At the end of the year, I am thinking about what to focus on for 2026, as is traditional. I am not doing anything dramatic or strenuous, as I am immersed in parenting. My first kiddo is now two, and I just had our second baby in early December. So I am trying to reset my body and mind and look forward, amidst the relentless chaos, cuteness and unpredictability that is life with small children.

This is not particularly innovative or new, but it is feeling workable. At this point in my life, I need things to be simple, work well and not require fiddling.

In summary - What is working:

Linux Mint

I have become a lazy Linux user. I use Linux Mint with the Cinnamon desktop. I don't do much fiddling or any distro hopping these days, I just use it, and I am quite content. 2026 marks 14 years or so of playing with Linux and 10 years of using Linux full time. No plans to ever go back to Windows or Mac! I enjoy the Linux user experience and the open source philosophy. Whenever I have used Windows or Mac here and there, I have been horrified at the clutter, complexity and requests for accounts and whatnot, so I don't think I'm missing anything!

My husband is even sufficiently annoyed with Windows that he intends to install Linux when he next rebuilds his computer, and see how far he gets without needing Windows for gaming. We'll see, but that would be cool.

Kindle E-reader with Calibre

These days I am using an old Kindle Keyboard 3rd generation that was quite affordable from Ebay. I prefer the older models because I like having physical buttons and don't like a touch screen on my e-reader - it's too easy to touch the screen in the wrong spot and lose my place. I manage my ebook library with Calibre, and transfer books onto the Kindle by plugging it into my computer. I don't use the Kindle/Amazon ecosystem, I keep it in airplane mode, and never connect to wifi or Amazon's servers. It works great.

Supernote Tablet

I love e-ink. I use the Supernote for writing blog posts, primarily, using the handwriting conversion tool to write plaintext or markdown. (I sure will be happy when they add native markdown support). I have sideloaded the Amaze file browser, and the SimpleMarkdown app. It uses Dropbox to sync, which is not my favorite, but it works, and I like to keep things easy and functional. I also use it to read some RSS feeds using the Feeder app. All the non-native apps I use are from F-Droid.

I appreciate the Supernote company, which is pretty responsive on Reddit, and transparent about their software plans. That is a primary reason I got a Supernote rather than another of the e-ink tablets out there.

One Plus Nord N30 Phone

After my Pixel 3A bit the dust, I got this cheap phone. My eyes are sensitive and the LCD screen is much easier on the eyes for me than the more common OLED screen. Privacy is questionable, because its a Google/Android device, and made by a Chinese company, but I use it as little as possible, and have NetGuard installed, which lets me block cell and wifi access for apps as I choose. I'd love a better option in the future.

Digital Journal

I keep a digital journal using Zim-wiki with the journaling plug-in. Sometimes I prefer to type my thoughts and sometimes I hand write my journal, so I just have journals in two places, and don't worry about them being cohesive or structured. I use my Alphasmart Neo pretty often, and then dump that journal entry into Zim.

Analog Tools

Travelers Notebook with Sterling Ink Common Planner

I have been using a physical book planner for years now, and only get more committed to it. Digital tools are nice, but my brain does much better with the distraction-free, calming experience of real paper and pen. I have gone through all the gyrations about which planner to use, and this year I am settled nicely into a Travelers Notebook with the Sterling Ink Common Planner. It's big enough to have writing space, but small enough that it fits in a bag to take when I go out.

I made some of my own notebook inserts with Tomoe River paper, and use those for daily notes and plans, and have another small insert that is for to do lists. I started using this system last year and it works well for me.

Fountain Pens

I love fountain pens. I currently use Kaweco Perkeos and Pilot Kakunos in my planners and journals. They write quite nicely and they are cheap, so if my toddler smashes a nib, it will be easy to replace.

My Thinking Book

I have a second Travelers Notebook that is my "thinking book." It includes an insert for random brain dumps and problems that I want to sort out. It helps to be able to scribble down options, theories, things to try, etc, on whatever topics I have on my mind. I don't have a structure to it, just go to the next page. If I come up with an idea I want to be able to refer back to easily, I have to copy those notes elsewhere, this is just a scribbly brainstorming book. I also have an insert for blogging and creative writing ideas, and one that is a mini, portable journal.

Journal in a Notebook

I keep a physical journal in a B5 notebook with nice paper (currently using an Oddysey notebook, but Apica is my favorite). I use a Kokuyo Systemic notebook cover, just to make it nice.