The Frustrations of a Disconnected Digital Life

I'm a stickler for organization and orderliness. That's why my online (and more generally my tech) life is propelling me to a digital breakdown. The craziness of my laptop's desktop at the end of the day, e-mail to read and respond to, RSS aggregator to manage, online groups, articles to read, bookmarks to delete, news to track, news that gets left behind - it's just too much. Sadly enough, I actually have a system too - and for the most part it works - but not well enough. Why should I have to have a system to manage my digital life? Why should it be so disconnected? Why shouldn't there be a better way to tie it all together? Why shouldn't it be BrainJams DC, someone asked me a very poignant question about the future of blogging. I can't remember the exact wording but the essence was "What's going to happen with blogging? There are just too many blogs out there." It's true - there are. And many of them want but get no attention. Bloggers often throw in the towel because of that, because they feel like no matter they do, they won't win. They can't get the readership they want. I liken that case to what I'm experiencing. No, it is not an apples to apples comparison. But as the blogger feels hopeless, so too does the person who faces information overload and the inability to manage a digital life. If we want Web 2.0 to truly arrive, things have got to get simpler. Until then, I'm experimenting with my approach to these sorts of problems. In light of the fact that my frustrations are not going to be alleviated any time soon, it is obvious I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands. I'm going have to have a better system because there is not better software. I'll report back on the progress I make - most likely will be another Ken Yarmosh is a consultant who helps organizations get the most out of their technology investments. He works with technology users and creators across various industries, focusing on technology education and strategy. With over 7 years IT experience, Ken has worked with small businesses, non-profits, federal agencies, and multi-million dollar companies. His online efforts include acting as the Editor for the Corante Technology Hub and authoring the