Midterms, school projects, and data organization – the name of the past 2 weeks.

After losing our archive drive – again – I’ve looked into cloud backup and synchronization data providers. I used to enjoy CrashPlan – reasonably priced – but they’ve since switched to business only. My main qualifiers for a provider were:

• Solid security record
• End-to-end encryption

I may be paranoid, but after multiple instances of data breaches, I don’t want files I commit to off-site backup (eg: tax, financial, school, medicial, business, etc…) easily available as part of the next great data breach. I’m currently testing out Tresorit. They market primarily to businesses and lack family plan types, but… The software seems solid and they hit my major qualifiers.

I completed “Out of the Dark” by Helen Keller. An amazing, raw perspective in the world around the turn of the century. The quality of her writing, and the depth of thought was astounding. We have come so far over the past 100 years in so many things. This month, I’m looking into a book about “Sparking Joy”.

I’d planned on purchasing flowers to plan / get started for springtime – but quickly discovered the varieties I’d picked for friendliness to our neighbors and livestock weren’t stocked. Online ordering it shall be. I’m also working a plan on where to put a flower bed, we’ll see how it goes.

Piano continues – slow but stead progress. Back to basics is a solid gameplan to advance in skill, and I’ve noticed some significant improvements with my newfound focus on simple fundamentals. I’ve started dusting off some of the earlier Sonatas I worked on, and am amazed at how much more depth I’m finding in them.