Make it easy. Otherwise, we know what happens...

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/game_of_thrones

LEGO & Gender, part 2

Part two of an insightful video series I've been enjoying from Anita Sarkeesian, highlighting LEGO's frankly embarrassing approach to marketing itself for girls, as well as some suggestions for how LEGO could do this properly.

http://www.feministfrequency.com/2012/02/lego-gender-part-2-the-boys-club/

(and if you missed part 1, start there: http://www.feministfrequency.com/2012/01/lego-gender-part-1-lego-friends/)

AFOLCON - the Adult Fan of Lego Conference

3rd and 4th May 2012, Manchester, �60. I might have to go.

http://www.thelegoshow.com/afolcon/home.html

[thanks, @frankieroberto]

I missed the Brits Awards ceremony last night. Well, I didn't miss it so much as just not watch it. Paul Mison is here to provide some fond memories of happier, simpler times.

http://notes.husk.org/post/18033128911/klf-ent-3am-eternal-brits

Finally, my new job means a new computer. I'm enjoying the 13" MacBook Air very much. The very first two apps that I installed were:

1.) nvALT

http://brettterpstra.com/project/nvalt 

Brett Terpstra's tweaked and improved version of Notational Velocity, I use this to write text files for first drafts of things, notes to self, work in progress.... everything really. It's a lot like having a whole bunch of text files (in fact, depending on how you have it set up, it can be exactly like that) but with a really fast way of navigating between them. It's powerful and simple. The best bit though is hooking it up to the http://simplenoteapp.com/ service, which means it syncs my files with the global information super cloud, meaning I never have to worry about moving from one computer (or device) to another. Handy.

2.) Things 

http://culturedcode.com/things/

A GTD-type app for OS X, iPhone and iPad which is really rather nice (if a little on the pricey side once you've found yourself buying all three). I've been using it for a while and it works well for me. Other people might prefer TaskPaper. Or, you know, a notebook or something. Some people even seem to cope without any sort of TODO list system at all, though I'm pretty sure those people are mad. I know I've been sleeping better since I've been writing down everything I'm supposed to do, and I appreciate being able to delve into different projects, pulling out items by tag, due date etc.

And, speaking of intertubeclouds, I really like the new cloud sync beta of Things which finally introduces the long-awaited feature of keeping your iPhone/Pad synced up to your laptop without having to think about it.

https://culturedcode.com/things/wiki/index.php/General_Info_for_Cloud_Sync_Beta_Testers

(Now I've got the hang of it, I particularly enjoy the new daily review feature too.) 

If you're already a Things user and are missing out on the Cloud sync beta, you can sign up for the beta yourself here: http://culturedcode.com/beta/thingscloud/signup/

As ever, you can get in touch by replying to this email. I love hearing from you, even if you have not written a jingle. Actually, one thing I'd really like is for people to start sending me links to things they'd like to see featured here. It doesn't need to be something especially new, just something you find interesting. Send me links. No pressure. Send me links.

Yours sincerely

Roo

Roo Reynolds

@rooreynolds

http://tinyletter.com/rooreynolds

Roo's Letter now has a jingle. Yes, an actual jingle, with words and a tune and everything. You were not expecting that, I bet. Even more surprising is that it's actually a rather haunting little piece which wouldn't be out of place on something late at night on Radio 4.  The lovely @wesayso wrote in to say that whenever he opens the Roo's Letter it makes him feel strangely sentimental, and tried to recreate what he hears in his head when he reads it.  He sent this in. Thanks, Wes. Personally, I think this may be one the best 5 seconds in the history of recorded sound, and it would make me happy to think of you all listening to this every time you open one of these newsletters. So I'll just imagine that happening now.

http://db.tt/8PiJu2Mu [mp3]