For the coffee... get a machine that drips the coffee through a cone into a
clear glass pot. (Like a Mr. Coffee or a Kenmore)

For little reminders about appointments, if you check your e-mail every
day, I would suggest:

Candor
http://www.candor.com/reminder/default.asp

or some other free e-mail reminder service.

Just schedule an e-mail to be sent the day before (or the day of)
whatever you want to be reminded of.

My phone company used to offer a service where I could record messages for myself such as: All I had to do was record the message and program in what time I
should get it. Sad to say... the phone company has discontinued the
service.