Loved every word and every idea and elaboration. Such a simple way of experiencing and observing. And that little statue is perfect in your bookshelf, for what it embodies. Couple if practical question, if you don’t mind:
1) where do you unload these thoughts while on the go?
2) you mentioned Remarkable. Tell me more. You think it’s good?
1) I use an app called Drafts, but I used to use Apple Notes. The key thing is to have desktop/mobile synced. The next morning I'll look at my notes on desktop and upload them to Substack.
2) I've been tempted to get one for over a year, but there's a certain annoyance and in-your-faceness to post-its that beat even the best digital writing tools. Currently using an iPad because, 1) functions as a digital sketchpad, 2) connects to Miro, and 3) post-it capture.
I read one of your posts and switched immediately from journaling to logging, and haven't looked back since. I log with a Shortcut that appends a new line to a Dropbox file, that's it. And I've referred to it countless times when I dedicate time to sit down and write a post, and it's been a reliable source of "ohh yes, that thing! May be worth unpacking as a post." So thank you for that!
I believe it's the essay where you talked about your dad having gifted you logs of your early childhood that made it clear to me that I gotta try this. I did it first to log my daughter's childhood moments that I don't want to forgot (like your dad for you), then I thought, hmm I should have one for myself too. So now I have 2 Dropbox files, updated 1-10 times a day with new logs. It's awesome!
Perhaps I'm lucky - I haven't stopped logging since I started and doubt I'll need or want to publish quietly to my blog. For me, that allows me to be truly unselfconscious. The fact that it helps you keep accountable just makes me feel that we can be similar yet different in fascinating ways!
Whoa! Thanks for sharing this Nick. It's really something to hear that post from a few months ago started a habit for you and your daughter. Also neat to hear that you're sticking with it (1-10x a day) without having it public. Definitely room for many variants of a logging practice. And I'm intrigued by your shortcut method. Tempted to look into ways so each log can auto-publish to Substack haha, but I find there to be something valuable in the manual work of reviewing yesterday's logs and remembering them (I find it helps me remember to log the next day).
Yeah, because you publish your stream-of-consciousness logs online, I can see that the process of revisiting and transplanting them from one text editor to another makes sense. I don't know about you, but there are some thoughts I want to log that I don't wish to be read!
Anyway, since you're intrigued by the shortcut, I wrote a short post on my blog about it. It also talks about how your logloglog-ing inspired it :) it's here: https://nickang.com/1-2-3-logged/
I've only recently realized how the logging habit started way back in architecture school for me. I remember getting a sketchbook, carrying it around, and taking it out to sketch random moments (buildings, details, etc.) worth remembering for my own designs.
Since logging is through language, you can capture non-material thoughts, or material objects in words.
I am very late to this party, so this is just to say I loved reading this and processing its message. That's a bit dry as a comment. Uhm... razz mattazz.
Thank you for writing and sharing this note! It resonates with me in many ways and gives me inspiration to keep logging—I’ve journaled most of my life. The last couple of years the motivation has ebbed considerably and recently I’ve found myself almost lonely, yearning for words to pour out of me, to comfort me, to keep me company. I’ve been reading through stacks of moleskin journal entries, poetry, dreams, letters, and finding so many beautiful realization and epiphanies in the retrospection. It’s pretty awesome to be able to look back in these ways and see the growth and change, the perspective from where I am now in contrast with then. I’ve never shared much of my writing. But you’ve inspired me. Thank you 🙏
I love your little statue. Let me know what you end up naming it 😊
Is your head made of language too and do you need a release valve?
-I was fine before reading this article, but now that you've pointed my consciousness at my consciousness my head feels like two mirrors facing each other. Don't need a release value, but a hammer would be good.
Where is your bottleneck with field notes? (awareness, capture, sharing)
-I have trouble writing with twigs.
Have you ever watched Jungle Cruise and would you recommend it?
-It was mildly entertaining. Recommended distraction when you're in the mood for a formula adventure comedy. The Rock wasn't bad actually. Not great. But not bad.
Your mirror metaphor triggered an old memory and I just went down a YouTube rabbit hole watching cats react to their own reflections in mirrors. Thanks for the JC review. Tempted to watch (and live log it)
...i'll speak this to your gift of log good man...once you log enough log, and make your own LLM, your self log plus you log will be a great log to continue logging "onst" against...there is no greater truth than the truth of your, and you are closer to yoursting than anyone not logging their youst...also BOBLOGIII good log if you haven't logged there yet...rad statue too good brew...
“Field notes” are common for architects, archaeologists, ship captains, and software developers.”
Interesting! Thanks for that insight.
And LOVE the Montreal keepsake, of course.
I also laughed at the part about being hesitant to spend because of your brother’s reaction one time. We all have those sibling stories burned into our brains, haha.
The exercise to notice what I was doing as I was reading the paragraph really blew me away. Blogging seems to have this amazing effect of getting you to notice the context of everything you’re doing, giving you a better appreciation for your overall vibe, and allowing you to make sense of yourself, almost as if you’re looking from the outside. Maybe that’s the whole thing about the statue.
Glad this resonated. At some point, I realized this is a form of temporary disembodiment, and was curious how you'd react to it. The statue isn't a state you permanently want to be in (I don' think...it's outside of flow). But maybe it's useful X times a day because the insights can change the nature of your baseline presence.
Loved every word and every idea and elaboration. Such a simple way of experiencing and observing. And that little statue is perfect in your bookshelf, for what it embodies. Couple if practical question, if you don’t mind:
1) where do you unload these thoughts while on the go?
2) you mentioned Remarkable. Tell me more. You think it’s good?
Thank you!
1) I use an app called Drafts, but I used to use Apple Notes. The key thing is to have desktop/mobile synced. The next morning I'll look at my notes on desktop and upload them to Substack.
2) I've been tempted to get one for over a year, but there's a certain annoyance and in-your-faceness to post-its that beat even the best digital writing tools. Currently using an iPad because, 1) functions as a digital sketchpad, 2) connects to Miro, and 3) post-it capture.
I read one of your posts and switched immediately from journaling to logging, and haven't looked back since. I log with a Shortcut that appends a new line to a Dropbox file, that's it. And I've referred to it countless times when I dedicate time to sit down and write a post, and it's been a reliable source of "ohh yes, that thing! May be worth unpacking as a post." So thank you for that!
I believe it's the essay where you talked about your dad having gifted you logs of your early childhood that made it clear to me that I gotta try this. I did it first to log my daughter's childhood moments that I don't want to forgot (like your dad for you), then I thought, hmm I should have one for myself too. So now I have 2 Dropbox files, updated 1-10 times a day with new logs. It's awesome!
Perhaps I'm lucky - I haven't stopped logging since I started and doubt I'll need or want to publish quietly to my blog. For me, that allows me to be truly unselfconscious. The fact that it helps you keep accountable just makes me feel that we can be similar yet different in fascinating ways!
Whoa! Thanks for sharing this Nick. It's really something to hear that post from a few months ago started a habit for you and your daughter. Also neat to hear that you're sticking with it (1-10x a day) without having it public. Definitely room for many variants of a logging practice. And I'm intrigued by your shortcut method. Tempted to look into ways so each log can auto-publish to Substack haha, but I find there to be something valuable in the manual work of reviewing yesterday's logs and remembering them (I find it helps me remember to log the next day).
Yeah, because you publish your stream-of-consciousness logs online, I can see that the process of revisiting and transplanting them from one text editor to another makes sense. I don't know about you, but there are some thoughts I want to log that I don't wish to be read!
Anyway, since you're intrigued by the shortcut, I wrote a short post on my blog about it. It also talks about how your logloglog-ing inspired it :) it's here: https://nickang.com/1-2-3-logged/
THIS!👇
“The impetus to turn everything into language changes the way you see.”
You are a gifted writer but also a visual artist. Blend in the musical talent, and it all makes a rich creative brew for observation and reflection.
And I’m so glad you got the statue. I cannot think of a more perfect home for it.
I've only recently realized how the logging habit started way back in architecture school for me. I remember getting a sketchbook, carrying it around, and taking it out to sketch random moments (buildings, details, etc.) worth remembering for my own designs.
Since logging is through language, you can capture non-material thoughts, or material objects in words.
Thanks for sharing this Terri!
I am very late to this party, so this is just to say I loved reading this and processing its message. That's a bit dry as a comment. Uhm... razz mattazz.
Thank you for writing and sharing this note! It resonates with me in many ways and gives me inspiration to keep logging—I’ve journaled most of my life. The last couple of years the motivation has ebbed considerably and recently I’ve found myself almost lonely, yearning for words to pour out of me, to comfort me, to keep me company. I’ve been reading through stacks of moleskin journal entries, poetry, dreams, letters, and finding so many beautiful realization and epiphanies in the retrospection. It’s pretty awesome to be able to look back in these ways and see the growth and change, the perspective from where I am now in contrast with then. I’ve never shared much of my writing. But you’ve inspired me. Thank you 🙏
I love your little statue. Let me know what you end up naming it 😊
I'm so relieved you bought that statue!
Your essay evoked this song for me: https://youtu.be/kISZKZqjUs4?si=EYdsx4OFTR_kZelL
Yassss so glad you got the statue!!
Great reveal.
So many juicy POP nuggets in here.
Me too! I need to find a way to contact the sculptor.
Ok, I'll happily play the Riff Response game:
What should I name the statue?
-Dave, or
-The Human Encounter with Life
Is your head made of language too and do you need a release valve?
-I was fine before reading this article, but now that you've pointed my consciousness at my consciousness my head feels like two mirrors facing each other. Don't need a release value, but a hammer would be good.
Where is your bottleneck with field notes? (awareness, capture, sharing)
-I have trouble writing with twigs.
Have you ever watched Jungle Cruise and would you recommend it?
-It was mildly entertaining. Recommended distraction when you're in the mood for a formula adventure comedy. The Rock wasn't bad actually. Not great. But not bad.
Your mirror metaphor triggered an old memory and I just went down a YouTube rabbit hole watching cats react to their own reflections in mirrors. Thanks for the JC review. Tempted to watch (and live log it)
Call him Eric after Erichthonius of Athens who was the adopted son of Athena.
Erichthonius works, and since you named him you're now the godfather.
Padrino para la gloria de dios. 🫡
...i'll speak this to your gift of log good man...once you log enough log, and make your own LLM, your self log plus you log will be a great log to continue logging "onst" against...there is no greater truth than the truth of your, and you are closer to yoursting than anyone not logging their youst...also BOBLOGIII good log if you haven't logged there yet...rad statue too good brew...
Wow ... I need to live log a Bob Log III show ... he's something else.
“Logs are field notes from the everyday.
“Field notes” are common for architects, archaeologists, ship captains, and software developers.”
Interesting! Thanks for that insight.
And LOVE the Montreal keepsake, of course.
I also laughed at the part about being hesitant to spend because of your brother’s reaction one time. We all have those sibling stories burned into our brains, haha.
I probably never would've found this statue if you hadn't recommended we stay in Old Montreal, so thank you! You put me in its orbit.
The exercise to notice what I was doing as I was reading the paragraph really blew me away. Blogging seems to have this amazing effect of getting you to notice the context of everything you’re doing, giving you a better appreciation for your overall vibe, and allowing you to make sense of yourself, almost as if you’re looking from the outside. Maybe that’s the whole thing about the statue.
Great stuff, man.
Glad this resonated. At some point, I realized this is a form of temporary disembodiment, and was curious how you'd react to it. The statue isn't a state you permanently want to be in (I don' think...it's outside of flow). But maybe it's useful X times a day because the insights can change the nature of your baseline presence.