Loosening The Phone Grip

Digital hi-tech is kind of my playground. Yet I've been exploring more analog and lo-tech lately. It's part of my ongoing desire to keep things simple. It's also my aim to avoid smartphone addiction — like endless scrolling, checking, and YouTube rabbit holes. Most important is fleeing from tech idolatry too.

Giving Up On Fancy Journaling Apps

I’m giving up on specialized journaling apps. They entice with nice layouts and fancy features, but they’re proprietary systems. While most have an export function, journal entries are still somewhat locked-in. I switch my set-up too often to be stuck in a special app, so now I’m just using Google Docs. Simplicity and flexibility rule.

Apple Watch Traded For Simplicity

My Apple Watch SE (gen 1) served its time; now it’s back in Apple’s hands. I traded it in. That’s one less computing device for me to manage: less charging, less updating, fewer interfaces, fewer apps. It simplifies things for my feeble brain. So while I enjoyed my time with the Apple Watch’s great fitness features, I’m relieved to let it go.

No Need For Feeds

Well, I did a thing. I’m trying to free my mind from content feeds and the near incessant pull to check, check, check them. The human brain, though neuromarvelous, is not a computer. An app can aggregate hundreds of websites with new content to feed on, but it always ends up overwhelming and never-ending — infinite scroll. My brain simply can’t keep up. So I’ve ditched feeds.

Planning To Plan With A Planner

Sometimes the simplest solution is best. That's a key point in my analog adventure. Yet most surprising for me is, despite being a tech geek and digital adopter, I recently started using a paper Planner for the first time in my 40+ years of living. This is new territory. There’s a Planner and planning rabbit hole that goes deep, with endless attractive stationery.

Meet Cal Newport

Showing more appreciation this week for another creator: Cal Newport. He’s a Computer Scientist (that’s code for “nerd”). His many contributions (website/blog, books, podcasts) and general approach to work/life balance are inspiring and insightful.

More Thoughts On A Journey Of Less

Making the most of minimalism doesn’t strictly mean owning the least you can. Even if it did, I find that it’s taking me years to declutter and minimize. Attaining a simple life — the real goal — isn’t easy. I must be deliberate and mindful.

USB-C All The Things

You may have heard news that the EU is mandating that digital devices use USB-C ports for charging. Basically, all tablets, phones, laptops, cameras, etc must have a USB-C port to charge, as opposed to something like Apple’s Lightning port found on iPhones. And you know what? I’m ready for it!

Wired Audio Sounds Winning

In my recent post where I asked are AirPods worth their cost, I was only comparing them to cheaper “true wireless” alternatives. But there still exists an even more affordable option: wired earphones. Yes, physically connecting your ears to a device with dangling cords. And apparently, it’s a trend amidst Gen Z.

Sticking With iPhone 8 In 2022

Recently, the dynamic iPhone 14 Pro debuted. With it, iOS 16 released, rendering my teens’ iPhone SE and iPhone 7 officially unsupported. My iPhone 8 Plus — now five generations old — still works well. “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” I’m not immune to upgrade-itis and am trying to stick with what I have. After all, it’s an iPhone. What more is needed, right? That said, my wants are tough to moderate.

Apple's Not So Simple Product Strategy

I generally agree with the sentiment that Apple’s line up of tablets and phones has become more complex over time and could benefit from the minimalism Apple was better known for years ago. From The Verge:

Countering Consumerism

Though almost 10 years old, here’s a great article, Consumerism and its Discontents, with a good finger on the pulse of the shifting culture among Millennials in regards to American Capitalism and Consumerism.

Maximizing Contentment

Up front, a disclaimer: I’m not a contentment expert. Being contented in life isn’t something I’ve mastered. It’s often elusive to me and I’m still learning to practice it better. With that, I liked this bit from the minimalists:

The Simplicity Of Craigslist

I stumbled upon a recent article and enjoyed the intrinsic simplicity behind it as well as some nostalgia. I’ve been around on the web long enough to remember using Craigslist long before Facebook Marketplace was a thing. It’s kind of remarkable that the online classifieds site still exists, works, and looks like it did since the beginning.

Choosing Blogger In 2022

After several years of blogging on WordPress, I’m leaving to blog on one of the first and oldest platforms: Blogger. But with its ancient internet age and Google’s propensity to cancel products/services, why would anyone in their right mind choose Blogger in 2022? Because in my case, it’s not the mind.

Progress To Less

Inspired by minimalism and simplicity these past few weeks, I’ve started purging some possessions. It’s definitely a challenging process; decluttering in small steps helps. And after taking two loads to Goodwill so far, I’m already more energized toward owning less.

iPhone Less

It’s been a few weeks since I passed my iPhone through a vacuum of minimalism, removing all nonessential apps. I intentionally purposed it to be mainly just a phone and an iPod. Surprisingly, I’ve not really needed the Mail app or the Safari app since I’m usually near a “real” computer.

Is Finding Favorites Futile?

While concentrating on purging physical and digital clutter from the nooks and crannies of my life, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by the glut of stuff I own or have access to. The picture of a closet or dresser overstuffed with…stuff…is classic, easy to understand. But in the digital realm, where things may be more abstract, less tangible, I’ve realized that in order to clear such clutter, I’ve got to think hard about what stuff is best. There’s simply too much because, being digital, it’s too easy to end up with piles of files. So I must pick my favorites; what’s most valuable?

More Minimalism Please

Lately, I’ve been less lasered-into computing and gaming — though I’m enjoying much Minecraft recently — and more focused on minimizing extra things in my life. This mostly means purging possessions but also paring pursuits. Excess things and activities take up extra space, time, and money. Clearing the clutter saves on these while revealing what’s left and what’s most important. So I’m trying to clean the slate and prioritize needs over wants, necessities over luxuries. I feel compelled to simplify.

Smartphone Moderation For The Win

How often do you check your phone? I compulsively check for new stuff. It’s like a mobile slot machine: pull the lever…what did I get?! You probably know the feeling, that subconscious tug from your brain-to-fingertips to find something new or novel with the glowing screen in your hands. It’s distracting. I want a calm un-fragmented psyche. No more Smartphone Psychosis, please. Zombie-scrolling, mindless checking, and constant connecting must stop.