Chris J Wilson

Have you ever read a post about someone else and their issues and you immediately feel defensive? “It’s probably not that bad, I’m sure there was a reason for it, well I like it actually?”

I’ve just felt that just now (actually it was a couple of days ago when I wrote this but I didn’t post it then) and it’s amazing how it’s really about me and not the person posting.

This is something I’ve also struggled with at home. My wife might be struggling with something and rather than acknowledge her struggle, I can go into defence mood and try to make sure she’s not blaming me. By minimising the issue or proving it’s not my fault, she doesn’t get what she was really looking for.

It can be real hard not to kick into that self-focused reaction but in my experience, it makes a massive difference.

Well, I went through Derek Sivers set up to create an independent web server that can host a website, manage my emails, function like dropbox and sync my calendar and contacts.

It took me a month, caused my Micro.blog services to stop publishing, and involved a couple of failed attempts to finally get it set up but I’m actually glad I had all that hassle. Because things didn’t work out, I had to troubleshoot (with the help of chatgpt) and I learned a whole load about ssh, linux, and vim. It’s now the point where I feel confident I could make massive changes to this set up.

It’s also been a great way to apply some of the simple HTML/CSS lessons I’ve learned from FreeCodeCamp classes and it will hopefully motivate me to do some more simple development.

Back to being 13

This all reminds me of being 13 in the website club at school.

I used the basic text editor on the custom windows PC I had built with my Dad to create a simple Star Wars fan site. Later I used one of those early WYSIWYG website builders (I wish I could remember the name) but I wish I hadn’t. At various points I’ve wished I had more coder chops to be able to get my hands dirtier rather than stick with boilerplate solutions.

Maybe this will be the start of a change? And if not, then I still enjoyed the process.

What’s next?

Right now, I want to make my simple site look a bit better and have some more basic data on it.

After that, I’m wondering about spinning up some simple web apps to replace other proprietary tools.

Ultimately, I’m hoping this will provide a way to motivate me to actually try some basic development again – let’s see.

I’ve been thinking about using LLMs along with personal note taking apps like Obsidian.

There are so many functions which seem to defeat the point of the process (e.g. Summarising is a great tool to help remember information, getting an LLM to do it saves time but reduces efficacy — though there are other benefits of summarising using an LLM such as identifying and eliminating content for further study on a topic).

However, I think I now have a good idea for using an LLM.

Critiquing an atomic note with an LLM

Let’s save you’ve read an article and came across something interesting — perhaps teleological ethics (why yes, I am studying Christian ethics right now). So you make a note on it — what it is, it’s strengths and weaknesses, key figures, etc. Now you get to the point where you’re quite happy with it but you want to make sure you’ve understood the topic right and not missed any key points.

Hello LLM.

By sharing your content with an LLM and asking it for feedback (did I miss anything? is anything incorrect? Is any part unclear or poorly written?) you get a reviewer of your note. You might realise you missed a key point OR the source you were studying from had missed something too!

Or at it’s most basic, you may get some good writing feedback.

Beware! Here be hallucinations

Of course, the danger of hallucinations is real and might be a big issue espeically if you are trying to cite a source or find a reference book that posits an opposing view or part that you primary source missed.

But that’s where you come in human.

You shouldn’t accept the LLMs answer as gospel truth, but it can help you check and know what to investigate further.

What do you think?

I’m not certain about this: I don’t really want to feed my private notes into an LLM so it’s gobbled into its training data and I can see some real risks of hallucinations.

But I’d love to know your thoughts.

I’d real love to know if you have found another good use of LLMs with a private note taking app.

During our recent trip to the UK, we started catching up on season three of The Traitors UK.

I find the series so fascinating due to the psychology and regular logical fallacies the contestants commit. The environment no doubt drives this but it’s such a powerful warning of how easily manipulated most of us are and how our own brains can work against us.

As I’ve watched this time, I’ve looked carefully for actual good evidence the contestants could latch on to in order to work out whom the traitors are — it’s been slim pickings.

That’s one of the main reasons it’s so easy to jump onto any conspiracy theory that comes along; when there’s no actual evidence and you have to bring a theory, you’ll go along with the “best” you hear.

Here’s a couple more observations:

• Evidence can often be spun either way (X was murdered which means it must/can’t be Y)
• When people defend themselves, they often incriminate themselves more.
• Drawing attention to yourself (even by not drawing attention to yourself) is dangerous.
• Unless a traitor really slips up, you’re going to eliminate faithful at the start purely due to the numbers.
• The narrative can change in an instant. Someone who wasn’t suspicious at all can become the suspect of the day with just a few mentions.

How do you actually find the Traitors?

The other big question I wonder about is how to actually find the traitors. I think the key is to set traps and then validate evidence. For example, leaking some information to different groups and seeing if they act on it.

For example, imagine you get a shield. You could then tell different groups of people someone else has a shield. Now, you the person who does get murdered can help guide you to who the traitor is (Of course this won’t work if the traitors are part of two groups you tell).

There is a danger with tactics like this though, they draw the traitors attention to you and make them more likely to murder you. So in many ways, the best tactic as a faithful is to be good at tasks, a little bit suspicious but not so much so no one fears you.

The danger of watching with knowledge

As spectators, we have an unfair advantage. We know who are/aren’t traitors and it makes the theories and speculation from everyone look so silly. I’d actually love to watch a series with no idea, then watch again with the private room insights.

The Traitors and real life conspiracy theories

One final wonder: How much does this reflect other situations?

The contestants are at a massive disadvantage. They know there are people out to get them and they are forced to eliminate someone, but the mistakes they make are reflective of the real world.

If someone comes along confidently enough with a theory that explains a mystery, perhaps it isn’t so surprising that it takes hold of so many people.

Are you a traitors fan?

I’d love to know what you’ve noticed or how you think you’d win at the game.

Last month I shared my theme for the year “The Year of Health”. Since then, things have been… interesting in the most British sense of the word.

• My kids and I have been ill more often than any time I can remember (I think there’s only been a handful of days when I’ve felt actually “right”).
• I haven’t built the health habits I wanted
• despite some socialising, I’ve been very bad at looking after my mental health

Now before I go on, I want to say there has been some success. I’ve met up with some old friends, I’ve had a better temperament and perspective with my kids, and some of the really negative internal self-talk has been reduced to almost nothing (though disturbingly returned over the weekend). The main issue, however, has been that I haven’t “made the healthy choice.”

Prior to this year, I had adopted a great maxim that had really helped nudge me to some far better choices. Here’s a couple of examples

• Instead of having a beer after work on Wednesday, I’d have a cup of tea
• Not grabbing a bar of chocolate when leaving the shop
• Playing with the kids rather than sitting down
• taking the stairs not the lift.

Since the new year, I have neglected this maxim. Instead I’ve done “what I felt like”.

I don’t know how significant each action is (I’ve certainly felt worse after gobbling down a big bag of crisps one evening) but the cumulative effect is the most profound. Each time I “make the healthy choice” I take a vote on being “healthy”.

So when a bigger issue comes up like not wanting to meet up with a group of friends because the black dog has been barking on your ear all morning, it’s easier to “make the healthy choice”.

A day in bed

As I write this, I’m sat upright in bed after a day off work due to some of the worst illness I’ve had in years (no one needs more specific details do they).

I know the chemical weapons labs I live with (otherwise known as my children) are likely the main reason for this bout of illness, but I’ve been aware of this neglect for the last few weeks too.

This is the prompt I needed to get back on track (I hope)¹. It’s time to make the healthy choice again.

I was wondering how I could do a video for a sketchnote tutorial at my desk.

I started thinking about getting an HDMI in so I could hook up my mirrorless camera, then maybe rig a phone above my desk, perhaps move the screen so the camera could be more in front of me… And then I realised that using continuity camera and desk view would be perfect. I tried it rigged above my monitor and it was too high away which revealed the final truth.

The best (simplest) setup for doing a sketchnote tutorial video is probably a mac laptop with an iPhone doing continuity camera¹.

Not just tutorial videos

Of course, this isn’t just about the amazing continuity camera, but many other “defaults” and built in experiences are good enough.

Yes, there are definitely exceptions (the webcam on my 2020 Macbook Air has A LOT to be desired) but the additional complexity comes with a lot of extra resistance.

There’s a reason the smartphone is the most popular camera in the world.

It’s also why even though I can see the value in all the bells and whistles of omnifocus, I’ve never managed to make it stick. Although, it does present a good example of an exception.

Exception: When you love the details

The people who I’ve noticed love Omnifocus find all those bells, whistles and automations to be joyful. Sure, they have setbacks but they never seem to find them frustrating. While I don’t find this the case with omnifocus, there are other tools and systems where I do experience it.

That seems like a good guideline for whether the more or less complex solution is right for you.

As I was listening to the latest episode of Cortex on “Yearly Themes” I instantly knew what mine should be.

The year of health.

It’s the culmination of several factors in life at the moment so let me explain.

An apocalyptic moment

A few week’s back I noticed that I was struggling to see the tiny text on my laptop screen.

Normally, I work at a 32" 4k monitor so I hadn’t had to test my eyes. But this one moment revealed both that yes, it is indeed time for me to get my eye’s tested again and, more significantly, age is affecting my body.

It was a watershed moment that broke through my complacency. It also made me reframe several other experiences and ideas from recent weeks.

But it wasn’t just about physical health

The year of mental health

(note: the following is very personal, mental health like physical health is complex. Take with large amounts of salt and speak to a trained professional if you need help).

This last year has been very difficult for me for a few reasons some of which I can’t divulge on the internet. When added to the usual work and family stresses (and noises — my daughter is currently in a neighbouring room blowing a whistle with much gusto), it’s affected my character for the worse.

I’d love to say I’ve been able to respond rationally and affectionately to every situation but in truth I’ve been reactive with an unpleasant tone far too often.

Honestly, if I carry on like this I will make my own life, and the ones of those around me, worse.

I need to look after myself so I can look after them.

The connection of physical and mental health

Physical and mental health work together.

While it’s possible to be ill mentally or physically and be well in the opposite field, it’s far more common for each to affect the other.

• Get a cold and your mood is likely to get worse.
• Look after your body and you’ll probably feel better about yourself.

So when one area is doing well, it’s far easier to help the other. And if you have a serious issue in one area, it’s worth helping the other.

That means that a lot of actions to help my physical health (eating better, exercising more) will help my mental health and some to help my mental health (socialising more) will help my physical health too.

One of the simplest tools I’ve found so far is a maxim I’ve taken on.

“Make the healthy choice”

I started using this simple phrase when I had my laptop revelation.

As I was thinking through some unhealthy habits (drinking too much coffee, eating certain junk foods) I had the thought “I want to make the health choice”, and it stuck around.

Now, when I’ve had a moment where I’ve been choosing between drinking a coke or having a cup of tea, I’ve gone for the tea. Or when I really wanted to take the kids to the cinema so I could rest rather than the nearby park, I went to the park as it was the “healthy choice”.

I’ve still indulged at times like Christmas and New Year, but those are exceptions rather than rules.

The first steps and the next ones

I still have bigger actions and project I need to address for my health, but this little saying and the idea of the year of health have already helped me change my lifestyle.

Taking on these bigger projects will be harder but the early rewards are giving me the motive to invest more.

Whatever your yearly theme is, I wish you the best of luck.