What I’ve since realized, however, is that it’s perfectly possible to keep lots of the things I liked about keeping a bullet journal without sacrificing the convenience of apps. Ultimately, what I liked about the notebook was less about its physicality and more about the fact that it forced me to spend real time actively thinking about and organizing my life on a daily basis. And that’s something that’s just as possible to do with an app as it is with a notebook. You just have to avoid thinking the technology can organize it for you.
Although iOS comes with a native Apple Music app, there are some third-party apps that offer even better experiences for those who subscribe to Apple’s streaming service. If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and want to find out how to better enjoy your music library, check out some of the best iOS apps with Apple Music integration.
So far, tech journalists have approached Mastodon like it’s another startup. By trying to force Mastodon into their usual narratives, they’re missing that what’s really innovative about Mastodon isn’t its technology — it’s the platform’s values.
There was a period during this past year, about a month or two, when I didn't have much energy. Whenever I have a chance to do some listening, I opted for the lower-energy option of podcasts rather than audiobooks.
I feel I need to change that, so I am setting rules for myself. For certain activities, such as standing in a moving train during my commutes, I will only listen to audiobooks.
So, if you see me out and about, but I didn't notice you, that's probably I wasn't paying attention to anything to what's coming out of my AirPods. Sorry in advance.
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This past year, I've also switched back from reading e-books from the library to reading e-books that I purchased. I couldn't finish quite a few e-books this past year, even with the generous twenty-one days loan period.
I read differently with my eyes than with my ears. For audiobooks, I can only listen at 1x speed. But for e-books, I now prefer to read slower, so that I can savor all the words. I am not aiming for quantity anymore, but quality time with interesting stories.
(Currently, I am slowly re-reading Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. And I am not skipping any of the footnotes, either.)
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The following are my favorite books I've read this year. (It is a year of wonderful stories: fiction and memoirs.)
The Beauty of Dusk, by Frank Bruni
Different Seasons, by Stephen King
The Glass Hotel, by Emily St. John Mandel
Light Perpetual, by Francis Spufford
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss, by Amy Bloom
Meredith, Alone, by Claire Alexander
Sea of Tranquility, by Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
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Thanks for reading.