shiny new (digital) implements

in

Update/202208101502: The makers of DoMarks replied to this post on Twitter, @DoMarksApp, and asked about the Reeder bug I so inelegantly shared here: said they will play with it and get a fix in the next update. VERY cool.

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A few apps / tools I've started using that have - so far - made my day a little less manic than it was before:

Structured, a visual hybrid of a calendar and a reminder that I've started using to track my routine stuff - write, read, pills, exercise, etc; had used Streaks for awhile, but got tired of the "MUST SHOULD HAVE TO" inculcation of the app. Structure is a far less powder-keg option – though I'd love a way to turn off the "surely you can come up with something else to fill this 2 hours with" at the end of an already 14-hour day (Yes, I can, and it's called POWERWASH SIMULATOR; that subway tunnel isn’t going to clean itself).

One Sec, an automation tool that makes you take a breath - yay for muscle memory interruption! – and decide if you really, truly want to open that bullshit loop - eg Twitter / email - and state, with intention, why you want to open it (one of my stated intentions is "assuage raging insecurity," for example. Takes a bit of setup via Shortcuts and Automations, but it's been a helpful way - far more so than Screen Time - to block out certain apps and shift from using them as mindless boredom relievers to actual tools.

DoMarks, my new preferred read-it-later service that lets me categorize bookmarks and sites by actions, turns the act of saving internet pennies and filling up the RIL jar into actual, actionable tasks. I've customized several – either adding my own or via tags – TO PR is for things I'd like to post here, while READ has a Kindle tag for the things – longform especially – that I want to take with me on the Kindle (which I still love) to read. A few bugs with Reeder interplay, but nothing fatal. Also: would love the ability to send to DoMarks at the top of the Share button (sorry, can’t think of its proper name right now), as opposed to the action further down (which changes based on the app being shared from).

And, finally: Upstract, where I can skim pretty much anything from major news sources that would have been otherwise filling up my RSS reader (Reeder). A quick way to get a sense of the world, of the different ways things are covered (along with allsides.com). Worth the small monthly pittance so far.

In other implements news, I've become obsessed with figuring out how to make shortcut for my iPad to jump directly to the day's daily note in Obsidian. Though I know I'm talking to myself here, any recomended ponds to fish in would be most welcome.