Free Spirit
It’s finally here and the hype does not live up to the anticipation. It is basic and definitely not a Day One journal killer yet but it is close. Will it take me away from journaling in my FoxOS database or field notes using pen and paper? Not yet, but its on the iPhone and convenient.
My first exposure to Tesla was a shop in the Galleria Mall featuring shiny new cars. At the time I thought this will never work because they can’t afford to have their own dealership lots and whatever orders they sold, the buyers would have to wait and have them delivered without a test drive. Well I was wrong and happy to admit it. Since then, I’ve watched Tesla expand and become the name brand synonymous with electric vehicles.
Flash forward 15 years later and I finally had an opportunity to drive a fully electric sports car this past weekend. I love this technology and would absolutely own a Tesla given the chance.
One of Tesla’s claims to fame is an instant, seamless, and silent surge of power when you stab the accelerator. The Model 3 is a thrill ride, and on the Gulf Freeway stretch from the airport to the beach, I went from 0-100mph in about 5 seconds. With no combustible engine and no gears to shift the Tesla, silently sliced through the speedometer. I even raced a Porsche down the seawall and it wasn’t even close. Sorry, Porsche.
Tech amenities for this rented model was pretty stocked and did not have the self-driving feature but it did include an eight-speaker audio system; a 15-inch touch screen with a web browser and navigation capabilities; and a wireless charging pad for two smartphones. Driver assists such as adaptive cruise control; automatic emergency braking; blind-spot warning; lane-keeping assist; and front and rear parking sensors are standard.
The interior has a very modern, almost austere feel because Tesla doesn’t use traditional gauges and includes only a few physical controls. The 15-inch touch screen handles nearly every vehicle setting, and you use the steering wheel’s scroll and push controls to change settings such as audio volume, as well as to adjust the side mirrors and headlights. This control setup is a departure from traditional switches and dials, and requires a bit of an adjustment. It took me twenty minutes in the rental agency lot to get the driving setup settings the way I needed which is not bad because new owners have guided instructions through the sales people.
When it came time to recharge the vehicle all I had to do was push the “charging stations” button on the large screen and it suggested over 20 locations near me. I picked the closest one as it told me how much energy I had, how much it would use to get there and then to my final destination. Charging was a cinch and very quick with the Tesla supercharger stations. 47% charge to 100% capacity took 15m. There were 8 other Teslas parked and sipping electricity so we all hung out and chatted up our cars and how brilliant they are.
In a short time and with advancements in already brilliant technology, I see Tesla as a threat to any competitor including the traditional fuel-powered cars that manufacturers are still putting out. The model 3 is a technophile’s dream with it’s range, performance and technology.
I’m continually looking for methods to utilize my devices and software to maximize productivity and today I am focused on utilizing the M1 iPad Pro. Combined with the Magic Keyboard I’ve transformed this into a dedicated writing device, much like a typewriter.
I’ve established the perfect writing environment by organizing my writing apps and customizing my settings. Currently I am using two writing platforms, the first being my very own Grey Matter database. Everything goes in here and is backed up to the cloud in .txt files. Text files stand the test of time and are readable on any device. The second platform is a subscription service (yuck) called Ulysses. iCloud based storage helps keep my chapters and verses organized and backed up.
Typewriter mode, Editor Focus and dark mode all help eliminate distractions and helps me crank out words more effectively.
When I’m ready to sit down and start writing I automatically pick up Maximus and I am great to go.
I’m continually looking for methods to utilize my devices and software to maximize productivity and today I am focused on utilizing the M1 iPad Pro. Combined with the Magic Keyboard I’ve transformed this into a dedicated writing device, much like a typewriter.
I’ve established the perfect writing environment by organizing my writing apps and customizing my settings. Currently I am using two writing platforms, the first being my very own Fox OS database. Everything goes in here and is backed up to the cloud in .txt files. Text files stand the test of time and are readable on any device. The second platform is a subscription service (yuck) called Ulysses. iCloud based storage helps keep my chapters and verses organized and backed up.
Typewriter mode, Editor Focus and dark mode all help eliminate distractions and helps me crank out words more effectively.
When I’m ready to sit down and start writing I automatically pick up Maximus and I am great to go.
After a third-party seller fiasco on Amazon, I have finally secured a refurbished 2014 Mac Mini desktop. Of course her new name is simply “Minnie.”
Let’s hope that Apple will support this outdated operating system for a few more years
Minnie will have a renewed purpose in life as a file and media server which includes these functions:
With a hard wired ethernet cable to the 5G modem, a static IP address I can call up files even when I am away from home, which is more frequent lately.
After purchasing a new monitor, keyboard, mouse, ethernet and HDMI cables, she now has a head and input devices to interact with.
This will serve as my ultimate backup and storage solution for years to come. I’ve been wanting to do this forever and finally have the opportunity to do it.
After a third-party seller fiasco on Amazon, I have finally secured a refurbished 2014 Mac Mini desktop. Of course her new name is simply “Minnie.”
Let’s hope that Apple will support this outdated operating system for a few more years
Minnie will have a renewed purpose in life as a file and media server which includes these functions:
With a hard wired ethernet cable to the 5G modem, a static IP address I can call up files even when I am away from home, which is more frequent lately.
After purchasing a new monitor, keyboard, mouse, ethernet and HDMI cables, she now has a head and input devices to interact with.
This will serve as my ultimate backup and storage solution for years to come. I’ve been wanting to do this forever and finally have the opportunity to do it.
A recent trend going around the fediverse and blogosphere is showing off what your default software tools are so now it is my turn. In the past, I would try the latest shiny software to see if I could incorporate it into my daily digital workflow. But that got exhausting because there was always a shiny new toy later. Over time, however, I’ve settled on what works and to limit my subscription dollars going out. Therefore, I find that for the most part, Apple’s default software applications are good enough.
What works for you doesn’t always work for me, so don’t come at me with “what about ?” I won’t hear it.
📨 Mail Client: Apple’s Mail on both Mac and iOS.
📮 Mail Server: iCloud.
📝 Notes: I use an home-grown database for everything which I call “FoxOS.” Formerly known as “Grey Matter” and “Pensieve.” Apple’s Notes for collaborating with the missus.
✅ To-Do: Apple’s Reminderd
📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: Apple’s Camera app, usually with ProRAW enabled.
🟦 Photo Management: Apple’s Photos app, and editing in Lightroom
📆 Calendar: Apple Calendar
📁 Cloud File Storage: iCloud Drive
📖 RSS: Feedbin
🙍🏻♂️ Contacts: Apple Contacts
🌐 Browser: Safari on iOS and Mac.
💬 Chat: iMessage
💁🏻♂️Social: N/A
🔖 Bookmarks: Safari
📑 Read It Later: Feedbin and Matter.
📜 Word Processing: The aforementioned FoxOS
📈 Spreadsheets: Numbers.
📊 Presentations: N/A
🛒 Shopping Lists: Apple Reminders
📰 News: RSS and Apple News
🎵 Music: Apple Music
🎤 Podcasts: Apple Podcasts
🔐 Password Management: Apple KeyChain
Apple’s apps are pretty darn good for everything I want to accomplish. I’m also a bit of a purist, so I tend to default to defaults, even if they aren’t quite as robust as other options. There was a time in my life when I was a bit more adventurous, but I largely cannot be arsed.
A recent trend going around the fediverse and blogosphere is showing off what your default software tools are so now it is my turn. In the past, I would try the latest shiny software to see if I could incorporate it into my daily digital workflow. But that got exhausting because there was always a shiny new toy later. Over time, however, I’ve settled on what works and to limit my subscription dollars going out. Therefore, I find that for the most part, Apple’s default software applications are good enough.
What works for you doesn’t always work for me, so don’t come at me with “what about ?” I won’t hear it.
📨 Mail Client: Apple’s Mail on both Mac and iOS.
📮 Mail Server: iCloud.
📝 Notes: I use an home-grown database for everything which I call “FoxOS.” Formerly known as “Grey Matter” and “Pensieve.” Apple’s Notes for collaborating with the missus.
✅ To-Do: Apple’s Reminderd
📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: Apple’s Camera app, usually with ProRAW enabled.
🟦 Photo Management: Apple’s Photos app, and editing in Lightroom
📆 Calendar: Apple Calendar
📁 Cloud File Storage: iCloud Drive
📖 RSS: Feedbin
🙍🏻♂️ Contacts: Apple Contacts
🌐 Browser: Safari on iOS and Mac.
💬 Chat: iMessage
💁🏻♂️Social: N/A
🔖 Bookmarks: Safari
📑 Read It Later: Feedbin and Matter.
📜 Word Processing: The aforementioned FoxOS
📈 Spreadsheets: Numbers.
📊 Presentations: N/A
🛒 Shopping Lists: Apple Reminders
📰 News: RSS and Apple News
🎵 Music: Apple Music
🎤 Podcasts: Apple Podcasts
🔐 Password Management: Apple KeyChain
Apple’s apps are pretty darn good for everything I want to accomplish. I’m also a bit of a purist, so I tend to default to defaults, even if they aren’t quite as robust as other options. There was a time in my life when I was a bit more adventurous, but I largely cannot be arsed.
I just successfully migrated all of my digitized notes into a new personal database which I used to call “Grey Matter” as a second brain, or pensieve. A second brain is a system where I can collect, refine and process ideas that hopefully will lead to future insights or research.
It’s like adding additional RAM memory to your own brain to help me connect and visualize my thoughts. Every note is linked to another and if there is a general topic such as, photography, it creates a node for other notes to connect or backlink to.
Now that my clean slate initiative is almost complete and have removed my personal name offline, I’ve renamed the database as The Fox Operating System or simply FoxOS.
I just successfully migrated all of my digitized notes into a new personal database which I used to call “Grey Matter” as a second brain, or pensieve. A second brain is a system where I can collect, refine and process ideas that hopefully will lead to future insights or research.
It’s like adding additional RAM memory to your own brain to help me connect and visualize my thoughts. Every note is linked to another and if there is a general topic such as, photography, it creates a node for other notes to connect or backlink to.
Now that my clean slate initiative is almost complete and have removed my personal name offline, I’ve renamed the database as The Fox Operating System or simply FoxOS.
The clean slate protocol I initiated a few days ago is a success. After creating a new domain name and building a new website, with a new e-mail account and a new Apple ID, I am slowly migrating some of my crucial data from backups.
I have yet to delete the old Apple ID for fear of missing a few crucial pieces of correspondence from companies I do business with but all that should be wrapped up by this coming week. For now, I can breathe a sigh of relief as I start building good organizational and privacy habits to ensure nothing gets out of control again.
The clean slate protocol I initiated a few days ago is a success. After creating a new domain name and building a new website, with a new e-mail account and a new Apple ID, I am slowly migrating some of my crucial data from backups.
I have yet to delete the old Apple ID for fear of missing a few crucial pieces of correspondence from companies I do business with but all that should be wrapped up by this coming week. For now, I can breathe a sigh of relief as I start building good organizational and privacy habits to ensure nothing gets out of control again.