Writing a /now page
I've been thinking about doing this for awhile and today seemed like the right time. Cutting through the noise of the world, which can sometimes seem overwhelming, to the heart of what matters to me now. Check out https://nownownow.com for more on the concept and a whole range of examples. It might work for you, it might not! It does for me – well for now anyway!
For posterity, I've included the content of my first /now page below. Depending when you read this, my current /now page may look a little different.
Now
This is my /now page. For me, it is a place to return to when the world gets noisy and complicated and I need to remember what's important. What I should be doing now. You can find out more about /now pages at nownownow.com with links to many other examples.
Updated Friday 12 June 2020
#Fatherhood: Embracing the joys and challenges of new fatherhood. Maybe a little later in life than average but it's going to be a completely new spin on the world for me. I'm the usual mix of excited and nervous!
Family and friends: Remembering to reach out and stay in touch, particularly important right now. Not beating myself up about it when the world gets too busy but making a conscious effort as personal connections matter way more than social media “likes”!
Looking after myself so that I have resources for other people and other things! Getting enough sleep (hmmm, maybe incompatible with new fatherhood!), eating better, exercise, personal down-time to decompress through my hobbies, watching TV, actually playing my guitar – remembering to give myself leeway when I don't achieve everything all the time.
Writing: I'm really enjoying this blog and want to continue it. Maybe start a journal/diary too. Perhaps even try some creative writing.
Hobbies: I'm not sure how fatherhood will impact my hobbies but here's a list of hobbies other than the ones above that I'm doing now:
- #Linux life – playing around on my little Starlabs Star Lite Mark II “labtop”, finding new ways of arranging and streamlining my personal digital life to align with values of privacy, freedom, respect, and treading a path of my own slightly out of step with the mainstream.
- Photography – I have a new camera, first one for many years – Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II. Bought it to take good quality baby photos but it might become a fun new hobby. Only time will tell!
- Reading – other people's blogs, easily digested fantasy novels on my Kobo, random things on the internet.
- #Beer – Thursday night #BeerBods with friends, embracing <0.5% abv #SpacerBeers, supporting independent/local breweries and pubs.
Making a difference, however small it may seem some days, to the knowledge and evidence base of this world through my job supporting and facilitating university research. In a time when so-called “Alternative Facts” abound, evidence matters more than ever, properly communicated with its limits, respectful of differences in interpretation and that people's lived experiences are also a form of evidence. The people dedicating their lives to this pursuit are heroes and they deserve support, encouragement and our collective gratitude.
Entry 11 of my participation in the “100 days to offload” challenge. Find out more and join in!
2020-06-12 #100DaysToOffload