solutions to swimming in paper

So here I am, swimming in paper and trying to get organized. It was an unusual sunny day in northern Germany and, did I get to enjoy it? No, I was drowning in trying to find something. Actually I was looking for just ONE important piece of paper (ever had that happen?). I need it to show that I'm registered with the city at this address... so I can register a new (well, it's used, but it's new for me) company car in my name at our local motor vehicles' office.

If you're like me and have trouble organizing yourself in a paper world-- read further from a fellow traveler (if not-- skip this and enjoy my photos on the other posts! ha!). Here are a few hints that I'm trying to practice...

1. First, ban the paper world to enter your home at all. That colorful Sunday bulletin? Read it at church, and then leave it there. Or, if you do have something enter your apartment, have a place near the front door where you can deposit unwanted mail flyers or grocery store ads into right away, and then later take them to the paper recycling. At a conference? See if some of the hand-outs you really like are actually in digital form and if the conference speaker would give it to you.
2. If you have a crisis and just HAVE to find that crucial one piece of paper-- consider it a blessing. God is helping you get motivated... because goodness knows, I bet you really DO thrive in a cleaner and more organized world, right?
3. Don't JUST search for that one thing, but, if you have some time, "redeem" the hours to really dig in and create new space: enjoy those old photos that were stacked up, to put those travel lotions back where they can be found when you really need them, to file away those bank statements or medical forms.
4. Don't file everything as you handle it, or run to another room with each item which you un-earth -- some items or "categories" come up several times over the course of an hour, so it's good to create a few stacks and then now and then put them away. For instance, when you realize you've got those bank statements sandwiched in between the stack, start a new pile just with THAT bank, and then file them, when you have more than one months' worth.
5. As you open a file, figure out if you need to not just put something IN, but also clean part of it OUT of there, from older paperwork (such as 2003 frequent flyer mileage updates).
6. Listen to music, or to a Podcast, while you work...
7. Leave your drinks in the kitchen-- that gives you encouragement to stretch those legs every now and then and keep up your energy.
8. Let yourself get just a WEE bit distracted, so you don't start crying ... (like my writing this blog in the middle of the search-- I'm still on the look-out for that paper!).
9. Consider learning how to get rid yourself of even more paper, by using Evernote (I'm just barely into this but exploring how I might need to shift into a paperless world very soon). Consider Michael's Hyatt's blog posts on this! If you DO use this extensively, I'd love to get a coaching session...
10. So... what is YOUR tip or suggestion... ?? I'd enjoy more ideas... 

on camera

For 3 days in Braunschweig & almost a week in Sevilla, Connexxion had the privilege of being "shot" for a documentary (as well as being interviewed for future magazine articles) about what we do on campus. Here I am at the Burgplatz, being filmed showing a visiting American teenager around, for a portion of the projects involving a kids' video...

 orientation with the Union students

 meeting up with media team and the group from Union University, at the mall on our way walking to dinner, after a long morning/ afternoon filming interviews in my apartment

Looking around town with media team ... (they didn't see the sun while in Germany!)

Anja and Birthe, who led the week, explaining aspects of the schedule while at orientation for our group from Tennessee...

WOW! what a week!

 

We just had our annual W.O.W Week ("week of welcome") here in Braunschweig, as we do each January.

 It's a chance for a university group from the USA, in Tennessee, to have a cultural exchange with Connexxion. Above we had a cafe night in a restaurant called Alex!

 Kris (on our staff) and Karen (staff person from Union) at one of 3 locations where we passed out 4,500 flyer- invites and 3,500 gummy bears on campus, including stuffing the dormitory mailboxes.

 On Wednesday we had pasta parties at 4 locations... here are Toni, Albert, and Janina B., at a dorm where Thanh lives.

 Colton from America, Sven, and Matthias...

And yours truly between Niklas and Betsy

sites of the season (Christmas in Tampa)

 I loved getting reacquainted with my niece, after being away many months!

 She loves her grandfather!

catching up with dear friends, Teresa and Deborah, on New Year's Day at the Hartley's! Notice we are on a screened- in porch (ahhh... Florida in the winter time!)

with my family we visited my favorite "kitchy" place to go during Christmas, over in St. Pete, with gobs and oodles of Christmas lights and Christmas bears and seasonal ornaments, and... everything!

Christmas party at Connexxion

 ahhhh... the Christmas party. Every group does one, but Connexxion for SURE always knows how to "do it up right!" Kris, Stan and Lars are great actors...

 Every so often during a party, you gotta grab a moment to catch up with a friend (Andre and Kris)

 Anja and Joanna... also in the Christmas spirit

 Tobi just started coming around the group this year, as a freshman... with Birthe helping in the kitchen

 we played a game (we've done this before! but it still "works"!)... dressing a student up, in teams, with plenty of toilet paper... and whatever they can find in the apartment. another team goes around and judges the "works of art" according to 4-5 categories... YES-- we take this game seriously! :-)... Lena, Christoph, Peter and Wiebke are looking on, to put on the final touches.

 Lars and Dodo are engaged to be married in September-- I just love these two!

 we met Hulya this semester and she is a real sweetie!

in my apartment-- the gang all listening, as the jury shares the game "rules"-- ready, set... GO!

HEART BEAT Conference

Anja Koch has the gift of teaching and just glowed as she and husband Thomas shared principles about a healthy marriage relationship. We are privileged to have them lead the work in Jena, Germany!

 We opened the first of the conference in Berlin, this November, with Michelle and Bethany, working in Hungary, giving an illustration of how even before a baby is born, he has a heart that is developing... and about how we want to get in sync with God's heart!

 Here I am with 2 new friends, from the USA (living in Hungary) and from Hungary, in front of the Reichstag (seat of government)

 God blessed as 75 of us came together, from 9 nations!

Translation was available in German (or English, depending on the speaker), as well as Spanish, for all main sessions and some seminars (see the 2 persons standing beside the room dividers at the back). Here you see Abraham Rios, staff in Sevilla, Spain, beside Thomas Koch, from Jena, Germany.

Friends of ours from Braunschweig did an amazing job leading in worship, Esther, Tommy and Inga... and Kris, on staff, joined them (guitar).

HEART BEAT: A life in sync with God's heart beat! Our 3rd Connexxion Conference will be held this November 2012!! Check out THIS BLOG for more infos, in German & English... and also for Info. about how you can register. Join us in Berlin, with special guest speakers Erwin Schwindt (Kirche für Bonn), Neil Walker & Jeremy Walker (USC Christian Challenge, Los Angeles), Deanna Davis (speaker, Atlanta, Georgia), and Matt and Jessica Sturdevant (Hope Church, Ft. Worth, Texas).

semester start in Braunschweig

Semester start in Braunschweig happened the same day that classes began, last Monday! Here they are-- Janina, Anja, Nikola and Kris (joined by others from Connexxion, too) -- friendly smiles and invites with gummy bears to welcome the freshmen class --of about 2500 students!

 We handed out over 600 invites; and also did a few "Soularium" surveys with students which uses 5 questions about their student life and their view of God and they choose a photo to represent their ideas.

 The night before we had a stapling session after worship

 Anja had a birthday in September and her roommate Judith moved in also that same month-- so they just had a (belated) party to celebrate both events-- with a Turkish theme.

 Kris (middle) with Stan and Peter-- two good friends at the party, who have invited him to start playing a strange intramural sport called "Jugger."

Judith and Anja, along with Hulya (rt) who prepared most of the delicious, classic Turkish food & desserts!

semester start in Jena

 Our Connexxion Info- table, with Maria, Kati, Antje & Thomas.

 I had the privilege of jumping in a car, less than 48 hours after returning from Sevilla, and helping out the Connexxion group there on campus with "Markt der Moeglichkeiten" (Possibilities Fair) for freshmen students.

 every imaginable student organization was there... student government, sports' groups, choirs, political societies, interest clubs...

That night we went to an indoor go- cart track...

 The next day we went to see the Zwiebelmarkt (onion market) in nearby Weimar (with Anja K. & Antje B).

Here's my friend Michelle, who just graduated from USC in Los Angeles, enjoying one of the best tastes of the state of Thuringia-- bratwurst und senf (sausage & mustard)

semester start in sevilla

 At Parque Maria Luisa...  hanging out & playing frisbee in Sevilla. Rebekah (in green & red) just moved here from the States to work with Connexxion.

Drinking arabic tea... at the Feria de las Naciones (international festival) with Johnny (Inma's boyfriend), Inma's uncle and her mom, Paloma

 Sunday at the Comunidad Aljarafe church worship

 late nite cafe and sharing "tapas"-- God blessed me by having special friends visit during the same time-- Lea, from Germany (left), and Sierra (red & white shirt) from Oregon. Both were here during my 2nd year in Sevilla. Inma is a treasure and it's always super to get to see her.

 planning meeting with key students for the new semester...

beside the cathedral-- Inma's dad (far rt), Paco, showing Kris, Rebekah and myself around the old city neighborhood ("casco antiguo") which is where the family lives, in Barrio Santa Cruz

Kris soaking up the night affects at the Plaza de Espana

 in front of the Rectorado, where they have an English Club followed by a discussion group each Wednesday

 special soup I enjoyed with friends...

 Sylvia and her little girl and father in law ... she is a singer & used to work with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship in Spain. She & their family are such a joy to be with; they're now doing an organic church start.