I just noticed something. My last many posts have zero images. No screenshots or memes or random cute things and I realized it has to be the swap I made last year from the visual WYSIWYG editor to a blank Markdown file. In the old tool adding an image was easy. Tap the icon and drag anything from the desktop and it would appear in the draft. The interface was practically begging me to illustrate every thought. Markdown greets me with a blinking cursor and a choice between breaking my flow to type out the image syntax and hunt for a royalty-free file and resize it and upload it or just keep typing.

I used to think my behavior was all internal discipline but half of it is just the shape of whatever tool I am walking through. We blame our tools for things we do wrong with them but they are often designed to push us one way or another. Switch the tool and the habit switches sometimes before you even notice it. I miss the WYSIWYG canvas and until I find a Markdown workflow that feels as easy as drag and drop my posts will probably stay plain. The words are still here and the environment is quietly coaching me every keystroke of the way.

If you have thoughts on this do tweet me. I am @troysk704.