I've recently undergone a profound conversion experience. I've started using Org-mode. It's an emacs mode that provides tremendous way of keeping notes, to-do lists and reminders, all in a plain text file, but with enormous power to view the information in several different useful ways. Its power derives from the combination of folding (outlining), timestamps and TODO items. You can view the file as a timeline, as an agenda, as a list of TODO items, or just as a list of folded top level headings that you can open individually. Try it. (It helps if you're used to emacs.)