Hank_Lenzi

Funny that. Was thinking smth along those lines the other day, as I was wrestling with my own spreadsheets, I was considering how ML-type languages would be ideal for spreadsheets.

A column could be of type:

type itemCode = string type itemName = string type itemMaker = string type itemPrice = int type itemPurchase = int type itemcolumnType = (itemPurchase * (itemCode * itemName * itemMaker) * itemPrice) list

Types can add dimensions to spreadsheets. The path not taken saves you from spreadsheet hell. You can only look at so many little rectangles at a time... Data in a spreadsheet should fit into your visual system. Otherwise, it requires magic. And, if you do magic -> magic -> magic, which is what statisticians and data mining specialist do, you end up with a simple graph.

Thinking about it, you can see that Google Docs kinda sucks...Can I tell my spreadsheet to sort every other row in a column, according to a regex, fuse it with data from another one and make it generate me a report in Teh Eevil .doc format? Oh, the Python API you say? Hmmm. I thought Google was all about clickety click and a "simple interface". Yahoo Pipes fares scores higher here, except for the fact that they like to be stuck in a corner wearing the funny pointy hat.

Where's the innovation? With all the money Google's got, you'd expect a little more.

It depends on what you do with it. ;-)

Oh, I forgot to say. Ambient noise can really get to me. So, if I'm studying or performing some mental task in a public place that's noisy, I'll use my iPod - but with NO MUSIC.

At first I used to listen to a lot of Bach - but I found I was concentrating on music, and not the task.

Then, I used pink noise (you can buy pink noise soundtracks on the web), but now I've switched to using binaural beats (probably just placebo effect, but it's less boring than listening to rain and water soundtracks for a prolonged period of time...).

First of all, I use Google and all their goodness (Docs, Calendar, Gmail, etc.) This saves me from loosing my schedule (because it's just "up there" in the "cloud").

I have task lists and spreadsheets that monitor task activity (for instance, pages/day read since start date).

Task lists are ordered by priority. Days since start date is monitored, too. I use color code (red = DO IT, NOW!).

I set up queues (e.g., reading list queue).

Budget's in Google Spreadsheet. Google Calendar is set up to warn me of upcoming dates (e.g., recurring payments like rent).

Task list is conceptually different from Calendar. Tasks are either urgent or can wait a bit (depends on priority). Calendar is for what you have decided you will do, and in what order. Setting up some time to plan your next day is crucial for efficiency.

I also have a small statue of Saint Rita in front of me, on my desk. I'm not Catholic. She stands for "Ritalin", but you might like to know she's the "patroness of impossible cases". ;-) She's a reminder. (http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=205)

BTW, if you're having trouble with mind-numbing tasks, you are probably under-medicated. Talk to a specialist in adult ADD/ADHD.

For study material, I am currently setting up a database for it, retrievable by software, with metadata description (this is for theorems, etc). Again, I use Google's resources, because you cannot not find Google. :-) I'm also beginning to experiment with some memory techniques - I read about SuperMemo the other day and also a thing with labels and calendar dates.

You might choose to inform work partners and family you have ADD/ADHD. Educate people. If people don't hear about ADD/ADHD, they will think somebody with it is either lazy or stupid (if your ADHD/ADD is out of control), because you get so side-tracked but research shows there's no correlation with IQ. Let them know you've got this condition. You got it anyway. It's not nice, it's not good, it's not a badge of honor, but it's who you are. So the fuck with it. They don't like it, they're prejudiced? Me, I don't give a fuck. I've achieved some things most people haven't and will never - this, besides my condition. Nobody can take those things away from me.

Also, have a good night's sleep. Ritalin doesn't work well if you're too tired. Learn to let go. Life was tough enough for you, you don't need to torture yourself. Take it easy.