Today, 10 years ago, I had my first encounter with Emacs, and that day definitely changed the way I work with computers—if not my entire life.

In October, as the days grow shorter and the air turns sharper, many people naturally shift their focus from the creative energy of summer to the quieter work of maintenance. It’s the season of clearing gutters, deep-cleaning corners of the house that have been ignored, and tending to the small repairs that keep daily life running smoothly. Just as some turn to housekeeping and autumn cleaning, others return to digital upkeep — reviewing notes, pruning old files, or fine-tuning their Emacs configuration so it feels nice and reliable. "Maintenance", in whatever meaning will be the topic of the EmacsWiki Blog Carnival in October.