[=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=] [<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>] [=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=] Stardate: 20181208.11h39 Location: Target SBUX Input Device: Gemini PDA Audio: SBUX/Target Customers Visual: Venti Coffee, Fresh Yellow Bean Hopia, SBUX napkin Energy: 90% Mental: 90% Emotional: Waiting, relaxed [=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=] At SBUX in Target, waiting for roasted chestnuts at the Asian grocery. I love the chestnuts here and usually get them every weekend during this time of year. We would usually have them in the winter time growing up, but we would have to buy them raw and prepare them ourselves, so we didn't usually eat them regularly. With the stand at the grocery, it is much easier to enjoy them. Regarding my device collection, man, there's so much that I have accumulated over the years. Most of them still work, but the batteries are not good. Some of them don't even have user replaceable batteries. I hate that. So I have been trying to bring some order to my collection and even cataloging the devices. I used to keep a spreadsheet ages ago for device inventory but have not kept it up to date. It's stored in a mix of "places where I keep data" which includes a variety of USB flash drives, flash media (CF, SD, MS, etc), interal/external drives, optical media, active servers, old PDAs with non-volatile memory, magnetic media, Oy vey! Good thing I was never really sold on the idea of storing data in cloud...I always felt that it would no longer be mine...maybe that's how I ended up in this mess. At least I know where my data is. I should probably consolidate all of this data, duplicates and all, onto a large external drive, and mount it on a NAS where it can be properly organized and place an encrypted offline backup at my folks place for safe keeping (sommething I have been meaning to do over the years.) I wonder why I still keep these things? Maybe because they are still functional? Maybe because of my hording tendencies? I don't like throwing stuff away, but my stuff is so cluttered, especially with having 2...make that 3 places where I work on these devices. The game room, my office, and the garage. Perhaps I should consolidate the madness into one location...as far as repairs and storage because I found myself looking all over the place for stuff, like adapters and various peripherals, instead of working on them or using them. First World problem. Speaking of personal data archiving, this is a topic/project that has been in the back of my mind for quite some time but never really completely materialized into the way I would like to picture it. I would get so caught up in brainstorming the details that the ideas would never come to fruition. Also the task would seem so challenging at times that I would get overwhelmed and just put it on the back burner again. Since it has been brought to the forefront again with this whole cataloging of devices thing, it would probably be best to take some action now and do something. I'm not a big fan of building the plane when it's in the air, but sometimes you just need to do it. In ruminating about all of this, the personal data mess and the electronic device archive, I think another reason I got to this point probably has something to do with my internal consciousness and the mess that is there as well. Even writing about this and the stuff I have written previously has been very helpful and probably even theraputic. The order that I bring to my consciousness through writings is starting to manifest itself in the external by my desire to consolidate, catalog, and clean house. All of this mess has been kinda like some sort of psychic blockage preventing me from bringing balance to the force. Since writing seems to be a step towards this balance it seems to help me chip away and bring different perspective to the mess. Perhaps if I keep up with all of this and further the momentum, I will eventually end up with an organized device inventory, a consolidated, user-friendly personal data archive, and an uncluttered mind (ha!) All of this could be temporary unless I continue to actively maintain and adapt these things. TIME TO DEFRAG!!! [=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=-=x=]