Recent changes
2023-11-20 15:23:00 +0100 +0100
Like last week, I'm thinking a lot about Gaza. One thing I've been reflecting on is the "reality" of the conflict I experience as mediated by different platforms. I typically rely on The Guardian for news. The (mostly) unfiltered stories, photos, and videos from journalists and ordinary people via Instagram and Twitter are so far removed from the heavily summarized and sanitized text we read in major news media. I guess my takeaway is that, as someone who knows the filter bubble exists, it's still jarring to see all of this unfold in real time.
Work
I wrote in a recent post about picking up some new tools. I'll probably write more about it later, but I decided to come back home to org-mode, for managing my tasks and notes. I started using Denote for my note taking, and it's doing exactly what I needed. If you're using Emacs, I recommend checking out this tool.
Reading
I'm halfway through The Software Engineer's Guidebook. This is the book I wish I'd had when I first started out! It's nice to read from my vantage point, and as someone who hasn't worked in Big Tech (but works on a big website) I'm learning a mix of new things and reinforcing some ideas I've already had. One of the new-ish things is the idea of keeping a "work log" that you put in the effort of updating each week, and share that with important people. I've added that to my weekly review process, so it doesn't get lost.
Music
November 19, 2023 might be the first time that three neys have been heard together in Leipzig! Or, sort of heard. I'm helping two friends find their first sounds and notes. I'm realizing that my memory of their stage of starting has faded, so I am trying to mentally bring myself back to the beginner phase in order to get started. (Making a sound is difficult at first.) No success yet, but I enjoy adopting a naive attitude when I can, to learn and empathize.