MajorAap.com - A personal blog by Aprazeth
The ramblings of Aprazeth, an recent convert to minimalism, enthusiast of computer technology – with an outspoken opinion about everything and everyone.
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.
Prolonging battery-life on the HD2
Apr 13th
For the last couple of days I have been running around with a program called BandSwitch installed, which disconnects idle mobile internet connections (according to your settings) Doing so can seriously prolong the battery-life on your HD2. So far, I havent’ seen or found any negative side-effects and it does seem to prolong to do what it advertises.
The URL to get it is: http://www.commmgrpro.com/jsp/main_frame.jsf
However, the program is not free – it comes with a 14 day trial.
The user-interface may seem chaotic at first, but it’s a mater of starting it (once) and then hitting “Auto” and you are set.
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.
Updating Opera Mobile on my HD2
Apr 5th
On the HD2 you will find running Opera Mobile 9.7 (even with the latest ROM) Now if you wish to update this to a higher version here is what to do;
- Go to http://m.opera.com.
- Select the Opera 10 for Windows Mobile Touch version.
- Download (to SD-card or main memory should make no difference) via a WiFi connection (or other high-speed connection, since the download is quite big)
- Install to main memory
- Enjoy Opera 10 Mobile.
This version comes with Opera Turbo, which can make a huge difference in terms of browsing speed on all types of connections, and can save a lot in terms of bandwidth usage. That is especially handy for those of you who are on capped mobile internet-connections. Plus, I like the interface just a tad bit more.
Note; you can also download the installation for your mobile via your PC/laptop by going to http://www.opera.com/mobile/download/versions.
Of course, don’t forget to set it as your default browser.
PS: You might see the icon twice in your Start-menu. However, I haven’t seen or found any bugs or problems with that yet.
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