I've experimented with a few different note taking systems over the years, both physical and digital. I was quite an early user of Notion, and I have used Roam Research a lot over the years. Most recently I set up a Hermes agent, called "papa-xray", who I can chat to via Telegram, who remembers what's on my to-do list and checks in on habits and other such things.
Having relied on papa-xray for a few weeks, I have felt something missing. It is certainly convenient to have a conversational agent on my phone, but it feels like outsourcing, rather than a tool for thought.
So I find myself reaching for a pen and paper, and I immediately feel presence and focus. I can think more clearly, and make forward progress. It feels good.
I wonder how much of this preference is wrapped up in my education, which was predominantly paper-based. I know that my overall ambivalence towards my phone is contributing to this feeling too.
I'm sure that I'll find other uses for papa-xray, but for now I am enjoying scribbling hard-to-read notes with my green fountain pen.