CodeMacLife

Rekindling my use of e-ink books

From Apple Books to Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: A Journey Towards Focus and Immersion in Reading This past year, I have opted for Apple’s Book app and physical books. Physical books have always been a safe choice, and I have taken leverage of my local library to provide me with what I required. At the beginning of the year, I decided I wanted to exclusively use the Apple Books app to read digital literature. Apple Books is a great app. I have found some good deals. Some titles were cheaper than their physical counterparts. In fact, they were cheaper than the...

November 2nd, 2024 journal

Five apps I use every day to organise my life (2024 Edition)

Many changes, same principleIt has been over a year since I last published my post on the apps I use every day on Medium. The fact the post is my most successful post made me think it was worth sharing an update because there have been changes along the way. As previously mentioned, these apps bring a persistent calm to my day. I’ve matured in the way I select the apps I use and switching is not a thing I do these days. There was a time when new apps would appear in my life each month. As much as...

October 28th, 2024 applications

Blogging can be part of the mindfulness routine

How an epiphany made me realise I was approaching blogging entirely wrong.I haven’t written a blog in a while. In fact, the last time I wrote was a day before I set off for my holiday in Mexico (mid-August). Truth be told, I wanted to focus on my work. My occupation in a school is the most rewarding job I have ever undertaken, and I wanted to give it my all. Any teacher or staff member in a school will tell you — the start of an academic year is tiring (in a good way). Living mindfully for healthy livingI...

October 13th, 2024 journal

The Weekly Review - Issue 13

This has been the week of nothing, as in, I haven’t done much. It’s a good thing because I needed to recharge my batteries. Watch update Seven days without a smartwatch and I have to say it has been easy. There’s only two scenarios I have noticed to be an issue (first-world problems). First, I use my Apple Watch as a timer when cooking, so I reverted to my phone instead. The other is changing songs in Apple Music when I am driving. I start the playlist before I head off to my destination now. These are not real issues,...

August 16th, 2024 The Weekly Review

The Weekly Review - Issue 12

Hello. I hope you are all keeping well and safe. What a week! Here are three main focuses to my week. Thank you for your continued support. I have noticed an increase in viewership that is wonderful to see. I appreciate it a lot. Become an Original TwoserParker on Twos’ YouTube channel announced users who sign up for the Twos app will get all future premium features for free. However, this is a limited offer, which will end on 2nd September 2024. You will become an OT (Original Twoser…and you will get an OT badge next to your name)! The...

August 12th, 2024 The Weekly Review

The Weekly Review - Issue 11

I’m back as promised. There is a bit to unpack this week. Sticking with Ulysses for writing I was on the fence over what tool I would be using for my writing since I knew my Ulysses subscription was coming to an end. £39.99 per year for Ulysses could be re-invested in an app that has a one-off payment, such as iA Writer. Other than repeated payments, I am not happy with Ulysses text checker called Revision. It scans the text and provides suggestions for US customers. I’m English, so the suggests for where commas should be used not relevant....

August 5th, 2024 The Weekly Review

The Weekly Review – Issue 10

It’s been a while. I apologise. What was intended to be a weekly post had not transpired. Life got in the way, but I am here to give it another go. Self-doubt, lack of interest and work got too much. I’m here to push away the excuses and try again. Writer's blockI haven’t posted much online recently because I wanted to focus on a few projects that were backed up on my project manager (Twos, of course). In doing so, I have lost the passion to write. I’m at that stage where I don’t really care about any hardware, software,...

July 29th, 2024 The Weekly Review

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