# Now _Updated: July 2025_ This page reflects what I’m focused on at this time in my life. It helps me stay aligned and gives others a snapshot of my current direction. ## ✅ Focus As wildfire season ramps up in parts of the West and air quality in the Southeast remains consistently poor, I’ve continued to focus my attention on exploring potential places for relocation. My research has expanded beyond lifestyle preferences to include climate change forecasts and environmental risk assessments developed by a range of sources—actuarial firms, insurance companies, industry consultants, and nonprofit organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund. One of the most compelling tools I’ve come across is the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI), created to evaluate how susceptible a given region or population is to the long-term impacts of climate change. What makes the CVI especially useful is its integrated approach: it factors in environmental, social, and economic variables to measure both risk exposure and adaptive capacity. Without going too deep into the technical details, I can say that my early instincts about southwestern Colorado and parts of the Pacific Northwest coast have been validated. These areas appear to score relatively well when it comes to long-term resilience and lower environmental risk—particularly compared to much of the Southeast and inland West. To build on this research, I’m planning a scouting trip to the Pacific Northwest later this month, with the goal of seeing several promising locations firsthand. It feels good to be making tangible progress in what is, for us, a deeply personal and future-focused journey. ## 📚 Exploring I’ve been exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance my note-taking and document organization workflows—particularly through the latest version of DEVONthink Office Pro, my go-to application for nearly 20 years. Over that time, I’ve built a large, structured database of scientific reference materials, research notes, and personal annotations. One of the most exciting developments in the new version of DEVONthink is its integration with third-party AI engines—my current choice being ChatGPT. This new feature allows me to generate summaries, key takeaways, and even conceptual insights from long-form documents directly within the app. It’s added a new layer of value and interactivity to a database I’ve cultivated for decades. That said, I’ve also become more conscious of data privacy and security, especially with sensitive or confidential files. I’m ensuring that documents I don’t want processed by AI are encrypted and protected within DEVONthink, keeping them isolated from any unintended access or cloud-based inference engines. ## 🚵‍♂️ Lifestyle I’ve been making a conscious effort to get some sunshine each day. My routine is simple: I roll out a yoga mat in the backyard, near the lake, and spend about 10 minutes lying on my stomach, then flip over for another 10 minutes on my back. Shirt off, feet grounded—just me and the sun. It’s become a surprisingly restorative practice. There’s something deeply calming about lying on the earth, letting the sunlight warm my skin, and feeling momentarily disconnected from the noise of the day. That said, I’m mindful not to overdo it — so I keep it brief. ## 📖 Books 1. The Black Flagged series by Steven Konkoly is a high-octane covert-ops thriller saga spanning five (5) books and a prequel. 2. The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times by Pema Chodron teaches how to live in difficult times — like now. ## 🖥️ Technology We’ve recently begun transitioning our email accounts from Gmail to a custom domain hosted under ProtonMail. This move is part of our ongoing effort to enhance both the security and privacy of our digital communications—areas where we’ve grown increasingly concerned in recent years. One of the key benefits of using a custom domain is the long-term flexibility it provides. Unlike a standard @gmail.com address, a custom domain is fully portable. That means if we ever choose to leave ProtonMail in the future, we can take our domain—and all of our associated email addresses—with us to another provider, without needing to notify everyone of a new email address. It’s a small but meaningful step toward greater digital sovereignty, and one we hope will future-proof our communication setup for years to come. ## 🎬 Watching It’s that time of year again—summer is peak season for thru-hikers and bikepackers—and I’ve been enjoying watching their journeys unfold on YouTube. Lately, I’ve been following a few creators tackling some of the most iconic long-distance adventures, including the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (Tour Divide) and the Appalachian Trail. There’s no shortage of content in this space; the number of hikers and riders documenting their experiences is impressive. But to keep things manageable (and meaningful), I’ve narrowed it down to just a couple of creators to follow throughout the season. That way, I can really get a sense of their personalities, their struggles, and the rhythms of their journey—rather than trying to keep up with dozens of people all at once. Following just a few makes it feel more personal, almost like I’m along for the ride. It’s a fun and inspiring way to stay connected to the trail culture, even from a distance. ## ❌ Saying No To I’ve found myself saying no to overstimulating or emotionally heavy films—a noticeable shift from how I used to watch movies. In the past, I was drawn to intense, emotionally charged stories, often seeking out action, thriller, or military films. But over the past couple of years, that’s changed. I’ve become more aware of how certain films affect my mood and energy, and I’m learning to pace myself. When I do choose to watch something heavy, I often spread it out over two or even three nights, usually from the comfort of my recliner.