Administrative Progress

Woke up early, around 4:30am. Processed email—Gemini as email summarizer works well. Drilled into Ian's emails on Robotaxis and AI predictions. Sent inquiry to Hotel Nelson regarding extra adult. Worked on sorting earlier scans, scanned and processed more physical mail. Ate sandwich for lunch, listened to Never Split the Difference. Took quick nap. Puzzled over connection between Nelson and Picton—appears I haven't booked it yet. Exercised. Went for 30-minute walk at Jackson-Frazier wetlands. Played around with videos I took there. Walked to Suds, listened to Project Hail Mary. Beer with Michael, mostly talked about theater in New York. Michael gave me ride home. Watched Ancient Civilizations—comparison of how war was made in different civilizations. Watched about 3/4 of The Menu. Didn't care for it. Woke up curious about how incense is made. I do incidental skill building all the time—need to spend more energy on intentional skill building for generalizable skills.

From Mail Scanning to Theater Talk

December 29, 2025

These notes describe the events of Sunday, 12/28/2025.

I woke up early, around 4:30am. The predawn hours, the mind already active. I was curious about how incense is made. The random questions that arrive unbidden, the mind's way of exploring the world even before consciousness fully engages.

I processed email. Gemini as an email summarizer works well. I drilled into a couple of Ian's emails on Robotaxis and AI predictions. I didn't make any substantive responses though. The intellectual engagement without commitment, reading and absorbing without yet formulating replies.

I sent an inquiry to The Hotel Nelson regarding an extra adult in the room. The New Zealand logistics continuing, getting Joey properly added to all the bookings.

I worked on sorting earlier scans, finances related. I scanned and processed more physical mail. The administrative work finally getting attention, the pile of paper slowly converting to organized digital records. I ate a sandwich for lunch and listened to the audiobook Never Split the Difference. The negotiation strategies, the lessons about reading people and managing conversations.

I took a quick nap. The recovery time after the early waking and sustained focus. I puzzled over the connection between Nelson and Picton. It appears I haven't booked it yet. It's not clear if we should spend the night before in Nelson or Picton. The bus from Nelson to Picton might be fun if low pressure. The planning questions still to resolve, the choice between staying near the departure point or the destination, the consideration of what makes the journey itself enjoyable rather than just efficient.

From my walk to Suds

I did my planks, 15 bird-dogs, and four iterations of the world's greatest stretch. The fitness routine continuing, the New Zealand preparation staying on track. I went for a 30-minute walk at Jackson-Frazier wetlands. The natural area, the change from the usual urban routes. I played around with some videos I took at Jackson-Frazier. The photographer's eye capturing the wetlands, experimenting with motion and light.

I walked to Suds. I listened to Project Hail Mary on the way—the section where they pull a sample from Adrian but suffer some damage in the process. The science fiction narrative providing companionship for the walk. I had beer with Michael. We mostly talked about theater in New York. Michael is a theater professor at a local university and will be visiting New York for several days in January. The conversation ranging across performances he's planning to see, the vitality of the theater scene, the experience of live performance in that particular city. Michael gave me a ride home. The familiar rhythm of friendship, the conversation continuing in the car.

I watched Ancient Civilizations. It seemed to be a comparison of how war was made in different civilizations. The different approaches to organized violence, the varied technologies and strategies across cultures and time periods. I watched about 3/4 of The Menu. I didn't care for it. It didn't improve my opinion of humanity. The recommended film proving disappointing, the dark satire or whatever it was meant to be leaving a sour taste. Sometimes the things people find entertaining reveal something unsettling about what we're willing to consume as culture.

I do incidental skill building all the time. I think I need to spend a little more energy on intentional skill building for generalizable skills. The recognition that learning happens constantly but perhaps not always strategically, the question of whether to let skills accumulate organically or to pursue them more deliberately.

The day moved from administrative progress finally made—mail scanned, finances sorted, bookings advanced—to fitness maintained, social connections deepened, and questions pondered. The tasks long avoided now begun, the New Zealand trip logistics advancing piece by piece, the body staying prepared. The early morning curiosity about incense-making reflecting a pattern: I learn constantly but perhaps not always with intention. The day's accomplishments were real—paper converted to digital records, Joey added to more bookings, exercise completed—but the final reflection suggests something more: the difference between letting learning happen and making it happen. Sometimes productivity isn't just about completing tasks but about recognizing patterns in how we approach them.