2024-12-29 00:22:27
2024 年 12 月 27 日，我们选择在圣诞季的尾声探访 Setúbal——特茹河南岸最具分量的城市，也是里斯本大都会区的重要组成部分。
因为只打算走马观花式地转一转，所以我们选择午饭后搭乘火车前往。走去车站的路上，泽泽一如既往、兴致勃勃地踩着地上的落叶，仿佛为了补足童年里缺失的玩落叶的记忆。而我则想着：凋零，是不是也意味着新生？就如同阴阳，万物皆有其往复之道。无门慧开禅师在《颂平常心是道》中说：
春有百花秋有月，夏有凉风冬有雪。若无闲事挂心头，便是人间好时节。
如此大好的天色，就不想那么多了，享受当下最重要。
出发前惯例查看导航，虽然 Apple Map 和 Moovit 都建议在 Sete Rios 换乘 Fertagus 列车，但我坚持从 Roma-Areeiro 始发站登车。事实证明这个决定果然明智，我们不仅轻松找到座位，还能选择观景最佳的位置。待列车经过两站抵达 Sete Rios 时，车厢内早已座无虚席，新上车的乘客只能站着。
在 Roma-Areeiro 换乘时，遇到了一对要去 Sintra 的母女，看到我们在月台上刷公交卡，就试探性地问我们是不是一定要在月台上 check-in，她们以为上车后有专人检票。用英语和她们说了在里斯本乘坐公共交通的规则后，才听到母女在用华语交流。我的一句「原来你们也说华语」，瞬间拉近了距离，话匣子随之打开。（之所以使用「华语」而非「汉语」是因为掺杂了大量的英语词汇。）
Fertagus 列车是上下双层的，为了更方便地看风景，我们去了二层。上楼梯的时候，我在脑子里迅速地过了一遍沿途可以看到的地标景点和列车运行的方向，为泽泽挑选了最佳观景位置。坐下后，迅速地打开地图看了一眼，确认没有错，就很炫耀地和泽泽说他等会儿可以看到什么什么。泽泽一脸震惊，「你到底是怎么记住方向和地图的？」
第一次去特茹河南岸，泽泽和我都显得有些兴奋，有点像小时候玩儿帝国时代探索地图发现了矿产、村落。列车行经 Ponte 25 de Abril（四月二十五日大桥） 时，第一次俯瞰里斯本的老城和海港，恍若穿越时空，与这座城市的过往不期而遇。
列车缓缓驶入特茹河南岸，窗外的景致徐徐展开：错落有致的社区、静谧的农场、质朴的村落接连掠过。我不禁用葡语感叹："Gosto de estar aqui"（我喜欢这里）。泽泽也深有同感，附和道："Sim, sim, também gosto de cá estar"（是的，我也喜欢在这里）。这里少了里斯本市区的喧嚣与拥挤，多了几分悠然与舒适。虽然尚未真正体验这里的生活，我们却已不约而同地畅想起在此置业的可能。
约莫一小时后，列车驶入终点站。午后的阳光格外灿烂，我们都忘记拿墨镜，只得寻找着遮阳的街道前行。漫步间，一副雕刻着双龙的店面装饰突然映入眼帘。走近细看，原来是一家颇具港式风味的中餐厅，门口的餐牌价格比里斯本市区亲民许多。我们在店前驻足观望时，热情的老板娘随即迎了出来，当得知我们路过时被熟悉的中式装潢吸引，她脸上的笑意更深了几分。
不远处传来的欢声笑语牵引着我们的脚步。循声而去，孩子们正在公园一角尽情嬉戏——有的在秋千上荡出欢乐的弧线，有的沉浸在捉迷藏的游戏里，还有的在追逐着足球奔跑。
池塘中，喷泉的水柱在阳光下折射出晶莹的光芒，野鸭和鸳鸯悠然自得地划过水面，岸边的鸽群则静静地享受着午后时光。
在铺满落叶的草地上，一位年轻人悠然地倚靠在雕塑上，耳机里流淌的音乐似乎让他沉浸在专属的时空里。午后的阳光慷慨地挥洒，为这个画面镀上一层温暖的金色。这一刻，时光仿佛凝固，却又在微风中轻轻流动，构成了一幅完美的「都市闲情图」。在动与静的交织中，平凡的生活场景也变得诗意起来。我情不自禁地举起相机，试图将这份难得的惬意永远定格在镜头里。
漫步至一条安静的小巷，高大的树木列队一侧，枝干虬劲，阳光穿过树梢，在落叶与石板之间跳跃。古朴的石板路面纹理清晰，黄叶点缀其上，在阳光的斜照下，每一片落叶都仿若被镀上了一层金边。树影婆娑，光影交错，为这个冬日增添了几分诗意与温度。这样的场景，让我们不由得放慢脚步，感受季节更迭带来的静谧之美，再次由衷感叹："Gostamos de estar aqui"（我们喜欢这里）。
塞图巴尔的城市肌理中处处渗透着海洋的气息。从消波块造型的街头雕塑，到公园绿地上巨大的船锚，再到建筑上甲板造型的飞檐，每一处细节都在映射着这座城市与大海的深厚渊源。这些符号不仅是装饰，更是一代代塞图巴尔人与海洋共生的见证。
在码头边，垂钓者们静静地守候在海边，构成了一幅生动的生活画卷。冬日的暖阳下，他们娴熟地操控着鱼竿，脸上的皱纹和粗糙的双手无声地记录着与海为伴的人生。
城市的艺术气息同样浸润着海洋元素。街边的墙面被艺术家们装点成富有想象力的海底世界：绿色的底色上波浪翻涌，流动的色彩犹如是海洋在城市中的延伸。一艘被创意性安置在房顶的旧渔船，虽已不再远航，却依然默默低语着渔民的故事。
沿海一带的餐厅完美融合了海洋特色，"Mezé"、"Azul Mar" 等特色餐馆的招牌在阳光下熠熠生辉。随风轻摆的遮阳伞，混合着咸咸的海风，营造出浓郁的海港氛围。
在塞图巴尔，海洋不仅是地理概念，更像是一种精神寄托。城市中的每一处细节，都在彰显着一个关于大海的记忆。
遍布的教堂，是塞图巴尔的另一个特色。在这座海滨城市的街道间，哥特式的尖顶与曼努埃尔风格的立面交相辉映，传递着几个世纪以来的信仰传承。其中，Convento de Jesus（耶稣修道院）是当地历史最悠久的教堂之一，也是欧洲七大濒危古迹之一。这座建于 15 世纪末的修道院，以其别具一格的建筑风格在葡萄牙建筑史上留下了浓墨重彩的一笔，被誉为曼努埃尔风格的开山之作。
走进修道院，时光仿佛倒流。墙壁上精美的蓝白 azulejo 瓷砖，以其特有的细腻笔触，生动地描绘着圣母马利亚的生平场景。拱形的穹顶向上延伸，好似要触及天堂；而斑驳的石柱则默默见证着世俗的沧桑。
1755 年，那场改变葡萄牙历史进程的里斯本大地震，也让这座教堂饱受创伤。地震、海啸和随之而来的大火，让许多建筑在一夜之间化为废墟。然而，Convento de Jesus 虽受重创却依然屹立，见证着这片土地上的沧海桑田。
我们坐在古朴的长椅上，闭上眼睛，耳畔回荡着空灵的颂歌。阳光透过彩绘玻璃窗洒落，在地面上投射出斑斓的光影，为这份宁静增添了几分神圣。在这里，恍若可以暂时逃离现代生活的喧嚣，找回内心深处那份久违的平和。
离教堂不远处的 Chafariz da Praça Teófilo Braga（泰奥菲洛·布拉加广场喷泉）为历史悠久的城市增添了一抹优雅。这座始建于 1697 年的喷泉，见证了塞图巴尔三个世纪的变迁。我们坐在广场的长椅上休息时，恰逢下午 16 时整，教堂的钟声、喷泉潺潺的水声、远处海港的汽轮声交织在一起，编织成一首城市交响曲。在那一刻我能感受到时光的脉动。
在欣赏城市建筑时，我注意到一个细节：许多建筑物上都装饰着浑天仪的图案。这让我想起葡萄牙的国旗，它是全世界唯一一面绘制有浑天仪的国旗。这个独特的符号，不仅彰显着葡萄牙辉煌的航海史，也象征着这个国家对探索与进取的不懈追求。从大航海时代至今，浑天仪始终是葡萄牙人心中那份对未知世界的好奇与敬畏的完美写照。在塞图巴尔的街头，宗教建筑的庄严与航海文明的印记相互交融，共同诉说着这座城市的过往与未来。
返回里斯本时，我们选择搭乘 CP 列车前往 Barreiro，再乘坐轮渡返回 Baixa。这样的安排，让我们终于完成了一个小小的成就——体验了里斯本都会区所有类型的公共交通工具。
渡轮缓缓驶入特茹河与大西洋的交汇处，泽泽推开舷窗，混合着烤栗子香气的海风涌入船舱，让我想起「法朵女王」Amália Rodrigues 那首著名的 Cheira a Lisboa。
在这首歌里，她用温柔的嗓音描绘着里斯本的每一种气息：清晨的第一班电车与河边渔民的木屐声交织；雨后的泥土芳香仿佛应许之地；隐秘小巷中酒馆里飘散的美食与葡萄酒的香气；阁楼上盛开的康乃馨，花园中绽放的玫瑰；码头上高耸的船帆，执着穿行的鱼贩；罗西奥广场咖啡馆的醇香；寒冷时节烤栗子的温暖气息；盛夏时节成熟水果的甜美……
Lisboa já tem Sol mas cheira a Lua Quando nasce a madrugada sorrateira E o primeiro elétrico da rua Faz coro com as chinelas da Ribeira
Um craveiro numa água furtada Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa Uma rosa a florir na tapada Cheira bem, cheira a Lisboa
Lisboa cheira aos cafés do Rossio E o fado cheira sempre a solidão Cheira a castanha assada se está frio Cheira a fruta madura quando é verão
A fragata que se ergue na proa A varina que teima em passar Cheiram bem porque são de Lisboa Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar
此刻被暮色笼罩的里斯本，正如歌中所唱："Lisboa tem cheiro de flores e de mar"——这座城市永远带着花朵与大海的芬芳，在每个季节里散发着独特的魅力。
2024-12-23 22:13:13
When I stand at the end of 2024 and look back on this year, what will I say to myself? This question has been occupying my thoughts lately, and after much reflection, one truth resonates deeply:
The meaning of life isn't found solely in pursuing grand ideals, but also in embracing the beauty of our ordinary, everyday existence.
This year has been transformative for me, for Jayz, and for our family. Through our experiences, we've come to understand a shared truth: while we may not have the power to change everything around us, we do have the ability to choose how we live in the present moment. It's about making meaningful choices within the circumstances we're given.
In September, Jayz and I moved to Lisbon, leaving our parents behind to start a new chapter of our lives. While the transition hasn't been without its challenges, we've gradually adapted to our new home.
Life in this historic city has surprised me – it's remarkably similar to China in terms of lifestyle and dietary structure. The main difference lies in the sense of freedom and openness here. As long as you respect the law and local customs, there's a genuine space for personal expression and choices.
This geographical distance has given me a new lens through which to view China – its politics, society, and human nature. I've always disliked politics, believing it shouldn't dominate our daily consciousness. Yet, despite having relocated, Jayz and I find ourselves keeping a mindful eye on our homeland's situation, primarily because our parents continue to live there. This connection keeps us anchored to a reality we'd prefer to distance ourselves from, yet cannot fully ignore. This lingering necessity to stay informed deeply unsettles me, and I look forward to the day when such concerns no longer cast a shadow over our new life.
Learning Portuguese has proved more challenging than my experience with English. The language's complex verb conjugations and mood systems present a unique set of challenges. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is keeping up with local speech patterns – Lisbon natives speak quickly, and Portuguese words tend to flow together. Without a solid foundation in grammar and vocabulary, following conversations can feel like quite a task.
Fortunately, the Portuguese people have shown incredible patience and kindness. They often adjust their speaking pace or switch to English to help bridge the communication gap. What's particularly striking is that I've never encountered any discrimination – whether related to language or otherwise – since arriving here.
My Portuguese is now approaching A2 level, and I'm looking forward to improving further in the coming year.
The most significant change in my life this year has been a deliberate shift in my information consumption habits, a transition I began in early 2024. This explains why I haven't published my usual blog posts about recommended information sources this year.
This decision emerged from my experience using Perplexity for research, which revealed concerning levels of information distortion, particularly in humanities-related content. While I understand the underlying political motivations for controlling public discourse to maintain stability, this approach essentially creates an isolated information silo.
I'm not suggesting that English-language sources are inherently more reliable or authentic. However, I've found that they generally align more closely with my observed reality and lived experiences.
Chinese characters hold a special place in my heart – they embody the spirit and wisdom of a civilisation spanning millennia. It's disheartening to see how these beautiful characters, which should serve as vessels of knowledge and cultural heritage, are sometimes misused to shape narratives that diverge from truth.
Another significant shift this year has been in my approach to understanding the world around me. While I had intellectually grasped the importance of prioritising lived experience over grand narratives years ago, 2024 was when I truly put this principle into practice.
Take, for instance, my approach to understanding economic realities. Rather than relying solely on published statistics, I've learnt to trust my direct observations of price changes and daily economic patterns. When evaluating the cost of living, my personal experience at local markets and shops has become more valuable than abstract economic indicators.
This shift in perspective has, at times, left me feeling somewhat disconnected from mainstream discussions. For a period, I questioned whether I was falling victim to observer bias or confirmation bias – seeing only what I wanted to see. However, conversations with several experienced individuals who have witnessed similar patterns over the years helped validate my observations. Their insights confirmed that my perceptions weren't merely personal biases but reflected genuine patterns in our changing world.
Since October, I've made another intentional change: taking my notes in English and Portuguese rather than Chinese. This practice has proved invaluable, as it encourages me to think through different cultural lenses. It's not just about language acquisition; it's about understanding different ways of structuring thoughts and perceiving the world.
However, as mentioned earlier about my deep connection with Chinese characters, I still maintain Chinese as my primary language for notes related to Chinese culture and society. Some concepts and nuances are simply untranslatable – they carry layers of cultural and historical meaning that can only be fully expressed through Chinese characters. This selective multilingual approach to note-taking has become an unexpected tool for both broadening my perspective and preserving the depth of cultural understanding where it matters most.
This year has seen a noticeable decrease in my blog posts and newsletter frequency compared to 2023. This shift stems from two main factors: a natural ebb in my desire for expression, and a growing awareness of the responsibility that comes with sharing ideas. I've come to realise that publishing thoughts before they're fully developed risks spreading incomplete or potentially misleading information.
A significant example of this concerns LifeOS, my attempted comprehensive personal management system that encompassed knowledge, information, and document management. Many readers have requested more detailed content about this system, specifically asking for manual-like instructions. However, I've come to realise that LifeOS, despite its ambitious scope, became too cumbersome in practice and ultimately strayed from its original purpose.
In light of these reflections, I would encourage readers to shift their attention to the CETDE framework – a model I've previously written about extensively. Compared to LifeOS, CETDE offers a more focused and practical approach to personal knowledge management, while maintaining the philosophical depth that initially inspired these systems.
This experience has taught me valuable lessons about content creation. It has led me to adopt a more measured approach to writing, ensuring that what I share is not only well-thought-out but also practically valuable to readers. Sometimes, simplicity and applicability are more important than comprehensive complexity.
Since April, I've immersed myself in the study of AI aesthetics, seeking to position myself at the intersection of technology and humanities. AI has become a crucial component in my workflow, and this deep integration has led me beyond viewing it as merely humanity's latest technological achievement. This daily interaction has sparked new questions: Can humans create beauty through AI? Can AI itself generate aesthetic value? And more profoundly, can AI contribute to enriching our humanistic values? While I haven't published blog posts on AI aesthetics after May, the insights gained from exploring these questions have subtly influenced my perspective and writing across various topics.
Looking ahead to 2025, I plan to focus more intensively on the intersection of technology and humanities, exploring how these seemingly distinct domains can enrich and inform each other. This exploration will likely shape both my personal growth and my future writing.
As I prepare to step into 2025, my path forward is becoming clearer. The experiences and changes of 2024 have laid a foundation for what I hope to achieve in the coming year.
My focus will centre on three main areas. First, deepening my integration into Portuguese life and culture. While I've made progress with the language, reaching A2 level is just the beginning. I aim to achieve B1 proficiency by the end of 2025, which will allow me to engage more meaningfully with local communities and better understand the nuances of Portuguese culture.
Second, I plan to explore more deeply the intersection of technology and humanities. My studies in AI aesthetics have opened new perspectives on how technology can enhance rather than diminish our human experience. This exploration isn't just about understanding AI's capabilities; it's about discovering how technology can contribute to our cultural and spiritual enrichment.
Lastly, I want to return to more regular writing, but with a renewed purpose. Rather than feeling pressured to maintain a strict publishing schedule, I'll focus on sharing insights that emerge naturally from my experiences and studies. Quality and depth will take precedence over quantity, as I believe this approach better serves both my readers and my own growth.
These goals aren't just items on a to-do list; they represent a continuation of the journey I've begun this year – one that embraces both change and continuity, technology and humanity, personal growth and community connection. As I wrote at the beginning of this reflection, life's meaning lies not just in grand pursuits, but in finding beauty in our daily existence. This will remain my guiding principle as I move forward.
2024-12-14 06:18:30
I've always been curious about how people use their computers. For instance, I browse forums to learn which applications others choose, ask friends about their productivity setups, and pay attention to what products, computers, and mobile apps people showcase on social media. Over the years, I've learned many great practices from others, so at this year's end, I want to organize my digital toolbox and share it. Although I've already listed my hardware devices and commonly used software on my blog's Uses page.
In an era where tools like Cursor claim to enable rapid app development, I've chosen what seems like a counter-trend path—returning to native applications. This decision wasn't made on a whim but rather based on long-term self-observation and careful consideration: if system-provided apps can meet my needs, I no longer seek third-party alternatives.
The convenience brought by this transition has exceeded expectations. For example, the built-in OCR functionality in iOS Camera and Photos apps makes document scanning and text extraction effortless and natural. The deep integration between system-level calendar and reminders enables more efficient time and task management. Meanwhile, Apple Notes not only ensures sensitive information security through end-to-end encryption but also impresses with its performance in document scanning and team collaboration scenarios.
In practice, I've found that Apple's native app ecosystem can elegantly cover most aspects of daily digital life. From map navigation to weather information, from file previews to instant messaging, these basic but essential needs are well met. This integrated convenience is particularly noticeable on mobile devices, bringing an unprecedented smooth experience to daily use.
Returning to native apps has brought other significant advantages. First is improved performance and stability, as native apps typically better adapt to the system and consume fewer system resources. Second is enhanced privacy protection, eliminating concerns about third-party apps collecting and using data. Finally, it reduces maintenance costs, eliminating the need for frequent updates and debugging of various third-party apps while also reducing subscription expenses.
For scenarios that genuinely require third-party apps, I've begun prioritizing applications that support Apple Native design standards. These apps not only maintain consistency with the system in interface and interaction but also better utilize system features such as deep AppleScript integration, Shortcuts automation support, Live Activities, Focus mode, and other functionalities, providing a more unified and fluid user experience.
Of course, this return doesn't mean completely abandoning third-party apps. For specific professional needs, excellent third-party applications remain indispensable supplements. The key lies in finding the balance between native apps and third-party tools, allowing them to fulfill their respective roles, work together, and collectively build an efficient and unified operating environment.
In this era of rampant phishing and cyber fraud, personal privacy and cybersecurity have become crucial issues that no one can ignore. Every web browsing session and application usage can leave digital footprints. Therefore, building a comprehensive privacy protection system has become particularly important. In my practice, this system primarily revolves around three core components: DNS-level protection, content filtering, and credential management.
The choice of DNS service is the first line of defense in protecting personal privacy. While in China, I chose to use the open-source EasyMosdns DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) service within the Surge environment. This solution protects user privacy through IP-based encrypted DNS queries, offering not only highly accurate DNS resolution but also effective protection against DNS poisoning. After moving to Lisbon, I switched to NextDNS service. While its query response time may be marginally slower than Cloudflare Public DNS, this slight latency difference is hardly noticeable, and the comprehensive privacy protection features it offers far outweigh this minor trade-off. NextDNS's rich configuration options allow me to block tracking scripts at the source while effectively filtering advertisements. The free tier of 300,000 queries per month is quite generous for individual users, and the premium plan at just €1.99/month offers exceptional value.
To build a more comprehensive protection network, I installed the Wipr 2 content blocker extension on Safari for both desktop and mobile devices. This lightweight tool not only effectively blocks advertisements but also filters various tracking scripts and malicious code, creating a dual-layer protection system alongside the DNS-level defense. This combination not only enhances the browsing experience but, more importantly, ensures personal data isn't arbitrarily collected.
In the realm of credential security, I've adopted a dual strategy using Bitwarden and Ente Auth. Bitwarden serves as my primary password manager, earning my trust over many years with its open-source nature and robust encryption implementation. Although it supports self-hosting, considering security implications and maintenance overhead, and given my lack of confidence in my technical abilities, I opted for the official cloud service at $10 per year. This not only allows me to securely access my credential vault across various devices but, more importantly, enables advanced features including multi-factor authentication (MFA). Notably, Bitwarden's integration with Fastmail allows me to generate disposable email addresses for various website registrations, playing a crucial role in protecting personal privacy and preventing spam.
While I use Bitwarden for most MFA needs, I chose Ente Auth to manage certain special authentication requirements. For example, Bitwarden account's own MFA tokens and second-factor authentication for other critical services. Ente Auth's unique next-token preview feature brings great convenience in practical use, making multi-factor authentication no longer a cumbersome process. Both tools embrace open-source principles with fully transparent codebases, not only ensuring security through public scrutiny but fundamentally guaranteeing user data privacy.
2024 marked a year of breaking through established perceptions in my choice of digital tools. This breakthrough is reflected not only in tool selection but also in the transformation of usage concepts. From note management to writing tools, from information acquisition to automated workflows, each choice was thoroughly considered, ultimately forming a highly efficient collaborative system.
In terms of note-taking tools, I completed the transition from Heptabase to Tana. As a note-taking tool that combines the bidirectional linking flexibility of Roam Research with the structured database capabilities of Notion, Tana has fundamentally redefined my approach to knowledge management. It not only supports traditional outline-style hierarchical recording but also enables structured data management through SuperTags. Its powerful search node functionality ensures convenient and precise content retrieval. Tana's AI integration particularly impressed me, especially its voice-to-text feature, which makes capturing insights remarkably easy—when ideas flash through my mind, I can simply record them via phone, and Tana AI automatically converts them into structured text.
Although I detailed the collaborative workflow between Tana and Heptabase in July this year, a method that continues to spark my creativity, my deeper usage of Tana revealed that it could fully assume Heptabase's role in deep understanding. This unexpected realization led to my gradually reduced dependence on Heptabase. Nevertheless, I still deeply admire Heptabase's design philosophy and hope for its continued development.
In writing tools, this year's biggest surprise came from discovering BBEdit, a text editor older than myself. This seemingly plain tool provided me with unprecedented "aha moments." Its value lies not only in its powerful text processing capabilities but also in its deep integration with macOS. Through AppleScript, I automated the complete workflow from article drafting to publishing: including processing Markdown metadata, changing file names, moving file locations, and pushing to GitHub repositories through git commands. It maintains smooth performance when handling large text files, an advantage many modern editors struggle to match.
Using BBEdit not only improved my writing efficiency but unexpectedly prompted me to explore advanced features of Raycast and DEVONthink. Raycast, as a macOS efficiency tool, enables one-click access to frequently used folders and applications through its QuickLink feature. More importantly, using its Script Command functionality, I developed several automation scripts, including creating file Deep Links, enabling one-way linking between local files and Tana, upgrading my local file management approach. Meanwhile, DEVONthink, another long-standing software, plays an increasingly important role in my workflow through its deep integration with AppleScript and seamless cooperation with BBEdit.
Regarding AI assistance tools, Perplexity and Kagi have performed to my satisfaction. The Pro version of Perplexity not only offers more powerful AI model choices, but its real-time internet search capability also makes information retrieval highly efficient and precise. It has played an unexpected role in my life abroad—for instance, while shopping in Lisbon supermarkets, I often photograph products and ask Perplexity about Portuguese product information, helping me make purchase decisions and greatly improving my shopping experience.
Before using Kagi, I never considered paying for a search engine, but the actual experience completely changed this perspective. It not only provides clean, ad-free search results, but its Universal Summarizer feature has saved me considerable time when browsing news and long articles. Features like Kagi Bangs and Kagi Lens significantly improve information retrieval accuracy, while its consistently high-quality and objective search results are particularly valuable in today's internet environment saturated with SEO-optimized content.
This year's choices in communication and reading continue last year's focus on practicality.
For email services, after thorough comparison, I ultimately chose to continue using Fastmail rather than migrating to Tuta. This decision stems from rational consideration of practical usage scenarios: while Tuta is known for its robust security, this advantage is often difficult to fully utilize in today's email communication environment, especially when most communication partners still use mainstream services like Gmail. In comparison, while Fastmail may not match Tuta's security level, it still far exceeds mainstream email service providers in security while offering significant practical advantages. It supports creating up to 600 anonymous email addresses, which, combined with Bitwarden integration, provides great convenience in managing registrations for various websites and applications. More importantly, it seamlessly integrates with Apple Calendar and Apple Notes, making schedule management and work log synchronization much easier.
For bookmark management, I chose the retro yet sufficient Pinboard. The key to this choice lies in its open API interface, allowing perfect integration into my workflow: whether syncing with DEVONthink through AppleScript or connecting Tana and Telegram channels via N8N, data transfer flows smoothly. Considering the practical value of its full-text archiving and retrieval features, I didn't hesitate to subscribe to the complete version.
For reading tools, Readwise Reader remains my platform of choice. Although the emerging RSS reader Follow shows promising potential, considering its stability is still being refined, I currently use it only as a supplementary information source.
Driven by multilingual reading needs, I finally purchased Bob Translate, a text translation tool that I wish I'd discovered sooner. By configuring free DeepL API and Groq's large language model, it provides fast, accurate, and elegant translation services. For more professional translation scenarios, I use Immersive Translate as a supplement. Interestingly, my reading habits have evolved significantly with the change in language environment: while in China, I was accustomed to reading in Chinese-English parallel texts, but after moving to Lisbon, I prefer reading English texts directly, using Bob for word translation only when encountering difficult phrases. Perhaps this transformation reflects not only the natural improvement in language ability but also the important role of tools in adaptive learning.
Data storage security and reliable backup remain essential fundamental needs. Although I detailed my specific data storage and backup strategies in Newsletter #92, here I want to focus on sharing the deeper considerations behind choosing these services and how they work together to form a complete data protection system.
As an Apple ecosystem user, iCloud provides me with unparalleled inter-device connectivity. This advantage is particularly prominent in family scenarios—since family members also use Apple devices, through iCloud+'s family sharing feature, we can easily achieve sharing and synchronization of photos, documents, and other data. This seamless collaborative experience is difficult to match on other platforms and is a key reason why I continue to stick with the Apple ecosystem.
However, iCloud's weakness in external sharing prompted me to seek a traditional cloud storage service as a complement. Considering actual usage scenarios, I spent two weeks intensively evaluating European cloud storage providers, thoroughly comparing Mega, pCloud, Internxt, Koofr, and icedrive among others. Eventually, German-based Filen stood out with its excellent overall performance. This secure cloud storage service, which employs zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption technology, maintains satisfactory transfer speeds while ensuring high-strength encryption. More remarkably, it sets no limits on file version numbers and transfer bandwidth, making it an ideal file sharing tool.
Filen's value extends beyond file sharing; it's also a reliable backup for important data. Its desktop client offers flexible file synchronization options, completing data backup tasks silently in the background. This seamless backup mechanism greatly reduces the mental load of daily use. However, even though Filen's security is commendable, when backing up important data, I still use encryption tools to encrypt the data before backup.
For building an off-site disaster recovery backup solution, I chose the professional BorgBase service. This choice was based on several key considerations: first, BorgBase is a service specifically designed for Borg backup, perfectly supporting incremental backup and deduplication features, ensuring complete backup history while effectively saving storage space; second, it provides an intuitive web interface for backup status monitoring, equipped with open-source desktop GUI for operations, and supports SSH key authentication to ensure security; finally, BorgBase's servers deployed across multiple European locations provide me with quality access speeds and low network latency. These professional features make it more suitable as an off-site disaster recovery backup solution compared to ordinary object storage services.
These three layers of protection—iCloud for daily synchronization, Filen for secure sharing and backup, and BorgBase for professional archival storage—form a comprehensive data security assurance system. iCloud handles daily device synchronization and family sharing, Filen takes care of file sharing and routine backup tasks, while BorgBase serves as the final security line, ensuring complete data recovery in extreme situations. Additionally, there's cold backup on external hard drives (though my backup frequency this year hasn't been as high, needing improvement next year). This multi-layered backup strategy not only provides sufficient data redundancy but also meets usage needs in different scenarios, providing peace of mind.
When facing multiple software subscription renewals mid-year, I discovered that most of these applications were available in Setapp's library. After recalculating the costs, subscribing to Setapp's basic package became a natural choice.
Currently, the applications I use through Setapp cover multiple areas including system maintenance, productivity enhancement, media processing, document handling, and AI enhancement. For system maintenance, CleanMyMac and AIDente Pro handle system cleaning and battery management respectively; for productivity tools, CleanShot X, Yoink, and PopClip greatly simplify daily operations; in media processing, Downie and Permute provide comprehensive download and format conversion solutions; for document processing, Marked perfectly complements BBEdit, providing real-time document rendering preview; while in AI enhancement, Superwhisper and BoltAI offer various conveniences.
As life in Lisbon has gradually stabilized, my self-hosting needs have changed significantly. No longer requiring a 24/7 Surge environment or worrying about IP issues for using AI platforms and payment platforms, I've been able to substantially streamline my server configuration: currently maintaining only one Hetzner VPS managed through Zeabur, plus one Oracle free VPS. This simplification not only reduces maintenance costs but allows me to focus attention on truly important services.
On these servers, my self-hosted projects mainly include:
My philosophy for deploying self-hosted services is: lightweight, automated, and reliable. The goal is to provide stable and reliable functional support while minimizing maintenance costs.
Looking back at my digital tool choices for 2024, I clearly see several main trends: first is the return to native applications; second is the continued emphasis on privacy and security; third is the deep integration between tools, weaving independent tools into an organic whole through automation means like AppleScript and Shortcuts.
I hope to continue following this rational and practical approach next year. The focus isn't on how many tools one has, but on how to make existing tools better serve actual needs and create real value. Meanwhile, I also look forward to exploring more possibilities for improving efficiency while maintaining the stability of existing workflows.
2024-12-13 22:56:12
我总是很好奇人们是如何使用电脑的。例如，我会逛论坛，去了解网友们选择了哪些应用程序；我会问朋友，咨询他们如何设置生产环境；我会在社交媒体上留意，桌面上有哪些产品、电脑和手机上安装了哪些应用程序……多年来，我从许多人那里学到了很多好方法，所以在这个岁末，也想整理我的数字工具箱，并写出来。虽然我有哪些硬件设备，常用哪些软件，在博客的 Uses 页面中已经列出。
在这个号称使用 Cursor 就可以迅速开发出一款应用的时代，我却选择了一条看似反潮流的道路——回归原生应用。这个决定并非一时兴起，而是基于长期自我观察和深度思考后的审慎选择：只要系统自带的应用能够满足需求，我就不再寻求第三方替代方案。
这种转变带来的便利远超预期。以日常使用场景为例，iOS 相机和照片应用内置的 OCR 功能，让扫描文档和提取文字变得轻松自然；系统级的日历与提醒事项的深度整合，让我能够更高效地管理时间和任务；而 Apple Notes 不仅通过端到端加密确保了敏感信息的安全性，其在文件扫描和团队协作等场景中的表现也令人惊喜。
在实际使用中，我发现 Apple 的原生应用生态已经能够优雅地覆盖日常数字生活的绝大部分场景。从查看地图导航到获取天气信息，从预览各类文件到进行即时通讯，这些基础但重要的需求都能得到妥善满足。这种整合的便利性在移动设备上尤为明显，为日常使用带来了前所未有的流畅体验。
回归原生应用还带来了其他显著优势。首先是性能和稳定性的提升，原生应用通常能更好地适配系统，消耗更少的系统资源。其次是隐私保护的加强，不必担心第三方应用对数据的收集和使用。最后是降低了维护成本，无需频繁更新和调试各类第三方应用，也减少了订阅支出。
对于那些确实需要使用第三方应用的场景，我也开始优先考虑支持 Apple 原生设计规范的应用（Apple Native）。这类应用不仅在界面和交互上与系统保持一致，还能更好地利用系统特性，比如深度集成 AppleScript、支持 Shortcuts 自动化、Live Activities 实时活动、Focus 专注模式等功能，从而提供更加统一和流畅的使用体验。
当然，这种回归并非意味着完全摒弃第三方应用。对于特定的专业需求，优秀的第三方应用仍然是不可或缺的补充。关键在于找到原生应用和第三方工具之间的平衡点，让它们能够各司其职，相互协作，共同构建一个高效而统一的使用环境。
在这个网络钓鱼与欺诈横行时代，个人隐私与网络安全已然成为每个人都不容忽视的重要课题。每一次网络浏览、每一次应用使用，都可能留下数字足迹。因此，构建一套完善的隐私保护体系变得尤为重要。在我的实践中，这套体系主要围绕三个核心展开：DNS 防护、广告拦截和密码管理。
DNS 服务的选择是保护个人隐私的第一道防线。在国内时，我选择在 Surge 环境中使用开源的 EasyMosdns 无污染 DNS 分流 API(DoH)。这是一个通过 IP 分流远程加密查询来保护用户隐私的解决方案，不仅具有极高的解析精准度，还能有效避免 DNS 污染。而移居里斯本后，我转向了 NextDNS 服务。尽管其响应速度略慢于 Cloudflare Public DNS，但差异微乎其微，而在隐私防护方面的出色表现足以弥补这一细微差距。NextDNS 提供的丰富自定义配置选项让我能够从源头阻止跟踪器，同时有效屏蔽广告。每月 300,000 次查询的免费额度对个人用户来说已经相当充裕，而仅需 €1.99/月的进阶套餐更是物超所值。
为了构建更全面的防护网，我在电脑端和移动端的 Safari 上安装了 Wipr 2 广告拦截扩展。这款轻量级工具不仅能有效拦截广告，还可以屏蔽各类跟踪器和恶意脚本，与 DNS 层面的防护形成了双重保护。这种组合不仅提升了网页浏览体验，更重要的是确保了个人隐私数据不被随意收集。
在密码安全领域，我采用了 Bitwarden 和 Ente Auth 双管齐下的策略。Bitwarden 作为主力密码管理工具，其开源特性和强大的加密技术赢得了我多年的信任。虽然它支持自托管部署，但考虑到安全性和维护成本，加之我并不信任自己的技术，选择了每年 $10 的官方云服务版本。这不仅让我能够在各种设备上安全便捷地访问密码库，更重要的是能够使用包括双因素认证在内的高级功能。特别值得一提的是，Bitwarden 与 Fastmail 的深度集成让我能够直接生成匿名邮箱用于各类网站注册，这在保护个人隐私和杜绝垃圾邮件方面发挥了重要作用。
虽然绝大多数的双因素认证直接使用 Bitwarden，但我还是选择了 Ente Auth 管理一些特殊的双因素认证需求。例如 Bitwarden 账户本身的 2FA 验证码以及其他重要服务的双重认证。Ente Auth 独特的下一个验证码预览功能在实际使用中带来了极大便利，让双因素认证不再是一个繁琐的过程。这两款工具都秉承开源理念，源代码完全公开透明，不仅接受公众审查确保安全性，更从根本上保障了用户数据的隐私。
在数字工具的选择上，2024 年是我突破固有认知的一年。这种突破不仅体现在工具的选择上，更体现在使用理念的转变上。从笔记管理到写作工具，从信息获取到自动化工作流，每一个选择都经过充分酝酿，最终形成了一个高效协同的系统。
在笔记工具的选择上，我完成了从 Heptabase 到 Tana 的转变。作为一款融合了 Roam Research 的灵活性和 Notion 的结构化优势的笔记软件，Tana 以其独特的设计理念重新定义了我的知识管理方式。它不仅支持传统的大纲式层级记录，更通过 SuperTag 实现了数据的结构化管理。其强大的 search node 功能，确保了内容检索的便捷性和精准度。Tana 在 AI 方面的整合更是令我印象深刻，尤其是其语音转文本功能，让灵感捕捉变得异常轻松——当脑中闪现想法时，只需通过手机录音，Tana AI 就能自动将其转化为结构化的文本。
虽然在今年七月份，我曾详细阐述过 Tana 与 Heptabase 的协同工作流，这个方法直到现在依然在激发我的创造力。然而，随着对 Tana 的深入使用，我发现它完全可以承担起 Heptabase 在深度理解方面发挥的作用。这个我意想不到的认知导致我逐渐减少了对 Heptabase 的依赖。尽管如此，我仍然深深敬佩 Heptabase 的设计理念，希望它能在未来有更好的发展。
在写作工具的选择上，今年最大的惊喜来自于发现了比我年龄还大的文本编辑器 BBEdit。这款看似朴实无华的工具，却带给我的 aha moment 前所未有。它的价值不仅在于其强大的文本处理能力，更在于它与 macOS 系统的深度整合。通过 AppleScript，我实现了从文章起草到发布的完整自动化流程：包括处理 Markdown 元数据、更改文件名、移动文件位置，以及通过 git 命令推送到 GitHub 仓库等一系列操作。它在处理大型文本文件时依然保持着流畅的性能，这是许多现代编辑器难以企及的优势。
BBEdit 的使用不仅提升了我的写作效率，还意外地促使我深入探索了 Raycast 和 DEVONthink 的进阶功能。Raycast 作为 macOS 上的效率工具，通过其 QuickLink 功能，让我能够一键访问常用文件夹和应用程序。更重要的是，借助其 Script Command 功能，我开发了包括创建文件 Deep Link 在内的多个自动化脚本，实现了本地文件与 Tana 的单向链接，升级了我对本地文件的管理方式。而 DEVONthink 这款同样历史悠久的软件，通过与 AppleScript 的深度集成，以及与 BBEdit 的默契配合，在我的工作流中发挥着越来越重要的作用。
在 AI 辅助工具方面，Perplexity 和 Kagi 的表现很让我满意。Perplexity Pro 版本不仅提供了更强大的 AI 模型选择，其实时联网搜索能力更是让信息获取变得高效精准。它在我的海外生活中发挥了意想不到的作用，比如在里斯本超市购物时，我常常通过拍照询问 Perplexity 来了解葡语产品的具体信息，协助我做出购买决策，这极大地改善了我的购物体验。
在使用 Kagi 之前，我从未想过要为搜索引擎付费，但实际体验彻底改变了这个想法。它不仅提供了干净、无广告的搜索结果，其 Universal Summarizer 功能更是让我在浏览新闻和长文时节省了大量时间。Kagi Bangs 和 Kagi Lens 等特色功能显著提升了信息检索的精准度，而其始终保持高质量和客观性的搜索结果，在当下充斥着 SEO 优化内容的互联网环境中显得尤为珍贵。
这些工具的组合不仅提升了工作效率，更重要的是改变了我处理信息和创作内容的方式。它们就像一个精心打造的工具链，每个环节都恰到好处地满足着不同场景的需求，共同构建起一个高效而灵活的生产环境。
今年在通讯与阅读这两个领域的选择，依然延续往年，着重于实用性的考量。
在电子邮件服务的选择上，经过深入对比后，我最终选择继续使用 Fastmail 而非迁移至 Tuta。这个决定源于对实际使用场景的理性思考：虽然 Tuta 以其强大的安全性著称，但在当今的邮件通讯环境下，这种安全优势往往难以充分发挥，特别是当大多数通信对象仍在使用 Gmail 等主流服务的情况下。相比之下，Fastmail 虽然在安全层面不及 Tuta，但其安全性仍远优于主流邮件服务提供商，同时在实用性方面则具有显著优势。它不仅支持创建多达 600 个匿名邮箱，这一特性配合 Bitwarden 的集成功能，为管理各类网站和应用程序的注册账户提供了极大便利。更重要的是，它能够无缝对接 Apple Calendar 和 Apple Notes，让日程管理和工作日志的同步变得更加轻松。
在书签管理领域，我选择了复古且足够使用的 Pinboard。这个选择的关键在于其开放的 API 接口，使其能够完美融入我的工作流：无论是通过 AppleScript 与 DEVONthink 同步，还是借助 N8N 连接 Tana 和 Telegram 频道，都能实现流畅的数据流转。考虑到其全文存档和检索功能的实用价值，订阅完整版账户时我并没有吝啬。
在阅读工具方面，Readwise Reader 仍然是我的首选平台。虽然新兴的 RSS 阅读器 Follow 展现出令人期待的潜力，但考虑到其稳定性仍在完善阶段，目前仅将其作为信息获取的补充渠道。
在多语言阅读需求的推动下，我终于购买了划词翻译工具 Bob 这个相见恨晚的得力助手。通过配置免费的 DeepL API 和 Groq 提供的大语言模型，它能够提供快速、准确、优雅的翻译服务。对于需要更专业的翻译场景，我会使用 Immersive Translate 作为补充。有趣的是，我的阅读习惯随着语言环境的改变而发生了显著演变：从前在国内时习惯使用中英对照阅读，而到里斯本生活后，我更倾向于直接阅读英文原文，仅在遇到疑难词句时通过 Bob 进行划词翻译。或许这种转变不仅反映了语言能力的自然提升，也展现了工具在适应性学习中的重要作用。
这些工具的选择和使用方式的改变，不仅提升了信息获取和处理的效率，更重要的是帮助我建立起了一个既安全又便捷的数字通讯和阅读环境。在这个环境中，各个工具都能够相互配合，形成一个有机的整体，为日常的数字生活、学习和工作提供有力支持。
数据的安全存储和可靠备份始终是不可或缺的基础需求。尽管我已在第 92 期电子报中详细阐述了具体的数据存储与备份策略，在此我想着重分享选择这些服务背后的深层考量，以及它们如何协同工作形成一个完整的数据保护体系。
作为 Apple ecosystem 的用户，iCloud 为我提供了设备间无与伦比的互通体验。这种优势在家庭场景中尤为突出——由于家人也都在使用 Apple 设备，通过 iCloud+ 的家庭共享功能，我们能够轻松实现照片、文档等数据的共享与同步。这种无缝的协作体验是其他平台难以企及的，也是我选择继续坚持 Apple 生态的重要原因之一。
然而，iCloud 在对外分享方面的羸弱促使我需要寻找一个传统网盘作为补充。考虑到实际使用场景，我花费两周时间专注评估欧洲的网盘服务商，深入对比了 Mega、pCloud、Internxt、Koofr 和 icedrive 等多个方案。最终，德国的 Filen 以其出色的综合表现脱颖而出。这款采用零知识端对端加密技术的安全网盘，在保证高强度加密的同时，仍然保持着令人满意的传输速度。更难能可贵的是，它不对文件版本数量和传输带宽设限，这使其成为理想的文件分享工具。
Filen 的价值不仅体现在文件分享上，它同样是我重要数据的可靠后盾。其桌面客户端提供的灵活文件同步选项，能够在后台静默完成数据备份工作，这种无感知的备份机制大大降低了日常使用的心智负担。不过，即便 Filen 的安全性值得肯定，在备份重要的数据时，我依然使用了 encryption 工具进行加密后再进行备份。
在构建异地容灾备份方案时，我选择了专业的 BorgBase 服务。这个选择基于几个关键考量：首先，BorgBase 是专门为 Borg 备份定制的服务，完美支持增量备份和重复数据删除特性，既确保了完整的备份历史，又能有效节省存储空间；其次，它提供了直观的 Web 界面用于备份状态监控，配备开源的桌面端图形界面便于操作，并支持 SSH 密钥认证以确保安全性；最后，BorgBase 在欧洲多地部署的服务器为我提供了优质的访问速度和较低的网络延迟。这些专业特性使其相比普通的对象存储服务更适合作为异地容灾备份方案。
这三层防护——iCloud、Filen 和 BorgBase——构成了一个完整的数据安全保障体系。iCloud 负责日常的设备同步和家庭共享，Filen 承担文件分享和常规备份任务，而 BorgBase 则作为最后的安全防线，确保在极端情况下数据仍然可以完整恢复。此外，还有移动硬盘中的冷备份（但我今年的备份频率没有那么高，明年需要加强）。这种多层次的备份策略不仅提供了充分的数据冗余，也满足了不同场景下的使用需求，足以心安。
在今年年中面临多个软件订阅即将到期的情况下，我才发现——这些软件大多都在 Setapp 的应用库中。重新计算了价格后，自然而然地选择订阅了 Setapp 的基础套餐。
目前，我通过 Setapp 使用的应用主要覆盖了系统维护、效率提升、媒体处理、文档处理和 AI 增强等多个领域。在系统维护方面，CleanMyMac 和 AIDente Pro 分别负责系统清理和电池管理；在效率工具方面，CleanShot X、Yoink 和 PopClip 大大简化了日常操作流程；在媒体处理领域，Downie 和 Permute 为我提供了全面的下载和格式转换解决方案；在文档处理方面，Marked 与 BBEdit 完美配合，提供实时的文档渲染预览；而在 AI 增强领域，Superwhisper 和 BoltAI 则提供了诸多便利。
随着在里斯本的生活逐渐稳定，我的自托管需求发生了显著变化。不再需要全天候的 Surge 环境，也无需为使用 AI 平台、支付平台而担忧 IP 问题，这让我得以大幅精简服务器配置：目前仅保留一台通过 Zeabur 管理的 Hetzner VPS，外加一台 Oracle 免费 VPS。这种精简不仅降低了维护成本，更让我能够将注意力集中在真正重要的服务上。
在这些服务器上，我部署的自托管项目主要是：
我部署自托管服务的理念是：轻量化、自动化、可靠性。希望能够在最小化维护成本的同时，提供稳定可靠的功能支持。
通过回顾 2024 年的数字工具选择，我清晰地看到几个主要趋势：首先是向原生应用的回归；其次是对隐私和安全的持续重视；第三是工具间的深度整合，通过 AppleScript、Shortcuts 等自动化手段，将独立的工具编织成有机的整体。
希望明年我可以继续遵循这种理性和务实的思路。重点不在于拥有多少工具，而在于如何让已有的工具更好地服务于实际需求，创造真正的价值。同时，我也期待着能够在保持现有工作流程稳定的基础上，探索更多提升效率的可能性。
2024-11-10 04:16:04
在葡萄牙的秋日里，我创建了一个全新的日记模板。与我以往的私人日记写作相比，这个模板更加注重个人成长的维度。在经过两周的实践后，我深感其中的价值，因此在博客中将它分享给同样在寻找自我成长路径的有缘人。
这个日记模板融合了东西方三大思想体系的精华：斯多葛主义的道德修养、佛教的心性觉察，以及法兰克福学派的批判思维。同时，它也汲取了现代心理学的实践智慧，形成了一个完整的自我观照系统。
通过持续使用这个日记模板，可以帮助实现：
斯多葛主义对美德的孜孜追求、佛教哲学中对正念的深度修习、法兰克福学派对批判性思维的锐利洞察，这三重智慧的交织，构成了我自高中以来持续探索的精神图景。
移居至里斯本这座古老而静谧的城市，在大西洋的潮声与悠远的钟鸣中，我愈发清晰地意识到：想要达至更深层次的自我解放，必须在日常生活的点滴中保持清醒的自我觉察与理性的批判精神。生活的真谛，或许正藏于这般持续不断的自我对话与省思之中。
正是基于这样的思考，这份日记模板的创建绝非仅仅作为一个简单的记录工具，而是希望能成为一个促进个人持续成长的实践系统。通过每日书写与反思的涓滴积累，将古老的智慧与现代的思考融入生活的肌理，在实践中达到知行合一。
愿这份模板能够指引有缘人在生活的长河中，既能保持理性的清明，又能守护心灵的澄澈，最终臻至更深刻的自我认知，成就更有质感的人生图景。
