This likely will come at NO ONE's surprise, but challenging myself to ten minutes of Internet activity is a fast-paced endeavor! Even updating this website comes off like Office Space with Peter trying to hit the door before Lumberg swings by his cubicle—the computer processes are far too slow! The nightly reset hits at sundown and there ain't no carryover minutes!

Moments ago, I caught myself attempting a quick search on my disconnected computer of how to do something as opposed to just spending a moment to figure it out myself. That encapsulates one of the main differences between the world I knew and today: the luxury of not thinking makes us dumber.

With the 10-minute Internet comes inspiration. Instead of mindless absorption, I think of the future. I brainstorm that which lies ahead. Even now, I 'm developing my New Year's Resolutions as I consider how they might contribute beyond 2022.

I don't remember when I first began mindmapping. I saw a presentation at work with someone running a paid software package of it and knew "I just GOTTA have me one of these!" Once I returned to my desk, I immediately found an open source mindmap application. It remains one of my favorite pieces of computer software of all-time. It comes to me naturally as I've always been the type to doodle ideas down on paper and connect everything together in lines. Unfortunately, my handwriting has always been ABYSMMAL. Mindmapping software gives me similar flexibility but with legibility! And it sure beats scribbling notes in a book!

For years, I ran with Freemind, but it uses Java (which has fallen out of vogue over the years) and more importantly, the developer seems to have abandoned it, thus I'm running the Freeplane fork. There are other projects, of course, and while I like the free version of XMind 8, it feels too top-level to me plus it reminds me of running the IT shop in Sitka, a decidedly soured time of my life.

As the Sun sets for a second night, I look to 2022 and see the shapes of things to come.