What are the tools of your trade?
Daily | July 7th, 2008
Just like a great artist has his best brush and inspiration, or an entrepreneur has her treasured database and stellar negotiation skills, sometimes we carry our tools on the outside, sometimes on the inside.
Carrie says: Seeing: beauty, possibility & reality. Responsibility. My tools are graph paper and a pencil.
Danielle says: Empathy. Charisma. Laser focus. Poetry. Google docs. My MACBook. Copious amounts of sticky notes.
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July 7th, 2008 at 3:50 am
My Mac. Memory. Moleskine notebooks. Vision. Pentel Precise Rolling Ball pens. My imagination. Patience with myself. The internet. Willpower. Organisation. Creativity. Intensity. Spellcheck. A thesaurus. Self-belief. Knowing when something’s not working and letting it go. Dr Stewart’s herbal teas. Storyboards. Guidebooks. Music. And the ability to take breaks for things that cleanse my spirit, like this website.
July 7th, 2008 at 4:59 am
My life experiences, my computer, the containment of my work room, a lit votive, burning incense, access to my emotions and imagination, a love of language, Andre Bocelli on the stereo or complete quiet and visitations from my Muse.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:03 am
Listening. Curiosity. Love. Magic. Intuition. Trust. Imagination. Courage. Black uniball pens. Graph paper pads. The telephone. My laptop.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:05 am
Vision, wood, water, color, and connection to another time, another place.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Vision. Compassion. Kindness. Generosity. Cards. The web. The telephone. And my Daytimer.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Responses like yours are the exact reason I love this forum! Your preciseness is much appreciated. Thanks
July 7th, 2008 at 5:13 am
Good ears. An open heart. Great questions. Levenger notebook paper. Pilot BL-GC4 Ultra Fine pens. Black paper art books and colored pencils. My current embroidery project. Great colleagues who challenge my thinking. Flowers. Mindsight and clairsentience. Quiet.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:23 am
My sixth sense and awareness – very open 6th and 7th Chakras. My energy and the ability to heal, especially with my hands. My cell phone, e-mail, and my laptop and /or desk top. ….. and copious amoutns of sticky notes…. ;P Note books and my journals, pens.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:36 am
My mind, my heart, my magic – and the rare but welcomed intersection of all three. A blank page, a black felt-tip,post-its. Other people…they’re integral.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:44 am
A hammer, screwdrivers, paint, paintbrushes, paint rollers, spackle, putty knife, boots, broom, dustpan, a list, Super Sticky Post-It notes, sharpies in various colors, a contractors pencil, cell phone, listening skills, delegation skills, vision of the completed project, my computer and my husband.
July 7th, 2008 at 6:19 am
My books, journals, Kate Spade pencils, my MacBook Air. Intuition and memory. Poetry. My kitchen aid mixer and food processor, 100 + cookbooks. My turquoise and pink stationery, post cards and address book. My bicycle.
July 7th, 2008 at 6:32 am
Diplomacy, discretion, a headset, Outlook, writing utensils of every type and color, manila letter sized file folders, pretty japanese notebooks, my ingenuiTEA (from adagioteas.com) and a stash of loose green tea, and yes, many many sticky notes.
July 7th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Ears to listen, eyes to see people through things, a mouth to tell those people the honesty they need to hear, and taste to enjoy a bottle of wine with them. My ITouch, notebook & stickies w/ a fun pen (I don’t know who forgot about the copy and paste feature w/ this thing, but it’s not funny). My child magic bag of tricks ( Friends often refer to it as “The Mary Poppins Bag).
July 7th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Faith. Compassion. A listening ear. Prayer. Singing. Writing. College ruled paper with really dark lines. Good writing pens. Jasmine Tea. Water. Fresh fruit. Poetry. Music (that touches me deeply). Sleep. Setting boundaries. Intuition. Curiousity (or noseyness). Magazines. Scissors. Glue sticks. White 3 hole punched copy paper. Digital camera. LOTS AND LOTS of books. A smile when all else fails.
July 7th, 2008 at 6:43 am
My mind is my office. I try to carry it with me wherever I go. Awake and aware are my pencils, and being in the now is my lined pad. And, I try to work as much as I can everyday.
July 7th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Seeing the big picture and nerves of steel. My tools include a Mac, iPhone, and a partner with a brilliant mind.
July 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Focus. Passion. Enjoyment. Acceptance. Fearlessness. Allure. My laptop on my desk, pen and paper next to the bed.
July 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Compassion. The ability to see patterns, connections, and causes. Empathy. Tolerance. Acceptance. Patience. Detachment. A really great pen and a pile of sticky notes. The ability to read and comprehend. Amazon.com. Insatiable curiousity and willingness to learn. Love.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:39 am
pens!! gel pens, roller ball pens, fountain pens, the smoother they flow the better. at any given time, i have at least 10 pens available to me. my heart: i don’t leave home without it.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:56 am
My Mac is the vehicle for my creativity. Our CEO turned my fear of all things ‘technical’ into a healthy respect for technology’s ability to get my words to the masses! So really – as long as I have a Mac and a strong cup of tea, I’m good to go. (And an internet connection – it’s my umbilical cord to the world!)
July 7th, 2008 at 9:00 am
my hands, my computer, CS3, the internet, my font collection, an eye for detail, my favourite magazines, my personal style, my latest craft project, and my partner for his honest opinion, non-judgement and insightful (challenging) questions.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Peacemaker. Bringing people together. Coordinating events. Scheduling details. My personal planner. Journaling helps me release. Inspiring others to be/do/expect MORE!
July 7th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Some healthy endorsements for Apple today… My MacBook Pro, my trusty old BlackBerry, but most of all it’s about having time to think…
July 7th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Inspiration. Faith. Life Experiences. Patience. Perseverance. Courage. Openness. Love… and a good highlighter, pen and paper are good to have around also.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:54 am
index cards. I write lists, ideas, observations on a daily card. Keep phone numbers, etc. filed on index cards.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I automatically went to laptop and cell phone that picks up my emails on an ongoing basis…my position requires me to be very mobile. Everyone expects you to respond right away…This creates an atmosphere was constantly “being on top of things”….somedays I just wish it would all slow down……
July 7th, 2008 at 10:13 am
my gut. it has never steered me wrong. everyone has a feeling that tells them 2 things. “this is right” or “this is wrong” we all should go with that feeling.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Kate Spade pencils! Where can I buy?
July 7th, 2008 at 10:25 am
What is your favorite pen?
July 7th, 2008 at 10:29 am
haha! good question. usually my newest one! sharpie has their first pen now, which i am enjoying! I also love Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens. And of course the Uni-ball Gel Impact is very close to my heart. ;0) i am truly a pen junkie.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Time each morning to write 3 pages. Walking to get a coffee.Faith.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:36 am
my ears and the service their inner-mechanics provide…the ability to sit, quietly and listen. My computer, tracing paper, any paper for that matter. Black, uni-ball Vision (micro) pens, Viva-Glam #5 lipstick, tweezers, a picture of my family, an old, and incredibly soft hand-written letter from my Nin in England, the wisdom from everyone I meet, ribbon, craft paper, blank art-cards, candles, magazines, the sound of water…
What a great question. Thank you.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I couldn’t agree more. Every mistake I’ve made in life, business, etc., can be traced back to not trusting my gut.
July 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Ditto. We love that this is a place where UTILITY hangs with inspiration.
xo
Danielle
July 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I’m taking a survey these days…what kind of Daytimer system do you use?
July 7th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Dictionaries, style guides, and other reference books of course. Also the Internet. But my tools include seeing the potential in a piece of writing and bringing my background in language and linguistics to my work so I can get the best out of an author’s work. Also required are skills of diplomacy!
July 7th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Discipline. Organization. Self-trust. Ability to balance past, present and future. Patience. Laptop. People.
July 7th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Oh, yes, and my daybook! Thanks for the reminder. Where would I be without it? I use a Mead Weekly/Monthly planner. Once I tried to switch to something different. I quickly had to admit the error of my ways and go buy my old standby.
July 7th, 2008 at 11:37 am
creative mind, eyes to see beauty, hands that know how to work magic, passionate heart.
July 7th, 2008 at 11:57 am
After 25 years and experimentation with many systems, I have now used the Harold Taylor planner for the past ten years. – Except one year (2006) when I thought I’d rely on my Palm Pilot – OMG what a nightmare. I had the DTs for Harold!
He’s at http://www.taylorintime.com
July 7th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
My laptop, Starbucks coffee, Beautinet website, my creativity, networking, faith, love, support, my kids (my inspiration), my calendar, cellphone
July 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Delight, magic, hope, possibility, and really great trained listening skills. When I listen to a client talk about her situation and her dreams, I am listening for what she is afraid to say but knows she is capable of doing. I am also listening for what she is afraid to say no to. Through coaching, I help people see where they want to say no, but also where they can allow themselves to say yes to what they dream they can do.
http://www.remabulous.com
July 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Laughing. Listening. Believing in the good and seeing the beautiful.
Compassion and endurance.
July 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Yes! I love hands that work magic!
July 7th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
My parts: Brains, eyes, hands. My obsessions: pens, pencils, assorted notebooks, Post Its (thank you Fry and Silver!). Fujitsu notebook, Determination, Discernment, Brazilian music collection to dance around the living room, Ingenuity, Innovation, the ability to look at people on the Metro and see them but not stare at them. Camera, hammer and nails, drill, saw. Inspiration and direction. H2O!
July 7th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
imagination, patience, intuition, a sense of humour, stick-to-it-ness. conversations about ideas and the follow-through: emails, samples, paper and a supply of juicy sharpies.
July 7th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Empathy. Love. Kindness. Bandaids. Polysporin. Love. Music. Charisma. Courage to change. Connection. Humor. Creativity. My MAC. Water. Triumph over Adversity. My 2 little boys…
July 7th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Acceptance – good people do bad things, and bad people do good things. We have to accept that nothing is black or white – I accept what I cannot change. I do not expect others to be perfect, but to be a combination of good/bad, happy/sad, up/down – in all things.
July 7th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Open mindedness, strategic thinking, being considerate and thoughtful. Email, phone, pens and hi-liters
July 7th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Carrie,
I just sent you some. With love from NYC. Enjoy!
July 7th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
An ergonomic keyboard. Good writing paper and pens. Sharp pencils. Whatever good book I’m reading at the moment. Copious amounts of time in which nobody is talking to me. A few dependable people to bounce ideas off of, and a chance to try again to get the words right.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Logic, vision, writing, speaking, putting people together, understanding the big picture, great paper, gel pens, my Franklin Covey planner, my Vera Bradley notebooks and three ring binders (the colors and patterns make me happy), sunlight and quiet.
July 7th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Wow, thanks Kathleen!!
July 7th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Yes, definitely empathy. the kind that comes from understanding that everyone has a story which guides their life for better or worse and respect for it. Additionally, patience, ability to teach, vision, humor and a portable garment rack. Oh I can’t live without my Treo – but i’m going to give Debbie’s tried and true Harold Taylor program a hard look. Thanks for sharing that Debbie.
July 8th, 2008 at 6:55 am
I’m a good listener. I like to listen for pauses between words. Although my MAC is indispensible, for me, my very best tool is a sharp pencil and a blank book. I cannot leave home without these.
July 8th, 2008 at 7:29 am
geniuine empathy, impressive listening skills, my ipod.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
My wit, empathy, and curiosity. Wikipedia. My computer, her name is Arielle II. Masses of books to inspire me. Pens and pencils in all different colours. My diary. Several flavours of tea.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:32 am
My Facilitator voice. My creative juicebox. My Jill Scott and Ledisi CD’s for soothing entertainment or mind clearing. iGoogle my homebase. My LuLu G. super wallet the best TJMaxx purchase evermade it has 8 different compartments and matches everything!
August 14th, 2008 at 9:51 am
My ideas first and foremost. My Mac laptop. Books. Magazines. Nature. Exercise to keep the mind clear. My agent and attorney who are the best sounding boards a Hollywood girl could ask for. My mom. My BF and writing partner Margaux.