New! Power move: Create multiple appointments and to-dos without repeating yourself

Ever find yourself sending Sandy a flurry of things to remember? For example:

> remember to pick up the dry cleaning @errand
> remember to stop by the paint store and find a nice color for the bedroom @home @errand
> remember to pick up my macbook @errand

Around the third item you're no doubt wishing for a shortcut.

Try writing that list as, well..., a list:

> remember +
> * [first thing to remember]
> * [second thing to remember]
...

The power is in that plus sign at the end of the first line: it tells Sandy to treat each item in the list as an independent item, as if it were written out long-hand as "remember [first thing to remember]."

For example:

> remember +
> * pick up the dry cleaning @errand
> * stop by the paint store and find a nice color for the bedroom @home @errand
> * pick up my macbook @errand

Sandy reads this list as "remember" + [each item in the list].

Useful, eh?

And there's more...

If all the items in your list have tags in common, simply drop those tags into the first line before the plus sign like so:

> remember @common_tag +

For example:

> remember @errand +
> * pick up the dry cleaning
> * stop by the paint store and find a nice color for the bedroom @home
> * pick up my macbook

Sandy reads this as "remember" + [each item in the list] + @errand. She reads the second item as "remember" + "stop by the paint store and find a nice color for the bedroom @home" + "@errand" and so tags it with both @errand and @home (and the same for the rest of the items in the list).

But wait, there's more...

Anything all of the items in your list have in common can be dropped into the first line before the plus sign.

For example, you can schedule all of those errands for the same day like this:

> remind me tomorrow afternoon @errand +
> * pick up the dry cleaning
> * stop by the paint store and find a nice color for the bedroom @home
> * pick up my macbook

Sandy reads this as "remind me tomorrow afternoon [to]" + "pick up the dry cleaning" + "@errand" (and the same for the rest of the items in the list).

In fact, you can pack all the details into the first line before the plus sign and leave only what's different to the list itself, for example:

> remember dentist appointments @dentist +
> * 11/27 4pm
> * 11/29 2pm

Sandy reads this as "remember dentist appointments" + "11/27 4pm" + "@dentist" (and the same for the rest of the items in the list).

= "Remember +" rules =

You can mix and match to your heart's content. The rules are simple:

1. Text, tags, dates, and times that appear in the first line between the "remember" or "remind" and the plus sign are added to all of the items in the list.
2. Text, dates, and times that appear in any of the list items override those in the first line.
3. Tags that appear in the first line are added to those in any of the list items (they don't replace them).

Powerful, huh?

Here are some examples of situations in which you'll find this "remember +" shortcut indispensable:

= Examples =

== You're a student and need to remember your irregular work, class, and exam schedule ==

> remind me to work at the bookstore +
> * 7/6 12-5pm
> * 7/8 12-4pm
> * 7/9 9-11am

== You have a series of appointments differing only in their dates and times -- and sometimes in their details ==

> remember well-baby appointment with Dr. Mayer @pregnancy +
> * Jan 2, 2-3pm @ultrasound
> * Feb 4, 9-10am
> * Mar 10, 1-3pm @lab

== Your meeting results in a series of action items all related to the same project or deadline ==

> remember due next thursday @project_x @todo +
> * Pat to produce initial forecast @monetization
> * Chris to write schedule of deliverables @"project management"
> * JJ to work with the art department on some mock-ups @design