↑ [[2023-08]] ← [[2023-W31]] ## Overview Settling back into local rhythm in Raleigh, enough that contemplating delaying drive back to the mountains on Friday, decided to keep to schedule. Attempted to get toilet fixed but plumber recommends a new toilet and there are many emotions for stakeholders to sort through before that becomes a reality. Noticing how much I enjoy the [[community]] I’ve created in my neighborhood as I begin to consider moving out of it. Mostly loose connections, acquaintances, but a steady stream of genuine greetings and brief conversations as I walk between the gym and the grocery store. Using this to fortify myself against the pressure of the real estate market. ## Projects #### Design Fairly vanilla in design tasks this week. Noticed a lot of improvement in terms of time and understanding across a number of digital applications. KED Export file getting long and likely needs be processed next week. #### QGIS Development My task management is behind on my curiosity for this project, since I find I’ve already completed a lot of the modules independently in my free time. Still running through the tutorials as assigned since repetition is the short road to mastery. Now caught up with task manager in getting into vector analysis. Most tasks are not yet applicable to my interests but the real skill is figuring out how to ask the right questions. May finish the basic analysis section then work through some project-specific tutorials as I’m doing with [[data science]]. #### Plant Composition Workbook Data is catalogued in workbook but is unwieldy. Need to #diagram and determine information flows and how to direct data in such a way that it is retrievable for plant selection and by VW data tools. - Ideally form-based data entry. See task notes for commentary on form. - Filters based on cultural or habitat conditions. - Database will likely need to be relational. **Note:** There is an errant thought somewhere about organizing by nursery. I suspect that for the purposes of the workbook, this should not be included. How to manage nursery/availability data may be the next iteration. ## Topics #### PKM Shifted morning routine over to progressive summaries of backlogged reading notes, which fit a little too well into that temporal mental state, often building momentum into gym time block, cleared half the inbox in 2 days (60+ notes). Block processing this way does seem to have the benefit of getting me into connection mode across a variety of subjects, but having such a long backlog gets so overwhelming it often feels unachievable. But the flow of doing so has revealed a process: highlight key phrases, insert keywords in metadata, check back links, outgoing links, tags, move to folder. Folder location is secondary to having note linked. Hopeful that the process of summarizing reading notes will build capacity for distilling [[principle of atomicity|atomic notes]]. #### Freedom Come across a note from [[Freedom]]. Wondering if the book is still relevant to my life. #### Marketing Good [article](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/08/texas-woman-snake-hawk-attack-silsbee) for clients concerned about snakes. ## Reflections Struggling with interest and setting aside time to write a daily reflection the past several weeks. Mostly due to the abundance of mental activity and screen time over the course of the day. That mental energy is also moving into specific notes rather than general feeling. I do see the value in capturing more abstract thoughts surrounded my wellbeing and spirituality across a timeframe, will try to see about being more disciplined this coming week. #### 2023-08-10 See [[2023-08-10 Writing Process Review]] for daily reflection. Some interesting insights on how personality informs constraints. #### 2023-08-12 **Prompt (if any):** Ways in which I avoid experiencing the Void. - Checking my net worth - Checking my interest earnings - Checking my email - Watching bad television - Checking my crypto wallet(s) - Checking Instagram - Checking my reading feeds What am I looking for? A way to salve the [[anxiety]] that arises within the Now. How can I embrace the Void? - [[Cooking]] - Exercise - Sketching - Painting - Playing [[music]] Why don’t I do these things? They are **expressions of self that create recursions**, I will fall into the [[Flow]] of it and not have stopping point. They will create **creative accountability**, once I’ve created an expression I will be expected to create more. **It is more comfortable in the land of no expectation**. Are you happy there? No. Then why stay? Because the devil you know is preferable to the devil you don’t. I can predict and control this world that brings little satisfaction. You realize that you are the only one in your way? Yes. I’m aware that this doesn’t make sense. Your heart’s desire lies beyond the Void. ## Astrology - **2023-08-09:** [[Venus]] square [[Uranus]], [[Mercury]] trine [[Jupiter]] - **2023-08-11:** Solar return - **2023-08-13:** [[The Sun|Sun]] conjunct Venus [[Planets in Retrograde|Rx]]