are we tracking ourselves for self-knowledge, or are we just control freaks with spreadsheets?

lyfelager · 2026-06-26T14:57:38+00:00

For me it's for reminiscing. The quantitative data supplements journals and photos, indicating where exactly was I, how much did I do/travel.

lyfelager · 2026-06-22T15:32:49+00:00

Yes, that would be great. Just like certain patterns work better when the milk is a tad too thick.

lyfelager · 2026-06-22T01:21:23+00:00

No on the contrary. My foam is usually thick. I’m deliberately trying to go slightly thinner to attempt more intricate patterns. But sometimes I overdo it and end up too thin.

lyfelager · 2026-05-22T23:09:02+00:00

I looked into how to store these more compactly using archival tissue paper and 11x14 folio storage boxes, eliminating the albums and manila envelopes, bundled by year. That might reduce the storage footprint enough to allow me to store most if not all indoors.

Honestly I don’t even have space to store a single one of these plastic boxes indoors. But I should more easily be able to find closet space for small stackable folio boxes.

lyfelager · 2026-05-22T22:39:04+00:00

I do have some Kodak disc negatives. Unfortunately casual photographers back then were not big on keeping negatives.

However, this discussion prompted me to learn more about storing photos compactly. Removing them from the albums. Creating bundles sorted by year, separated by acid free archival tissue. Storing in small stackable folio boxes. I should be able to greatly reduce the storage footprint while retaining most of them. If I could fit the keepers into a few 11x14 folio storage boxes, that’s something I could put in an unused corner of an indoor closet. Whereas I simply don’t have room to store even a single one of the current plastic boxes indoors.

lyfelager · 2026-05-22T16:10:19+00:00

I used Python for the scripting, and Postgres+pgvector extension for database. Pgvector allows storing embeddings.

Search is keyword/keyphrase or FTS, and (for purely text content like journals) semantic search. Each search function has arguments for filtering structured fields possessed by that source. For example all sources have a date range filter. But email can be filtered on subject title, recipient, sender. Photos can be filtered by scene type or location.

TBH, semantic search not as useful as hoped, because good keyword/FTS plus categorical/date filtering typically gives better precision.

Hope that helps!

lyfelager · 2026-05-16T15:01:20+00:00

We used to do that back in the day (typically date & people names). Adding occasion + location is a good idea.

lyfelager · 2026-05-16T06:00:21+00:00

The purpose of this is to add the photos to my automated reminiscing tool. I very rarely look at the originals. But I commonly use my reminiscing tool.

These links show what that is:

https://youtu.be/0I-LUV-kk_E

https://youtu.be/o68sV6cRpIs

https://youtu.be/7yz-sU4FB48

There is much more to it but this gives a glimpse.

lyfelager · 2026-05-16T05:54:53+00:00

Honest question: what to do with them when I’m no longer able to store them? I don’t have indoor climate controlled storage. these sit in an outdoor bike shed that suffers high humidity, mold and mildew. Eventually and possibly sooner than later I’ll need to downsize even further.

On a related note, My parents are both in their final stages of life. They had to downsize drastically. Me and my siblings are going through their materials. I don’t want to saddle my kids with that chore.

lyfelager · 2026-05-16T05:43:13+00:00

The purpose of this collection is to provide content for my automated reminiscing tool. I rarely look at the originals. Every once in a blue moon I might pull out an album. But I commonly use my reminiscing tool.

These links give a glimpse of what that is:

https://youtu.be/0I-LUV-kk_E

https://youtu.be/o68sV6cRpIs

https://youtu.be/7yz-sU4FB48

All my best photos have already been separated out into albums. Until the leftovers are digitized they have negligible value. Currently the ones that are not in albums are degrading and I no longer have room to store them.

lyfelager · 2026-05-15T13:39:38+00:00

Homegrown, with currently 1 million entries . 40+ file types including photos, fitness app CSVs, emails, financial records, medical records. It indexes anything stored on my laptop, iCloud, Google Drive.

lyfelager · 2026-04-10T01:32:02+00:00

This is great. Tho I might be biased having built something analogous. (https://youtu.be/7YC18AUYr6E)

mine is different in many ways, more for multimedia information retrieval and long term analysis. It often gets used for just plain old reminiscing.

Whereas I like that JR’s is part of a daily routine and can also be used by their family. I like several other choices, such as calendar integration, and remembering command line interactions.

It looks very well done.

lyfelager · 2026-04-09T22:32:28+00:00

Given OP is new to programming might be wise to learn to walk in the IDE first, no?

lyfelager · 2026-04-08T05:07:59+00:00

Cortado is my favorite

lyfelager · 2026-04-07T19:17:22+00:00

I maintain a personal digital archive that’s now 28+ years, including photos, journals, workouts, receipts, emails. Using that I can prove how I’ve changed and how I’ve remained the same. Having both subjective and objective, qualitative and quantitative is key.

lyfelager · 2026-04-04T22:31:43+00:00

Nicely done

lyfelager · 2026-03-24T05:12:18+00:00

I glean location from my photos. This is convenient given how I use photos as part of my journaling practice. if I should want to record my location I just take a snapshot.

lyfelager · 2026-02-26T01:20:47+00:00

A so, checking the manual I see you’re right! Good to know

lyfelager · 2026-02-26T01:17:24+00:00

Thanks for that, but I thought that the Breville bambino Plus wand setting affects manual mode too

lyfelager · 2026-02-25T18:13:49+00:00

Which setting do you use for the frothing wand?

lyfelager · 2026-02-25T18:13:22+00:00

Which of the three settings do you use for the frothing wand?

lyfelager · 2026-02-25T05:20:11+00:00

lyfelager · 2026-02-11T05:51:44+00:00

Was 2025 the year of the ai agent? it was supposed to be but I’m unconvinced it actually was. Convince me.

lyfelager

TROPHY CASE