I am open to suggestions too. Send me your config if you prefer too.
]]>The discourse surrounding Free and Open Source Software emerges within this framework as an ideological struggle – one that seeks to challenge the hegemony of proprietary software. It proclaims the autonomy of the user, advocating for transparency, for the user’s right to control their tools, their data, and their digital existence. Yet, as we attempt to align our practices with these values, we are confronted with a critical question: what does it mean to be free within a system that is, by its very nature, structured around the exchange of personal data?
Indeed, the power structures inherent in data-driven technologies extend beyond the boundaries of any particular software or operating system. The very act of opting out – the rejection of proprietary systems – places the individual in a position of resistance, but also complicates this resistance. It is, in fact, the individual’s participation in the economy of digital data that establishes them as a subject, for to abstain entirely is not a mere act of choice, but a refusal of the socio-technological systems that govern everyday life. Thus, even the rejection of proprietary systems requires an engagement with the very mechanisms of power that we aim to critique. The struggle for privacy, then, becomes a negotiation within an ecosystem that forces the individual into an interminable cycle of adaptation.
It is crucial to understand that the resistance to big tech and proprietary software cannot be disentangled from the fundamental structures of control that govern the modern condition. The notion that individual efforts – be they personal or political – might alter the direction of technological development overlooks the historical reality of the digital economy: it is not simply a question of technological advancement, but of a deeply embedded system of power. The very technologies that enable our resistance are those that perpetuate the conditions of their own existence. We cannot simply remove ourselves from this system, as it is woven into the fabric of contemporary life.
In this light, the embrace of FOSS, or any attempt to disengage from big tech, must be viewed as an intervention within a larger matrix of power relations. To choose a moral standpoint, to live in opposition to the prevailing digital structures, is to simultaneously become an agent of that system. The tools of resistance – whether it is the act of using open-source software or the adoption of alternative communication channels – are no less implicated in the system of control.
The very decision to engage in activism, to make lifestyle choices rooted in moral imperatives, encourages contradiction. The claim to live ethically in a digital age is itself a construction – one that is always already framed by the systems of power it seeks to critique. To live within these systems, to participate in them, is to acknowledge the impossibility of fully escaping them. And yet, to choose to abstain, to reject these systems entirely, is not an act of purity, but a withdrawal into an idealized space that is equally constructed.
Thus, the challenge posed by our contemporary condition is not one of resistance alone. It is not simply a matter of choosing between digital freedom and digital servitude. The real question is what kind of subject is produced through the act of resistance, and whether this resistance – no matter how well-intentioned – might not merely reproduce the very conditions of digital serfdom it seeks to overthrow. The individual is perpetually trapped in this dialectic: to resist is to engage, to engage is to become part of the very systems one seeks to escape.
This ceaseless engagement (or circularity) with the structures of power, reveals the limits of individual autonomy in the digital age. In striving for privacy, for freedom from surveillance, we are not simply reclaiming agency; we are negotiating with a system of power that has already shaped us in its image. The question, then, is not whether the system can be changed, but whether our very efforts to change it are themselves part of the system. In the end, the human experience – messy, imperfect, and constrained by external forces – remains the last bastion of freedom, though even this is subject to the unseen currents of power that shape our desires and actions.
A discourse inspired by Foucault's: I. Discipline and Punish (1975) – highly recommended && II. The History of Sexuality, Volume I (1976)
]]>I recommend creatine monohydrate micronised, and I don't do more than 60-70 days for a cycle. I found that 90 days is redundant for my body-type (ectomorph). Everyone is different though, and goals with fitness may impact how we have to diet and cycle. I know some that cycle creatine for most of the year, taking possibly a month off.
For supplements in recent times, I've mostly been using (aside from protein) a decent pre-workout formula that includes creatine. The supplement includes: 333 mg Vitamin C, 40 mg Vitamin B3, 667 mcg Vitamin B6, 333 mcg Folic Acid (Folate), 47 mcg Vitamin B12, 27 mg Calcium, 2 g Beta-Alanine, Creatine Monohydrate 1 g, 1 g L-Arginine, 200 mg Natural Caffeine Anhydrous.
Essentially, this is like drinking a sports-style energy drink except with creatine in it. Creatine does help me through workouts when I do not desire to do them. The change of seasons and circumstances of life have made it difficult to stay focused, so I am thankful to have pre-workout with creatine. I do not do any more than 30-40 day cycles with this pre-workout, however. I don't like having too much dependence on caffeine after all. I found creatine by itself to be more than enough for pre-workout, however at the moment I do need an extra push and I found that in this pre-workout formula.
]]>Neutral:
Negatives:
I really love the SMT/Persona games. This is great way for players to re-explore Persona 5, and I think it is a good introductory title to Persona for the newcomer. I don't exactly think that this title challenged me as much as other installments of SMT/Persona or other JRPGs. I don't really recall any dungeon being too difficult to prepare for. After the first dungeon, it is really easy to min-max and complete dungeons in one in-game day. There's lots of options as well as perks that make my life easier. Building bonds with confidants really helps, and it is easier to manage between different party members. This title encourages you to really use every party member, and there are ways to get the most out of all of them. There still is META involved, but I had a blast changing up the party often as well as switching in the middle of battles. There were a few optional bosses that gave me a decent enough challenge, where having social links maxed out was really what saved me. (good dungeoneering that is dependent on careful decisions and maxing in simulator part of game)
As someone who previously played Persona 5, it was easy for me to play this game blind and figure out how to get the "true" ending. New Game+ has lots of cool content within it, and helps players get the "true" ending if they didn't get it on their first playthrough. That being said, it is a large climb just to get to the end of the game. (at least 100 hours) That can be good or bad for players. For me, I like the length of play, however it makes me really question when I'm going to revisit this game and do a NG+ run.
Persona 5 Royal is a great installment in the franchise. It is stylish and has lots of modern elements, as well as infuses SMT mechanics and has an amazing dungeon-crawling experience. For me, JRPGs, as well as most games, are all about finding the min-maxing. This game was very error-free and easy to min-max, so that makes it less exciting. The story and the stylish, entertaining narrative kept me going though. Like any Persona game, there is a great story and great concept here. I still think that Persona 4 Golden is the best, and that the characters and story have the most depth and made a lasting impression on me. Persona 5 Royal is not the best Persona game, but it is a great Persona game.
]]>GTD has been tremendously helpful in not replacing my habits or other time management methods, but rather it does so much to expand on it. I actually found that GTD was very intuitive and easy to get into. The book emphasizes comfortable work environments to maximize workflow. Org mode is, in my experience, the workflow that emulates GTD. There are a lot of agenda and calendar programs out there, but this beautiful program maximizes time management and allows me to actually accomplish tasks.
Using Org to creater headlines and many levels, as well as using [/] and [%] to track progress, makes scheduling and task/time management like I am managing a quest/side-quest menu in a video game. It is actually fun for me. There is a sense of celebration of accomplishment in Org mode. There is also a lack of overwhelming energy in adding TODO's, as I am organized in addition of tasks as well as managing ongoing and rainyday/wishful thinking tasks. For once, I can say that agenda-ing has become fun. Not just life-hack-fun, but genuine fun. Below is a short snippet of my configuration using org-agenda. All of my agenda org files are in ~/org and I have several files in this, which org-agenda makes it a breeze to keep track of.
;; A basic configuration for Agenda (require 'org) (add-hook 'org-mode-hook #'visual-line-mode) (setq org-directory "~/org/" org-agenda-files (list org-directory) org-tags-column -60 ;; TODO keywords and log settings org-todo-keywords '((sequence "TODO(t)" "WAIT(w!)" "|" "CANCEL(c!)" "DONE(d!)")) org-log-done 'time org-log-into-drawer t org-insert-heading-respect-content t org-M-RET-may-split-line '((default . nil)) ;; Calendar mark settings org-hide-emphasis-markers nil calendar-mark-holidays-flag t) ;; Keybindings for Org (global-set-key (kbd "C-c l") #'org-store-link) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c a") #'org-agenda) (global-set-key (kbd "C-c c") #'org-capture)
Another form of time management that I utilize is the pomodoro technique as well as block scheduling. Pomodoro and Block scheduling are made a lot easier because of Org mode. GTD helps me figure out which methods are most applicable for different projects. Pomodoro has been helpful for working on ongoing tasks, like studying or work-related tasks that have no real true end. Block scheduling has been helpful in mapping out very busy days, where there are a lot of places to be and no real room for time to spare. Block scheduling is made easy with org-agenda's formats. I use org-pomodoro on Emacs as my primary means for pomodoro timing. It is very useful as I can use my agenda files and also clock in how much time I spent on them. This is a very healthy way to task, as it encourages breaks and rewards yet also keeps your mind from wandering elsewhere. I have forked the org-pomodoro code to update it, as well as add more features to make this timer more integral with tracking with the quality features and also in principle to GTD.
This post was a mere reflection and promotion of Emacs and Org mode helping me get things done. The real heroes are elsewhere. Here are some resources to help, if you are interested in further reading.