So, most of my friends will tell you, I love the movie Groundhog Day. I watch it every year on Groundhog Day.

What I do love about it is that it demonstrates how someone can change for the better. So, I always find a great way to check up on my recent New Year’s Resolutions from a month ago. Am I staying on track or have I already fallen off the band wagon.

This year I started using the App/Website Evernote again. It’s had some great updates to it. I made tons of lists and started pages for projects. All to make sure I stayed on track this year. The basic version is free which is great. It’s web based so you can check your lists anywhere.

Here my home page. You create pretty much any document. You have a little notepad to jot down notes for that moment. You can create “To Do Lists”. Once completed you check them off and it crosses it off the list (which always feels great).

You create Documents (Notes) for whatever you need. I began using it to create cliff notes for new applications/tutorials I go through. This one is from Artstation using Blender for Sculpting.

It really helps, I can type down the hot keys, mark up screen captures, etc. I use a Windows machine, so I found clicking the Print Screen button a little cumbersome. I have dual monitors, so I have to download the image, bring it into Photoshop to crop it, then save it. There are other ways to do this and I’ve tried them. I found LightShot a free application to be great. Once installed it takes over your “Prnt-Scr” button. I always you to quickly marquee your screen, make a note, and then paste it. It works on Mac and PC.

Having this note is so much easier than going back to the video, and you can paste weblinks to go back to the videos if needed.

There are templates you can use or create your own. I have found this very very useful to keep track of my projects, to do lists, and organize my day.

“Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ‘ cause it’s cooooold out there today.”

Well, we can all say we are very VERY happy to be rid of 2020. But for all of 2020’s misery and pain, it did show us how interconnected we all are still in this day and age. One person’s pains and hardships can have ramifications on so many other lives. It made me think back on one of my favorite Christmas movies (and actual all around movie), “It’s a Wonderful Life”.

It’s very appropriate now, it deals with hardship and mental health along with happiness and realization your life isn’t as bad as you think. A quote from it came to mind:

“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?“

This has tremendous meaning in 2020, we’ve lost so many souls this year around the world. Many have suffered unimaginable heartache, mental, physical and financial loss and fatigue. But we have gotten through the year by leaning on friends, family and kindness of strangers.

As we embark into 2021, let us not forget that everyone around us is still reeling from an incredibly hard year and it will still take some effort to get 2021 going in a positive direction. We’ve learned that even the smallest gesture of gratitude can brighten someone’s day; from a clerk ringing up our groceries and risking their health to do it, to a first responder caring for our loved ones, our mail carriers delivering packages and to us trying to shelter in place and following safety protocols to keep others from harm.

Put good out in the world and let’s have some good come back. Figure out what you can do in 2021 to help others. There is no gesture to small.

As my favorite line from the end of the movie, we need to lean on those around us, to then have them lean on us when they need it as well. Be a friend to all. Happy New Year everyone!!