In this post I’m going to show you how to consolidate and aggregate your data easily between Google SpreadSheets.
To implement this I’ll be using Google SpreadSheets and SQL.
Category: Me
Anything about me !
In this post I’m going to show you how to implement a data capture system that will allow you to get your data easily into Google SpreadSheets. In my case I need this to be enabled from my Android phone but once you see the method you will see how it can be extended to other applications.
To implement this I’ll be using Google Forms, Google SpreadSheets and Tasker.
Working as a Business Intelligence consultant I work with numbers every day and have to deliver benefit from them. I also do the same in my personal life, I LOVE my FitBit, and have macros that pull my stats out using the FitBit API and store it in a Google SpreadSheet and then aggregate the data and publish it to my dashboard.
This works fine for my automatically captured data, I needed a solution for more manual data points. I wanted a way to be able to capture data on my phone, store the data in Google SpreadSheets so that I can integrate it with my existing data and then send a summary spreadsheet back to my Android phone.
I will break the steps down in the following series of posts:
Quantified Self – Google And Android – Capture
Quantified Self – Google And Android – Aggregation
Quantified Self – Google And Android – Reporting
Categories
InBox Zero And Quantified Self
I’m a huge fan of keeping my inbox empty, but not very good and keeping it that way.
I’m becoming more interested in the “Quantified Self” concept i.e. you can only fix things that you can measure.
The obvious answer is to monitor what my GMail inbox looks like on a daily basis.
As you should know by know my plan for the year was to run four marathons, one in each of Wales, Scotland, England and Ireland for MND Scotland.
The start of October saw the English leg with the Chester marathon.
This year my fund-raising for MND Scotland involves running four marathons in Wales (Llanelli), Scotland (Edinburgh), England (Chester) and Ireland (Dublin).
Last weekend saw the first of these.
Categories
Long Live The Tache
Since Christmas I have been sporting a new look – now it’s the time to announce why!
I have been raising money for various charities by running (I’m doing 4 marathons this year for MND Scotland) but I have finally found a way where your donations can impact ME as well as helping MND sufferers and their families in Scotland.
On Monday the 2nd of April my tache will be “born”.
I will keep my tache for as long as there are donations to support it.
My tache expects £10 per day – if the total raised is £100 then my tache will “live” until 10 days after the 2nd of April.
The more you give the longer it lives – once it’s gone it’s gone !
I have never been a fast runner – but parkrun has always been a competitive event for me.
If I have not been chasing a personal best (PB), I have at least been trying to shave a few seconds off my time for the previous week or trying to pass the runner just in front (truth be told I always aim for the person two in front, to make sure I PASS the person in front of me).
This year, what with a series of coughs, colds, splutters, work commitments and various slight injuries; my running has really suffered and my head has not been in the right place either so I have really neglected my marathon training schedule.
I was supposed to be tail running at Strathclyde parkrun event 99 but John Edge asked if he could take my place – he is tactically planning to run his 50th parkrun at our 100th event next Saturday. This left me free to run the event at my own pace! I’m still nursing a slight pull to my hamstring and I was supposed to be running the Alloa half marathon the following day, this left me free to pick my own pace.
Just as we started there was that ominous sound from my Garmin – No Battery, my watch died. Nothing left for it but to just run and listen to my body – run at a nice comfortable pace and enjoy the view and enjoy the company.
This resulted in one of my best parkrun running experiences ever – comfortable enough to have a conversation and enjoy the view. Running in a different part of the field from normal allows you to meet completely new runners, I’m privileged to be a regular volunteer so I do get to see most of the runners but maybe not have as long a chat as I would like.
So why don’t you try it – experience a parkrun at a completely different pace!
Disclaimer : I’m on the core team for Strathclyde parkrun and am always on the lookout for new runners to join our event or do one of the easy volunteer roles that enable our events to be enjoyed by so many.
Those that know me will agree that I’m a bit of a “geek”.
Whilst I don’t always chase the latest and greatest geek toys or gadgets I do like to try and find a practical application of how technology can help me. This is a side effect of being a Business Intelligence consultant where I am striving to maximise (and measure) the benefits for my clients.
During a quiet moment I pondered – If I was to build a dashboard to measure/motivate/incentivise “ME” what would be on it?
Edinburgh Marathon 2011
As you should know by now I’m running the Edinburgh Marathon to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. This event is part of my challenge of running 1,000km in 2011. Every £20 raised for Marie Curie helps provide one hour of nursing care. Marie Curie were a fantastic help with my daughter Emma before we lost her to MND.
If you are feeling generous I will be accepting donations until the end of the year at http://www.justgiving.com/1000k-in-2011
If you would like to follow me during my marathon I have set up my phone so you can track my progress:
Another way you can track my progress is via Twitter: https://twitter.com/rossgoodman
I will be attempting to live tweet during the run using VLingo on my phone which should tweet whatever I speak to it. Who knows how well it will work when I’m a bit “breathless”.