Thing 7: To Do Lists (Week of 1/12)

This week's topic is To Do Lists.

I know that you, like me, might usually scrawl your to-do lists on a scrap of paper and then either stuff them in your purse or pocket, or adhere them to your refrigerator with a magnet. Online listmakers allow you to be much more high tech in your approach to making to-do lists, shopping lists, and lists of just about anything you can think of. Even better, you can share your lists easily with others, or have your lists sent to you via e-mail, cell phone, or RSS feed. No more calling home from the grocery store when you forget your list, when you can read it on your cell phone!

This Week's TechPlay Exercise:
One of the original and the easiest to use sites is Ta-da lists, found at http://www.tadalists.com/.

Step One:

Go to http://www.tadalists.com/. Sign up for a free account by clicking on the yellow box. You will be brought to a screen with the heading "My Lists." To make a list, click on Create a New List. You will have to make up a clever name for your list, like "Groceries" or "Things to do on Wednesday."

Step Two:

Type the first item on your list in the box, then click below the box where it asks you to "add this item." Add as many items as you like. When finished, you may choose to edit your list, reorder your list if you would like your tasks or items in a different order, or share your list. If you decide to share your list, a new screen comes up. You may e-mail this list to yourself or to anyone else. You may also share your list with the entire world, if you so choose, by clicking the box where is says "yes, share publicly."

Challenge

Optional Exercise 1: A slightly more complicated list making site is called Remember the Milk. Go to http://www.rememberthemilk.com/ and create a free account. Once signed in, you have the option of entering tasks in multiple categories, such as personal, work, study, etc. You may create a contact list of people with whom you would like to share your lists. Once you have recorded some items on your task lists, you may assign them priority levels, share them, or send them.

Optional Exercise 2: My current favorite of the list making sites is found at thingamalist.com. It is not as complex as some of the other sites, and it is all about food, which I found appealing. Sign up for a free account, and you can find all kinds of recipes, put the ingredients you need for the recipes on a list, and send that list to your cell phone, or your spouse's cell phone. No more running that paper shopping list through the laundry!