Month: January 2021

Mixing Interfaces

The most confusing experience comes from switching between different interfaces and input modes. I was working on a few little things at the same time, not in a focused mode, jumping from one to another.

What I had in front of me at the same time:

1. Notebook and a pen

2. MacBook

3. iPad + keyboard

A few things I was faced with:

– You can’t scroll a notebook page

– You can’t tap on the link on a MacBook (at least, the one that I have)

– Moving my finger on a desk space below the standalone keyboard (that I use with iPad) doesn’t work. (There’s no trackpad there)

Advice, kids: don’t do a million things at once.

Does the brain just gets confused, I wonder, or grows plasticity?

Posted on by T

The need to be festive

Why does someone have a need to “feel festive”? Where does this expectation come from, to dress up, and have fun, and be joyful? We know, we know. The social norms, the marketing, the traditions remixed by marketing. Yet, I found myself asking this, on a Christmas Eve, after getting dressed up (meaning out of my leggings and hoodie), dabbing a bit of perfume on my wrists, and making my hair to “go out”, which essentially meant to the bookstore, the only open non-grocery store.

I definitely didn’t have to impress anyone with my looks, now even less, with social contacts being minimized and all. What made me feel the need to dress up? Why look around for the symbols of the festivities? Why the sadness about the lack of decorations and happy (maybe slightly drunk) faces? After all, I have never been a huge fan of Christmas, or particularly needing ugly sweaters, tons of mulled wine, Frank Sinatra or other attributes. I wasn’t against them as such, just not paying too much attention. And generally, I don’t feel like I haven’t had festive moments lately. Just maybe not on-cue ones.

Perhaps, it’s the social animal in me — the extroverted part that lives alongside the caved introvert — that wants to mingle with people, that’s very much looking forward to the post-lockdown times when we can all go to concerts and rub shoulders with others literally. Perhaps, holidays like Christmas have their social aspect both in the much-feared family reunions, and in the the town festivities like Christmas markets where you can just be among people. For someone like me, who likes and needs solitude to live and breathe, it’s also strange to find an extroverted slice of my soul that is suddenly craving the atmosphere, the holiday crowd.

I’m wondering if, when we all can go out and gather on the streets, and mingle, if the fashion is going to take a turn toward the more festive, the more crazy one. Sequins, colors, crazy hatter fashion — just because we have lounged in our sweatpants for too long. Another possibility is that loungewear will have become so much the norm by then, that we won’t be likely to exchange for anything more luxurious yet less comfortable. Wear only something you wouldn’t mind sleeping in. Time will tell. So far, the only clothes I bought were sports, lounge, and a long sleeveless dress in hope of the future in which I have somewhere to wear it.

Is there going to be a replacement for being in a noisy bar, or at a rock concert?

Posted on by T

Challenges instead of resolutions: Swapping pressure for fun

In December, I was looking at patterns that work for me, and those that don’t (or lack of patterns, actually). In other words, I was trying to find a way to consistency in what I do. Replacement of willpower — as I found myself again and again facing the fact that I set out with an intention, and didn’t follow through. This blog would be one of such cases, actually. I started it with the sole idea of “I want to write more”, and I didn’t write more. I started it after not being able to come up with a clear plan or goal in mind, I just wanted to give myself some space where I could write. There are other examples too, which I won’t bore you with. The usual things, maybe not too important or not too big, the things that I wanted to do, and didn’t. That didn’t stick.

And yet, there are other things, where I’m good at. Or different settings that enable that consistency. I was quite haughty about the concept of 30-day challenge. Like, I’m not that person who resorts to these measures, I’m better than that. Yeah, I’m not. Actually, I tried 30 (or insert-your-number) day challenges a lot of times, when I was feeling as a beginner in something. As soon as I was past that newbie feeling, I thought that I should be able to do better than that. Not exercise, or meditate, or not eat sugar, or (insert your usual suspects here) for the sake of numbers and putting checks in boxes.

You know what? Looking back, I figured out two things:

One. 30-day challenges, even with corny printouts and physically crossing out the days, they work. Yes, they can be crutches, but also, they are simple, visual, and kinda-dorky-kinda-fun. In November-December, I did this pushup challenge, and I was quite happy with my results. I did it just for fun, because I thought it would be interesting to do — and it was.

Two. Don’t try and do everything at the same time. This is a simple thing that, hopefully, everybody knows. Pick one thing to focus on, and do it. Not five things, even when you have fifty things on your list of habits to build or challenges to take.

For this year, as usual, I’m not doing any New Year resolutions, but I’m going to try monthly challenges for myself. Swapping pressure (resolutions) for fun (challenges). On the last day of the month, I’m going to think of a challenge to do the next month, and I’m going to do it for the whole month. On the months that have 31 days, I might take the last day off, or do 31 days. In February, sorry, it’s going to be 28 days.

If you’re interested, for January I have two things, one that I want to do and one that I don’t want to do:
– Write with a pen and paper every day. Nothing specific, just a scribbling type of activity that has the value in the process itself rather than in the result. I don’t even have an aim in mind, will see where it gets me.
– Don’t drink coffee. I’m not a big coffee drinker anyway, I’m focused on tea. So this shouldn’t be difficult, I only need to remember when I have an option to get a coffee — not to do it.

Posted on by T