Tech-tip
As some of you know I’ve been making my financial way in the world for about 20 years as a computer consultant to individuals and small businesses. This was not Plan A. However, after my organizing years when my writing didn’t bring me sudden, glorious wealth I had to go with Plan B. It’s not been entirely bad and who knows, if one of the questions at the Pearly Gates has to do with DOS and 1984 computers I might pass through.

I recently began using a service that may interest some of you. It’s called JOTT and is essentially a phone answering service that converts your spoken words into text and then e-mails them to you. I use it only for myself, but there is a scheme by which you can JOTT a team of people. It works this way. I am driving down the highway and have an earthshattering idea for a story I am working on, or “milk” pops into my head and I don’t want to forget to buy it before getting home. I punch a speed dial button on my cell phone; the JOTT number is dialed; JOTT recognizes the number I am calling from and instantly finds my account and says “Who do you want to JOTT?” I say “me.” It says “beep” and I say “get milk.” Or in the case of the earth-shattering idea I say “the clue which solves the mystery depends on figuring out who the angelheaded hipster is in line three of HOWL.” I hang up. Next time I open my e-mail the message is there, typed out, and surprisingly readable. There are a few times when it says [mmrrph — inaudible] but there is always a link to your voice message, so you can listen to yourself and figure out what the missing word is. Each “beep” is limited to 40 seconds, but you are asked if you want to make another JOTT. I seldom need more than the first one.

If you spend a lot of time away from your writing and note-taking tools this is a fabulous supplement. Plus, it will save you and the rest of us a lot of near misses on the highway as you don’t have to write while driving… So far it’s free. You can put several phone numbers on the account, and several e-mail addresses. Take a look: http://www.jott.com/

I’ll be adding other tech tips from time to time, especially as they impact our political / cultural lives. Next time an evaluation of CNN’s Pipeline — the internet 4 chanel feed.