Seasonal Thoughts for August 2025

August can be a month containing a mix of emotions. In the UK, it is the time just before a seasonal transition into autumn. The days have been long and warm, and although they are slowly becoming slightly shorter, the change is subtle and a welcome relief towards settling down for sleeping.

At this point in the summer, it has already been an extended duration of both heat and daylight, both of which can cause stress and exhaustion. Many years ago, I would add to this anxiety with the fear of impending darkness on the horizon, instead of enjoying the last days of sun, as we made our way towards the shortest days of the year. I found a way to change the narrative and embrace this change of season, and now I actually look forward to it.

I have long identified the 10th October as a day when this transition seems to happen. It is almost like a switch that has been pulled, changing from summer to autumn, from sun to cloud and rain. Identifying a transition date can make the change a much more welcoming experience. This date, whilst an arbitrary date, has actually been quite accurate over many years, in regards to wind, rain, and mild temperatures.

With this date in mind, it allows me to prepare for the transition that has previously caught me off guard. I started to purposefully enjoy the latter days of summer. Working from home has also had an positive impact, as the dark nights are something that I can embrace, without the need to travel. This has changed my relationship with the darker days and I am looking forward to feeling snug and warm inside, instead of focusing solely on driving from A to B.

At the start of this year, I set myself a goal that was different to previous years. I had been reminded of the 2-minute rule of getting things done, and that if I needed something to complete a task, I should be able to find it in about 20 seconds. My interests include electronics and programming, and both of these require components and files that must be easy to find.

I have come to identify the previous eight years of my hobbies as the accumulation stage. I have been collecting and sampling the vast array of electronic components and products that are available from areas of China, like Shenzhen. All this has be stored carefully, but not efficiently, therefore to complete a project that requires a certain sensor, for example, it’s a rummage in the roof, rather than laying my hands on it within 20 seconds.

I naturally switch my focus on projects every few days or weeks, so I need to be able to pick up and put down projects efficiently, safely, and provide an easy route to continuing the project at some point in the future. This is not so easy without robust organisation, and in my case, has become a project within itself that could also be switched in and out at a moments notice.

As the seasons are about to change, my thoughts are also turning towards my preparation for autumn. With a wide view of the garden from my spot on the sofa, I am adding additional low voltage, low wattage, and solar powered lights to an already bright garden. It has felt quite comforting to still be connected with nature in the darker days of the year, and being able to see the wind, rain, snow, and occasional hedgehog, so I have continued to prioritise this.

As someone who can become overwhelmed by the sense of justice, fairness, ethics, efficiency, and waste, I am conflicted by the use of AI. With that said, this year I have found that by using generative AI in my projects and with project ideas, I have converted my frustration of an ever expanding projects list into a productive energy that is creating more progress than ever before.

Generative AI has helped my focus and attention, removed blockers, and helped to expand and even to dismiss project ideas. One thing I will never use generative AI for is to write my thoughts down in my blog posts or create documentation. These skills are too important to outsource.

It feels like frustration and friction may have been contributing to my previous periods of burnout, so whilst I may not entirely like the ethical and environmental aspects of AI, or the overstated hype of the current state of the technology, I am embracing it as a mechanism to support my projects.

I have ideas and plans of technology that could bring benefits to people, so if I can get around to learning and developing these ideas, I may be able to repay some of ethical and environmental debt that my usage may have cost.

A strong interest that was been with me for over three decades is around inspecting, interacting with, and digitising the environments around us. This includes the Internet of Things (IoT), which aims to create a smart home with technology bringing improvements to people’s lives, and therefore our home is subject to these kinds of experiments.

With the darkest days of the year no longer being a concern to me, I look forward to actively enjoying the last days of the summer sun and warmth. It is exciting to think about what projects I can complete, once I am better organised, with all the latest technology I have been collecting.

I will post updates to this blog with my progress, as well as my learning and technology blog over at LearnAddict.Academy.