I'm intrigued. How are shoes good for fast, "flexible improve writing"? I had you down as a definite Hush Puppy writer with a secret stash of Clarks Commandos hidden away somewhere.

I cannot explain, only observe. Some actors cannot get fully into their character until they are wearing the right shoes. The same for me with writing. The trick is to match the shoes to the writing task.

And pick up some much-needed sponsorship...

Keep watching. Some great shoes to be featured in coming weeks.

Les

I look forward to more shoes. Do you take requests? Or just sponsorship? I work shoeless, but I live in a country with a disgustingly hot climate. Having said that, you may be onto something with this. What can you promote via blog? And who's up for giving out freebies to bloggers?

I know Nokia gave out cameraphones to select bloggers for a blog conference a while back - think it was Les Blogs. A very high end camera company beginning with the letter L (amazingly) came sniffing around my parish recently. To no avail, but interesting all the same for shock value added points.

No! Tell me you don't really wear these shoes to interviews.

oh, and what's that thing on your desk with all the buttons on? Are you one of those people who labels everything?

I'm not averse to doing requests. But do prefer gifts of money or shoes.

Of course I wear Campers when doing interviews. Some days. Other days, I wear other shoes. As you will be seeing.

And no, I don't label everything. I label the things that need to be labelled. As the stress-free productivity guru David Allen says (p100 of Getting Things Done):

Perhaps later this millennium the brain scientists will give us some esoteric and complex neurological explanation for why labeled files work so effectively. Until then, trust me. Get a labeler....The labeler should be as basic a tool as your stapler.

He's right. Here's
a picture of his original, that was old back in August 2004.

Mine is a Brother P-Touch 1850. Cost more than I would have dreamed of paying for a labeller. I've not regretted buying it for a second.

Les

I read GTD but I didn't think anyone ever actually did the labelling bit. You label everything?

Nah, not everything. And it really isn't about labelling, it's about having a place for things. I have a filing cabinet, and now I quickly and clearly file stuff in a logical place where I can retrieve it. Reading GTD is no good. You have to practise it.

Les

Great jeans. Nice look. Where did they come from? Millets?

Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Jimmy. I can see why you tried it. You must be pretty self-conscious about your feeble attempts at joining in straight discussion. But it's probably best if you knock all forms of irony off your list of mastered accomplishments.

Les

PS If you are, as I suspect, only 12 years old, let me know & I'll delete your more embarrassing comments. I'm not one to perpetuate the self-humiliation of the young.

Hia,

I wonder if you used the sabcat in your logo by accident or if it has a deeper political meaning for you?

Les. Good work - you really got me going! I stumbled across your blog by accident and have now been told by a chum at MediaGuardian that it is actually a wind up - and that the Les Hack character is being developed as a worthy, media-type version of David Brent...great spoof. I love the stuff about the labeller and the shoes (who else would say they are 'euro size 44'!).
Good luck with the spin offs - I think there's a real opening for this sort of well-observed comedy. I imagine you won't post this for fear of blowing the scam but you could always double bluff!

Les,

Fancy posting something on how GTD works for the busy freelance hack? I've just done a "stuff dump" - as it were - and have 63 open loops, ranging from write novel to get haircut. What's next?

Neil

I think you've done yourself a big favour just by listing them. On its own, that should help get stuff out of your head and free some of your psychic ram for creative stuff - the writing that brings in the money.

I'm a bit deadlined up at the minute - but I'm not sure in any case I could do better than Ben Hammersley's excellent piece in the technology Graun last September:

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/businesssense/story/0,,1580180,00.html

One of the few things Hammersley writes that I can follow. Given that he paid 600 dollars for the seminar, it might be worth reading it twice..

Les

Loved the pic. Made me laugh which isn't always easy these days. Have you thought of applying for 'What not to wear?' with Trinny and Susannah*? When they've finished with you, you could call in the House Doctor* - she could show you how to de-clutter.

* Not sure you will have heard of either of these programmes - I fear reality TV may be a tiny bit 'grubby' for you?