$0.00
My Second Brain is two things:
Since my strokes, I make better decisions with fewer choices on screen. This view is designed to remove friction: Recents, Favorites, and straightforward tag filters—sitting on top of a PARA-ish structure—so I can pick a file and move.
You’ll get: a visual model you can copy today, and a peek at how it lands in LifeOS.
PARA tiers
Global overlays
Why overlays? Because Recents and Favorites are how I think in motion, not locations. And tags cut across PARA without breaking it.
List ↔ Grid toggle
Metadata that matters
Quick filters
#writing #design #needs-review #clientA #pdfUserDefaults.Tech note: LifeOS 0.1.0-dev (Swift 6, Xcode 16). Google Drive/Calendar v3 via REST +
URLSession. Tokens in Keychain. No GTLR.
See also: /lifeos-scribraria-dev-log-1
/ to search, g l list, g g grid, t to toggle tag focus.What’s your must-have: thumbnails, tags, or modified dates?
Comment below (pick one), and I’ll tune the next build around it.
LifeOS File View — v0.1 Sketch
— randomblink
“Calm the screen, speed the decision.”
“Build small, ship quiet, iterate fast.”
— Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe
If you missed the first installment, start with Dev Log #1 for context on tokens and layout goals: /blog/lifeos-scribraria-dev-log-1.
Why it matters: stable tokens mean previews and lists feel instantaneous instead of “sometimes-fast-sometimes-broken.”
application/pdf).Owner • Size • Modified. Responsive rules collapse gracefully on smaller widths.Planned options: Toggle MIME on/off per user, and a compact “developer mode” to surface raw MIME + Drive IDs for debugging.
Which metadata matters most—size, modified, or MIME?
Tell me in a comment or DM. I’ll tune the default layout and the order of the secondary line based on your answer.
2025-09-20
— Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe
randomblink
“I build in public so I remember in private.”
“$7 covers lunch. Share or give if you can.”
— Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe
Elissa is a full-time student who keeps showing up—on an empty stomach more days than she’ll admit. She’s paying fees in chunks, stretching bus fare, and choosing between a basic lunch or the ride home. There’s no drama here; there’s simply not enough money this month.
This is a small, specific fundraiser to keep her in class with food in her bag and fare on her card. If you’ve ever been one $7 lunch away from getting through a long afternoon, you understand exactly what this is.
Initial one-month target: $360
| Line Item | Unit | Qty | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campus lunch (simple meal) | $7 | 20 school days | $140 |
| Groceries supplement (basics) | — | — | $60 |
| Transit (bus/metro rides) | ~$3 | 20 rides | $60 |
| School fees (this month’s portion) | — | — | $75 |
| Phone data (schoolwork access) | — | — | $25 |
| Total | $360 |
Notes on transparency
$7 covers lunch. Share or give if you can.
If giving isn’t possible, sharing this post helps more than you think—especially with a quick note like: “Small, specific fundraiser for a student: $7 = lunch.”
I’ll post running updates here: when goals are met, when fees change, and how every dollar moves. If you need something more formal (PDF summary, receipt snapshots), say the word and I’ll attach it to the ledger.
If you’ve read this far: thank you. You’re helping Elissa stay in school with the basics covered. That’s not abstract—it’s lunch, a bus ride, and a clear mind in class.
— Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe
“Small help, right now, can change a whole week.”
“Rebuilding in public, one quiet, useful tool at a time.”
— Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe (randomblink)
I’m making simple, useful, good-looking things you can actually use: prints, stickers/magnets, vector icon sets, prompt packs, and tiny zines. Sales keep the lights on while I rebuild LifeOS, write, and recover. I’ve had multiple strokes; my brain and pace are different now. The work is slower, but it’s honest. Buying something here directly funds time for code, writing, and community help.
A portion of revenue also supports these pages: Stand with Joy, Stand with Elissa, Stand with Cath—plus Stand with randomblink so I can keep making and shipping.
No Handheld Tutorials in the cart yet. Those launch after the site is fully up and the flows are rock solid.
Shipping is simple: U.S. first, then I add international as we scale. Digital items are instant.
I keep a tight queue. You decide what jumps the line.
CTA: 👉 Vote which product I ship first
Comment your pick or use the poll. I’ll publish the results and ship the winner.
I’ll post a simple monthly ledger: revenue, costs, what shipped, what’s next.
If you buy something, you’re literally buying time for me to build, write, and show my homework in public. That matters—to me, to my family, and to the people we’re standing with.
— Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe (randomblink)
“Rebuilding in public, one quiet, useful tool at a time.”
“My brain isn’t broken; it’s rewired. Quiet is where I can hear it.”
I used to fill the silence so no one thought I was lost. Now I choose it. After the strokes, everything shifted: how I think, how I remember, how I move. It’s cool and weird at the same time. The social circle shrank hard—down to about five who actually show up. Judgment from the outside used to sting. Now it’s background noise. I want a quieter life and a home where the people I love—yes, my poly girlfriends—can actually live with me by choice, not by accident.
Micro-CTA: If any part of this resonates, leave one line in the comments about what you’ve simplified this year.
I run fewer mental browser tabs. That means I say no faster, schedule less, and keep conversations short when my brain bandwidth dips. The upside: deeper focus on the one thing in front of me.
Gotcha: People who liked the old speed will call this “distance.” It’s not. It’s design.
Next step: Pick one decision today you’ll make slower—and one you’ll never make on the fly again.
I remember differently. So I externalize: tiny checklists, alarms, and written summaries after calls. The memory is still mine; it just lives in tools I trust.
Gotcha: When you don’t write it down, you pay twice—once in stress, again in cleanup.
Next step: Choose one “memory container” (notes app, paper card, whatever) and use only that for a week.
I move differently. I plan transitions (sitting ↔ standing, room ↔ room) and put more buffers between tasks. The result: fewer crashes, more stability.
Gotcha: The world won’t give you margins; you have to draw them.
Next step: Add a five-minute buffer on both sides of your most draining task.
When crisis stretched long, the “We should hang soon” crowd evaporated. What stayed: five people I’d call at 2 a.m. That’s not loneliness. That’s clarity.
Gotcha: Nostalgia will try to reopen old group chats. Let the season end.
Next step: Text one of your five today with something specific you appreciate.
I don’t explain my pace. I don’t apologize for needing quiet. I say, “I’m off-grid after 8,” and then I’m off-grid after 8. That’s not rude; that’s honest.
Next step: Write your three non-negotiables on a card. Share them with the people who actually ask to see you.
I want a small, intentional household—people who choose the same table, the same chores, the same late-night tea. Not a revolving door. A covenant of care.
Gotcha: “More partners” doesn’t fix “less alignment.” House rules beat vibes.
Next step: Draft a one-page “House Charter”: shared meals, quiet hours, chore cadence, conflict rules, and exit plan.
Love scales with honesty, not volume. We use shared calendars, check-ins, and explicit “capacity calls” (green/yellow/red). It keeps affection from turning into friction.
Next step: Add a weekly 20-minute household check-in with one question: “What would make next week lighter?”
I used to feel watched. Now I feel witnessed—because I only keep the witnesses who care. Poly isn’t an argument; it’s an agreement. If you’re not in the agreement, you’re not in the room.
Next step: Write one sentence that defines your relationship philosophy. Share it with the people it concerns, and nobody else.
The quieter I make the day, the more the new wiring works. I read slower, exercise gentler, and ship smaller. I ship more, not less.
Gotcha: Busy looks impressive; consistent wins.
Next step: Pick one daily ritual that makes you 1% steadier—keep it for 30 days.
Isn’t this just “shrinking your life”?
It’s shrinking the noise so the signal is audible. The signal is life.
How do you deal with people who don’t get it?
I don’t convert them. I curate my inputs and keep walking.
What if I want community but not cohabitation?
Then design rhythms: weekly dinners, shared projects, standing walks. Home is a rhythm before it’s an address.
How do you balance care with independence?
By asking for help before the cliff and offering help before the hint.
My mind is changed, and so is my map. Fewer people. Truer people. Quieter days. More honest love. If you’re building a smaller, kinder life after chaos—good. Keep going. You’re not behind; you’re precise.
Primary CTA: Tell me one boundary or rhythm that made your life 10% better. I’ll test it for a week and report back.
— randomblink (Rev. Brian Scott O’keefe)
“I rebuild in public because it keeps me honest.”
When you mirror an Etsy listing into WooCommerce, you’re aiming to carry over: title, description, images, price, variations, SKU, and inventory. Connectors like CedCommerce’s Etsy Integration and LitCommerce can import existing Etsy listings and sync stock/orders either direction, depending on setup.
Two useful notes up front:
• Etsy limits listings to at most two variation attributes (e.g., Size + Color). If your WooCommerce product uses three or more options, you’ll need to simplify for Etsy.
• Etsy requires a shipping profile on every listing; if you ever push products from WooCommerce to Etsy, make sure profiles are in place. Digital listings also need theis_digitalflag (on Etsy) and an uploaded file.
Best when you just need to add one Etsy item to WooCommerce quickly.
When to choose this: You don’t need bulk actions, and inventory can be managed per-site for now.
Best when you want to import many Etsy listings into WooCommerce and keep stock/orders aligned.
When to choose this: You care about speed, accuracy, and future updates without double-editing.
WooCommerce includes a Product CSV Importer/Exporter (Products → All Products → Import/Export). It’s great for bulk edits and initial population. The catch: Etsy doesn’t offer a clean, official “export listings CSV” for everything you need; you’ll usually rely on a connector or a third-party export to build a Woo-friendly CSV. If you do go CSV, use Woo’s importer to map columns to product fields and variations.
When to choose this: You prefer spreadsheets and don’t need continuous sync.
Can I just copy/paste and be done?
Yes—for a single listing, manual is fine. When your catalog grows, use a connector to save time and avoid stock mismatches.
Will CSV give me everything from Etsy?
Woo’s importer is excellent—but Etsy doesn’t hand you a perfect, official listings CSV. Most shops end up using a connector or third-party exporter to build a usable file.
Do I need matching variations?
If you plan to sync both ways, keep to two Etsy variations max and align names/values (e.g., Size, Color).
What’s the fastest way to add one Etsy item to WooCommerce?
Manual copy: title, description, images, price, variations, SKU—publish.
How do I keep stock synced between Etsy and WooCommerce?
Use a connector (e.g., LitCommerce, CedCommerce) and enable inventory/order sync.
Can I import my Etsy listings in bulk?
Yes—use a connector to pull listings into WooCommerce, then map categories/attributes.
Why do my variations not match?
Etsy supports two variation attributes. Align names/values and simplify if needed.
- randomblink
Two universes in flight—one where teens are the strongest magicians on a newly-enchanted Earth, and one where a quiet operator named Mr. Kincade survives an impossible nanotech “accident” on a world exactly like ours. Read the early cuts, then tell me what to shape next.
Genre: Near-future urban fantasy for teens
Premise (one-liner): Magic comes back—and the kids carry the biggest charge.
Age guidance: 12+ (themes of danger, friendship, agency; no graphic content)
Series promise (what it is):
Sample book / arc working titles:
Attendance was mandatory, which is how you know no one wanted to be there. The gym smelled like rubber and nervous fruit punch. On the bleachers, kids compared Spark stories in the sideways way you talk about a dream—half brags, half please say yours was weirder.
When Ms. Delaney wheeled out the “safety kit,” the overheads flickered. Not from the kit. From us. The air felt like before a storm, but the thunder was inside your teeth. I glanced at the glass case by the office door—the antique lantern the school kept for decoration. It hummed once, so soft I thought I made it up.
“Pair off,” Ms. Delaney said. “We’re going to practice containment.”
We did not pair off. We drifted. We found each other the way filings find a magnet, shy and certain. By the end of first period, seven of us had decided something without saying it: we were done being supervised like a problem. We would meet after school. Not here. Somewhere that didn’t hum.
We thought the lantern was the artifact. It wasn’t. The shadow it cast on the trophy case was. When we traced the outline with chalk, the chalk line went cold. When we touched the cold, it pushed back—like pressing on a drum.
Controls: afternoon only; no touching after sunset; no solo tests.
Observations:
Genre: Low-profile spy / techno-thriller (each book stands alone; slow burn arc across the series)
Premise (one-liner): A discreet fixer on today’s Earth survives an illegal nanotech “melt” that should be impossible—then learns to work with what lives under his skin.
Age guidance: Adult (violence implied; tense situations; no gratuitous gore)
Series promise:
Sample book / case working titles:
The vial wasn’t supposed to open; it was supposed to be proof. “You bring it sealed,” the broker had said. So Kincade brought it sealed. Until the cab braked hard and the seal hair-line cracked, and the contents did what mercury dreams about—unbeaded, reached, and chose.
It felt like warm ink. It didn’t burn. It listened. It read the sweat map of his palm, slid under the watchband, and went looking for a way in. There was no time to get to a hospital without getting to a report first. He pressed the vial to the curb and watched the last silver thread climb his wrist like it had a schedule.
By the time he reached the café, his pulse had a counter-rhythm. He could hear the room in layers: the hiss of milk, the scrape of spoon, the way the man by the door was trying not to breathe like a runner. The nanotech settled somewhere he couldn’t name and—very quietly—started negotiating.
Test one: silence. The melt dampened his footfall by half if he thought about the sound instead of the step.
Test two: signal. He could feel radio the way you feel a draft, not words, just presence. Networks became weather.
Test three: stress. Under pressure the tech wanted to protect the host, which meant sometimes it wanted to pick the fight. He wrote a rule in his notebook: We do not escalate for proof.
Kincade adjusted his watch crystal and walked into the meeting three minutes early, the same way he always had—like a man for whom nothing unusual had ever happened. It was almost true.
(If a post slips, the next one carries a margin note: what changed, why, and what it taught.)
Best place: comments below this post.
What helps most: clarity, tone, continuity, and one concrete suggestion.
Paste-friendly feedback template:
Tell me which excerpt you’d read next; I’ll polish that chapter first. Your comment now shapes what ships Friday.
- randomblink
My memory is different now. Here’s a short, practical list of what actually helps me function: external checklists, tiny timers, repeating calendars, voice notes, and writing in public. If your brain has been through a storm (or you just feel scattered), borrow anything here. If it helps, keep it.
I’ve had multiple strokes. My memory works—but it works differently. Relying on “try harder” is a trap, so I design around it. I use small, boring tools that don’t care how “on” my brain is that day. Below are the five things that consistently help me remember, start, and finish.
My “AM Start” (example)
Activation bundle (example)
Weekly cycle (example)
Voice template (spoken)
“Task — email Sara about forms. Block 10 minutes tomorrow afternoon.”
Later, I batch-rename and move these into the right list or calendar.
Daily public note (example)
1) One-Page Day Card
DATE:
Top 1: [ ]
Support 3:
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Timers:
[2:00 Start] [8:00 Continue] [1:00 Close]
Admin (choose 1):
[ ] Inbox 10
[ ] Bills 10
[ ] Files 10
Proofs:
• Screenshot / photo / checkmark
2) Weekly Rhythm
Mon – Admin hour → star count = 0
Tue – Errands list → photo of receipt
Wed – Health check → meds counted / refills
Thu – Projects review → next actions written
Fri – Money review → ledger screenshot
Sat – House reset → floor photo
Sun – Plan week → 3 focus lines
3) Voice Note Tags (spoken)
“Task — …”
“Idea — …”
“Note — …”
“Log — …”
“Win — …”
4) Micro Publishing Template
Today I will: [one verb + object]
Timer: [2m / 10m]
Result: [one visible proof]
Next: [tomorrow’s nudge]
5) “When Stuck” Card (kept on desk)
[ ] Drink water
[ ] 2-minute timer on ANYTHING
[ ] Read today’s Top 1
[ ] Ask for one small help
Comment with one tool that helps your memory; I’ll test it for a week. If it works, I’ll add it to this post (with credit).
- randomblink
English