<!-- TITLE: Consilium Grandum Unum --> Inspired by [Pat](https://www.twitter.com/PatStillWrites)'s achievements, and the utility of these CGs for him. Perhaps a [rewrite](cg1)? # 1. Motivation for this plan (quid movet hoc consilium) I know well that my productivity is WAY lower than possible, and my potential is huge. In fact, I would like to broaden this aim towards improving my character, my social impact on immediate friends and family, and my overall well-being. I maintain that although `errare est humanus`, humans are human by virtue of their defining `quid est errare et non errare`. And in this spirit, I want to document what it means for me to succeed, and work to critically evaluate `mei errores`. This is a map for life. This is a living document, which I revise at the start of every week, and review every day. This document is built for organizing what I do with my time. This includes the CG itself, any monitoring mechanisms, but also specific tasks. [commitment]s connect my Priorities to practical action in an accountable structure. # 2. Priorities Excise what gets in the way. Enhance what assists. ## 2.1 Commitment about Commitments [commitment] I'll mark commitments explicitly in this document. [commitment] Once I say I will do something, I do it. [commitment] And if I can't, I don't say I will. ## 2.2 Others Others can enrich my life, and I theirs. But I also owe myself to those around me, *to some extent*. If relationships are primarily draining, they still may be important But also, always secure your mask before helping others // Don't let others get in the way of your health. ## 2.3 Projects These are goal-oriented meta-structures for my self-commitments. I want to reach the goal of projects I commit to, in some sense so I can forget about the project, but also to feel OK about myself. Projects aren't always commitments, but when they are, they follow the same rules. Projects are + cultivated through the creative exploration of ideas. + calcified and externalized in work-product. + long-term goal-oriented action. ## 2.4 Knowledge I pride myself on knowing things. And I still know so little! Focusing in on these two points ^^ the only immediate solution is to accept extreme ignorance in myself. This is anyways touted in various forms as a path to wisdom. [task] (Daily) School myself. ## 2.5 Free, Fun (carpe diem, habe carptos) Fun, enjoyment, is a cornerstone. It can, by itself, give great value to my life! If I can align "fun" with "goal-orented activity" that's great, but sometimes I'll need to make trades. [task] (Daily) Have some fun. ## 2.6 Character I feel deep character defects. These primarily relate to my interaction with others. Also, my productivity, life-situation, & understanding of myself have been highly variable in the past 10 years. I would prefer to stabilize. ## 2.7 Meta This CG is embodiment of my desire to design myself, my life, to exert agency. Agency requires self-consciousness, an understanding of the constitution of the self. What this statement typically obscures is that the constitution of the self is also malleable to our will. ## 2.8 Documentation [commitment] (Constant) Document all ideas for tasks as I think of them. File these and delegate a future version of myself to consider that task again. [commitment] (Constant) Keep track of task completion. [commitment] (Weekly) Revise the CG [commitment] (Weekly) Written reflection on: 1. others in my life, 2. the design of my life, 3. my projects, 4. my character, on Saturday or Sunday. [commitment] (Daily) Read back the CG and your last written reflection. ## 2.9 Identity What rooms do I want to be in? What do I want to be able to contribute? And how do I get there, and why? Ever-improving, focusing each week on *besting myself*, independent of my understanding of others' progress. Bettering at dealing with the situation at hand, not necessarily setting PRs. No deadline-panic. Always be prepared. # 3. Mantra [commitment] (Daily) Spoken reinforcement of my life map, and my character. LIFE MAP My past self has committed me to reciting this now. It's for my own good, let me describe how. I have projects, commitments, ideas and stuff to create. I have a body and a soul, and am stuck in human hyperspace. I've been around for 28 and a bit, with 42 left, and a lot to get out of it. Every day, from morning to night, I'm pressed with the question of how to act right. I'm not bad right now but could do so much better This mantra defines what is meant by the latter. To better is to be happy, helpful, and strong. To know more, and do more, and regret less, less wrong. To do this I watch myself, write reflections, and recite matras. Just putting time in to design who I am. "What can I do with this time?" not "What should I?" CHARACTER Do no harm, and no neglect. # 4. Projects I want to systematically document and work towards projects, so I've made a new section for this purpose. Listing out each and every step of a large project helps to structure it, and keep to my goals and commitments. ## Dissertation A central commitment in the next 6 months is the completion of my dissertation. Ideally I would make a serious step forward by the end of 2021, 5 weeks from this writing. Broadly speaking, this involves the following: + Deep theoretical reading, documentation, and recall. + Weekly, or even daily, commitment to each. + Reflection on efficacy of learning, in relation to the goals this lit is embedded in. + Brainstorming analytical questions, inspired by and in conversation with extant research + Weekly commitment, collecting new ideas + Exciting, exploratory + Conducting interviews and summarizing / consolidating them. + Scheduling + Conducting + Writing up reflections + Analytical consolidation + Conducting analyses and writing them up. + Systematic + Only as I judge necessary + Packaging analyses into papers. + Limited to just those most beautiful and impactful findings + Work over and over on a paper for at least a month before submission ## Jailbreak This project can matriculate on any timeline, but the sooner the better. The goal is to get to profitability, utility, and *stability* (most central) as quickly as possible. ## Science Map I have long wished for this science map, and I'm using these projects to build some of the tools and knowledge necessary. These projects together won't build the map, which is a critique of these projects. If it's just skill-building, it should be more focused towards the actual building of the map. + Collaboration with Ying Ding + Bloom + Neo4j + CYPHER learning, and teaching + Analysis of coocurrences over time ## SCR I proposed the use of skin conductance sensors in sociology. The theoretical link runs deep, in emotional energy and empathy research. And after a huge amount of time invested, you have the sensors to collect the data you need. + Iterating on the interface you've built // this code-base is annoying and extensive, so additions should happen in larger bursts (2-3 days). + Collecting skin-conductance data from some interactions or experiences. + You can do this anytime + If you slowly build a library, you'll have some interpretive fodder for when you pursue this project in earnest. + Iterating on the systematic analysis of these SCR trends. Again, this should be done in a 2-3 day burst. ## Learning I have to set time out for myself to consume new literature, to expand my knowledge. This isn't enough, though. Careful notes need be taken, and a commitment to review them in the future. + Stuff I used to know + Stuff I know nothing about + Stuff I know I need ## NYtimes Obituaries The original motivation was to become familiar with language-processing techniques. Lately it feels more that I am a technical lynch-pin for the project. It's uncertain if this will ever matriculate into papers (unless I write them myself, which I'm not keen on). And the context is uninteresting to me. Positive points: + interact with David + get better at building usable tools for analysis ## Disease spread Originally was interested in this, in building the simulation platform. But I did this rather poorly (inefficient / possibly erroneous) and did much better using another's. Finally, wrote a concise paper which may get published, so it did matriculate rather well. Further interests: + Differences in using temporal vs static contact networks + More sophisticated targeting strategies To work more on this, I would have to dive deep again. But it's fresh-ish, so possible. ## Project Development + Brainstorming + Consolidating brainstorming into project proposals + Can be structured in 3-week cycles, similar to the Swedbergian theorizing exercises # 5. Daily routine The daily routine is experimental, and must be evaluated for its efficacy. After several weeks, I simply did not follow any of this schedule. + [draft1 weekday](/cg/schedule_draft1) ## Motivation A daily routine fits squarely into 2.6 CHARACTER, on consistency. This would imply I work every day. This makes balancing easier. If I balance every day, then I balance every week, month, and year. ## Negatives: + no flexibility to accomodate others' schedules, or the schedules of events. But, if I have no flexibility, others will know I will have no flexibility, yielding consistency socially. So what, I just require them to fit within that structure? + no flexibility to accomodate shifting physical / mental well-being again, rigidity in structure will induce stability in physical & mental well-being + secondary critique to above: I can be flexible within the day, balance various needs, & still have routine ## Positives: + stability [but only purportedly] + can be evaluated for efficacy. experiments can be performed. + full control over how I use my time // (upon reflection, I have a certain improper view of routine as regimented, strict, exacting) ## Scheduling principles (Suggested by Pat) 45% Personal 45% Professional 10% For Others ## Weekday Schedule Plan day from wake until sleep, at the start of the week. ## Weekend Schedule Saturday + Organize notes + Fun event or sight Sunday + Laundry + Reflection & CG review # 0. Edit History Drafted 11/2/2021 Edited 11/7/2021 + introduced `[type] (frequency) statement` grammar + reimagining commitments' relation to this document + reframing this doc as living + committed to specific reflective activities + drafted and recited mantras Edited 11/14/2021 + can't remember all the changes I made Edited 11/22/2021 + added projects heading, and identity heading, in response to handwritten notes