Considering tech and the home

Sacha Chua — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 01:10:00 GMT

I came across an interesting exercise in Barbara Sher's I Could Do Anythng If I Only Knew What It Was: to pick a scenario and try fully committing to it, even just for a little while.

Let's say that this current lifestyle is the thing that I'm going to fully explore. I've started thinking of it as blending technology and non-technology interests, building a little on the idea of exploring that future where tech is more integrated into the home. I'm not the only one exploring it (yay!), but there aren't that many people with the opportunities to do so yet, so maybe I can bring some useful ideas and insights to it.

So: laser cutting and sewing, Emacs and cooking, days with the abundance of time that science fiction writers used to predict we'd enjoy.

What would this life look like, carried to its fullest extent? What steps can I take to move towards that? How would this life evolve as technology advances and my skills improve?

One direction people go with lives like this is that of homesteading: building up more independence by growing and making more things. I like being close to the library, subway, and supermarket, so maybe that lifestyle isn't quite for me yet.

Another direction is to stay where you are, but improve the way you do things.

I want to make more customized things, like the way I like wearing the tops I've sewn. Who knows, I might even get good enough to sew things for other people. As I get better at imagining and constructing things, I might also be able to apply those skills to laser-cutting, 3D printing, and other manufacturing technologies.
I want to get better at repurposing things, getting more value out of stuff before we recycle or trash them.
I want to gradually swap out more of our consumables with reusables. For example, I can make produce bags out of mesh. Then we won't need to use plastic bags for fruits and vegetables.
I want to cook a wider variety of recipes, and I want to prepare each recipe better. I also want to get better at transforming leftovers.

I feel a little odd about a life that seems so focused on such a small area (of interests, of geography, etc.). I feel some internal resistance around that. But hey, Emacs is a pretty niche thing too. Besides, it might be interesting to take notes and see where this goes.

Related sketches:

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Sacha Chua - tag - resistance

Considering tech and the home