dispatches / Aside

In the very short period of time I've used it, the last month or so, I have come to very much enjoy TiddlyWiki. The take it provides on the concept of a non-linear notebook is one that resonates with the way my brain operates and has stuck unlike apps like Obsidian, Logseq, Roam, Notion and the other apps in the slew that have emerged in the past couple of years. I think it is TiddlyWiki's approach that every piece of information can fit on a card (or 'tiddler' using their language) and that pieces of information should be as small as possible from which they can be linked and related that has made it click for me.

I feel as this system is the digital manifestation for my love of notecards and sticky notes. I only wish I learned of this tool many years earlier so I could have started to amass such a notebook as part of my work for my Master degree. But, like they say about trees— "the second best time to plant a tree is today."

So planting my notebook of a tree has begun.

—
The biggest frustration I have come across with TiddlyWiki is the saving of the file. TiddlyDesktop is the best option, but when working on two different devices (one being corporate issued) the syncing of the files isn't as streamlined as it should be. Then there is the issue of file access and editing on an iPad. Everything is harder on an iPad, and while Quine 2 exists it's buggy when it comes to syncing and saving files. Not all of the blame falls on the app, much of it has to do with the iPad platform itself. 

Most of all, accessing the wiki file when you're not on your normal device, or sharing it with others publicly so it can be linked to is next to impossible with any of the aforementioned options. This leads to hosting the wiki online for easy access. Adding a file to a custom domain is easy; making it editable and sayable is a bit trickier. 

To work through this challenge I've used tw-receiver: TiddlyWiki Plugin - save to PHP server in combination with my shared hosting. The setup was easy enough, and the saving works most of the time, but I've run into a couple of issues. The connection to the saving modules fails, the backups are created in such a way that aren't all that useful, or that a fresh copy of the wiki isn't always served by default when the wiki is loaded— a refresh seems to be needed sometimes. 

All of this is to say— I'm in love with TiddlyWiki, but like any relationship based on love it isn't without its frustrations. I had a bit of a saving scare today where I thought I lost a full day's worth of heavy work. Thanks to a server-side auto backup, the scare wasn't as bad as I initially thought, but it was a scare nonetheless. Moving forward I'll continue to monitor the saving process and change up my plan if I run into any ongoing issues. 

Tonight is trivia night for Laura’s birthday party 🥳. Our contribution is twenty points worth of 1991 potpourri in honour of their year of birth.

Have fun. 

Questions

(In-line links point to multimedia clues, if required/available. Point values link to answers.)

1. Name the Billboard Top 100 #1 song, and it’s artist, from 1991 (2; 1 point for song name, 1 point for artist)
2. What film took home the Art Direction award at the Oscars in 1991? (1)
3. According to insider.com, what was the most popular dance craze in 1991? (2; 1 point for the dance name, 1 point for the song it belongs to. Full/proper song name required)
4. A Christmas Carol, Lost in Yonkers, Miss Saigon, and The Will Rogers Follies all did what in 1991? (1)
5. This—hour long TV show, had the top ratings in 1991-1992 TV season. (1)
6. Emma Watson and Dan Stevens starred in the 2017 live action remake of this 1991 Disney film. (1)
7. 1991 is the year of the Goat according to the Chinese Zodiac. However, the goat’s year began on February 15th, 1991. What Chinese Zodiac sign was Laura born under? (2; 1 point for the generic sign, 1 point for the type/material of the sign/animal)
8. This was released in 1991, 10 years after Mario first saved the Princess. (1)
9. Outlander, the book, made it's debut in 1991. Name the two main characters from the novel— maiden names. (4; 1 point for each correct first and last name)
10. When Laura was young, Trish likely told her to, “run away and join the circus,” hence her performing acrobatics these days. What Las Vegas attraction does this 1991 vintage tee promote? (1)
11. Nickelodeon introduce the world to 3 animated tv shows in 1991. Name the shows (3; 1 for each of the shows.)
12. Who was arrested after the remains of 11 young men were found in their Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment in 1991. (1)

If I could add up the amount of money spent on renting domain names over the years I would likely have a small fortune. 

Fleeting project ideas, holding on to online properties I tell myself I'll eventually revive, or trying to shape an identity for myself without putting in any of the actual work— the reasons for obtaining a new domain name seem abundant when compared to actually using the domain names themselves.

Now, I feel like I'm over and done with the domain racket, for the most part. 

In the past five years I can think of only a handful new domains that I have purchased, one of which (kvl.me) is a mainstay domain for most of my online life these days. Another, unclassified.work, was obtained in an attempt to collect and publish whatever archives of work I have amassed this far into my life. This domain can likely be replaced in a year when it's up for renewal by work.kvl.me, although I'm a fan of the name Unclassified Work as a way to describe my body of work. 

All of this is to say— aside from any joint ventures I collaborate with others on, or work that I see lasting longer than my involvement or lifespan, I'm likely done purchasing/renting new domains. 

kvl.me is likely all I need moving forward to make my presence known online.

I've stopped this practice.

There are too many books in the world.
New works are created each and every day; old works are rediscovered. 

If I were to put every interesting book I come across on a list to read, the list would quickly become wholly unachievable to accomplish.

Instead, if I come across a book I would like to read I'll immediately acquire it (buy or borrow) and it becomes the very next book I'll read. 

When stuck for what to read next, I'll pick-up a book from whatseems like an endless supply of books purchased from my local bookseller.

The only reading list I now maintain is that of books I've read and along with it a personal collection of 1-2 paragraph reviews of each work, some which I now share here.

After years of hibernation, solitude, and contemplation it feels good to be creating (and) in community again, even only in a little way. 😉

A winter’s worth of fiddling and reading resulted in this new addition to the neighbourhood.

Here’s hoping I’m not the worlds worst amateur librarian. 📚