I have been compiling The Archive for almost 2 decades.

What started as a simple scrap book of my life has evolved into a massive 20-volume documentation effort, much like some sort of visual Stasi file. I have all my report cards, high school pictures, love notes, parking tickets, rejection and acceptance letters, boarding passes, and photos in its pages.

I recently started presenting this personal project at the Quantified Self Meet-Up group. The first presentation introduced how and why I’ve been compiling this work and the second presentation detailed how I’d like to convert my data input from analog to a digital interface (preferably a 3D interface).

Currently, the format is 8.5 x 11 black card in archival sheet protectors which I then place in 2″ aluminum ring binders. I cut and arrange everything by hand and keep it updated every few weeks. I know what I did or where I was in any given week for the past 10 years, the resolution is a bit fuzzier for dates earlier than that…