organizing =intra-day tasks= with a countdown timer

[Samuel Wales <samologist@gmail.com>]

I wrote this a while back, and now I see that the manual
describes a countdown timer.  So now might be a good
time.

===

We've discussed something like this before, but it seems
there have been changes, so I am starting from scratch.

Wondering how much of the functionality exists in Emacs or
Org.

I describe it in detail below.

===
Overview:
===

I'd like to keep =countdown timers= and get reminded at
blastoff.

This is a completely separate concept from clocking, effort
estimates, and that org timer that inserts mm:ss, by the
way.

Here is a single example -- all 3 timers will run at the
same time:

  1) You just put the laundry in.  You want a reminder to
     switch it in 30m.
  2) You are also making tea right now.  You want a reminder
     in 5m to drink it.
  3) You are interviewing somebody at 6PM today.  You want a
     reminder 15m before and at 6PM.

Note that 1 and 2 are specified with a number of minutes,
while 3 is specified with a time.

Note that there is more than one timer at the same time.

===
Entry:
===

The interface should be simple, perhaps via capture, and
definitely in the minibuffer.  It's OK if it creates tasks.
This would allow persistence and keep track of your
activities.

Appt-add can mostly do 3, but without keeping an Org task
and without specifying duration (only target).  Thus, you
have to manually calculate the duration, which is a
cognitive burden.

For 3 you can add an Org task, set a time, and tell appt to
show it.  However, I don't know if there is a capture
interface for all of that.

I know of no mechanism for 1 and 2.

===
Output:
===

Ideally, you would be able to show a buffer that shows
remaining duration, target time, and name of thing:

  |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
  | status   |  target | remaining | task      |
  |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|
  | reminded |   17:17 | -13m      | tea       |
  | -        | /17:30/ | -         | /now/     |
  | wait     |   17:44 | 14m       | laundry   |
  | wait     |   18:00 | 30m       | interview |
  |----------+---------+-----------+-----------|

I don't know if it makes sense to use agenda.

And a timer in the modeline that can be switched between the
currently clocked task display (whatever you are clocking in
org, i.e. the usual count-up display) and the next item (in
this case laundry in 14m).

===

OK, so how much of all this is possible these days?

Thanks.


Samuel