Last Saturday was a beautiful spring day here in Charlotte. So my wife and I, being the incredible parents that we are… decided that it was the perfect day for a special family outing. Gorgeous day, quality time with the kids, what could be better?
So I had this great idea… to take a family bike ride. We used to do that when I was a kid and I remember loving it. Back then, I had this very cool Huffy BMX dirt bike which was purchased from that high-quality bike super-store… Kmart. Of course, since I was a type-A first child… I never actually rode the bike in the dirt. And if I ever accidentally went through a puddle or something, I would spend the rest of the day washing and polishing the bike. But regardless, there was nothing better than my bike when I was a kid.
Wow. Times have changed.
First of all… it took us a half an hour to find the bikes in the garage. We had to sort through mounds of toys, motorized scooters, roller blades, nerf guns, kites, and inflatable water slide systems. Back when I was a kid, I had a bike and maybe a ball glove in the garage and that was about it. My kids have so much stuff, we had to remind them which bike was theirs. But I eventually got the tires all pumped up and we embarked.
That’s when the drama really started.
My younger son immediately broke into a sobbing ball of tears and whined: “I can’t get up this hill! My legs are aching! How much longer?!” I assured him that it would get a lot easier… as soon as we got out of the driveway.
Unfortunately, it didn’t. Most of the entire bike ride (um… maybe 45 minutes?) was spent complaining and asking when we were going to turn around and go home. Granted, the ground wasn’t completely flat -- but this is North Carolina... not the Swiss Alps. And we weren’t exactly drafting each other for top speed. We encountered some hills and went at a normal pace, but to all but one of my four kids… it was like my wife and I were waterboarding them or something. My one daughter even described the ordeal afterwards as “the worst experience of her life.” If that weren't enough, my younger son actually had to stay home from school the next Monday, in part because his legs and ankles hurt so much from pedaling! I'm not joking!
So much for family bonding. As soon as we got home, my kids asked if they could go inside and play video games.
I couldn’t believe it… but I thought maybe my memory had faded or something, so I called my dad to ask him if I had complained about bike rides when I was a kid. He assured me I hadn’t. Actually, he said that when HE was a kid, back before parents had to be so safety conscious… he would go out on his own and ride his bike 15-20 miles… in the snow… while pedaling with only one leg. He said I was the one who had it easy.
I guess things must get easier for each generation. Can you imagine when my kids have kids? They’ll be telling their children… “Oh yeah? Well in my day we didn’t have video games that you could control with your mind. We had to USE CONTROLLERS with our OWN TWO HANDS until our thumbs ached!”
It does seems like kids these days are more interested in virtual exercise than real exercise. I cracked up the other day when my older son was telling our family that two of his favorite sports were “Tennis and Hockey.” We were all a bit confused, since this child has never held a tennis racket and never, ever played ice hockey. When asked how he knew they were his favorites, he replied: “I’ve played them on the Wii.”
So… I decided after that weekend that my kids definitely need more exercise. My kids are going to be tough and active, like I am. This weekend, I’m shipping them outside... no matter what they say. And then, while they are outside… I’ll sit down at the computer and spend a couple hours on Facebook.
I haven't had time to blog this week because I've been working hard to finalize the new "My Account" page and "My Calendar" page. We've had a number of users ask for these changes and we really wanted to make sure that the functionality took a major step forward. I'm happy to announce that these upgrades are now live!
Actually... looking at it now, I can't believe the site made it this far without these functionalities because they just make a ton of sense. Here's what's new:
You can now see a simple list of everything you signed up for on the My Account page. No more clicking through to every sign up to see what you are responsible for.
Old sign ups (those with dates in the past) are now automatically archived. They are still accessible, but your My Account page conveniently shows you only the events that are taking place in the future (because we find it difficult to participate in events that have already happened!).
You now have the ability to customize your view of the My Account page. View the sign ups as icons, as a list, in a specific order, or open and close certain categories completely. Go crazy... it's your page and you should see it how you want to!
Members can now view all related sign up dates in a calendar view. Sort your calendar by category and then click on each event for quick pop-up details or to link directly to the sign up.
Leave a comment below or drop us a note on the help page to let us know what you think!
New build 2.57
A couple small but useful items were recently added to SignUpGenius. The biggest news is that sign up creators now have the ability to work with group email aliases as part of their SignUpGenius email groups. Previously, entering a group alias (like a yahoogroups or googlegroups address that points to numerous people) could cause notification problems -- especially if an individual accidentally signed up for something using that address. We now have safeguards in place to prevent sign ups from a group alias --including the specific ability for a sign up creator to flag an email as a group alias when they enter it. Follow the simple directions when you create your sign up or group and it is now safe to use your group email alias!
Here are a few other new items you might spot:
The create a sign up wizards now have an upgraded WYSIWYG editor for the description field that is compatible with the Mac Safari browser
An upgraded "My Groups" page now allows you to sort your group for easier identification of a particular user. In addition, this page is now a standard web page instead of a pop-up window... which allows for easier viewing of all the members in your group.
An upgraded "Send Email" page now allows sign up creators to view a preview of their bulk email before sending it to their selected group of users.
For us type-A planners... finding the perfect organizational tool is like the quest for the holy grail. Personally, I'm always changing my system in the search for something better. I started with the Psion Series 3c, circa 1996, right when PDAs were bursting onto the scene. It had a black and white calendar, folks! In 1998, I stepped up to the sleek and hip Palm Pilot III, which in hindsight looks a little like a big cheap plastic brick. Additionally, I had to scribble each letter about four times before the Palm would correctly identify what I was trying to write. The Palm Tungsten E lasted me quite a while until I made the gigantic leap to a smart phone with the Treo 755p and a software-sync to Outlook. That was pretty darn cool. Still not satisfied, I wrote my own custom web app that would take data exported from the phone and publish it into interactive reports that could be shared online.
Yet... through it all... something was missing. No matter how these devices improved... I still found it just took too much discipline to make these tools useful. My quest had failed.
Until now.
I've recently stumbled upon the mother of all organizational tools. Seriously. I'm kind of addicted to it. The interface is so intuitive and customizable that it has been revolutionizing the way I plan my day! Sorry Apple fan-boys, I am definitely not talking about the iPhone. What is this incredible piece of technology?
The paper notebook.
I'm really not sure how they came up with this thing. But it is blowing my other tools out of the water. Mainly... because I actually use it. The electronic tools always end up being a hassle. This thing is just so darn easy that it comes naturally. And using a basic tool is actually more effective than having a fancy tool and not using it.
Check out these cutting-edge features:
Can be used during take-off and landings
Insanely long battery life
Includes a multi-color display if you use different colored pens
You can double your memory without extra cost by turning over the sheet and using the back side
Very GREEN. Screen doesn't emit potentially harmful RF rays, can be completely recycled, no toxins used in the production
Is a great gaming device including popular hits like "Tic Tac Toe" and "Hangman"
Completely wireless
You can talk on the phone and write on this thing at the same time
Backwards-compatible with all brands of pens and pencils
Priced at about $494 dollars less than the Apple iPad
The completely customizable interface adjusts to how you want to use it
Customizable "skins" with virtually any type of cover you want, including "Hello Kitty"
Comes in both small and large screen sizes for those with poor eyesight
The case is virtually unbreakable. Can be dropped from a height of more than six feet without damaging the unit
Writing on screen can be viewed from all angles
Compatible even with Windows Vista.
Anyway, I felt like I had to pass this tip along to all five of my blog readers. You can find one of these at all kinds of online retailers, including Amazon.com. I'm not getting a commission or anything. Just trying to help.
I can't wait to see what they think of next.
COMMENTS:
Posted by Jack Lugar on Mon Mar 1, 2010 10:18 AM EST
So I got one of these new fangled things and added a lot of content, but now I can find the USB plug to upload it all onto my computer. Any suggestions?
Posted by Dan Rutledge on Mon Mar 1, 2010 12:41 PM EST
Thanks for writing, as that is a common issue. Here are the simple directions for porting over the content you created on your notepad to a computer or laptop:
1) Rip out page from notebook
2) Tape the page to the screen
I've found this works with both mac, PC, and the new iPad. Hope that helps.
February wasn't all candy and roses for the staff here at SignUpGenius. We've been working hard on a number of fun upgrades! Check out some of these recently added items:
Planning Resources: A new site section with helpful tips and articles for group organizers
Community Features: You can now add your comments to any article and join the conversation!
The Genius Blog: News and advice from yours truly, Dan Rutledge, co-founder of SignUpGenius
Revised Privacy Policy: We decided to make this more clear to assure even the most skeptical users
We've also added a bunch of themes in the last month or so. Click on the thumnails below for a preview.
I've been involved in leading church groups for about fifteen years. Whether you lead a Sunday School class, community group, or men's study... finding the right study for your group is always a challenge. You want to find a study that is appealing to your group (so that people show up!), that has the right amount of prep work to fit your group's commitment level (again... so that people show up!), and of course, one that is spiritually significant (so that people actually GROW up!).
Personally, I am not a big fan of "taking a poll" to discuss what the group should study. I find that this can backfire and people start debating what study to the point that you cannot pick something without people being upset. Also, I heard a great tip one time that basically went like this: "The shepherd does not ask the sheep where they want to go to pasture." If you are the leader, then God has entrusted you with the responsibility of helping guide the spiritual growth of your group. Get suggestions if you'd like, but then pray and try to determine what you think God wants your group to be learning.
My last tip... is to purposely choose variety in the type of studies that you do over time. God designs us differently and no study is going to engage everyone. By varying the studies each time, you can minister to everybody. So one time, choose an in-depth Bible study that requires a lot of prep.... then read a popular Christian topical book on something like marriage... and follow that with a Christian Life DVD series, etc.
If you're interested in some recommendations, check out my reviews of 3 Great Small Group Studies that I've used with my church groups!
Lots of great changes coming for SignUpGenius in 2010. It can be a tricky thing orchestrating the direction of a web property. There are a lot of possibilities and the challenge is prioritizing and creating a singular vision. Here’s a little debate that I’ve been having with myself lately… community or utility?
Everywhere you turn these days, community is the buzzword on the web. Though some people insist that we are transitioning into a new 3.0 age... to me it seems like the concept of web 2.0 (interactive communities and user-generated content) is really just starting to hit its stride with the masses. Grandma and grandpa now have Facebook accounts, your pastor and boss now have blogs, and pro athletes hire their own social media consultants.
As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been a bit behind. It’s not because I’m not tech-savvy. I’ve been building web applications for 15 years. No… I think it’s a birth order thing… because honestly I was never much into the whole web 2.0 idea. To me, the web was all about productivity. Utility. It was a tool, not a playground. I visited websites that helped me get work done … like book an airplane flight, or manage my photos, or let me buy something 20% cheaper and 50% faster than I could do locally. As a job, I built corporate web applications that earned people real money rather than helping them reconnect with their high school sweetheart.
Like I’ve said, I’m a firstborn, type-A planner. I always thought I’d leave the Tweeting to those 3rd children in the family that just want to interact with people all day. SignUpGenius, up until recently, has reflected a bit of that thinking. It’s a productivity application designed to save time and avoid headaches.
However, in the last couple months, I’ve finally been realizing the advantages of the web for community. Yes, I’ll grudgingly admit that I’m actually enjoying Facebook. And I’ve been exploring ways that SignUpGenius could be more than a utility, but also a community of people that can help each other with their planning/scheduling/leadership responsibilities. Thus… we’ve recently added the blog and the resources tab with helpful tips and interactive commenting features.
But… I don’t want to get sidetracked from perfecting the useful functionality of SignUpGenius. That is still our priority. And with all the gobs of community sites out there… do you really even need any community features as part of SignUpGenius? What do you think? And be sure to say where you are in the birth order when you answer.
I know. I know. If there’s one thing the world doesn’t need, it’s another blog, right? Your sister has one… your best friend has one… your kid has one… even your pet hamster has one. Enough already.
I can relate. I confess that I’ve been a bit of a “blog-basher” in the past… and when it comes to blogs, I’ve definitely been out of the loop (or do you say “bloop”?). One time I was leading a church prayer group and I asked our members to share prayer requests. We were going around the room sharing requests and one woman actually said to me, “Just check my blog.” I nodded politely… and then immediately wrote “blog addiction” down on the prayer request sheet.
After that night, I went out and bought a T-shirt to wear to church. It read: “More people have read this t-shirt than have read your blog.” I thought it was hilarious. And then I gave it to my wife to wear…. cause I was a little scared of what Miss Blog Addiction might do to me… even at church. Never mess with a mom and her blog.
Anyway… so why bother with this particular blog?
Well… a year and a half ago, I helped launch this fun little site SignUpGenius.com. It was birthed out of my own frustration in trying to plan, organize, and coordinate groups and events. I built the site primarily because I desperately needed a tool like this so I didn’t lose my own mind! But after it was built, a funny thing happened. People all over the country started using it… a lot.
It’s been fun to see it grow. And it’s been really neat to interact with users all over the country – organizing Type-A Planners, just like me – who are looking for a better way to organize their church, school, family, or sports group. I’ve enjoyed great email dialogues about possible SignUpGenius enhancements, had people ask me about sign up and event related resources, and even been sent fun stories of what people have used SignUpGenius for. The users of SignUpGenius have become a little “community of planners” to me – a brotherhood of in-the-trenches people dedicated to organizing the world.
So… Planners of the World, Unite! This blog is for you. I’ll be keeping you up to date on the latest SignUpGenius upgrades, sharing thoughts related to leading groups & events… and occasionally just rambling on technology and family-life topics that crack me up.
So check back when you can. If you’re anything like me… you’ll probably end up reading the blog on your phone while simultaneously eating dinner, driving to a church event, quizzing your kids on their homework, listening to the radio, and writing out a to-do list on the steering wheel.
And… I promise to be more interesting than your hamster.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Like you need another blog to read, right? Well this one is completely different than anything you've ever read before!! Um... not really. But you can read it if you want to keep up on the latest SignUpGenius news and the off-beat thoughts of our co-founder Dan Rutledge.
For us type-A planners... finding the perfect organizational tool is like the quest for the holy grail. Personally, I'm always changing my system in the search for something better. I started with the 
Can be used during take-off and landings
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