The ramblings of Aprazeth, an recent convert to minimalism, enthusiast of computer technology – with an outspoken opinion about everything and everyone.
Personal
All items related to, well – me personally :)
HD2 Hotfixes including ROM-upgrade, stability and security fixes.
Jun 6th
In case you have a HD2 – regardless of the provider – in the Netherlands please be sure to apply the following hotfixes from HTC; (these updates might also be available in your country, so be sure to hit HTC up at www.htc.com and select your country to check!)
Update for HTC HD2 Opening Java-messages;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=921
Even if you do not update anything else, please install this security update. It will prevent your HTC HD2 from immediately (without prompting) opening Java messages, leaving your phone (and data) vulnerable to a lot of exploits, hacks, deletion and so on.
Update for HTC HD2 Music Stability;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=938
It still stutters at times, but a lot less frequently
Update for HTC HD2 Car Kit Mode Function Enhancement;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=940
Update for HTC HD2 Facebook Albums;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=0&dl_id=918
There also is a ROM upgrade for Vodafone NL customers, which upgrades your ROM version to 1.72.172.0. Note; this only applies to Vodafone HTC HD2′s and does not apply to any others!
HTC HD2 ROM upgrade for Vodafone NL customers only;
http://www.htc.com/nl/SupportDownload.aspx?p_id=297&cat=2&dl_id=920
Once you have applied these updates, be aware that you will need to apply them again in case you hard-reset or wipe your phone. Of course, this excludes the ROM update for Vodafone. As a tip; the ROM update for Vodafone does not necessarily include the other updates so be sure to apply them as well.
Letting go of the numbers
May 22nd
For a while I was using infometrics to measure my caffeine-intake, my hours of sleep a given day, the amount of sugar I consumed – and even how happy I was on the happiness ratio-scale. Recently as you may know, I was and am in the process of moving into a new place – and my girlfriend moving in. Some might call it a major change, others a minor one.
During and after the move I no longer tracked or kept track of all of those infometrics. Why would I? It has served it’s purpose; I am aware that I need to watch the amount of sugar I consume, I stopped drinking caffeine completely – and well, my sleep is what it is. I learned a lot from tracking all of it though.
Throughout the last few months I have begun to shift my focus away from trivial matters and started focussing more on the things and people I care about. I have become more protective of those important items, and dropped anything that wasn’t important or mattered.
One of the other ‘casualties’ that I no longer use, is Google Reader. I have un-subscribed from all of my feeds (par my friends) and am quite happy with it. Why would I need to know everything that happens all the time? I stopped watching news and reading newspapers a long time ago but yet was still reading it via RSS. Granted, it was news from sources that I found interesting – but still.
In this hectic life with information, data and charts flowing around us all the time I stepped out of the noise – and into the calm. What I see, read and watch is about what I want to – when I want to. And it’s not backlogged, saved or stored. I jump into the stream of information when and how I want, and get out – when I want.
If anything, I am more happy and content with what I have, get and give. And about what I don’t see, hear or get in my inbox.
The biggest advantages of being a minimalist
Apr 11th
Most of you have already heard or met the concept of being minimalist in one way, shape or form. Apart from the added advantages that it takes less time to clean, helps you enjoy life more, reduces (visual) stress it also has one major advantage…
Moving is so much easier when you enjoy a minimalist life-style :-)
In the not-so-far future I should be moving to a new apartment, and that means packing up my stuff – and of course unpacking it. Since I do not own tons and tons of unwanted, unneeded and otherwise pointless materials it should be a jiffy. It should actually all fit into a small van (yes, I really own that little – and enjoy it) Now I’m aware that moving is not an annual (or even bi-annual) event – but it just underlines once more that living with only what you need, use and like – is a lot more sustainable.
Think about it; off all the stuff that you own and have around you – how much of it do you actually use or like? How much are you just keeping around ‘just in case’? Of course, certain items are a good idea to keep around for eventualities – but do you really need to keep a 3rd TV-set around just in case for example? Be critical, question whether or not you will actually use it in the next month or 6 months – or year (if it is seasonal related material) If the answer is no, then store it away for that period (month, 6 months or year) and if indeed you haven’t used in that time – get rid of it (give it away, donate or sell it :) )
There is a saying that goes along the lines of;
Do you own your stuff, or does your stuff own you?
In case you want to read up on this ‘minimalist lifestyle’ try visiting the following people’s blogs;
http://www.zenhabits.net
http://www.becomingminimalist.com/
Start with these 2, or just one of them. Read their blogs (subscribe to their RSS-feeds to automate it a bit) and implement the advise you want to implement. Because being and living minimalist is not following a regime, it’s about being and living with that (or without) what you need and love – without the junk you don’t need.
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