2024 Week 23

Published on: 2024-06-09

weekly metajot

Working on Metajot

Metajot is going through yet another rewrite. The original goal was to digitize the Bullet Journal System. The user should be able to create tasks, events, and notes in a daily journal. And task migration should allow the user to ensure relevant takes are not forgotten, and unimportant tasks get cleaned up.

In the original implementation, I had per-user databases, and was using server-side rendering with SvelteKit. This was problematic because I wanted to have client-side encryption (the cloud service should not be able to read the user’s journal), which meant that the server could not read and therefore could not query and render the data.

After struggling with various solutions to encrypt parts of the data while leaving enough metadata to perform queries, I decided to switch to a client-only solution. The user’s journal is stored in the browser’s localstorage, and rendered on the client.

Around this time, I decided to shift the focus of the project to be more of a mind mapping tool, like a self-hosted LogSeq. I used Milkdown1 to implement WYSIWYG markdown editing, and had the data save as markdown files on the server. This time, there was no encryption as my plan was to have the user host their own server. But due to bugs and lacking documentation in Milkdown, I decided I’d either need to use a different library, write my own editor, or pivot again.

And so I pivoted again. Mostly back to the original plan, but now with client-side storage. This time I’m using React, and the data is managed using Zustand and persisted to localstorage. Although I tend to prefer Svelte, one of my goals is to have many different “jot” types (note, task, event, quote, reminder, etc.)., and I find React to be more flexible for this because components are just functions. I can declare the interface for a jot type, and store all of my implementations including their components in a single object.

An additional benefit of using localstorage is that the journal will continue to function when there is no network access. I do still intent to have a cloud or self-hosted sync service, so that the journal data can be backed up and shared across devices.

Lenovo Update

I’m intending to write a full post cataloging my experience soon. But the short version is Fuck Lenovo. I would highly recommend avoiding them at all costs. They are not willing to stand by their products, and they are willing to blatantly lie in order to scam customers out of any recourse.

Motivation lacking for Japanese Studies

I’ve been falling behind on my stuties for a while now. I tried reducing my goals to make them more manageable but I’m still struggling to get myself to do it. I think I went too hard with my previous goals and burned myself out a bit.

I do not want to give up on it, but I’m allowing myself a bit of a break and will come back to it when I feel more motivated.

I’m watching

Case Closed

This has been a good show for listening practice. It’s intended for a younger audience, so the language used is fairly simple. And the mysteries are interesting enough to keep me engaged. This series has over 1000 episodes, so it may become a long-term part of my Japanese learning journey.

Spice and Wolf

I did not expect to be learning economics from a wolf girl. The banter between Holo and Lawrence is great and the dub is very well done. Highly recommend watching this one in English.

Silicon Valley

I thoroughly enjoyed this show when it first came out. But at the time I had never worked in the tech industry, so I missed out on a lot of the jokes / didn’t fully relate to it. Re-watching it after 5 years at a startup has made it all the more enjoyable.

Mushoku Tensei

Moushoku Tensei can’t seem to decide between being a vast world building epic with intriguing lore and characters, or a trashy harem anime. I’ve been mostly losing interest in it, but “Turning Point 3” seems to be getting back to the good stuff.

Delicious in Dungeon

A fun and relaxing anime about eating monsters in a dungeon. The show is clearly written with great care for detail in the recipes, and could easily have a place on the Food Network. I never would have thought living armor could be so delicious.

Started climbing again

I finally checked out new climbing gym, The Cove. It’s a lot bigger than the gym I tried previously, and more focused on bouldering.

Maria

Maria
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