Written retrospectively for the 2009 archive.

Old pages make me think about the things we repeat because it was quicker the first time. A copied menu takes a few seconds. When its links need to change, all the other copies suddenly matter.

The same is true of some of the little routines I carry from one week to the next. Before I set up another elaborate way of keeping track, I can ask which part I keep having to do twice. Sometimes there’s one small change that would make the whole routine easier.