Tuesday Sweep: 3 October 2017
I was pretty comfortable missing last week’s Tuesday Sweep. I had good reasons and wasn’t planning to make it a habit. Doing something regularly means not freaking out when you miss a session. I pondered trying to fit it in Wednesday, but then Wednesday wasn’t less intense so I let it go. I did NOT carry it in my head all week because that’s the point of scheduling anxiety laden behavior in the first place, to be able to shake it off when it’s not the time. Consistent regular maintenance lets you be flexible in a tough spot when you need it the most, and means every time doesn’t have to be perfect because you’ll have a another crack next week. Hey a week’s delay is certainly better than Equifax!
Turns out, today was hard too. Differently hard, but hard. Sometimes the tough spot gets really really really tough. And things keep happening. And they keep getting worse. And there is no end in sight. And there will be something even worse tomorrow because that’s just the way it is now. And when will there ever be the time or energy for normal ever again? But this why I don’t get to skip this week, too. That’s not the deal. ONCE is taking a break. TWICE is taking a slide. And that’s when the trouble begins. Because stupid little chores provide the breaks, the silence between the notes that we need to make sense of anything. Sometimes the stupid little chores step up and become friends.
So please, don’t write off as meaningless your weekly chance to back up the files that you put your heart into creating, update that software that makes it possible for you to be you, and otherwise pay attention to the beeping, blinking, buzzing things that make the 21st century freakin’ magic everyday.
Jump in Here
- Welcome. If you haven’t been following along, it’s okay. You’re not behind, you’re just where you are.
- I highly recommend the coach tool at the Crash Override Network has a great step by step break down for many of the same introductory steps we did here.
- Feeling more ambitious? Review the list of OneThing articles and pick one to catch up on.
Sweep
The basics.
- Updated software recently? Pick a new device to check on today.
- Backups still up and running? When was the last time you made a clean disk image? Here’s a new great article on how to design a backup system.
- App and Password Gardening: Delete a low quality app from your phone or delete an account that you don’t need that doesn’t make you happy. Digital cruft builds up. Delete it. If you’re keeping it, can you move the password to your password manager (delete it from everywhere else) and add two factor authentication?
- Move to offline archive & delete your histories where you can find them.
- Double check privacy settings on your phone, social media accounts. The folks running the companies can change the TOS and add “features” before you notice them.
Learn
Where do you scan for news?
And in today’s Escapist Edition
- I really liked this optimistic story about how technology can make a house MORE of a home. Casa Jasmina profiled in Make.
- Haven’t gotten my hands on a copy but I am intrigued -> “Shared, a new anthology curated by digital artist Molly Soda and poet Sara Sutterlin, is an ambitious project — an attempt to record internet art in a tangible, permanent, holdable format.” via the Verge
- If you’re on the fence about Star Trek: Discovery, do watch all the way through the third episode. While the pilot episodes stuffed themselves full of action, episode 3 provides a feel for the actual tone of the series and I’m digging it. (Spoiler full Review of Episode 3)
Reflect
Feeling dumb or stupid about how not-l33t you are? Angsting over some silly thing you “know better than to do.” Stop. That isn’t useful. Regret is only of use if it prompts an actual change in behavior. Maybe it’s NOT you that sucks. Could be it’s the technology and you could come up with a fix that would help lots of people. Look forward and make a plan.
Engage
We are a community. You are a welcome part of it.
