Query-First: The Experiment That’s Changing How I Use My Second Brain

A messy investment in a (hopefully) more organized PKM

Two weeks ago, I started using the PACER framework to organize my notes (still amazed by how many of you found that useful). As I’ve been working with it, I noticed something interesting: The framework gives structure to my notes, and Forward Links create connections, but I was still missing something crucial, a reliable way to find exactly what I need, when I need it.

So I started experimenting with a new approach I’m calling Query-First. Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

The Problem With Our “Organized” Notes

Last week, I needed to find notes from a client meeting about timeline issues. Here’s what actually happened:

1. Searched for “client-x meeting” — got 47 results
2. Added “timeline” — still 15 results
3. Scrolled through trying to remember which file was the right one
4. Finally found it: “meeting-notes-2024–01–15.md”

Sound familiar? Even with PACER organizing my notes and Forward Links connecting them, I was still playing hide-and-seek with my own information because my filenames didn’t capture what I was actually…