i have developed significant pain centered in my right shoulder… i have tried many things to deal with it… painkillers, heating pad, electric stimulation, etc… the pain is stubborn and persistent… the painkillers i have are ineffective…

my current theory is that it is repetitive motion injury… i do a lot of micro moving with my right hand and arm to operate my devices, iPhone mostly… in an effort to improve the situation i have decided to commit to analog methods of recording thoughts and information… to change the micro movements and relieve, or at least shift the stress… i’m still struggling with the pain, so it is too early to tell if this is helping, but I am hopeful…

i have shifted my journaling practice to a paper journaling book… i have reactivated my fountain pens which don’t need a tense grip or pressure on the page… i purchased 3x5 index cards for recording quick thoughts and highlights from reading… i have purchased letter size writing pads for working on longer pieces… that is how this post started… i then read my rough draft into the voice memo app on my phone and copied the transcription into drafts, my note transfer hub app on my phone… from there i send them to wherever i want to work on them next… i have purchased a weekly planner and will use that instead of the calendar app on my phone…

this is not the first time i have tried to return to analog… purchased materials and equipment to do it with… only to collapse back into the digital sphere, within days… this time seems different… there are health and comfort issues supporting and provoking the shift, which will, hopefully, help get me over the hump to a regular analog journaling and thought processing regimen… and a routine for transcribing the most important thinking and writing to the digisphere…

there are additional benefits to analog thinking and recording…

Throughout human history, writing, drawing, and recording information in physical form have been central to human culture, learning, and self-expression. From ancient cave paintings and early written language on clay tablets to personal journals and handwritten letters, the act of physically engaging with a surface to record thoughts is deeply embedded in the human experience. This analog practice is not only a reflection of our cultural heritage but also serves as a critical tool for supporting mental health, enhancing memory, and providing a space for introspection and creative expression.

–The Enduring Power of Pen and Paper: How Analog Practices Support Mental Health

there is a fair amount of support on the internet for returning to these centuries old ways of doing things… the acknowledged benefits are…

• improved retention of information
• improved creativity
• improved mental and physical health

and there is also…

• restricting my time in digital environments will also reduce my dependency on the capitalist technocracy that is currently flooding the zone with so much digital crap and perverting our ability to assess information and make good decisions…

i won’t become a Luddite… but i will restrict technology use to what i most need it for…