CodeMacLife

Why I became a Twos Champion!

In an age where subscription fatigue is real, and many apps force you into monthly payments, finding a note-taking app like Twos is refreshing. Twos doesn’t require a subscription, yet I choose to subscribe, and here's why. Supporting DevelopmentFirst and foremost, my subscription helps the Twos team continue to develop and improve the app. While Twos offers a generous free tier, subscribing allows Parker (developer) to keep enhancing the app with new features, faster updates, and better performance. Knowing that my contribution is directly impacting the evolution of a tool I use daily is incredibly satisfying. It feels like I’m...

July 13th, 2024 applications

My minimalist approach to taking notes

How applying a minimalist philosophy to note-taking stopped the information overwhelm.I don’t take many notes these days. My workload, hobbies, and learning haven’t slowed down either. So, why have I significantly reduced the number of notes created each week? To answer this, I need to explain what was happening before I made the changes, as well as why I had made the changes I now follow. Enter note-taking or note making alongside the word ‘app’ or ‘PKM’ (or whatever word you can think of in this space), and you will quickly see people online advocating for their favourite productivity app....

June 22nd, 2024 applications

I completed my Minimalist May challenge!

How a challenge improved my life.At the start of May 2024, I posted on my blog that I would be setting myself a challenge of less. A challenge where I would focus on five areas of my life where I felt I needed to make changes. Some were wishes, others were aspirations. Minimalist May is now over, and I can celebrate my fifth year of completion. The difference between this year and the past four, is the areas I chose to commit to. This year’s choices were areas I was not willing to be without, so I was putting myself...

June 1st, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 31

Done, faite, fertig, tecta! Today is the last day of my WeblogPoMo2024 challenge. Although I have enjoyed the time writing my posts, I am happy to move on to future goals. There has been a lot to learn over the past month. I am grateful to have taken part in the challenge because it reignited my passion for writing, even when some days felt remarkably busy. So for one last time, here is a lowdown of how I spent my day. DietBreakfast - Pot of porridge (how original) Lunch - two slices of toast with low-fat spread. Tea - fish,...

May 31st, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Days 29 and 30

Apologies for not updating yesterday. It was a busy day with plenty of adventuring out without spending much money apart from parking. It was my fourteenth wedding anniversary on Wednesday, so I had been busy spending it with my wife and son. We ended up going to a place nearby that we love to go to rest. The Pavilion Gardens in Buxton is a favourite of ours. Of course, my son loves to take his basketball because they have a court in the park area. My wife equally likes the place as there’s plenty of shops and beautiful architecture to...

May 30th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 28

Today was a successful day. I am grateful for the little triumphs I am experiencing at the moment. A few months ago, things weren’t going too well in all areas of my life. Life is better now. I have no idea why but we have mallards that seem attracted our garden. They appear each morning and evening. I'm not complaining as we do not have any pets. It's nice to have them around. DietBreakfast — Porridge pot. Lunch — Two slices of brown toast with low-fat spread. Tea — Tomato parcels with rice and broccoli. FinanceI bought a wedding anniversary...

May 28th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 27

Four days to go! I can do this. There’s something inside me that feels some of these habits will stick with me. In the afternoon, I got the opportunity to hold the EFL League Two trophy at my local pub. The football (soccer) team I support, Stockport County, were going to different places in the area with their champions cup for winning the session. My son loved the experience. DietBreakfast — Porridge pot Lunch — Tuna pasta with sweetcorn. Tea — Chicken burger with salad and lemon couscous. I had a real urge to eat biscuits today, especially ones that...

May 27th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 26

Oh, how I love weekends. Even better, I love weekends that are followed with another seven days off afterwards. I had a lovely, relaxing day at home. DietBreakfast — Two crumpets with low-fat spread. Lunch — This might sound weird, but I had a tin of baked beans. I wasn’t that hungry. Tea — I tried something new in the evening. BBQ beef skewers with pitta bread and salad. It was a great choice because the skewers were wonderful. I had the urge for something sweet today. Of course, I managed to avoid the temptation. FinanceNothing spent today. I started...

May 26th, 2024 challenge

I got shadow banned on Twitter!

For reasons unknown, I got shadow banned from the bird site that has a confused personality. It is Twitter or X? No-one can truly stick to one or the other. I have recently noticed engagement has dwindled and interactions can be counted on my hand. I checked several websites that see if your account is shadowbanned. Guess what? Mine certainly is. This will probably explain a lot. It’s most likely come at a good time because I am getting fed up with the social media platform. How many bots can one account attract! If it isn’t random likes, I get...

May 26th, 2024 journal

I cancelled my micro.blog plan

I cancelled my micro.blog plan today. There’s nothing wrong with the service. So why have I stopped using micro.blog for my blogging? Cost and time are the two main reasons. Firstly, I recently acquired a lifetime account with scribbles.page to host my blogging. The one-off cost will have paid for itself in the next two years. I know I will require a website and blog past these first two years. Financially, it makes sense to reduce my costs as much as possible. Another fact is the time to maintain two blogs, which I simply do not have time to do....

May 26th, 2024 journal

Minimalist May - Day 25

Six days and counting until the challenge is over. I’m near the end. I can’t complain too much because the challenge has encouraged me to start writing again. DietBreakfast - Two crumpets with low-fat spread (a very British thing to do). Lunch - Cheese sandwich with low-fat mayo. Tea - Sweet and sour chicken with stir-fry. I tried a handful of small sweet chilli rice crackers, which were a great side treat. FinanceNo spending, again. I adjusted the money I pay my wife towards my car lease and the mortgage contribution. For some reason, the banking app said I had...

May 25th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 24

I’ve had a relatively easy, lazy day. Being off work has its many perks. Maybe too much time was spent on Forza Horizon 5 today. The new 80s retro neon wave theme and music kept me chasing after those new rewards. I compiled a playlist on Apple Music called Horizon Wave (FH5) radio, which has all the 80s retro wave music from the game. DietBreakfast - Porridge pot. Lunch - One portion of plain noodles. Tea - Fish with lemon dressing, chunky chips and peas. FinanceNo spending whatsoever. I started my outgoings spreadsheet to assess what was going out. Council...

May 24th, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 23

Roll on the holiday! I have a day at home tomorrow to focus on rebuilding parts of my school’s website. After that, I am officially on holiday for a week. This time will be used to exercise more, relax, read and plan out a budget to save money towards a new car. DietBreakfast - Pot of porridge. Lunch - Full English breakfast (minus the bacon). Tea - Piri-Piri chicken wraps with rice. FinanceI had a brief look at my bank account to see I am on track to saving more money than last month. Going without the little treats here...

May 23rd, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Day 22

Only nine days to go until the challenge is over. It couldn’t come quicker. However, there have been many triumphs along the way. Just today, I realised I am financially better off than I have been in a long time. I feel the weight loss focus is staling. I’m uncertain if I need to put more exercise in or reduce how much I am eating during my three meals of the day. Yesterday, I took note of the portion sizes because they appear to have increased steadily as each week has progressed. I wonder if this is my attempt of...

May 22nd, 2024 challenge

Minimalist May - Days 20 & 21

I struggled to get a post out yesterday. Things were hectic all day, and it was followed by a trip to the out of hours doctor for my son. The drama never ends. I have been reading about financial independence and how to change your mindset. Using Omnivore, I have managed to get all my notes on financial and mindfulness into Obsidian for further research/note-taking. Both of these apps work great together. Not much has happened on my challenge this week, so I decided to list each category without the fluff to pad it out. DietMON - Breakfast: Porridge pot,...

May 21st, 2024 challenge