INFO Distracting Trivia

Observation - I have a constant urge to look up obscure facts, e.g. “tunes in common meter in a minor key”. But I really don’t need to know. Looking these up is mostly passive, and provides a sort of dopamine hit. Not knowing makes me find other ways to get the answer like “look at common meter tunes in a songbook that I know tends to have more minor keys than others” … I have to be active to find the answer, maybe I won’t find an answer, maybe it didn’t matter in the first place, I have to make a judgment about the value and utility of the information. My mind is engaged in the whole process, whether or not I find an answer. I think keeping my mind active rather than passive is my real goal.

TODO Replace Google Authenticator

State Tax site wants to text or use google auth. I thought I set up passkey, but it’s not taking it. Have to turn on the phone

TODO Make passkey work

TODO Remaining reachable

reason: away from home for 8 hours. Medical issues. Can’t be unreachable.
- Possible solutions
  - Do nothing. Just leave it off. Remain unreachable.
  - Don’t go anywhere.
  - Check in at intervals (phone on) then turn it off.
  - Give contact # of someone I’ll be with
  - Get a pager

TODO Podcasts and Audible

Audible: I binge-listened to 5 hours of “The History of Rome” podcast on Audible.
- Alternative: Don’t listen to Podcasts and Audible.
- Alternative: Download podcasts to an MP3 player/bluetooth device.
  - side effect - this makes the decision of what to spend time listening to much more intentional.

TODO Find alternative to Google Maps, Waze (paper maps, planning)

Google Maps: I used google maps to figure out if there was a better way around a traffic backup.
- Alternative: Use physical maps, pick routes less likely to have backups.

INFO Distracted Parking

Mental observations of having the phone on
- distracted parking: While trying to navigate round traffic jams I pulled over several times to check Google Maps. One time I stopped in gas station parking lot and did not realize I was blocking the entrance and got honked at. Stress. Thanks, smart phone

INFO Distracted Driving

Fiddling with the phone: I fiddled with the phone more than I should have while driving. Bad. Advertising by the road is designed to take the drivers attention off the road. Bad.

INFO Distracting Newsfeeds

Note taken on [2024-10-05 Sat 08:46]
- I’m not reading news web sites
  - answer: back to rss, elfeed
- I’m not listening to podcats
  - is that a loss?
- I have to spend more time at my computer
  - but that was my working life for 38+ years

TODO Track which sites always/sometimes require phone

Note taken on [2024-10-04 Fri 06:29] Bank someimtes caches tokens in the browser, allowing you to skip text messages Failed. Trying to migrate off.

TODO Give out Google Voice where texts are needed.

Note taken on [2024-10-02 Wed 06:57] Had to turn phone one. Needed text from doctor to re-activate login

TODO Give Google Voice number for call-backs

Note taken on [2024-09-27 Fri 10:55] I failed. I turned the phone on. Reason: Expecting call to get my car back form car service.

DONE New Google Voice Number

Note taken on [2024-09-27 Fri 07:56] 9/24/24 or so - resurrected my Google Voice (new number :-(). Can use it for calls, text. Learned to forward phone there. Tested. May port my number there so that I can text from computer.

DONE Distracting apps

Note taken on [2024-09-27 Fri 07:55] Using a spreadsheet to track medical info rather than an app.

George Jones

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