entourage of post-it notes (because that's what normal people use for a grocery list, right?!), I kept thinking there had to be SOMEONE out there like me who dug neat, tidy lists all in one place.

And like an answer from above, I met you, Cozi! I signed up and was instantly greeted with all kinds of organizing goodies...under one tidy roof! For instance, there's a tab for:

the family calendar (color code to your heart's delight!)

to-do lists (for each person or the whole household!)

shopping lists (make one for each store you frequent and say goodbye to the post-its!)

a handy journal feature (I use it to jot down baby boy firsts complete with cutesy pictures of him in the act!)

menu planning (I add internet recipes to the menu list, then drag and drop into the day I want to prepare them. Out of something that the recipe calls for? Just tell Cozi to put the ingredients on your shopping list! I'm serious- no need to say please or whisper sweet nothings into Cozi's internet ear. Cozi just does it!)

Let me just establish right now that the amount of exclamation points I use does NOT correlate in any way to my excitement level for Cozi's features. It's just that I really despise folks who go crazy with punctuation, and I don't want to be one of those people. I use exclamation points sparingly. So when you see me include one, that means pay attention, it's important!

I know you're probably thinking that all this sounds too good to be true (the Cozi goodness, not my refusal to over-use exclamation points). But indeed, it gets better. Cozi is FREE (yes, FREE!).

And for those embracing the whole smartphone craze (it'll never last! ha), Cozi offers a mobile application for Android, iPhone and BlackBerry devices. The bonus here- hubby can be at the store shopping and any changes I make from home are instantly updated to his device!

However, it's not quite ready for roll-out in the mobile versions. Dear Cozi, if you're reading, if you're listening- please offer this feature soon and just maybe I'll be inclined to give you a big "Thank you", complete with two exclamation points! : )

Steady by Jerks...er, Notes.

I actually thought my ability to multi-task and compartmentalize projects would return to its heightened level of glory post-baby, but I was surely wrong.  I suspicion if you cracked open my brain at any given moment, you'd see the Mad Hatter running around maniacally, jumping from one gray-matter blob to the next, sporting a pair of jumper cables saying, "I wonder what THIS will do?" Bzzzzzz....welcome to my short-circuited life with self-diagnosed ADD. Glorious. But that's how it feels; like I'm constantly jumping from one thing to another. I crave one day, just ONE, where I can concentrate on and complete one lovely task at a time...poo, I have clothes to fold. Did I pay the electric bill? When was the last time I took my vitamins?!

Welcome to 'Pregnant Brain', folks. Well, congratulations, you might be inclined to think...I didn't know you were expecting! That's the funny part about it all-I'm not...REALLY, I'm not!! It's just that 'Pregnant Brain' NEVER seems to go away. What a farce; much like those dreamy Baby Center posts suggesting varicose veins also disappear after your little one arrives.

Despite my newest affliction, I'm still giving the whole organizational idea a whirl. In fact, I'd have to be honest and say I've made a bit of progress...I DO write stuff down; it's just not all in one place...YET!

Enter my newest pursuit in quasi-organization: the EverNote iPhone application. What the crap am I doing with an iPhone you may ask? Believe me, I've asked myself that question a lot in the last month or two....but I digress (enter "Pregnant Brain" reference above).

I can snap photos, dictate a note or just type one out...then EverNote lets me organize those meandering thoughts into individual notebooks. I have one labeled for gift ideas, recipes, all things sweet-baby-boy, and one just for ME. And I'm vowing not to put anything task-related in mine...because tedious chores and hippie creativity don't really play well together.

Another juicy geek-infested function I love about EverNote: you can sync the Smartphone notebooks with documents/notes/random to-do lists on your computer. The real challenge for me, as you may have already guessed, will be REMEMBERING that next week...heck, who am I kidding? We'll see if this little nugget o' knowledge is still with me at the end of today! :) I've got Preggo Brain-might as well embrace it!