There's a lot of "to be determined" in the details of what is essential. But I am convinced that there is indeed a gap between that and "everything". I use the systems I do because they provide things I need, not because I need all the parts they come with (and each of those in at least half a dozen flavors with their subtle interactions and incompatibilities). They're like a clock built from a thousand tiny gears, complete with the necessary-apparently mechanisms to oil them all. I'm after knowing the time, and believe it can be had with but a fraction of the clockwork.

Not sure if I'm just dancing around your question though.

a retreat in and a retracing of the more familiar ways is still at core exactly the same.

Thanks for spelling it out. There's been retracing indeed but perhaps greater awareness of the costs of the familiar ways even as there is comfort in the indulgence. For instance, not having a well-oiled and listened-to system for determining what happens when, means I can't trust that something will get done at all if saved for later, which creates a sense of "must be done *right now* if it's not to be dropped", which means that whatever best intentions I start the day with, of what to do or how much time to spend, don't stand a chance.

I have some guesses but I'd rather ask - how do you mean?

For the simplest part, whether in the green & break or in picking up an older project, a retreat in and a retracing of the more familiar ways is still at core exactly the same. At best, it can turn out to be perhaps not a closed loop though but more like part of an upwards spiral, there is that to be said.

Does this mean you plan to re-write everything in Scheme?

What a blank check that would be! No, and that doesn't strike me as possible, or even desirable. As always, he who wants to play Mario should buy the Nintendo or run the emulator. Now, whether it's my thing that ends up the toy while "real business" happens by Excel spreadsheet, or the other way around, is a question. It would depend on finding a viable niche, and/or getting some network effect going.

On a side note, there seem to be some similarities between golf and older code projects even!

I have some guesses but I'd rather ask - how do you mean?

On a side note, there seem to be some similarities between golf and older code projects even!