Hazel Thornton's Blog, page 3

Menendez Brothers Update: When it Rains it Pours

It’s been 30 years since I served as Juror #9 on Erik’s first jury.

In that time I’ve observed lengthy periods of drought when it comes to public interest in the Menendez brothers murder case.

But when it rains it pours, and we’re currently experiencing a flash flood.

This time, the interest of all possible media outlets has been piqued by the combination of the possibility of the brothers being freed after all these years and today’s long-awaited release of the new Netflix Monsters Season 2 series.

I’m writing this post partly for my own convenience, because I still get asked questions. This is easier for me than posting separately about each thing and relying on the whims of the social media algorithms to spread the word. Also, if you know me in person, it lets you know what I’ve been up to in this regard.

Here’s what’s happening:

 

Will the Menendez brothers be freed?

Many article headlines are starting to ask this question. Why? Because the brothers’ attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus in May 2023. The ruling has been pushed out several times since then. There are legal and political issues preventing a quick decision. Each time the deadline approaches and the court asks for more time I think: Well, at least it wasn’t a NO.

Even if they get a YES, though, it won’t be a yes to automatically letting them out of prison. It will be a yes to proceed with the legal, um, proceedings. It could still take quite some time to resolve all the issues. Fingers crossed! If Lyle and Erik had been convicted of manslaughter, instead of murder, the maximum sentence would have been 22 years each. Which, considering they were arrested in early 1990, means they would have been free twelve (or more) years ago. Free to live their lives and free to be assets to society, as they have been to their prison communities all these years.

When you hear the phrase “new evidence”, well, it depends on how much attention you’ve been paying to the case whether or not anything is new. The letter from Erik to his cousin Andy that you may have heard about was not discovered recently but it also was never presented at court. So, in all the articles that mention the habeas petition, it is referred to as “new”. And the fact that ex-Menudo member Roy Rossello has publicly and legally claimed that he was abused by Jose Menendez as a boy is also “new”. His story was told in the May 2023 three-part Peacock documentary: Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed. (A juror-approved production.)

 

New TV Series

I’ve been dreading today’s release of the new Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ever since they announced in May 2023 that it was coming. Why? Because it’s a dramatization. Fiction, not a documentary. (Not that I approve of all documentaries.) No one outside the production has known for sure how much creative license they were exercising. I mean, someone has to be the titular monsters, right? The trailers imply that actors Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny will portray Jose and Kitty as the monsters that I think they were. But that does not preclude Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch from also portraying Lyle and Erik as monsters. Even if they are, in the end, sympathetic characters they could still be shown planning the killings (justifying murder convictions) instead of killing in the heat of the moment (manslaughter).

I could just watch it right now, before I publish this post, and let you know what I think, but I don’t want to. If you watch it let me know what you think in the comments, OK? I’m always up for being pleasantly surprised.

This is not the first dramatization that I have skipped. The first two television movies were produced during the first trial! How accurate could they have been?

If you want to see a juror-approved dramatization, and haven’t yet, watch Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. (It’s available on a number of streaming services by now.)

 

New Documentary

I just received a nice note from one of the producers of a new documentary by director Alejandro Hartmann. I mention him by name to distinguish this one from the others because the actual title (unless they change it before its release) is nondescript: “The Menendez Brothers”.

“I am reaching out to say thank you so much for helping us to tell this story about the Menendez brothers case. The film will be released October 9th on Netflix (October 2nd in Canada). You will begin to see marketing material trickling out to the public starting September 23rd. We are incredibly grateful that you were willing to speak with us on this subject and look forward to finally bringing this out to audiences.”

I was interviewed in my home for several hours in late 2022 for this one — and I will definitely be watching! (Both Lyle and Erik also participated.)

 

Another New Documentary?

I know nothing about this one… unless, of course, I know everything about it. It’s called Menendez Brothers: Murder by Media and it starts Saturday, September 21st on Crime + Investigation UK.

Based on the show description and the similar artwork, I think it must be a UK airing of the excellent documentary that was released in the US on March 25, 2024 — FOX Nation, Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villains, four 30-minute episodes. (There was also a possibly-bootleg copy on YouTube last time I checked.) This one is different. Yes, I’m in it, and I like it especially because instead of rehashing the details of the crime it explores how the media shaped the public narrative of the case in the 90s and how unfair the second trial was.

. .

New Articles

I’ve been interviewed for two articles that are supposedly coming out soon. Both are for foreign publications (UK and Australia). But there’s no point in going into detail because things change! One freelance article already fell through. Sometimes they tell me when and where articles appear online. Others I don’t find out about until much later.

I can’t (and don’t care to) read every Menendez article in the world. If you don’t have Google Alerts set up (like I do) you would have no way of knowing just how many there are! Most of them are crap — poorly written, AI-generated, full of recycled errors and myths from 30 years ago. But once in a while there’s a good one. Like this: Where the Real Lyle & Erik Menendez Are Today

 

Robert Rand’s Updated Book

Congrats to my journalist friend and “partner in (true) crime” on the publication of the second edition of his book, The Menendez Murders. He posts much more than I do about the case, so if you want more, please follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and the platform formerly known as Twitter. If you live in Los Angeles and want to meet him, he’ll likely be having a book release and signing party at some point. Again, follow him for details.

I am not planning to update my own book, Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror, at this time for a number of reasons, despite the fact that a lot has happened since the last update! I keep track of events on my Menendez Juror website, and let you know about major developments in my monthly newsletter. If you have never read Hung Jury, I recommend the 2018 Graymalkin Media edition, which is the one currently available on Amazon, over the 1995 original edition.

 

TV News

KTLA 5 Los Angeles interviewed me via Zoom for a story that was supposed to air a couple of weeks ago. It morphed into a two-parter and lord knows if I’ll be in the second part today or not — Will the Menendez Brothers Be Freed? Thursday September 19, 10 p.m. MDT. (I wasn’t in the first part which aired on September 10.)

The reason I mention it is that the trial took place in Los Angeles, so a LOT of folks there were aware of it at the time and bought into the “greedy rich kids” narrative of the ‘90s media. Anything that a modern newscast, article, drama, podcast, book, or documentary can do to remind people that the brothers are still behind bars and shouldn’t be is juror-approved. Anything that doesn’t show or mention the brothers killing out of fear, and doesn’t include the travesty of the second trial, is not juror-approved.

 

Podcasts

I’m not in any new podcasts. But, well, have you listened to all the previous ones?

My current favorite is The Crime Analyst with host Laura Richards. I was her guest for two episodes (146 & 147) in September 2023. She did six Menendez episodes at that time, including two with “living legend Professor Ann Burgess”. Laura, a “shero” in her own right, just recently added two more Burgess episodes (207 & 208) following the release of the excellent three-part Hulu documentary about her: Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer. I have not yet heard the new podcast episodes but I loved the documentary so much that I emailed Ann Burgess to tell her how much influence she had on me as a juror 30 years ago. She testified as a defense expert witness in the first Menendez trial and there are several pages of my book devoted to her testimony. I have since had the pleasure of meeting with her via Zoom.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, my thoughts are with Erik and Lyle and their families. I’m wishing them continued patience when it comes to the legal system; fortitude to endure the deluge of media attention; and peace in their daily lives.

Which, of the flood of media coverage, interests you the most?

What have you already watched/heard/read?

What questions do you have for me?

Please share with us in the comments below!

(I’m assuming you’re a Menendez supporter or you wouldn’t have read this far.)

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ______________________________________________________________________________

The post Menendez Brothers Update: When it Rains it Pours appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

More Magic Little Words (that help you get organized)

 

I once wrote a post called Those Magic Little Words (that help you get organized).

The point of it was that there are lots of organizing methods, and different ways of describing them — what I call “magic little words”. And the BEST method, or catchphrase, is the one that works for YOU.

Just because I’m no longer in business doesn’t mean I’ve retired from being interested in effective ways to get organized! (Once an organizer always an organizer.)

So, after you’ve read (or re-read) my previous post, I hope you enjoy this compilation of some of the more recent methods — or new ways to describe age-old methods — in case you need a fresh perspective.

 

Hushing the House

Aka Quieting the House, or Backwards Decluttering, this method (by this name) apparently started here: How + Why to Quiet Your House.

The idea is that you move all the items in a room to a staging area so you can clean and experience the de-cluttered room. Then you move the things back that you still need or want.

Here’s another example  I Tried the “Hushing the House” Method on My Cluttered Dining Room

This method is compatible with my old post about 10 Easy Steps to a Clutter-Free Office.

 

Quiet Luxury

This is an interior design trend that aims to provide a serene atmosphere with neutral colors and elegant, but simple and functional, pieces.

I was asked to contribute to this article, never having heard of “quiet luxury” before. But it wasn’t hard for me to come up with some tips for “reducing visual noise” by decluttering!

 

5-Year Rule

The idea is this: If you haven’t used something in the past five years, it’s unlikely it will be used in the future. Therefore, it can be discarded, donated, or given away.

It’s not for memorabilia; it’s more for clothing, electronics, sports equipment, gardening tools, kitchenware, toys, etc.

What is the 5-Year Rule for Decluttering? (5 Reasons It Could Work For You)

 

The Moving Out Mindset

This method is, indeed, “powerful and motivating” as claimed in this article. But it’s not new, innovative, or unique except for the fact that sometimes multiple people really do come up with the same ideas, unaware of each other’s existence.

In fact, it reminds me of my old post about Home Staging to Stay, Not to Sell.

The idea is that you pretend you are moving and declutter, downsize, and clean as if you were.

 

Gather and Shop

This is just another way of saying: 1) gather like items together, then 2) decide which ones you want to keep. It’s the Sort/Purge part of the S.P.A.C.E. methodology.

Here’s a Instagram Reel that uses spatulas as an example. Similarly, I’ve heard (and used) “shop from your own wardrobe”. This is a useful way to realize how much you already have and extend the life of good items by combining them in ways you hadn’t considered before.

 

The Three Feet Rules for Downsizing

Rule #1: Look within three feet of where you spend time in your home every day. (The things that are within arm’s reach are probably things you use every day.)

Rule #2: If you haven’t come within three feet of an item in your home within the past two years it probably doesn’t need to come with you to your new place.

For more on this method click here.

 

The Didn’t Know Rule

This one is from The Minimalists. (And from the brains of countless professional organizers.) They understand what I’m calling “magic little words” and have come up with several of them. In fact I just noticed they are offering a free ebook called 16 Rules for living with less. (Read, then scroll past, “The Didn’t Know Rule” on this page.)

The rule: If you find something you didn’t know you owned, you can give yourself permission to let it go.

Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Didn’t Know” Rule and Decluttered So Much in 10 Minutes

 

DOOM Boxes

Awhile back ago I started hearing about DOOM boxes all of a sudden, as if everyone already knew what they were. I learned that DOOM is an acronym for Didn’t Organize Only Moved.

Oh, that. LOL. Even organizers occasionally sweep clutter into a box when company is suddenly coming. Ideally, they revisit the box sooner than later and put everything where it belongs.

I googled it and found this surprisingly good AI Overview:

The term “doom box” originated on TikTok and is an acronym for “didn’t organize, only moved”. It describes a temporary storage space for clutter that doesn’t have a clear place to go, such as a junk drawer, paperwork pile, or underbed storage. Doom boxes can be a convenient way to clear space, and some people may have multiple doom boxes, doom bags, or even doom rooms. The term can also describe the feeling of dread and overwhelm that comes with dealing with these collections.

Some reasons for clutter include: Anxiety or depression, Major life events, Clinging to sentimental items, Too much stuff, and Too little space. People with ADHD may be more likely to have a doom box as a way to cope with symptoms of disorganization and executive dysfunction.

This isn’t so much a method of organizing as it is, I think, a situation that is more easily avoided if named, defined, and acknowledged.

 

Bird by Bird

This one caught my attention because, like the author of this becomingminimalist guest post, I’m a fan of Anne Lamott’s book on writing, Bird by Bird. This method encourages you to think of decluttering as a journey at take it a step at a time. “As you finish with that first step, the next one will become apparent. Just trust the process and resist temptation to look too far ahead.”

Although I’ve never applied the phrase “Bird by Bird” to organizing, I’ve often said that organizing is a process, not an event. Similarly, I’ve written, “Think of your big project as a new hobby.”

 

The Poop Test

And — just in time for me to finish this post — there’s a new technique in town!

It goes like this: If it had poop on it, would you wash it off or throw it away?

I heard it first in our private NAPO chat (thanks, Lauren!), followed by a social media meme (Naomi), and this article, which, all told, make it a definite new “thing”: Sorry, Marie Kondo. This ADHD influencer’s ‘poop method’ for decluttering is brilliant and hilarious.

I shit you not! (Pun intended.)

Hey, whatever works!

 

Clutter Flow Charts

I suppose it would be foolish of me to not plug my own favorite decluttering method in this post:

Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook

Read more on my website 

Order your copy on Amazon 

 

 

What “magic little words” work for YOU?

Please share in the comments below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ______________________________________________________________________________

The post More Magic Little Words (that help you get organized) appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

More Magic Little Words

 

I once wrote a post called Those Magic Little Words (that help you get organized).

The point of it was that there are lots of organizing methods, and different ways of describing them — what I call “magic little words”. And the BEST method, or catchphrase, is the one that works for YOU.

Just because I’m no longer in business doesn’t mean I’ve retired from being interested in effective ways to get organized! (Once an organizer always an organizer.)

So, after you’ve read (or re-read) my previous post, I hope you enjoy this compilation of some of the more recent methods — or new ways to describe age-old methods — in case you need a fresh perspective.

 

Hushing the House

Aka Quieting the House, or Backwards Decluttering, this method (by this name) apparently started here: How + Why to Quiet Your House.

The idea is that you move all the items in a room to a staging area so you can clean and experience the de-cluttered room. Then you move the things back that you still need or want.

Here’s another example  I Tried the “Hushing the House” Method on My Cluttered Dining Room

This method is compatible with my old post about 10 Easy Steps to a Clutter-Free Office.

 

Quiet Luxury

This is an interior design trend that aims to provide a serene atmosphere with neutral colors and elegant, but simple and functional, pieces.

I was asked to contribute to this article, never having heard of “quiet luxury” before. But it wasn’t hard for me to come up with some tips for “reducing visual noise” by decluttering!

 

5-Year Rule

The idea is this: If you haven’t used something in the past five years, it’s unlikely it will be used in the future. Therefore, it can be discarded, donated, or given away.

It’s not for memorabilia; it’s more for clothing, electronics, sports equipment, gardening tools, kitchenware, toys, etc.

What is the 5-Year Rule for Decluttering? (5 Reasons It Could Work For You)

 

The Moving Out Mindset

This method is, indeed, “powerful and motivating” as claimed in this article. But it’s not new, innovative, or unique except for the fact that sometimes multiple people really do come up with the same ideas, unaware of each other’s existence.

In fact, it reminds me of my old post about Home Staging to Stay, Not to Sell.

The idea is that you pretend you are moving and declutter, downsize, and clean as if you were.

 

Gather and Shop

This is just another way of saying: 1) gather like items together, then 2) decide which ones you want to keep. It’s the Sort/Purge part of the S.P.A.C.E. methodology.

Here’s a Instagram Reel that uses spatulas as an example. Similarly, I’ve heard (and used) “shop from your own wardrobe”. This is a useful way to realize how much you already have and extend the life of good items by combining them in ways you hadn’t considered before.

 

The Three Feet Rules for Downsizing

Rule #1: Look within three feet of where you spend time in your home every day. (The things that are within arm’s reach are probably things you use every day.)

Rule #2: If you haven’t come within three feet of an item in your home within the past two years it probably doesn’t need to come with you to your new place.

For more on this method click here.

 

The Didn’t Know Rule

This one is from The Minimalists. (And from the brains of countless professional organizers.) They understand what I’m calling “magic little words” and have come up with several of them. In fact I just noticed they are offering a free ebook called 16 Rules for living with less. (Read, then scroll past, “The Didn’t Know Rule” on this page.)

The rule: If you find something you didn’t know you owned, you can give yourself permission to let it go.

Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Didn’t Know” Rule and Decluttered So Much in 10 Minutes

 

DOOM Boxes

Awhile back ago I started hearing about DOOM boxes all of a sudden, as if everyone already knew what they were. I learned that DOOM is an acronym for Didn’t Organize Only Moved.

Oh, that. LOL. Even organizers occasionally sweep clutter into a box when company is suddenly coming. Ideally, they revisit the box sooner than later and put everything where it belongs.

I googled it and found this surprisingly good AI Overview:

The term “doom box” originated on TikTok and is an acronym for “didn’t organize, only moved”. It describes a temporary storage space for clutter that doesn’t have a clear place to go, such as a junk drawer, paperwork pile, or underbed storage. Doom boxes can be a convenient way to clear space, and some people may have multiple doom boxes, doom bags, or even doom rooms. The term can also describe the feeling of dread and overwhelm that comes with dealing with these collections.

Some reasons for clutter include: Anxiety or depression, Major life events, Clinging to sentimental items, Too much stuff, and Too little space. People with ADHD may be more likely to have a doom box as a way to cope with symptoms of disorganization and executive dysfunction.

This isn’t so much a method of organizing as it is, I think, a situation that is more easily avoided if named, defined, and acknowledged.

 

Bird by Bird

This one caught my attention because, like the author of this becomingminimalist guest post, I’m a fan of Anne Lamott’s book on writing, Bird by Bird. This method encourages you to think of decluttering as a journey at take it a step at a time. “As you finish with that first step, the next one will become apparent. Just trust the process and resist temptation to look too far ahead.”

Although I’ve never applied the phrase “Bird by Bird” to organizing, I’ve often said that organizing is a process, not an event. Similarly, I’ve written, “Think of your big project as a new hobby.”

 

The Poop Test

And — just in time for me to finish this post — there’s a new technique in town!

It goes like this: If it had poop on it, would you wash it off or throw it away?

I heard it first in our private NAPO chat (thanks, Lauren!), followed by a social media meme (Naomi), and this article, which, all told, make it a definite new “thing”: Sorry, Marie Kondo. This ADHD influencer’s ‘poop method’ for decluttering is brilliant and hilarious.

I shit you not! (Pun intended.)

Hey, whatever works!

 

Clutter Flow Charts

I suppose it would be foolish of me to not plug my own favorite decluttering method in this post:

Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook

Read more on my website 

Order your copy on Amazon 

 

 

What “magic little words” work for YOU?

Please share in the comments below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ______________________________________________________________________________

The post More Magic Little Words appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

Do you have a voting plan?

If you already have a plan for how and where to vote, you might not need to read this blog post. But maybe there’s something here you haven’t considered. Or maybe you want to help someone else with their voting plan.

 

Why reinvent the wheel?

I was planning to gather, organize, and present some basic information about voting when I remembered there is a single site that does that already! It’s for everyone, regardless of political persuasion or location: Vote.org.

“Everything you need to vote” — that’s how Vote.org bills itself. And they’re not wrong!

Vote.org is the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) technology platform in America. (See Wikipedia for more info.)

 

Your vote matters now more than ever before

Don’t leave anything to chance. Make a voting plan!

This post is as nonpartisan as I could possibly make it. I’m not addressing any candidates or issues.

But if you want to know where I stand politically, and why I’m encouraging everyone to vote, click here at your own risk!

 

Using the Vote.org site

If you don’t want to supply personal information to Vote.org, on the first form you encounter on their website, keep scrolling down and select your state. (Or the state of whomever you are helping to vote.) It will take you to your state’s voting information site. The voter websites/portals vary for each state. Examples include Secretary of State, County Clerk, and Board of Elections.

If you want to register or check your registration, you will still have to provide a certain amount of identifying information to your state’s voting site, but you might feel more comfortable doing it there.

Pay attention to which fields are required and which are optional. I did use the Vote.org form, but I did not supply my cell phone number because I don’t want any more texts than I already get!

There is no cost to use Vote.org. Feel free to donate, if and when asked, if you want to help the cause of getting out the vote. But it’s completely optional.

 

Voter Registration Deadlines <<< click here

The dates are different for each state. They are important both for registering to vote and for checking your registration status (in case something happens, and you need to re-register).

 

Voting plan checklist

These are all Vote.org activities, with my comments added.

Register to vote

If there was ever a year where your vote matters it’s this year!

Encourage your friends and family to register, too! Sometimes all it takes is having a voting plan. Share this post with them or look up their state’s voting page for them.

Check your registration status

Probably nothing bad has happened to your registration. But it never hurts to check!

I actually read that we should check it weekly between now and election day. Weekly! Well, I’m not going to check mine weekly, but if you live in a state like Georgia or Texas, which have both recently been in the news for un-registration form technology flaws and for purposefully making registrations inactive, you might consider checking more than once.

Your registration could be missing or inactive for several different reasons ranging from completely innocent to nefarious.

Request a mail-in ballot

You don’t have to do this, but if you want to, I suggest you do it early. I have a standing order for a mail-in ballot. Last time I procrastinated, which meant I didn’t get it mailed back in time and had to go to my polling place after all. That’s OK, because the line for dropping off a ballot is usually practically non-existent compared to the line for voting.

Don’t forget to check the status of your mailed-in vote before election day. (Was it received and recorded?) You may still need to go in person to vote.

Find polling locations.

My polling location has been at the same for several years. Do you know where yours is? Do you know anyone who might need a ride? Ask them! Do YOU need a ride? As Election Day approaches, Google “Ride to polls 2024 _______” (fill in your city) and see what’s available. (You’ll also see a few nation-wide programs that may or may not service your location.)

Get a group of friends together and make a party out of it!

Get election reminders

I’m not sure what sort of reminders there will be, because I’ve never signed up on this site before. I presume that if you have filled out the Vote.org form they will customize your reminders according to your location.

See what’s on your ballot

Remember: Voting for down-ballot offices and issues is just as important as voting for President and Vice President!

 

Got young-almost-adult children?

Almost-adults need a voting plan too! Also available on Vote.org:

Pledge to register for those under 18

Pre-register for those under 18

Another non-partisan site that is geared to young people is Rock the Vote.

 

Does this help you with your plan to vote?

Do you know someone who is planning NOT to vote?

Is it because they think their vote doesn’t matter?

Or is it simply because they need help getting registered and getting to the polls?

Will this information help you help them?

Happy voting, and feel free to share additional national, nonpartisan resources in the comments below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ______________________________________________________________________________

The post Do you have a voting plan? appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

Do you need a medical spreadsheet like mine?

I know, this is really a checklist. Bear with me!

I’ve had a lot of medical appointments lately. To a degree, I think it goes with the territory of getting older. But also, some people really do have more to keep track of than others.

When the topic of doctors comes up and I say, “I have a spreadsheet,” I get one of three reactions:

“Of course you do!”< Blank stare >“What do you include in your spreadsheet?”

This post is for the category 3 folks.

I have been using this spreadsheet for years and have found it to come in very handy.

To those who can keep track of their medical data without a spreadsheet, I say count yourself lucky!

 

First, what is a spreadsheet, exactly?

A spreadsheet is just a chart or table that displays information in an organized manner.

I know that some of you shuddered at the mere thought because you’ve only heard the term “spreadsheet” in the context of accounting or engineering. Sometimes multiple pages and calculations are involved, but not in this case. This one requires no math!

You do not need Excel or any other complicated software (although that will work if you know how to use it). It has to be something so simple that you can create and maintain it easily. Like a Word table. That’s what I use. Here’s how:

Open Microsoft Word and go to the “Insert” tab.Click “Table” and choose your desired number of rows and columns.Personalize the layout to your needs. (Ask YouTube or a human friend for help if you need it.)Enter data into the cells.

 

What do I include on my medical spreadsheet?

CLICK HERE to download this Word template and personalize it. Or use it as inspiration to create your own. My feelings won’t be hurt because: 1) I won’t even know; and 2) I never met a template I didn’t want to customize!

Click on the spreadsheet template to download it for your use.

Mine has 4 columns:

Type = Primary Care, Gyn, Ortho, Gastro, etc.

I joke that I have a doctor for each body part. Which is closer to being true than it is to being a joke. I’m not sharing how many doctors I have lest you think I’m dying, which I’m not. Well, not that I know of, and not any time soon.

Doctor = Name and credential (PA, OD, DDS, etc.)

I also include whether or not they are covered by my current insurance plan, because there have been periods of transition where some were, and others weren’t. If a doctor moves — or retires, or dies, or my insurance no longer covers them — I move them to the top of the cell for my convenience and switch them to a tiny font with strikethrough. This is because I sometimes need to know who my previous doctor was and be reminded of why I am no longer with them.

Location = Name of Facility, street address, phone number, patient portal.

Again, I keep the next-most-previous location at the top of the cell (tiny font with strikethrough) for reference.

Notes = A very brief description of my status and/or last procedure.

Examples: “June 2024 mammogram – OK” or “Left knee Kenalog injection 7/8/24”.

I make these notes in the smallest font size available and keep a few years’ worth of running notes. This is more important to do for some conditions than it is for others.

You don’t have to highlight the dates of your next appointments in yellow, but that’s what I like to do. It doubles as a medical to-do list.

 

Additional sections:

Title and Personal Information

As I wrote on the template itself, start with a title, or a couple of blank spaces in case you ever want to add a title. I don’t need a title, and I don’t include any identifying information, either (my name, contact info, medical record numbers, patient portal logins, insurance ID, etc.) But that’s up to you. It’s just that it’s hard to add something here if you started with a table and you change your mind later.

If I lost the paper copy I carry with me I would rather have to re-create the most recent notes than to worry about who is going to find it on the ground somewhere. Sure, they could possibly use the contact info to return the paper to me, and are unlikely to do anything nefarious with it. But I’d rather print out a new copy, after updating it, having refreshed my mind by referring to my calendar and patient portals to supply the missing notes.

Rx Prescriptions 

The section at the top captures my current medications in red — mostly so I can hand medical professionals my spreadsheet and point and say, “There, at the top, in red.” They always ask about my current medications. I get why they want to know, but…hmmm…if only there were a place they could go to see that information all in one place, like perhaps an online patient portal. With dates next to the updates so they can be sure it’s recent information. (Cue eye roll.)

Miscellaneous

There’s also a section at the bottom for additional info like blood type and where to go for emergency care. I am unlikely to forget my blood type, since I’m an O- universal donor and have a donated a gazillion times, but the chart is also for anyone who finds me unconscious.

I know people like to say how many gallons they’ve donated, but it’s been awhile since I stopped, and I don’t remember. I should have kept a spreadsheet!

 

What do I do with my medical spreadsheet?

I keep a paper copy in my purse at all times.

Why? Because I am frequently asked questions — by both new and established medical providers — that I can’t possibly remember all the answers to. Given enough time, and an internet connection, I could look them all up, but this saves time.

Also, you never know when information about a seemingly-unrelated medical condition might come into play during an appointment for something else.

Some doctors (well, it’s usually nurses) find my spreadsheet so useful that they ask if they can make a copy of it!

WISHLIST ITEM #1: A patient portal that connects ALL doctors together, not just the ones in a particular medical system.

WISHLIST ITEM #2: Doctors and medical staff who ALL know how to use the patient portal.

 

How do I keep it updated?

When I need to capture a detail about a recent appointment, or schedule a new one, I add a short hand-written note. It doesn’t matter to me how it looks as long as I can read it.

When the page gets full of notes and becomes annoying (everyone has their own annoyance threshold), I open the Word file, transfer the notes to the electronic document, and print out a new copy.

Sometimes I realize I have old notes I don’t need anymore (such as the date I went for routine lab work two years ago) and delete them.

Name the file something you can remember. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll never remember it, so use keywords. I call mine “hazel health medical chart notes 2024” (so I can easily search my computer for it). I also update the year annually even though it’s the same document.

Careful, if you are prone to losing your paper copy you might want to update it (electronically) more frequently and also keep an image of it on your phone. Decide where it’s going to “live” (e.g. which pocket in your purse and/or a Keep Handy image folder) and be conscientious about putting it away after using it.

 

 

Does this sound like a helpful idea?

Do you have a medical spreadsheet?

How do you make, store, and use yours?

Please share with us in the comment below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 

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What do you mean, no top sheet?

George (RIP) says: No top sheet necessary!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I’d like to discuss something of utmost importance; something that impacts all of us on a daily basis: bedding. (Ha ha, but also true.)

How I grew up doing it

If you are like me, you grew up with your bedding assembled as such:

Top layer = bedspreadNext = 0-2 blankets and/or comforters depending on the seasonNext = Top sheet (flat)Next = Bottom sheet (fitted)Bottom layer = mattress cover

I think most of my readers will understand that people are meant to insert themselves between the top and bottom sheets for sleeping, but apparently some Europeans are confused about this. That’s because they do not use a top sheet at home. What?!. Similarly, I was almost 50 years old before it ever occurred to me to sleep without a top sheet — or without blankets and a bedspread, for that matter!

 

Duvet v. Comforter

Before we continue, I think a few definitions are called for.

I’m sure everyone has their own terminology, be it regional, familial, generational, or marketing.

But for purposes of this blog post:

Duvet = A fluffy insert for a duvet cover. I have two — a winter-weight duvet and a summer-weight duvet.

Duvet Cover = A cover for your duvet that can be easily swapped out for a different look. Many people who use the covered duvet for decorative purposes often still use a top sheet. In my case, though, I only purchase duvet covers that look and feel like sheets and can be machine washed and dried along with the bottom sheet and pillowcases.

Comforter = A stand-alone layer, not requiring a cover, that can replace a blanket and/or bedspread, and is usually used with a top sheet.

Depending on the size, I suppose a comforter could fit inside a duvet cover, but that doesn’t make it a duvet despite Landon Bryant, in this TikTok, talking in terms of putting “duvet covers” on “comforters”. He usually talks about Southern things — phrases, food, manners — and I think he’s run out of Southern things to talk about, since there’s not a lot of call for extra warmth in the South. In any case, note the comments on his post — people have big feelings about this topic!

SIDEBAR: Duvet vs. Comforter: What’s the Difference and Which to Get

If this image is blurry, click the sidebar link.

OK, but…no top sheet?!?!

I’ve seen several references lately to the “no top sheet” debate. There seem to be two major reasons for the divided camps: geographical and generational. Europeans, for example, tend not to use top sheets (or so I hear), and younger generations (starting with Millennials) seem to be trending that way too.

I was converted to the “no top sheet” way of life years ago on a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) trip to Alaska. It was something that frankly had never occurred to me before. And I never slept better! (Well, the gentle rocking of the ship might have had a little something to do with it, too.)

NCL’s staff is very international. I’m not sure if they were just doing what they’re used to doing at home, or if NCL HQ declared it to be more efficient. They used duvets, but wrapped them in sheets in a way I’m not sure I could recreate (i.e. they didn’t use closeable duvet covers).

When I got home I researched duvets, duvet covers, and comforters and decided to give it a try. I’ve been through a few duvet covers and bottom sheets since then, but my choices are always made of machine-washable and -dryable cotton fabric that feels soft, like a regular sheet, on my skin.

SIDEBAR: What Is a Top Sheet? Do You Actually Need One?

 

How I do it now

So, my bedding is (and has been for years now) assembled thusly:

Top layer = Duvet inside sheet-like duvet coverNext = Bottom (fitted) sheetBottom layer = Mattress cover (I just use an old blanket. Maybe one of these days I’ll spring for a proper one.)

You should probably know that I’m also not the kind of girl with decorative pillows on her bed. It’s just not worth the effort (to me) of putting them on, taking them off, storing them, and keeping them clean.

Bed pillows are supremely important for sleeping, though! I may or may not write a whole separate post about pillows. I’ve tried them all and am currently a fan of the Pillow Cube, if you want to know.

 

Benefits of streamlined bedding

Ah, the simplicity of it!

No getting tangled up in the sheets and covers during the night!No blankets separating from the sheets and from each other and having to wrangle them all back into place in the morning!One shake of the duvet and I’m done making the bed!

 

Common concerns

The main concerns people seem to have are cleanliness, comfort, and difficulty of putting the cover on a duvet.

So, to answer your questions, no, I am not getting a fancy duvet cover dirty, or sleeping with something non-absorbent or scratchy next to my skin. The ones I buy have the same exact feel as a top sheet, and are just as easily washed and dried. We won’t get into how often to wash bedding. It depends on so many things, like what you wear, if anything, to bed. And who allows their pets to sleep with them (me) or eats crackers in bed (not me).

And no, it’s not too hot (or cold) because I have two duvets — a lightweight one for summer and a heavier one for winter. I change mid-spring and mid-fall when I start getting too hot or too cold. And I have, on occasion, slept under only the empty duvet cover (so, the weight of two sheets).

Over the years I’ve had a couple of different styles of duvet covers. Most of them close at the bottom. In that case I recommend the “burrito method” of putting the cover on: The burrito method of putting on (and taking off) a duvet cover.

The one I’m using now, though, opens on two sides and zips closed. It’s sold by Quick Zip, which also offers a unique bottom sheet solution: The sides that fit around and tuck under the mattress stay in place. And the top zips off to wash. Hard to picture? See the illustration below and look for the videos on this page for how the fitted sheet and duvet covers work.

QuickZip fitted bottom sheet

I don’t care if you purchase anything from Quick Zip. I just want you to know that such a thing exists. Can you see how much easier this would be for someone who struggles to maneuver their mattress and fitted sheet? (And maybe doesn’t wash them as often as they should as a result?) If you aren’t struggling, then never mind, this isn’t for you.

 

Why am I writing about bedding, anyway?

This is not a right or wrong thing. Although I don’t expect everyone to switch their bedding based on what I do, I will say I’m a little surprised at how adamant people can be about the way they’ve always done things, including how they make a bed. And how some of them disparage those who do it differently. But it’s most definitely a way to simplify bed-making, if that’s what you’re looking for!

 

How to fold a fitted sheet

Either way, you’ll need a fitted bottom sheet. (Well, unless you want to use a flat sheet that’s big enough to tuck in the edges to keep in in place.)

If you aren’t using Quick Zip, and if you have multiple sets of sheets per bed, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of folding them neatly for storage. So here are a couple of how-to videos for you:

(The Seana Method)

If that doesn’t work for you, try this:

How to purrfectly fold a fitted sheet in seconds (Meow!)

 

PRO TIP: Did you know that you never have to fold anything if you take it off the bed, wash and dry it, and put it back on the bed? Yes, there will be a few hours during which the bed will be — gasp! — naked. But it’s also an incentive to finish the laundry you started, no?

 

Are you in the “top sheet” camp? Or are you team “no top sheet”?

What generation are you and where did you grow up?

Do you use the terms duvet and comforter interchangeably?

How do YOU put on your duvet cover or fold a fitted sheet?

Please share with us by leaving a comment below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

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Backup Gratitude & Fridgescaping

What are you always grateful for, if nothing else?

My friend Jane and I have been complaining to one another for over 50 years. But we also count our blessings. And sometimes, when things look bleak, and we can’t think of anything current to be grateful for, we have certain reliable backups, like each other and our cats.

Two of my go-to humorous-but-also-totally-serious backup gratitude items have always been “refrigeration and the use of all my limbs”.

Ironically, I have been without both refrigeration and the use of all my limbs for the past several months. And I’ve been pretty miserable about it. Ugh!

Thank goodness I still have Jane and Ziggy!

Yes, I’ve had multiple issues with my legs and knees, which may or may not ever end up being the subject of another post. (Did you know DoorDash delivers crutches? I made two medical professionals laugh by informing them of that fact.) Which reminds me: Please be careful about suggesting to someone else that at least they have their health. More and more folks have “invisible illnesses” and may not, in fact, have their health as a particularly reliable backup gratitude.

 

The Refrigerator Saga

I won’t detail the entire refrigerator saga here, except to say that my less-than-two-year-old fridge first died in March. It was resuscitated, then died two more times before I was granted a full refund. This makes it sound easy. It wasn’t. There were countless online chats, phone calls, and emails with Lowe’s Protection Plan service reps, and multiple food loss claims due to spoilage. Then, when it came down to it, selecting a new fridge proved remarkably difficult. (I really only wanted four things — stainless steel, a light in the freezer, a good fit for the designated space, and to not cost thousands of dollars. Sounds easy, right? Wrong!)

Anyway, the new fridge was finally, really, delivered yesterday….that is, after the order was delayed due to being lost in the system altogether, requiring me to — yet again — hand-paddle the issue and get multiple people involved at multiple levels.

I keep looking at it to make sure it’s really there and opening it to make sure it’s still cold!

Sidebar: I used the term “hand-paddling” in a few conversations recently and nobody knew what I meant. Do you? Googling it proved difficult because all the listings had to do with literally hand-paddling a boat, not figuratively hand-paddling an issue. So I turned to my friend Chatty-G, who knew exactly what I meant!

Here’s the full conversation, which I thought was pretty interesting:

https://chatgpt.com/share/08b2e402-3f28-4c19-9d68-64714bdcdd62

A couple of key paragraphs:

Yes, “hand-paddling” an issue typically means you’re addressing or managing a problem manually or in a hands-on way, rather than using automated or more sophisticated methods. It’s often used to describe a more direct and perhaps less efficient approach to solving a problem.

Overall, it conveys a sense of dealing with an issue directly and personally,  sometimes out of necessity, and often with significant effort.

(Emphasis and italics are mine.)

 

Fridgescaping

Which brings me to a bit of fun: Fridgescaping

Have you heard of it? (Aka girl fridge, no-kids fridge, rich-people-with-time-on-their-hands fridge.)

I’m all for an organized fridge, but this is beyond-next-level.

No, I won’t be putting little vases of flowers or framed photos or baskets in my fridge. But if you want to, go for it and send me photos!

There are many videos online about this. Here’s one: I decided to try fridgescaping!

And here’s another: Ladies & Gentlemen I present to you Fridgerton

Much as I love the play on words — Fridgerton! — I’ve seen all three seasons of Bridgerton and do not recall a single episode in which we see the inside (or outside) of a fridge (or icebox).

For a bit of friendly backlash: Fridgerton commentary

More, if you want it. So. Much. More. https://www.tiktok.com/discover/fridge-scaping 

 

My Wish for You

I hope you always have plenty to be grateful for, and that nothing happens to jeopardize your backup gratitude items!

 

What are your backup gratitudes?

Have you tried fridgescaping?

Did you know what I meant by “hand-paddling”?

Please share with us by leaving a comment below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ________________________________________________________________________________

 

The post Backup Gratitude & Fridgescaping appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

Who will take care of us when we’re old?

Have you ever asked yourself: Who will take care of me when I’m old?

Do you assume it will be your kids? (Which kids?)Do your kids also assume it will be them?Is that really what you all want?Do you even have kids?

And what all is included in “taking care of you”, anyway? Are we talking housing-wise? Medically? Financially? Socially?

I think about these things precisely because I DON’T have kids, and the relatives I live near are aging and childless as well. Uh oh, what if they expect ME to take care of THEM?!?!?

Do you know there's lots you can do to prepare yourself for happy senior years? And ways to discuss this with your family that are enjoyable?
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No way around talking about it

I’ve suggested in the past that we talk with our families about death. But I’ll grant you, it’s often easier said than done. And there’s usually a whole lotta living that happens before death! Fortunately my family doesn’t squirm and shut down at the idea of discussing funeral plans and such. Take these blog posts, for example:

Talking about death won’t kill you, LOL!

Planning my virtual funeral – who’s with me?

You can, I suppose, live your whole life without talking about aging or dying. But not usually without someone feeling burdened, or neglected, or surprised when an unanticipated need arises, or at a loss for what to do in a difficult situation.

Framework for discussion

Even if your family is willing, any single discussion can only cover a tiny portion of what it means to be getting older and possibly needing help. What if there were a framework to help facilitate such discussions?

I found just such a framework!

It’s a book called Who Will Take Care of Me When I’m Old? by Joy Loverde. (Thanks for the recommendation, Susan Lannis!)

Click the link to the Amazon page, and then click the “Read sample” button under the cover image to see the chapter titles. (NOTE: Although I love audiobooks, I do not recommend this one. There were way too many tediously-spelled-out urls right off the bat for me to imagine listening to the whole book that way.)

Family book club

My local family members — my brother, my aunt, and I — already meet for breakfast most Saturday mornings. So, I thought, rather than just suggest the book to them, or give them copies and hope they read it, why not have a little family book club? We could read just a chapter at a time, so it wouldn’t feel burdensome, and discuss it over breakfast.

So we did!

We’re not quite finished — there are 16 chapters — but we’re close enough for me to report on it. Miracle of miracles, there has been no push-back on reading the chapters or discussing them. I think we all recognized it as a good way to raise topics without picking on any one of us for not having done something yet (like create an advance directive for health care) and a good way to learn about things we hadn’t thought about yet (like how to access all the senior services available to us locally).

Homework

There is no book club homework other than reading the assigned chapter. But the book itself contains lots of resources, ways to find more resources, checklists and worksheets.

There have been a few chapters that don’t apply to all of us equally, but for the most part they do apply, or we can see that they might in the future. And, as we have realized and discussed, now we know where to find resources in the event that one of the chapters we paid less attention to becomes important to us.

We usually wait until we’re finished eating and catching up. And then we only spend about 15 minutes discussing the chapter. There’s usually something about each chapter that catches our interest, and we compare notes. If someone says, “I haven’t done that yet,” or, “I’m not ready to do that,” we don’t give them a hard time about it.

It’s up to each of us to do the things we think are important in our own time, or ask for help.

I think the things are more likely to happen, though, if we’ve discussed them and they’re top of mind. More so than if we never discussed or read about them at all.

It’s a trick question

So, who will take care of you when you’re old? Well, as you may have guessed, and as I suspected going in, no matter what kind of a support system you have, and how many loved ones, it’s ultimately up to YOU to make your remaining years good ones. Even the blurb on the back of the book says, “Everything you need to know to be your own best caregiver.”

And it’s not too early — or too late — to think about it! The quality of your life depends not only on having made (flexible) plans for where and how you want to live, but on remaining social (or becoming at least a little bit social if you never were before), and taking care of your mental and spiritual health, as well as your physical and financial health.

Speaking for my family, I think we all feel a little better now about what we need to do and how each other is situated. We also have our next readings selected (and it wasn’t my idea!): My aunt has a couple of policies (including one for long term care) that she does not really understand and we are all going to read them and compare notes on what we think they mean and how we might get more information if we need it.

Related reading What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy (by Hazel Thornton)Kicking the Bucket List (a short book review)‘Death Cleaning’ isn’t as scary as it sounds! (4 short book reviews)Org4life BlogCategory: CREATE YOUR LEGACYSubcategories:Are you prepared?GenealogyPhotos & MemorabiliaTell Your Story The Complete Eldercare Planner by Joy Loverde

 

Who do you think will take care of YOU when you get old?

Does your family talk about such things?

Might you consider reading the book and sharing it with your family?

Might you consider starting a family book club?

Let us know by leaving a comment below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ________________________________________________________________________________

The post Who will take care of us when we’re old? appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

The AI Gold Rush

The AI gold rush will result in a few gold nuggets and a lot of silt.

The storm clouds are clearing.

(It’s a reference to my previous post, The rainbow after the storm.)

I’ve been able to start spending less time doing what I have to do, and more time doing what I want to do. And what I want to do is to continue my genealogy research, write more stories about my family, and learn more about how AI can help me do both.

Contents:Do this if nothing elseThe AI gold rushWhat a difference a year makesWhich AI Tools are best?Genealogy and AINew AI tools on my radarShould we fear AI?The AI gold rush is far from over

 

Do this if nothing else

If you have avoided learning about AI (Artificial Intelligence) while simultaneously fearing that robots are taking over the world — cue Elle Cordova’s clever dystopian campfire song — and if you are reading this post just to humor me, and don’t really even want to finish it very much, please watch this animated video:

Generative AI in a Nutshell – how to survive and thrive in the age of AI

The video’s description is this: “Basically a full day AI course crammed into 18 mins of drawing & talking.” I found it to be an entertaining summary of the AI basics I’ve learned about in the past year. If 18 minutes is too much, skip to 10:50 (The AI Mindset), then 14:53 (Prompt Engineering), and 16:56 (Wrap-Up).

 

The AI gold rush

AI is not new to genealogy or to any other field of interest. Many AI-backed tools were already available online when ChatGPT and similar “generative” tools were introduced to the public in late 2022. (Whereas applications like Google and Netflix searches are considered “predictive” tools.) The big online genealogy websites have used AI for providing record hints, DNA matches and the tools for analyzing them, and document handwriting recognition, among many other features.

This blog post of mine still works as an introduction to the “chatbot” variety of AI you’ve been hearing so much about:

An “Interview” with ChatGPT

Just be aware that in the year since I wrote it, there’s been a virtual gold rush to create ever more, and ever better generative AI tools. (I thought I was so clever in applying the term “gold rush” to what has been going on, but if you Google it you’ll see it elsewhere.)

In the past year, thousands of new applications have been created. They’ve been rapidly maturing, splitting, and combining. Most will inevitably fall by the wayside — like rinsing the silt from the pan to reveal the gold nuggets — so it’s hard to know what to pay attention to.

 

What a difference a year makes

If you haven’t yet, this might be a good time for you to dive in and try some new AI apps, but I can’t say I’d blame you for waiting another year to see what shakes out.

I had intended, a year ago, to write a follow-up post specific to genealogy, but life got in the way and the gold rush took off without me. Maybe it’s just as well because posts about AI go out of date the instant they are published!

Here’s a creepy/funny/scary one-minute video illustrating how far AI has come in one year:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTL4KdQwq/

 

Which AI Tools are best?

Besides ChatGPT, what else do I recommend? I don’t know because I haven’t had all the time I’d like to try all the tools that interest me. I get overwhelmed too! That’s why I’m grateful to follow others who’ve tried them (on social media, and via their blogs and newsletters).

Here are some of the current best apps and (very briefly) what they’re good for:

The best AI chatbots in 2024

And here’s a Facebook post and graphic by my friend D. Allison Lee:

3 ways to dip your toes into the AI water

My favorite source of bite-sized AI info and tips is probably TikTok. That’s where I learned about Goblin.Tools (including Magic ToDo). These tools are described in detail in Julie Bestry’s blog post:

3 Simple But Powerful Productivity Resources — Right in Your Browser Tab

And TikTok is where I learned how teachers are dealing with plagiarism while also incorporating AI into their lesson plans. (Teachers are so creative!)

English 110 Versus Chat GPT — Finding a middle ground with AI usage in the composition classroom

If you don’t already use TikTok, I’m not trying to convert you. But if you’re game, search for the name of a tool you’ve heard about — #ChatGPT, #GoblinTools — or #AI plus a topic that interests you, like #genealogy, #writing, #photos, #health, etc.

 

Genealogy and AI

If you’re a genealogist check out this terrific (private) Facebook group hosted by DNA rockstar, Blaine T. Bettinger:

Genealogy and Artificial Intelligence (AI). (I’ll call it Gen/AI in the rest of this post. TIP: Before you ask questions there, try searching the group for tools you’ve heard of — to see whether and how they’ve already been discussed — and genealogists whose names you know — to see what they’ve had to say and how long ago it was.)

I have enjoyed following the best and the brightest genealogists (as well as those completely unknown to me) in their quest to learn new AI tools, test how they might be applied to genealogy research, and share their results. I tried a few other AI Facebook groups, but they were mostly students trying to figure out how to get AI to write their papers without getting caught, and arguing with each other. Ugh!

And, of course, it’s not just the tools that get good results, it’s the users. It takes some practice. And it takes knowing which tools are intended to get which results to begin with. As Blaine says: “Don’t use a car to blend your smoothie!” The best way to learn which tools are which is to research and try them.

 

New AI tools on my radar:

editGPT:

Because genealogy research naturally lends itself to family storytelling — ala my book, What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy — I was excited to learn about this new editing tool. If you still haven’t experimented with ChatGPT, that’s OK. You don’t even need a subscription to ChatGPT to use this tool. And, as with most tools these days, there’s a basic free version to try.

As Carole McCulloch wrote in the Gen/AI group: “I think I can delete my subscription to Quillbot and Grammarly and just keep this one.” Here’s a link to her 6-minute video tutorial about editGPT:

How can AI help with editing and proofreading?

NOTE: I wrote this post all by myself, but I did used editGPT to help me edit and proofread portions of it. (The first thing it tried to change was the capitalization in article and website titles, many of which were not mine to change. Keep in mind that no matter what any editor suggests, the choice is always yours. Don’t blame editGPT for any errors I didn’t check or have allowed to remain!)

 

NotebookLM:

In my aforementioned 2023 post about ChatGPT, I wrote (under “Reality Check”) about how ChatGPT’s knowledge cutoff was September 2021, and how it fabricated the names of three books I’d written. It was correct that I’ve written three books, but not those three! Moreover, the ChatGPT titles don’t exist unless in a parallel universe. They sound plausible, though! Since then, newer versions of ChatGPT (and similar chatbots) have more recent knowledge and the industry more kindly refers to made-up facts as “hallucinations” which are always, always, always to be fact-checked by the user.

The idea behind NotebookLM is that you can upload documents to it that you trust, ask questions, and get answers that draw only from the content you provided. Here’s a genealogy-specific examination of NotebookLM by Dana Leeds, another rockstar in the genealogy world:

Exploring Google’s NotebookLM: Potential and Pitfalls for Genealogists

 

FamilySearch Full Text Search:

FamilySearch is the nonprofit LDS-run website at which you can do research and contribute to a community family tree for free. They have billions of historical records that have been digitized, but only a portion of those record images are currently searchable.

Per FamilySearch: “This test of a full-text search for historical records uses AI to transcribe images into text so they can be fully searched. This feature is meant to save hours previously spent manually reviewing thousands of images for an important piece of information—that can be found almost instantly with an automated search. Over 100 million records from the United States and Mexico are currently available in this experiment. We anticipate adding more collections in the future.”

I’ve tested it a bit, with limited personal results, but I can see it eventually being a wonderful thing. Here is the page for more info on Full Text Search and other tools available for testing:

Introducing FamilySearch Labs

 

Should we fear AI?

I came across this article recently:

AI is Corrupting the Internet as We Know It.

Although the title smacks of fearmongering, it’s not wrong, and if you read the article you’ll see why. I think it’s important to understand the potential dangers, and yet, AI is here to stay — especially considering it has already been here in various forms for decades — and I think it has infinite current and potential benefits if we use it wisely. The controversy surrounding AI development echoes the debates around all other previous technological advances throughout history including electricity, automobiles, factories, computers, and the internet itself.

Meanwhile, regarding the AI-generated images in the article, I have seen every one of them before without having joined any of the Facebook groups in which I saw them. Fake National Geographic, Richard Attenborough, and similar sites where people expect to see real nature photos are a problem because the vast majority of followers seem not to have gotten past the first level of recognizing that Nat Geo and Richard A, or his heirs, have nothing to do with those particular accounts.

The article concludes, and I agree: “Who knows where this will lead? Only one thing is certain. AI is here to stay. The question is, can humanity use this amazing technology to do good in the world? AI may hold the key to curing cancer and ending world hunger. In the meantime, we will have to do our best to avoid the negative downside of this technology. We need to ensure that truth always prevails over deception, deceit, and misinformation.”

 

The AI gold rush is far from over

This might not be my last post about AI, but I will never try to write anything comprehensive or definitive about it because it’s just too vast a topic. It affects every aspect of life that I can think of, and its thousands of applications are constantly changing and evolving.

Debates rage in the creative sectors over AI-generated text and images, and I’m sure things will occasionally go awry here and there. But I also look forward to many of the good things that will come of the developing technology, such as live captioning smart glasses for the hard of hearing.

 

Have you tried any of the AI tools mentioned here?

Which others have you tried? Do you have a favorite?

Please let us know by leaving a comment below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ___________________________________________________________

The post The AI Gold Rush appeared first on Hazel Thornton.

The rainbow after the storm

The rainbow after the storm. (DALL-E generated.)

It all started slowly and innocently enough, like the first drops of a rainstorm.

I mean, it’s only natural for things in life to break sometimes, and need fixing and maintenance, right? Routine dental cleanings sometimes lead to fillings or reveal the need for root canals and crowns. It’s not just me. The older people (and pets) get, the more extra medical attention they need. Appliances and parts of the house also get older and start to wear out. Cars need to be kept in good working order.

But after a few weeks these demands usually let up and allow one to return to a normal routine. Right?

Not this time:

My fridge is out… again?! My 20-year-old washing machine is fine, but the drain is blocked and now I need a plumber?!A raccoon jumped from a fence to my gutter and yanked it clean off the roof?! (I was there when it happened.)What do you mean I need a new car? This one’s only 20 years old!The physical therapist I’ve been waiting weeks to see is on medical leave?!I need PT twice a week, but I can’t get another appointment for a month?!How did I manage to lock myself out of my own website?!They kept my CPAP machine for 8 months (no typos; they gave me a loaner but I had to talk them into it) and still managed to return it to me with the wrong settings?My 20-year-old office chair is falling apart? (Do I detect a pattern here?)The rainbow after the storm

All of this (and more) has been happening against the backdrop of a loved one’s suffering, and the eventual, inevitable, final end of their life. Which happened on Saturday.

Wait…was that part of the storm? Or was it the rainbow?

No, seriously, I think I can feel the storm clouds lifting as I type.

Returning to normal

What is a normal routine for a retired organizer, anyway? Well, for me it usually involves making progress on personal projects like genealogy research and organizing Mom’s Boxes. Maybe blogging or working on a new book. Taking care of things that aren’t emergencies, but could become emergencies if neglected for too long. But lately my biggest accomplishment has been to binge watch 4-1/2 seasons (so far) of the 30-year-old TV show Northern Exposure (for the first time). Reminds me of the early days of the pandemic when I watched Dawson’s Creek (nearly as old, and also for the first time). When the going gets tough, the tough watch guilt-free TV!

I know what will help:  Getting Back on Track (A version of this post — plus the Getting Back on Track flow chart — is included in my book: Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook.)

Déjà vu

But wait — haven’t I been here before? What did I do about it last time? Did I write about it? Of course I did!

As my organizing and writing colleague Shawndra Holmberg says, and most bloggers will agree: “When life gives you lemons, write a blog post.”

A search of my website turned up a couple of favorites:

Odds Are We’re Gonna Be Alright (It includes links to uplifting songs and other posts and websites that I find comforting.)Always believe in yourself (and have a backup plan)

Here’s another time I wrote about a storm: Are you feeling adrift too? (We were not all in the same boat during COVID, but we were all weathering the same storm.)

This time around I also asked ChatGPT:

Hazel: I have been overwhelmed lately with so many appointments — home repair, medical, dental, etc. What do you suggest for staying organized while keeping my spirits up?

ChatGPT: (It provided a perfectly serviceable blog-length reply with opening and closing paragraphs.)

Hazel: That’s good. Could you make it shorter?

ChatGPT: Absolutely! Here’s a condensed version:

Centralize scheduling: Use one calendar for all appointments to avoid confusion.Prioritize and batch tasks: Group similar appointments together for efficiency.Set realistic expectations: Don’t overload yourself; it’s okay to delegate or ask for help.Prioritize self-care: Schedule regular breaks and celebrate small victories.Stay flexible: Adapt to changes and unexpected events with an open mindset.

Remember to be kind to yourself and seek support if needed.

Thanks, Chatty G! (As my colleague Jamie Steele calls it.)

(Publicly-accessible generative AI has come a long way since last year, but this is still a good introduction, if you want one: An “Interview” with ChatGPT.)

It’s not a contest

Fortunately, it’s not a contest. Still, I counted up my appointments so far this year to make sure I wasn’t making a mountain out of a molehill. There have been 29 such appointments, which is at least 20 more than usual for only a few months in. This does not count my monthly house cleaning and occasional yard work appointments. It also does not count the time spent online and on the phone figuring out insurance and scheduling issues. Not to mention the expenses involved. (None of the appointments were income-producing.)

Not only is that list not comprehensive, it is (seemingly) never-ending.

Troubles ebb and flow, and I’m writing this post partly because I suspect I have readers who can relate.

Is that you?

Are you OK?

Never underestimate the value of a good cliché

Cliché (Oxford dictionary): a phrase or an idea that has been used so often that it no longer has much meaning and is not interesting.

I’m the sort of person who believes things will work out. Not magically, or immediately, but generally speaking, with a little preparation and a little faith.

While these paraphrased cliches may be overused, that doesn’t mean they’re not true and helpful:

When it rains it pours. (Don’t forget, that goes for good things, too!)After the storm, look for the rainbow.There is always, always something to be grateful for.First come the rains, then the flowers.This, too, shall pass.Ride the wave. (The wave of emotions, that is. I’m linking to a source in case you are unfamiliar with this one.)Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (or makes a good blog post).

 

How do YOU stay organized and keep YOUR spirits up when you are overwhelmed?

What is your favorite cliché, or saying, or bible verse, or song, for hard times?

Do you see something here (or in one of the links) that helps you?

Please share with us in the comments below!

______________________________________________________Hazel Thornton is an author, genealogist, and retired home and office organizer.
Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook Feel free to link directly to this post! Click here to ask about other uses.Copyright 2024 by Hazel Thornton, Organized for Life and Beyond

 ___________________________________________________________

 

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