Logbook 2026-11-05

Today I wrote down how I write.

The site has had a DESIGN.md since the end of October, describing its visual direction. It now has a VOICE.md next to it, its writing counterpart: how I write here, for me and for the AI that drafts with me.

It starts from cmdncmds, another site of mine. In 2021 I published one issue a week, each gathering quotes I had kept, followed by my own comments. Over the year that made 52 issues, 129 comments, and one longer essay, Is work working?, on remote work and asynchronous collaboration: about 20,000 words of mine. VOICE.md comes from going through all of them, to sort what still sounds like me, what had to shift, and what I’d leave behind.

Those comments mostly shared opinions, in reaction to someone else’s idea. On elchdl, I’d rather share my experiences, what I try and what I learn from it, and that asked for an adaptation of my voice. The guide keeps how I write, and moves what I write from.

Rereading myself was funny, and comforting. It’s easy to forget what you once wrote. But when you read it again, and it still makes sense, and it connects to what you’re doing now, it gives a sense of alignment. Something that says “trust yourself”, and “I’m glad I took the time to share that”. Even where I no longer fully agree, it’s good to see how I’ve changed.

One thread stands out. In 2021 I was already writing about taking notes to recall and build on my past thoughts, and about keeping small blogs in an RSS reader to read beyond my feeds. I’m glad I took the time to plan, structure and set up my personal knowledge base. It’s something I’ve been preparing for a long time, in a way, and seeing it take shape today is a real source of pride.

Those threads deserve more than a logbook entry. I’ve started preparing an article on them.