JOURNALS

Another Monday swings around, and here I am again, jotting down the bits and bobs from the day. It's funny how these pages start to fill up, a mix of mundane and magic, in their own right.

So, today kicked off in a rather usual Dan fashion - plotting out the day ahead in my head while juggling a couple of errands at the beloved new studio. Not quite the glamorous artist stereotype, eh? Although, between you and me, plotting fresh journal pages for April, with a side of washing up, felt oddly grounding.

The highlight reel? I'd have to give a nod to the second audio-reactive pen plot. Inspired by none other than Joy Division's iconic album cover. There's something about translating music into a visual format that keeps me coming back for more. It's like being a DJ, but for pen plotters.

Following the rhythm of the day, I managed to nail the first design, sneakily capturing it on video. I'm not one for the limelight, but these little moments of triumph? They deserve a bit of a shout-out, even if just to a camera lens.

And, speaking of rhythms, by mid-afternoon, the third design was taking shape, tuning it to perfection. It's pretty good if I do say so myself. There's something deeply satisfying about seeing a day's plan coming together, piece by piece, plot by plot.

Reflecting over the day, the mix of creativity and technical challenges feels like a well-blended cocktail of my interests. It's a reminder why I do what I do. Bringing dated techniques up to speed with the latest tech specs and having the outputs dance off the pen plotter is, frankly, pretty damn cool.

The health-conscious side of Dan made an appearance too. Managed to dodge the snack aisle, sticking to a pre-packed lunch. It’s a small victory, but hey, it's progress. Admittedly, skipping my midday walk wasn't the plan, but we go again tomorrow, right?

Looking back, I'm chuffed with how much closer I am to nailing the weekly goals. The mini-workshop on Wednesday? That's looking less daunting by the minute. And this new "wind-down" ritual from 4pm? I'm onto something here, a gentler way to close the studio doors and cap off the day.

If I've learned anything, it’s that the mix of coding, plotting, and creating keeps the gears turning in my head. And amidst all this, finding a healthier groove and tinkering with time management might just be the unsung heroes of productivity. Here's to plotting more than just art in the days to come.