The Weekly Review 04-26

The Weekly Scribble

Time is a limited commodity. That's why it it so important to make the most of every moment.
- Holly Reisem Hanna 

Talking about time. I've had very little of it to sit down and write, hence the late post this week. Even with my best intentions and structured timetable, many additional tasks and deadlines were thrown at me. This week is shorter for this reason. I believe a Sunday post would be more suitable and realistic with the work commitments I have right now. 

Finding the right markdown writing app

This week, I've been on the quest for the ideal markdown editor and note-taking app that can seamlessly preserve my markdown files and offer robust cross-platform compatibility between Android, iOS, Mac and Linux. My journey led me to several options but finding one that ticks all the boxes has been challenging. I feel like I have wasted many, many hours exploring the options this week. 

Obsidian emerged as a strong contender; it handles wiki links and media links excellently. However, its mobile experience leaves much to be desired (although it has improved in the past few months). I turned my attention to VS Code on my Mac, which offers powerful features, but again, the mobile experience is non-existent.

Considering subscription-based apps like Ulysses crossed my mind. However, I'm hesitant to take on another subscription service. For now, my workaround involves drafting markdown notes in TickTick and then transferring them into Obsidian. This interim solution isn't ideal, prompting my continued search for a comprehensive tool.

Ultimately, my goal remains to find a cross-platform solution, paid or free, that offers a seamless experience across all devices. If you have recommendations, I’m eager to hear them as I navigate this journey. At this point, I can see myself using Day One as my markdown editor because it ticks so many boxes, including web browser accessibility. 

Testing out Kobo

Exploring new reading adventures, I've recently shifted my attention to the Rakuten Kobo app as an alternative to Amazon Kindle. This past week, I embarked on a journey with the Kobo platform, subscribing to their Kobo Plus plan and immersing myself in both audiobooks and e-books. The experience has been refreshing and distinct from the Amazon Kindle. Impressively, I've completed two books and listened to two audiobooks in just a week.

Moreover, the prospect of owning a Kobo Libre Colour e-reader has caught my interest and I'm seriously considering it due to my positive experience so far. The fact you can annotate on it like a physical book caught my attention. Kobo's platform seems promising, offering a unique reading experience that I find myself increasingly gravitating towards. This week has solidified my admiration for Kobo's offerings and I'm eager to see how this transition unfolds. Maybe I could ‘accidentally’ click the purchase button for a Kobo Libra Colour e-reader later in the year? 

Picking the right task management app

After experimenting with various task management apps over the past two months, I've settled on TickTick as my go-to tool. What sets TickTick apart is its seamless ease of use across all my devices. One standout feature is the ability to track habits, which has been incredibly helpful. The integrated Pomodoro timer and stopwatch allow me to efficiently monitor how long each task takes.

Moreover, TickTick supports markdown notes and lets me clip various items like webpages, adding images and attachments effortlessly. I find its interface quicker and more intuitive compared to Todoist. A delightful bonus is the educator’s 25% discount TickTick offers, making it a cost-effective choice for educators like myself. Overall, its combination of functionality and user-friendliness makes TickTick a clear winner in my book.

Another selling feature is Siri integration. I can add a reminder, which transfers the task from Apple Reminders to TickTick. I’ve found this seriously useful when I am commuting to work in my car. 

The Media Shelf

• Time Management in 20 Minutes a Day by Holly Reisem Hanna (ebook)
• Digital Zettelkasten: Principles, Methods & Examples by David Kadavy (audiobook)
• Journaling for Beginners by Dylan J. Parker (audiobook)
• Zoe Science + Nutrition podcast (Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube)
  • The transcripts for the podcast can be found on their website.

The Link Log

• Concepts (dsebastien.net) is a curated library that gathers more than 1,700 useful concepts, frameworks, mental models, techniques and principles for knowledge‑workers and creators. Created by Sébastien Dubois, it is designed as a searchable reference hub to help people discover, organise and apply these ideas in their personal and professional projects. I have found it valuable for understanding concepts like atomic notes, 1-1-1 Gratitude model and the 1% rule. Please check it out and Sébastien’s profile on X / Twitter or Bluesky. 

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As always, thank you so much for reading. The Weekly Review is simply a place to gather thoughts, ideas, links, and recommendations — the kind of things I would have once shared on social media.

Mark