2024 will mark the 40th anniversary of the Apple Macintosh. To properly mark the occasion, and in a nod to Steve Jobs—who never wanted our devices to become part of who we are—I am taking some intentional steps towards analoging my life.

I will do this in two primary ways, one aesthetic, and one ascetic. For the former, I will work towards making analog things more intellectually and physically attractive, when reasonable. For the latter, I will intentionally dumb down a current tool as a form of fasting from digital bells and whistles.

Initial plans are below.

Aesthetic

  • Pick up letter writing as a regular habit. (Aiming for one a month. A good friend has already kickstarted this for me by writing me a letter last month.)
  • Carry my leather legal pad folder with me to classes and meetings.
  • Continue my recent adoption of the Personal Punchcard method for work and life tasks.
  • Pray the Daily Office by candlelight. (Saving the Podcast edition for emergencies. I’d still rather pray the Daily Office via Podcast than not at all.)

Ascetic

  • Unless I am on a run or hiking, leave the Apple Watch behind. (I would have to purchase a new device in order to replace the Apple Watch as an exercise watch, so I am holding on to it for now.)
  • Using my Mac in Grayscale.
  • Using my iPhone in Grayscale.
  • Remove all iPhone apps except for Ulysses, Maps, Messages, Calendar, Music, and Podcasts.