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This is a microblog. I use Notepad++, Obsidian or write by hand1.
End of the year! Time to get ready for 2025 and do a new 'quarterly review' π. For this week though:
π§ Understanding:
π§Ά Creating & cultivating:
πΊ Consuming:
π Connecting:
πΉ One thing for future self:
2024-12-30
I was reflecting on 2024 with my sponsor, as mentioned in my last post. He asked me to use the framework of Physical Emotional Relational Spiritual, which was an interesting way to break it down. I think I have invested quite a bit this year on E and a little more on P (gym, relfection, planning goals), but maybe a little light on S.
It's a good way to think through self-care, but I hadn't tried to do a review in that way.
And merry Christmas π π
2024-12-25
It's been a tough windown before Christmas this year. To be honest it almost always is. On the really positive side: the builders handed back the keys for the final time πΎ!
π§ Understanding:
π§Ά Creating & cultivating:
πΊ Consuming:
π Connecting:
πΉ One thing for future self:
2024-12-22
π§ Understanding:
π§Ά Creating & cultivating:
πΊ Consuming:
π Connecting:
πΉ One thing for future self:
2024-12-08
Well it feels like winter now anyway π§οΈ, whether it starts on the solstice or 15th or whatever. We have steps outside the house now, which is nice: though the side is still a mud slip 'n' slide. Anyway I've updated my places page, which was looking a little sad.
2024-12-05
π§ Understanding:
difficult project.π§Ά Creating & cultivating:
πΊ Consuming:
π Connecting:
πΉ One thing for future self:
2024-12-01
Odd to post this in quick succession after w46 but I'd like to get a little more in sync with the weekend. This week I am trying out adding a "connecting" category to help me be more thoughtful about how much connection with others I am having in the week.
π§ Understanding:
difficult project𧢠Creating & cultivating:
difficult project, to use with my routineπΊ Consuming: TV Tropes
π Connecting:
πΉ One thing for future self:
2024-11-24
I'm enjoying these week notes π.
π§ Understanding:
π§Ά Creating & cultivating:
πΊ Consuming:
πΉ One thing for future self:
job title; I have a lot to offer. I am not expected to solve everything, but people trust you to look into it."2024-11-20
Feels like my healthy routines and 'protocols' are something I have to choose to do: my quiet manager voice β. As soon as I loose momentum or somtething crops up (like not sleeping properly π€) I stop listening and it all falls apart for a couple days. Disappointing that these things don't just tick along by themselves. Thursday was...not so great π. Hard reminder of what I said before though.
2024-11-17
I've been trying to spend some time at the end of every week, reflecting on how it's gone. I sorta use the weeknotes idea, but sorta not Β―\_(γ)_/Β― . I've decided to post an exerpt each week on the week before. So this is from week 45 (i.e. week commencing 2024-11-04).
π§ Understanding:
π§Ά Creating & cultivating:
πΊ Consuming:
πΉ One thing for future self:
2024-11-13
We've moved into our new kitchen π§βπ³ this week. It was such a wonderful feeling to think that is our space now. And when I clean some Thing, it won't get building dust on it the next day π§Ό.
2024-11-10
Hard to keep going at work: mind is whirling with the US election, lack of sleep π€ and absolutely not caring about what I am needing to do at work today. QA checks of 10s of drawings and a huge specification π₯±. Also it's cold in the office. I'd rather be curled up in bed with a book right now. This is my 40th microblog entry, so there is that.
2024-11-06
Not a word I use often, but it nestly describes my month at work π. I have somehow lost all inspiration and motivation.
2024-10-31
The kids have 2 weeks off school π at the moment and the house extension is ongoing. Weve escaped to the in-laws' new house in a new city. Its not the family favourite but washing dishes in the bath π at home...not great
2024-10-24
Yay! Don't forget π
2024-10-14
I have a small view of God's generosity. Just had to say it. For the longest time, I believed God is good, but not kind...important difference there!
2024-10-11
I joined an in-person fountain pen group event recently. Was really nice to share a meal π· plus some pens βοΈ, inks and paper. This group is annual but even so, it was a highlight for me. It's not easy to find community connection sometimes.
2024-10-06
I joined a group video call π» at work today. As normal for these large meetings we started with a 'safety moment'. These are hard to get right, so I normally don't have high expectations. Today the slide was titled "the cost of getting it wrong" π₯. I find it easy to slip into anxiety when it comes to H&S at work, this was just too much for me and I muted it. I think I'd rather hear about what I can do.
2024-10-01
I think I'm a bit disillusioned with church at the moment. Not my faith itself but with shallow 'churchianity' βͺ. Feel fairly disconnected and wihout significant relationships. Of course I play a part.
2024-09-27
Working on two bids simultaneously. Well...working on one and ignoring the other. Man do I hate working on bids π€―. I saw these humourous 'definitions' recently:
Tender sum: a wild guess carried out to two decimal places
Successful tenderer: a contractor who is wondering what [they] left out
Totally true π€
2024-09-18
I've recently changed to plain text emails in Outlook at work π¨. It's mainly for fun, but it's a natural result of my love for Markdown. (It's also good for security.) I've set emails to be in ModeSeven typeface in a 'console green', inspired by one of my fave Obsidian themes.
2024-09-13
Lots of time at the beach and National Trust properties π―. Very nice to be away but starting to feel the pull of home. Not that I can quite face it yet. It's nice to be here at the sea π; no church, no building work, no dust. But lots of sand lol.
2024-09-08
Dealing with the building work π¨ at home has thrown into sharp relief how much I dread and avoid confrontation.
2024-09-03
Lovely visit to the Broads today. Soft lawns and still water with lillies β€οΈ.Boardwalks and diving terns Sleepy lawns.
2024-08-25
Is recovery work just as much about the journey π as the destination, whatever that is? Something I tried to bring to my recovery group as our discussion topic π€.
2024-08-21
Wow, what a shock: this holiday park, or at least the caravan does not have wifi! I feel a little lost, but grateful to have some disconnection π. And within 100 m of beach dunes π. It's still got 5G so it's not, like, the dark ages.
This post along with the next few were drafted while on a long holiday. Sorry for the long pause!
2024-08-16
Got a Pop-up Sun shelter βΊοΈ from Decathlon. So cool! I was learning about UV risks recently βοΈβοΈ. It's worse than I realised! This is a neat solution. #themoreyouknow
2024-08-03
I haven't lived in the USA since I was 14. Yet here I am... paying an accountant π° to help me figure out Enough of this Byzantine tax system to avoid severe punishment. Not that I ever actually earn enough to owe anything π!
2024-07-29
As a result of my post below, I think my re- balancing approach will be to treat Obsidian / digital π± as my archive, and paper as a 'capture' method. I love my pocket pen π and Hobonichi Weeks, so this sounds fun.
2024-07-24
I think I hit rock bottom on Obsidian today. I go to such extremes: one day it's all in digital tools ("ooo shiny" β¨), then my inner pendulum swings the other way and my heart yearns for analog living ποΈ. It's so hard to get a balance when, really, I need both!
2024-07-19
Good day out with the family on Sat π and a BBQ on Sunday. It's good for days, weeks and months to have their ups and downs, a seasonality. I am getting better at thinking about my day and aiming for a bit of time (the "golden hour" π₯) before bed. Not very consistent about it though.
2024-07-15
Sitting with the kids and doodling and colouring π¨. So nice to slow down and do something together.
2024-07-02
Discovered I can sync Obsidian and Todoist with a plugin π€€. I also got to introduce my colleagues to Espanso (text expander) in a team meeting, which went down well. On another note the UK is finally warm this summer ππ!
2024-06-27
Have to both work as parents to support our family now. It's a load of crap π°π°.
Juggling kids and work is emotionally exhausting. I really feel for single parents now.
2024-06-24
Standing guard over an open manhole, disgusting smell π€’. I've got the unenviable job of keeping an eye on drainage clearing and survey in a food factory. Not sure why I am here tbh! Worried I'll be put off the food type...
2024-06-19
Excellent podcast from the Happiness Lab, on happiness at work. A key point for me is a sense of belonging, of investing in relationships β€. I've been travelling to another office this week π because I've been a bit isolated. It's been a brilliant experience to reconnect.
2024-06-14
There are a lot of things to do and think about in recovery (a la 12-step...). However, I feel like a lot of stuff I/we deal with in life boils down to how much sleep we are getting π€. And good sleep routines.
I once heard:
think of going to bed as the start of the next day...like an investment.
Last night not getting much (kids, neighbours π) is a tough reminder.
2024-06-09
Concrete has been poured for our new home extension today π·ββοΈ. I'm actually stressing out about it as pipes are leaking and it's raining off and on π. I need to let it go.
2024-06-04
Sitting outside, really enjoying The sunshine βοΈ and the space the kids have in a big park. But I still feel a bit of a loss without my phone with me π±.
Probably a good thing I don't have it!
2024-05-31
I've set up my weekly journal. I do love using my Stalogy A5 notebook π and fountain pens. The weekly postit is from Muji. I heard recently that just recording Something helps memory 'cluster' around dates, and keeps us able to recall it π§ .
2024-05-27
Was remembering a game I used to play with friends as a teen.
Lots of good times.
2024-05-22
I've now moved everything over to this site from my short-lived Wordpress blog. Nothing wrong with that site, but I am sure this will be much more fun!
2024-05-18
Soβ¦ that was a crazy couple of weeks. I jumped off the deep end with Settings, themes, plugins, CSS snippets, front matter, data-view queriesβ¦
And now Iβm pulling back. The tool is using me now, not the other way around. Iβve Stripped quite a few things back, hoping this means a week of being balanced in life again π¬.
First published 2024-04-29
How do I experience beauty? How can I put myself in the path of oncoming beauty?
I discussed these recently with Some friends. Some thoughts:
(PS for some reason Googleβs OCR thinks my βsβ are capitalised. Sorry about that!)
First published 2024-04-24
Iβve been procrastinating a lot at work. When I stop and think about it, I wonder if it has a fear-origin π
I am fearful of The challenges I will face if I move into a new project.
First published 2024-04-17
Just discovered Obsidian...
Wow! Canβt believe I missed this one till now. Iβm already migrating everything over. Markdown love β€οΈ!
First published 2024-04-13
card one
These are some things I would like to try. In no particular order!
card two
First published 2024-04-09
I landed in a really tough project at work this week.
I am determined to avoid the terrible triangle. Iβve been caught there too many times π. This is doing all three:
First published 2024-04-04
Such fun seeing the kids hunt for Easter eggs π₯. Makes me kinda wish I had an old camcorder like my dad did when I was little. Now itβs just short clips on the phone.
First published 2024-03-30
Iβve really enjoyed my experience here, though a lot of it was behind the scenes. I am tempted to leave it now, as I have have a strong pull to treat this as a self promotional thing rather than selfless expression. BUT, I am willing to give it a bit longer. Weβll see π§
First published 2024-03-29
Totally distracted trying to figure out how to get Corporate brand-compliant Word docs, but starting with Markdown. Sigh. Not working π€¦ββοΈ (no π² installing plugins or software. with our IT).
First published 2024-02-23
I love analogβ! A thought Struck me: could I create a microblog using index cards and a pen ? The answer is yesπ‘! I am using the Google app OCR function to paste this here. Future Posts on :
First published 2024-02-22
I often use handwritten posts on index cards, in Markdown 'format'. I would then use the Google app on my phone for OCR, post-processed in Obsidian or Notepad++; this process capitalises the odd letter, sOrRy about that! General updates: