4 ms·

I've kept a digital journal for almost two years now, honestly I had the same fear at the beginning but my work and side-projects (which is what I keep there, p

I've kept a digital journal for almost two years now, honestly I had the same fear at the beginning but my work and side-projects (which is what I keep there, plus ideas and QS-style observations) are nothing I feel embarassed about. In fact, this has been an excellent exercise to cultivate writing and I'd like to publish some of these things one day, in longer and polished form. I'd suggest to just start your journal, this sounds like "premature optimization".

NhanH 12y ago
I already have a journal/note (digital) that I used to store relevant information about work, idea etc. The problem is that I want to start writing more personal note down (similar to this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2918935 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2918935) :-).
- hobo_mark 12y ago
  Fascinating, this guy and gwern would get along well. However, the first word that comes to me for this behavior is... hoarding, who would ever look at all of this stuff? Not judging or anything, but I feel that all this effort directed backwards (at the past) would have so much more impact if pointed forwards (making new things). Since I started mine, every december 31st I read my journal for the past year and I feel like I am writing too much stuff already. This is pushing me to make a conscious effort to recognize, in 'real time', what is important and what isn't, I find that to be a great exercise in mindfullness.
  - NhanH 12y ago
    I agree that the issue about hoarding is true. In my context, I'm actually thinking about more of a personal system that happens to have journal as part of it (and to do list, and personal knowledge etc.). Partly a reason why I think the spare machine is not a good idea (processing data on it would be a hassle), and why paper doesn't work.

4 ms·

I've kept a digital journal for almost two years now, honestly I had the same fear at the beginning but my work and side-projects (which is what I keep there, p

by hobo_mark 12y ago

NhanH 12y ago
I already have a journal/note (digital) that I used to store relevant information about work, idea etc. The problem is that I want to start writing more personal note down (similar to this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2918935 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2918935) :-).
- hobo_mark 12y ago
  Fascinating, this guy and gwern would get along well. However, the first word that comes to me for this behavior is... hoarding, who would ever look at all of this stuff? Not judging or anything, but I feel that all this effort directed backwards (at the past) would have so much more impact if pointed forwards (making new things). Since I started mine, every december 31st I read my journal for the past year and I feel like I am writing too much stuff already. This is pushing me to make a conscious effort to recognize, in 'real time', what is important and what isn't, I find that to be a great exercise in mindfullness.
  - NhanH 12y ago
    I agree that the issue about hoarding is true. In my context, I'm actually thinking about more of a personal system that happens to have journal as part of it (and to do list, and personal knowledge etc.). Partly a reason why I think the spare machine is not a good idea (processing data on it would be a hassle), and why paper doesn't work.