43 Folders

and a bunch of index cards

The first words Merlin Mann said to me were, “I don’t want to keep sucking your cock,” and for a brief second I thought there was no reason to continue our breakfast meeting…

“But I love everything you do.” he continued, after pregnant pause.

This man has genius comic timing.

Backstory: Merlin and I met years ago when we were teenage girls on LiveJournal. He caught glimpses of his hometown through my photos and I lapped up every stream of content he poured online. He’s since opened the floodgates and it’s hard to keep up with the fella.

We finally met-for-reals-yo at a greasy spoon when I was in San Francisco a while back. I would link to a vacation gallery but sorting through 10 days of photos is a lot more involved than sorting through 36 hours of photos.

Spent the meal chatting it up about lenses and gadgets, notecards and notebooks, binderclips and people, our personal process and the general whoa over this technology that is hookin us up.

Once the bill was paid, Merlin had some time to kill between meetings so we walked around The City (which I should mention, I like to pronounce with Thurston Howell III clenched teeth – MP3).

We talked a bit about 43 Folders. For those that don’t know, Time Magazine has called this one of the top 10 websites in the universe, or something to that effect. In their words, the site “offers tips for organizing both your digital life and your analog one.”

One thing led to another, and when I got home I worked up some visual concepts. Some evolutions and a team of ninjas from RoopleTheme deftly translated the sketches into real, working stuff with Drupal. Without their help the whole process would not have been near as fast or as painless.

Refinement continues, but that’s just part of the neat thing about what Merlin does; he keeps adding, subtracting, experimenting, and most importantly, sharing.

It’s good stuff, and I’m super happy to lend a hand.

No idea where to start? Inbox Zero is a trove of info if you wrestle with managing email. And I’m not just saying that because Merlin’s wearing a Tii-shirt in the video.

Postnote: Thanks to M’s colorful language, I’m fully prepared to be banned from Panera WiFi.

Current music: Western State Hurricanes “Unsalted Butter”

4 responses to “43 Folders”

  1. Michelle Avatar

    I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I love the new 43 Folders design but your contact link is broken and it thwarted my efforts to praise you and your work. So let me say now how very much I enjoy the new look of 43 Folders. Really, really excellent work.

  2. Jason Avatar

    I was listening to TWIT and heard Merlin mention your blog and design work. I’m a fan of the new look at 43F by the way. I thought it was an odd overlap of two different digital worlds I inhabit when I heard your blog mentioned as I have been reading your blog for some time. Uncanny.
    This is a great post.

  3. communicatrix Avatar

    I just love that two people I totally love and have never met finally met. Even if it was each other and not me. All in good time, right?

  4. Brian Gilham Avatar

    “I don’t want to keep sucking your cock.”
    That is, by far, the funniest thing I’ve read today. Certainly a unique meeting!