Nat? Nat. Nat!

Nat reflects on his 2025, sharing the ups and downs of a tough year and finding the good moments by looking back.

A peek into my media diet: podcasts, news, streaming, and favorite online creators. Here's what I subscribe to and why I find it worthwhile.

A failed experiment in AI-assisted music generation. Exploring MIDI sequencing with Go and Cursor's Agent mode, resulting in a project needing a rewrite.

A look at my command-line journal, "etu," built with Go and Bubble Tea. Exploring time tracking, Notion API integration, and personal workflow improvements.

Building a simple Discord bot with Github Agents to surface forgotten art from a personal archive. Learn how LLMs and mobile coding came together.

A simple list of things to be thankful for: family, nature, knowledge, helpers, and the communities that make life worthwhile.

AI is changing my work, fast. A look at the tools I use daily for coding, the impact on my output, and the adjustments we're making.

A frank update on the Kickstarter project: writing progress, distractions, and a surprising return to musical performance. Plus, a new goal for the week.

Nat shares a writing update for April, admitting slow progress and the need to hit 1k words daily. Nat asks readers to help with accountability.

Hardware failures hit my homelab hard. RAM, SSDs, and HDDs all died. See how I recovered, rebuilt, and learned some painful lessons along the way.

Exploring burial practices, the economics of cemeteries, and the appeal of transforming them into vibrant, public green spaces.

Nat shares her March progress: checking publishing details, writing 3843 words, and migrating to Typst.

Reflections on creativity, AI, and communication. Considering the importance of Message, Audience, and Purpose in creative work.

Why I stopped eating eggs for breakfast: price, bird flu fears, and finding protein-packed alternatives from online communities.

Monthly Kickstarter updates! Catch up on January and February progress, plus a note from the creator.

Reflecting on a year of startup life's rollercoaster, a London adventure, and celebrating a beloved dog's milestone. Plus, travel and personal updates.

A peek at what I've been enjoying lately: music, podcasts, articles, anime, soccer, software, and a video game I'm surprisingly hooked on.

A belated look back at 2023: cross-country road trips (the dog hated it), culinary school graduations, weddings, and the chaos of life.

A belated look back at 2022: a good year of friends, family, and life in Beacon. Just some random photos from the year, no metrics or goals.

Reflecting on a strange year and finding gratitude in unexpected places: art, technology, family, and even a good cup of coffee.

A personal, opinionated list of dance albums the author returns to again and again, featuring Jamie xx, Beyoncé, Justice and more.

A tour of my 2024 homelab: from Plex server to website hosting, NAS backups, and internal services. Details on the hardware and network setup.

Checking in on 2024 goals: writing, mental health, finances, and more. See what's working, what's slipped, and what's next for the rest of the year.

A few things bringing joy: a wild tech rewrite story, open source licensing, leisure advice, a mystery bug, remote work thoughts, and Fallout.

A few things bringing joy: climate change's impact on baseball, ambient music's rise, a great music mix, skateboarding lessons, and sharing imperfect music practice.

Nat recaps the movies, podcasts, articles, and tech projects that brought him joy this past week.

Nat's back from vacation and shares what's making Nat happy this week, including upcoming travel and the movies, music, and games enjoyed.

A few things bringing me joy lately: Hong Kong street food, electric vehicle insights, fantasy novels, and finally, emoji support on my website.

Reflecting on three years at a startup: the stress, the mission to "return time," and the surprising resonance of helping those who bill by the hour.

A few things bringing me joy right now: a beach vacation, a great NYT video, favorite anime, a Hank Green podcast, VR insights, and addictive games.

A quick peek at what's bringing joy: F1, though maybe not as exciting as Tottenham; The Smile's Radiohead-esque vibes; a darkly funny bookclub read; and the addictive Slay the Spire.

A few good things amid illness: Ted Lasso, new music, F1's return, and some git config wins. Plus, a rant about open source fighting the good fight.

A quick list of things bringing joy lately: anime action, surprising sports moments, a delightful new show, favorite music sets, and a thought-provoking book.

A few things making me happy this week: anime, re-watching a weird classic, great TV, favorite albums, self-hosting thoughts, and a fun, historical board game.

A look at the media, shows, and podcasts that brought joy this week. Anime, sci-fi, and interesting conversations made the list.

New year, new goals! Focusing on communication, art, nature, and more. See my personal goals for 2024 and how they align with core values.

Reflections on the final Strange Loop conference: favorite talks, including career advice, code search deep dives, and a postmortem of the conference itself.

A few things bringing joy lately: timekeeping tech, a killer band called Boygenius, and NASA launching a streaming service.

Nat shares what made him happy this week: his wife's birthday, a cool hip-hop article, and the Fables creator putting his work into public domain.

A mix of interesting reads: comics, coffee history, database tech, and climate change. Plus, a handy AI tool for searching image folders.

A few things bringing joy this week: data hoarding, dreamy music mixes, retropunk tech, permacomputing, Kubernetes pipelines, and evolving NYC fine dining.

A blog rewrite born from COVID quarantine and a Bermuda wedding. Exploring contentlayer, NextJS 13's app router, and the inevitable bugs.

A personal reflection on navigating a weird year, finding normalcy, and making memories. A look back at travel, work, and life in 2021.

A personal update on what's bringing joy: family visits, live basketball, a stellar anime season, thoughts on returning to the office, and making music.

A look back at 2020: a year of travel before, and pandemic life after. Portland, Costa Rica, and then... everything changed.

Productive vacation: finally squashing long-standing bugs in personal projects. React upgrades, auth fixes, RSS feed repairs, and more.

Recovering from isolation, I turned to coding: building Discord bots, updating old projects, and wrestling with the perils of a custom CMS.

A reflective look back at 2019: travel, work at Google, celebrating anniversaries, and visiting Japan. Plus, a month-by-month summary.

A look at the core beliefs that drive my decisions and actions, including why sharing information is vital and building tools matters.

Feeling uninspired? A look at two unexpected sources – a video game and a novel – that sparked new ideas and creative thinking.

Chess grandmasters' physical exertion during tournaments rivals elite athletes. Explore the surprising toll of high-level competition on the body.

A dead-simple, self-hosted CSP and Reporting API endpoint. Collect client-side errors and violations easily. Free to use and open source.

Two guys attempt to cook every recipe from Breath of the Wild in one day. Hilarity ensues as they struggle with bizarre ingredient combinations.

The Air Force wants hackers to try and hijack an orbiting satellite at Defcon. Is this a PR stunt or a genuine attempt to improve security?

Interesting things I found this week: a cool video game promoting exercise. A link and a photo/excerpt of text included.

Osaka ramen, Kyoto AirBnB, Nishiki Market explorations, and a Philosopher's Path stroll. Join the journey through Japan.

Automate deployments to GKE with Cron and Cloud Build! Learn how to grant Kubernetes API access and build a simple continuous delivery pipeline.

Travel from Tokyo to Osaka via bullet train! Plus: a quick visit with family, a relaxing massage, and an unforgettable tempura omakase experience.

Tokyo adventures conclude with delicious ramen, a Shiba Inu cafe visit (Shibes!), and a serene stroll through Meiji Jingu shrine before heading to Osaka.

Ginza styling with Hiro, Hello Kitty & Pokemon adventures, and a Kill Bill-famous sushi dinner. A day of modern culture and tasty discoveries.

Day two in Japan: Modern architecture, ethical ramen, and a memorable Shinjuku bar hopping tour with sake tasting and lemon sours.

First day in Japan! JFK to Tokyo, a comfy flight, and then straight to Tsukiji Market for all the seafood. Ginza shopping and shrine visits followed.

Fleabag, running for president, database design, financial advice, bike swarms, Nxivm, Kubernetes cost, and awesome podcasts. A few things making me happy.

The struggle is real: what to read after finishing a beloved book series? A peek into one reader's quest for the next great fantasy or sci-fi adventure.

A few things bringing joy: fascinating scam stories, Discord bot tinkering, Kubernetes experiments, Muji's hotel, and SRE interview insights. Plus, trains.

A few things making me happy: Apollo 11, Pyrex history, container ship tourism, cool hardware, media layoffs, field research, unboxing videos, GraphQL, D&D drama, and a cute dog.

A few good things: an interesting article about parties, a podcast interview about Hollywood, and a cool photo from Japan.

A few things bringing joy: Podcasts featuring the Flickr team, Umbrella Academy on Netflix, and the post-apocalyptic novel Station Eleven.

A few things making me happy right now: a podcast, a TV show, an interesting read, and a dog enjoying the snow.

Diving into the tech behind rebuilding my blog (again!). This time with Next.js, Apollo, and GraphQL. Exploring the backend with gqlgen and Go.

A look back at a chaotic 2018: writing a book, getting married, a new job, turning 30, and starting therapy. Plus, regrets and hard-won lessons.

After vowing never to return, Nat rejoins Google to work on Customer Reliability Engineering (CRE), aiming to help companies build reliable services.

Nat uses this draft to test blog features like lists, quotes, and more. Let him know if it's visible!

Nat checks in after a long silence, catching you up on big life events (marriage, book!) and why the blog's been quiet.

A look back at 2017: unemployment, travel in the Pacific Northwest, speaking at SRECon, attending PAX East, and starting a new job.

Nat shares a final happy post for 2017, listing favorite TV shows, games, and interesting internet finds.

A look at what brought joy recently: tech acquisitions, interesting syscall opinions, cool GitHub repos, best-of lists, art, crypto taxes, and more.

Portland musings on happiness: dog Twitter addiction, UFO theories, tuna butchery, aging, favorite music, and more interesting internet finds.

A few things making me happy: Stardew Valley, cool design, inspiring podcasts, D&D tips, Mega Man news, and more interesting links.

A few things making me happy lately: pizza news, debugging tips, interesting articles, time zone history, and some political wins.

A look back at a surprisingly quiet summer, overshadowed by distractions. Progress on goals, books, and a side hustle, amidst life's chaos.

A look at the Dickerson Pyramid for service reliability, applied across diverse roles from iFixit to Hillary for America. Includes slides, video, and transcript.

Despite a tough month, Nat shares a roundup of things that lightened their mood, from anime to cool tech articles.

Nat shares what's making him happy this week, including interesting articles, podcasts, tech news, and music.

A former Cal Poly CSC student defends the value of CSC 300, arguing its importance in teaching ethics and communication skills crucial for tech professionals.

A grab bag of interesting things: drunk Diana of Green Gables, tech news, book scandals, podcasts, credit industry woes, and much more.

Links that brought me joy this week: new fashion labels, interstitial journaling, Hillary Clinton reflections, web design thoughts, and more.

Finding joy on 9/11: a bit about remembrance, then links to things making me happy - Destiny 2, RSS resurgence, Leslie Jones, and more.

Use this postmortem template to analyze outages and improve reliability. Inspired by Google and other industry best practices.

Nat shares a bunch of interesting articles, podcasts, and links that caught their eye and made them happy this week.

A few things making me happy this week: memes, data hoarding, startup histories, great podcast episodes, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Finding joy in cake, coding tools, and AI beating Dota. Plus, peanut allergy breakthroughs and hardware security keys. A mixed bag of happy things.

Nat shares his daily morning media routine, including what he reads and listens to to stay informed.

A few things making me happy lately: Pyre, self-care apps, cooking shows, podcasts, Twitter bots, fashion, and surprisingly, trains.

Mid-year check-in: Reflecting on a new job, moving in with a partner, and progress (or lack thereof) on ambitious 2017 goals.

A few things making me happy: video games, fantasy books, podcasts, Rick & Morty, Let's Encrypt, cyber news, Matt Levine, and more.

A bit of what made me happy this week: Wonder Woman, E3 trailers, funny webcomics, James Comey's testimony, plus programming and security links.

A few cool music finds, a favorite cooking channel, some thought-provoking articles, plus what I'm reading and cooking this week.

A look at Hillary Clinton's 2017 Code Conference appearance, focusing on her comments about the DNC's data deficit and hopes for flipping the House.

A look at the interesting articles, podcasts, and distractions keeping me happy lately, from tech news to personal essays and everything in between.

Nat shares new words to use instead of "insane" or "crazy" to be more sensitive to the mental health community.

Nat shares what made them happy and interested last week, including links on tech, history, and hidden web gems.

Nat shares a list of things that made them happy this week, including cool tech, funny reads, and interesting articles.

Nat shares a bunch of interesting links, from book adaptations to hacking ATMs, and talks about binge-watching anime.

A look back at the first three months of 2017. Assessing progress on ambitious goals related to health, career, creativity, and personal growth.

A week's worth of interesting links, from SRE lessons and ATM vigilance to music, art, and TV recommendations while fighting the flu.

Links and thoughts on articles, music, code, and whatever else is making me happy right now. From tech to breakfast, a little bit of everything.

Ditching Twitter? I built a simple app that emails you plain text tweets from key people daily. Easy Heroku deployment, open to contributions.

Nat's got a new job! After three months, Nat's joining First Look Media as Lead SRE and staying in New York.

A few things making me happy lately: SRECon success, PAX reflections, internet archiving dreams, and interesting reads on music, tech, and money.

A few things bringing joy today: YouTube rabbit holes, upcoming tech, inspiring podcasts, supporting journalism, and ignoring the news.

Supporting vital journalism through donations. Learn about ProPublica's impact, their financials, and why independent reporting matters now more than ever.

Nat's latest post shares a collection of interesting tech articles, podcasts, and other fascinating links that made Nat happy this week.

Nat shares some cool tech, interesting articles, and other things that made him happy this week.

Nat shares things he's been consuming to find happiness and distraction from current events, like breathing, articles, and podcasts.

A quick list of things bringing joy during a weird, existential funk. Reddit, Billy Joel, Shia LaBeouf, and more internet finds.

A few things bringing joy this week: new music, reclaiming focus, crazy tech, security insights, hilarious reads, anticipated games, and great podcasts.

More availability! I've opened up office hours for the next month. Sign up to chat - I'm looking forward to talking to more people.

Nat is touring the PNW in January (Portland, Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver). Catch Nat for chats about tech, politics, or just a drink!

A look back at 2016: a new job with Hillary for America, the first winter on the East Coast, and the whirlwind of a presidential campaign.

A quick rundown of what's been catching my eye lately: articles, movies, and thoughts on everything from internet access to scary trees.

Let's Encrypt certs expiring on Heroku? Quick steps to renew and update them, keeping your site secure and running smoothly.

React, Gomix, office hours, best-of lists, and fun word games – a few things making me happy despite the gloomy news cycle.

Nat is starting SRE Office Hours as an experiment. Sign up for 30 minutes of advice on DevOps, architecture, tools, and more.

Links, thoughts, and inspiration: John Lilly's advice, mesh networking, Lin-Manuel Miranda, tech & politics, Recurse Center, and mindful spending.

A month away, and back with movie excitement, encryption insights, amusing cartoons, great music, and digital security tips. Plus, thoughts on What.cd.

A few things making me happy this week: The Daily Show, Silver Surfer in NYC, ASAD's new video, automato.farm's designs, and GifCities.

Nat shares a great Steve Jobs quote about always moving forward and focusing on what's next, not dwelling on past successes.

A pre-election list of 12 notable Hillary Clinton endorsements, from James Franco to The New York Times. See who made the cut and why.

A brief respite from election anxiety: a few things I'm finding joy in right now, from podcasts and tech to articles and short films.

New Nintendo Switch console looks amazing! Check out the debut video for a glimpse at this innovative portable gaming system.

A roundup of interesting articles, videos, podcasts, and music that brought me joy this week, from security vulnerabilities to Star Wars trailers.

Nat explains how to get cheaper SSL on Heroku, reducing the cost from $20 to $7 a month using Heroku's new free SSL option and Let's Encrypt.

A few things making me happy this week: a hilarious tweet, a visit from a friend, great Tiny Desk concerts, and cool new phones.

Nat shares three interesting podcast episodes on creativity, featuring interviews with Roy Horan, Joe Hollier, and David Kelley.

Experimenting with blog design: a Tachyons update and a look at potential future directions. Is the new direction right?

A few things making me happy this week: RBG's life advice, Christian Louboutin's studio, Penn Station's redesign, and Postgres' full-text search.

Work survival, silly quizzes, wishing for Spectacles, Carmack's .plan, SpaceX coverage, live jelly, and Star Wars Rebels. A mixed bag of happy.

Compromised accounts & hidden games: What if Twitter held real-world mysteries? Explore the potential for subtle online clue trails and unexpected narratives.

Nat highlights Jon Gold's great post about AI, typography, and how to approach design problems.

A few happy links for the week: Ruby infinity, internet outages, motion design, Emmy GIFs, fall foliage, love questions, & Bear Grylls.

Modernizing the CSS on my personal site, natwelch.com. A visual before-and-after of the upgrade from an outdated version of Tachyons.

Reflecting on 9/11, finding joy in Cowboy Bebop, BoJack Horseman, and unexpected places like political analysis and Humans of New York.

A few things making me happy this week: Robert Khoo's impact, Gene Wilder, Kanye's music, print's resurgence, David Lynch, and great live music.

A few things making me happy this week: music, design, parks, fashion, a museum visit, and interesting reads on habits and email introductions.

Nat shares how to easily set up a Raspberry Pi kiosk to display a webpage on a screen, covering everything from hardware to configuration.

Nat shares a weekly roundup of online articles, podcasts, art, and music that made Nat happy, plus a fun update about an Olympian.

A few cool links I enjoyed this week: art, code, work/life balance, government policy, and... Pocky teaching kids to code? Plus, a Javascript satire.

Why schadenfreude about tech failures is a bad idea. Downtime happens, and we can learn from each other if we avoid ridicule and foster openness.

Exploring microfiction: a dive into ultra-short stories, chat-based narratives, and a quest to write something tiny and impactful.

A few things bringing joy this week: animated movies, disaster recovery testing, cybersecurity takes, memes, and text editor design.

Reflecting on early work experiences. A look back at a few unexpected jobs held before settling into a career path, and the interesting paths of others.

Technology isn't the problem. It's the human element: creation, implementation, and inevitable errors. A look at voting machines and Russian trolls.

Google's massive single codebase requires sophisticated tools for sweeping changes. Is Google pioneering automated code updates across the wider ecosystem?

A few things bringing joy: queue software lists, visualizations of Apple's earnings, a wild music video, and security vulnerability grading.

A thank you to all the sysadmins, SREs, and IT professionals who keep everything running, especially those who inspired a lifelong journey into tech.

A look back at the busy weeks launching websites and apps for Hillary Clinton, followed by the experience of watching the Democratic National Convention unfold.

Nat reviews two podcasts that discuss when to create and when to edit, reflecting on how their insights apply to Nat's career.

A look back at an ambitious project to build ten things in six months. What went wrong, what was learned, and what's next for smaller, focused goals.

A look back at the second quarter of 2016: goals set, progress (or lack thereof) reviewed, and a reset for the months ahead. What worked, what didn't?

A look behind the scenes at the Hillary Clinton campaign's use of chatops for internal communication and automation.

Instagram's API changes are locking out developers. Personal data access is gone, leaving only business-focused tools. Why can't I get my own data back?

Seventeen days later, an update arrives. Longplay.club progresses (sort of), Billow.in faces abandonment, and locative.garden explores the Physical Web.

Project update: Progress on enki.garden, Raspberry Pi setup for locative.garden, and more Gandalf writing. See what got done and what's on hold.

Nat unpacks the `netstat` command's "Tuna Please!" mnemonic, explaining its flags and sharing a journey of discovery and correction.

Sharing what's bringing joy this week: food shows, robot music curation, a moving Prince tribute, and a surprising Olympics logo opinion.

Catching up after a missed update. Working on enki.garden file indexing, Forgetful text capture, and a list of neglected projects.

A few things making me happy right now: Warriors highlights, Billions, new music from Weezer and Moderat, great podcast interviews, and Prince.

No progress lately, but pushing on with #tenbysix. Inspired by Liz Gilbert on sticking with projects, not chasing shiny objects. Thinking about note-taking, Kindle highlights, and getting some code written.

Nat enabled Genius Web Annotations on his blog posts after hearing Reply All. Give them a try!

Nat highlights funny videos, the Rogue One trailer, and important news like the Panama Papers from the past week.

Q1 2016 is done. Reflecting on goals, tweaking objectives, and assessing progress (or lack thereof) on health, projects, and culture.

Updated Google employee campaign donation data, corrected after a scraping script bug. See the latest FEC filings.

Hitting a wall on my open-source Heroku-like platform. Brainstorming deployment workflows: Packer, Docker Swarm, Nomad, and the quest for a viable pipeline.

A look at what brought a little joy this week: Hillary Clinton articles, Reddit Robin, Google SRE book, Cyberpunk art, and the perfect April Fool's joke.

A quick update on my personal projects. Progress was slow last week, with only minor changes to Creepermon monitoring. A list of untouched projects included.

A personal list of things bringing joy this week: brotherly visits, inspiring podcasts, insightful web design articles, and cyberpunk art.

Update on my side projects: Locative game design with Wi-Fi and a Go/React web frontend. Slow progress while learning new tech.

A few things that brought joy this week: political wins, brother visiting, Snowden's words, cool talks, creepy tech, beautiful music, and funny comics.

Inside Hillary for America's Brooklyn HQ after a big win: A video of excitement for @hillaryclinton and a look at the day's election sweep.

A few things bringing joy lately: anime, a beautiful (but short) game, 808 State, design podcasts, and Jay Pharaoh's Katt Williams impression.

Two months into the project. Progress feels slow. This week: Gandalf copyright musings, Swift exploration, and a barely-working quote-saving web app. Plus, thoughts on archiving entire websites.

Reflecting on my values and mission. Are my actions aligned with how I present myself online? Exploring personal definitions and future goals.

Despite a busy week, Nat found joy in a new movie, some good books, a podcast, and interesting tech reads.

A quick update: Super Tuesday slowed progress, but I did manage some coding. I built basic webring software inspired by @jongold – check out icco/ringdirector.

A few cool clocks, a Prada show, Rikers Island, and finally getting into The Stormlight Archive. A quick look at what brought joy this week.

Quick update on my various side projects. This week was mostly note-taking and brainstorming, covering everything from Android apps to text-based games.

Nat shares his struggle to stick to a morning routine and outlines the one he's trying to follow.

A personal list of interesting finds: music, cool projects, a Playboy article, thoughts on code analysis, art in NY, & gravitational waves.

New OS and hardware platform release! Plus, a look back at 2015 and remembering family. Release notes inside.

Progress on ten prototypes in six months: scraping blogs, exploring document ranking, and tackling a big project fear.

A look at the things that brought joy amidst a busy week: Grand Central Tech, great conversations, Deadpool, interesting articles, and some awesome movie trailers.

Progress on PCA (Stripe integration!) and initial MVP thoughts for enki.garden. Plus, an update on RingClub and a list of neglected projects.

Nat used FEC data to see how much Google employees donated to political campaigns, and to whom.

Creepermon scraping, Keen.io data, and a blog redesign born from slow query times. Plus, Gandalf story ideas. What didn't get done this week?

This week's happy list: TV recommendations (sci-fi, drama), interesting podcasts, a surprisingly good film, and reasons to cheer for Wikileaks.

Week two of my personal challenge: building ten prototypes by June. This week's progress focused on Creepermon, including architecture and config parsing.

A week of campaign work, interesting podcasts, fun videos, great articles on games, and insightful political analysis. Plus, inspiring personal websites.

A few things making me happy this week: podcasts, snow forecasts, Larry Page, cyberpunk adaptations, and personal projects.

Project kickoff! Setting up repos and codenames for ten new side projects, from RSS readers and monitoring apps to a Gandalf-in-Tokyo game.

A few things that brought joy this week: Pocket Mortys, Adele's Carpool Karaoke, great articles on CitiBike, and tributes to Alan Rickman & David Bowie.

Ten ideas in six months: prototyping begins! Follow along as the author tackles a diverse list, from RSS readers to Gandalf in Tokyo. Check-in #1 tomorrow.

Following a 100:10:1 resolution, Nat shares a list of 100 ideas for potential projects, from apps to websites.

A look at what brought some joy this week: propaganda analysis, travel inspiration, Oscar predictions, upcoming games, music, and decluttering.

Reflections on a week of inspiring interviews, insightful articles on writing and business, urban exploration, and favorite quotes.

A personal retrospective on 2015: moving from London to NYC, new relationships, travel, job changes, and a programming retreat. All documented in photos.

Nat shares what made him happy during his holiday, from podcasts and games to movies and anime.

Nat's happiness update includes favorite videos, new music, and interesting tech insights.

A few things bringing joy this week: a sad album, a funny movie review, obscure comics, Ruby tips, Conan, open source, and making things.

Remembering Douglas Tompkins, founder of The North Face, and his inspiring legacy as a conservationist and businessman.

This week's happy list: Podcasts that inspire, insightful interviews, a linguistic deep dive into Blink-182, new rap tracks, and a moving play with Mom.

A few podcasts, a thought-provoking article, and some fun internet finds made this week a good one. Plus a book and a new TV show.

Nat talks about his family's awkward Thanksgiving prayers and shares two of his favorite non-religious graces to use.

Migrated my blog's asset pipeline to Webpack. Initial impressions are positive, but the documentation needs work. Here's my experience.

A few things cut through the week's sickness: Jessica Jones, interesting art projects, and some truly funny takes on modern life.

A few things making me smile: a hilarious fantasy podcast, odd NYC transit stories, giant robot battles, and a new favorite band.

Nat discovered BadBadNotGood and shares their jazzy, experimental electronic sound, highlighting cool live videos from an old Vermont power plant.

Nat's worried about the internet's future after reading about TPP's source-code rules and the EU's proposed linking permission.

Music, mixes, and books! A few things that brought a smile to my face this week, including a Drake remix and an intriguing (if polarizing) read.

A fan's take on Reply All's evolution, highlighting its blend of thoughtfulness, humor, and unexpected investigative adventures.

A forgotten happy post! Discover what I was enjoying back in October 2015 – anime, specifically the hilarious and visually stunning Kill la Kill.

A few things making me smile this week: a hilarious article, a thought-provoking podcast, a captivating sci-fi novel, and becoming a golden god in Destiny.

A few things that brought me joy this week: a great anime rewatch, getting hooked on a video game, and running a fun D\&D campaign.

A brief appreciation of Cowboy Bebop and its enduring beauty, fueled by a single, evocative song. Time for a rewatch.

Kanye West questions the validity of award shows, judging artistic achievement, and the desire for acceptance. A look at his 2015 VMAs speech.

An email from Destiny highlighting the game's matchmaking limitations stings. Why offer external solutions when the core problem persists?

An interesting thought experiment on how naming something a "project" shapes our approach and interaction with it.

Sunday at RC: Failed blog port, a mock DevOps interview revealing SSL gaps, coffee with @rwong48, and couch-enabled coding.

A Recurse Center visit: coffee-walk check-ins, devops discussions with Recursers, a self-growing web system project, and a LittleBits store visit.

Exploring Convox: a Heroku-like PaaS. Great implementation and ease of use, but the cost of running it on AWS seems too high for personal projects.

Nat discusses @dotmudge's Defcon talk on hackers and the US government, and shares Mudge's two goals.

Kanye West's Time 100 interviews explored. Watch Ye discuss his legacy, competition, and being the Robin Hood of fashion.

A critical look at The Economist's take on Bay Area tech money, highlighting a valuable infographic and a plea to retire a certain buzzword.

Reflecting on the Recurse Center experience: goals, projects, transparency, and the unexpected journey of 100 days in NYC.

Nat checks out how Battles makes music using wild looping techniques, getting inspired to finish a drum machine.

A new podcast app and some listening recommendations, from design interviews to X-Men explainers. Plus, a few gripes with Pocket Casts' UX.

Nat shares his favorite Oddisee albums and talks about his awesome Tiny Desk concert.

Inspiration strikes! A Deus Ex-inspired lighting fixture dream collides with a real-world Twilio project. Now, to build a simpler, data-driven version.

Nat shares why Dark Sky is their favorite weather app data source, from its accuracy to how many other apps use its reliable forecasts.

Exploring the motivations behind Wikipedia's contributors. What drives people to dedicate their time to building a free encyclopedia?

Reflections on the final day of a coding retreat: summer playlists, Brooklyn pizza, 90s nostalgia, and a Recurser Social Directory debut.

Pagination implemented, archives fixed, and Java bytecode debugged. Plus, progress on the Recurser Social Directory and farewell reflections.

A low-key day shipping things and mob programming a web app. Movie night capped it off with the insane brilliance of Paprika. Design tomorrow.

Nat shares a lifelong love for time, from NTP infrastructure to the wild Time Zone Database and modern GPS clocks.

RC Week 44: Building an archive page, a new job at LittleBits, and sketching at Art Night! See the before & after of my streak project.

Haircut, shave, code updates, and a map of past homes. A rainy day leads to evening fun with Recursers in Brooklyn.

Nat figured out how to invert an array in Ruby without `reverse` after an interview question.

Day 94 of 101! Marriage equality celebration, a random RC chat, blog tweaks, Littlebits culture & Shake Shack. How did time fly by?

Mock interviews, job advice, and a surreal visit to the New York Stock Exchange. Reflections on skillsets and feeling like a new grad.

Reflections on interviews, learning, and new projects. A busy day filled with conversations, coding discoveries, and future possibilities.

Reflections on advice received from mentors, family, and an intriguing interview process. Thinking about people, purpose, and paths forward.

Exploring museum architecture through the Guggenheim Helsinki debate, iconic designs, and the crucial role of public discourse in shaping cultural spaces.

Refactoring code, squashing bugs, and helping others. Plus, pondering big life decisions after a walk and a thought-provoking talk.

Trying a daily "brain dump" writing exercise. Exploring thoughts, ideas, and observations without constraints. Can this daily streak continue?

Recurse Center progress, Mermaid Parade fun, Russian dumplings, and a potluck party! Days 87-89 in NYC.

A busy day: late start, coding commitments, a great interview at LittleBits, and an inspiring visit to the Judd House. Then, beers, wine, and Indian food.

Lost in a book, blog redesign with tachyons, and catching up with a friend from London. Plus, a mystery with the Internet Archive.

Drum machine woes, a park escape, DDoS edits, a job application, and Warriors hoops. Just another day in the life.

Recurse Center days 79-83: Design Katas, Keybase talks, Sleep No More, 9/11 Memorial, drum machines, and a *very* long night at RC.

Burnout reflections, Python dictionary discussions, and ramen with friends. A quiet day nearing the end of a NYC adventure.

Nat handled some tech updates and worked on his article. He's also considering a tempting offer to join a political campaign.

NYC arrival, RC web service reverse engineering with Sophie (Verge vs. Ars), Allison Parrish talk, and thoughts on anonymous proxies & performance art.

Brother's graduation, SF meetups, and Warriors screaming! Join Nat's busy weekend: Los Gatos, gift picks, friends, and a red-eye back to NYC.

SF coffee scene news: Blue Bottle Coffee just raised $70M and acquired Tartine Bakery. What does this mean for the future of the city's cafe culture?

Meetings with mentors, coding a GIF search app, and late-night explorations. A whirlwind couple of days at Recurse Center.

Coffee in DUMBO, then diving into Hacker News' "Who is Hiring" for June 2015. A curated list of interesting companies and roles.

Restructuring code, reviewing pull requests, and a data storage cryptography talk. Then drinks. A productive day.

Science fair, website building with tachyons, and mecha anime. Plus, a longing for rain on a hot summer day.

Reflections on life advice from various sources, triggered by graduation season and a new connection. Plus: resume redesign and anime.

Day 66: Earth Room impressions, Meet progress, and a cloudy Manhattanhenge attempt. What happened at Recurse Center today?

Reflections on Google I/O, website woes, and a new project idea for connecting people at RC. Plus, thoughts on ambitious, unfunded projects.

Jay-Z actually ranked his own albums. A fascinating look inside the mind of a legend reflecting on his discography.

Exploring productivity tools, especially for writers. First steps with Pomodoro technique. Plus, backing up the Internet Archive and vampire comedies.

Nat shares advice given to and by RC batches, full of tips for new participants at the Recurse Center.

Back to the grind after a break. Anime, a movie, and plotting the next phase with burgers and beers.

Blog fixes, RSS progress, & anime! Day 61 at Recurse Center: tackling tech debt, exploring Noragami, and a fun BBQ with friends.

NYC adventures with Johnny Scout! High Line, Central Park, beer... but a missed Brooklyn hangout? Day 60 at Recurse Center.

Jobs, life, VR, and finally, tag aliases on my blog. Then Google broke deployment. A productive, frustrating day.

Article progress and post-Philly train thoughts. Structuring ideas and reflecting on a smooth ride home, despite the exhaustion.

A somber day in Media, PA for family. Saying goodbye. Rest in peace, Uncle Bob.

Two Sigma call, Thai food & Snow Crash to break a funk, then an Amtrak to Philly for a funeral. A day of contrasts.

A missed meeting, a somber purchase, and a fresh cut. Then, a movie night with friends turns unsettling.

A weekend of conferences, film festivals, unexpected conversations, and reconnecting with friends in New York City.

Nat's checking out the new Squarepusher "Stor Eiglass" VR music video, now on YouTube.

A glimpse into a day of coding, writing, and community at Recurse Center. Brunch, article writing, Go tests, presentations, and Barcade.

Halfway there. Reflecting on progress, grappling with Tachyons CSS, rethinking class usage, and dreaming of Ghibli-esque coding.

Recovering from family time, then back to RC during Never Graduate Week. Prototyping a newspaper-style RSS reader and diving deep into CSS frameworks.

Family visit! A whirlwind tour of NYC: Highline, Whitney, Central Park & more. Plus: coding a drum machine & dream journaling inspiration.

Saying goodbye to the first half of RC and looking forward to the next phase. Project presentations, farewell parties, and a well-deserved break.

Job Fair prep, a Chinatown arcade trip, and insightful company chats, including a surprising find: rap-based education from Flocabulary.

Code Words submission, debugging woes, a PGP keysigning party sparked deep thoughts on trust, a long walk, and a movie.

Nat and Pam got ShhParty working flawlessly, then Nat enjoyed a sunny happy hour with fries and beer, and a walk.

A day of fixing broken websites, researching interesting companies, exploring Bjork at MoMA, and burgers with friends.

Day 39: Beating Broken Age, coffee with Lindsay, and diving into Hacker News' "Who's Hiring" to explore post-RC career options.

A chill morning transitions into building a mobile-first drum machine and a quick scraper for a trending Twitter conversation.

Nat worked on ShhParty with Pam and saw Avengers: Age of Ultron, which was fantastic.

Whiteboarding a privacy-focused app, wrestling with WebRTC connections, and drafting article proposals. Plus, meet Serious Cat.

Fraction's Hawkeye redefined the character. See why the comic resonated, from Fallon appearances to iconic panels, and why it's still relevant.

Reflecting on progress at the Recurse Center: are my "build stuff" objectives concrete enough? Plus, drum machines, broken links, and color thoughts.

Finished a multiplayer asteroids clone at the Recurse Center and presented it to alumni. Now searching for the next project.

A look back at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, highlighting the forced fun, Obama's best jokes, and the real-life Key & Peele moment.

A day of transitions: moving apartments and exploring the hidden arboreal wonders of Central Park's Ramble.

Reflecting on a music hackathon: interesting talks, NASA data sonification attempts, and new tools explored. A weekend of learning and inspiration.

Nat shares insights from debugging Go, a USDS interview (and a CIDR blunder!), plus finishes their first month in NYC.

Nat spent the day rubber ducking game design with Ken, fixed an infinite loop in a script, and caught up with friends and family.

A day of bug fixes and JS refactoring. Plus thoughts on future career paths, Burning Man, and soundscapes hackathon research.

A Craigslist find sparks a deep dive into surprisingly funny jokes & memories of Silicon Valley's startup castoffs.

NYC apartment found, coding projects advanced (collision detection!), website rebuilt, and pondering Recurse Center's impact on well-being.

Nat shares some gorgeous iPhone wallpapers from WLPPR, similar to Google Earth. Plus, a different kind of 'wallpaper' from Kanye.

Wandering among monumental sculptures at Storm King Art Center in upstate New York. A day of art and open spaces.

Nat had a busy "unofficial" RC day, fixing blog code, updating his resume, and collaborating with Ken on Hyperspace.

Why SDK versioning matters: Prevent broken code from breaking your users. Learn from Google's gcloud SDK and the importance of rollbacks.

Nat is mindblown by the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailers and shares screengrabs.

Progress syncing flying/shooting despite confusion about the Valve paper. Plus, birthday fun and the ongoing struggle to explain Recurse Center.

Exploring client-server game design: latency compensation, snapshot updates, and star generation improvements. Progress at Recurse Center.

Two days in one: feeling unproductive, then diving into a multiplayer asteroids game! Plus, a talk on the future of programming.

Coastal walks, art advice from Neil Adams & Will Eisner, and Frank Miller's writing wisdom. Day 19 reflects on creativity and storytelling.

On Day 18 in NYC, Nat enjoyed a low-key day, exploring Prospect Park, apartment hunting, and coffee.

Nat spent the day recharging, sketching, reading, and solving a tricky rsync problem before a party.

RC Day 16: Pairing on anagrams, building stats pages, and inspiration from Recurse Center presentations! Voxel.js, NW.js & more.

Reflections on readings (computing history, game programming), cyberpunk dreams sparked by Deus Ex, and the draw of Recurse Center's Game Night.

Nat coded an acorn pattern animation today, using MDN for help. It's part of Conway's Game of Life.

Recurse Center check-in: gaming group introductions, Javascript game development research (libraries, books), and starting Conway's Game of Life.

A Sunday break from coding at the Recurse Center: good food, good company, and a long, intense game of Werewolf.

A day at a games conference sparks reflection on social interaction limits, needing space, and a long walk home through changing NYC landscapes.

Nat spent the morning wrestling with Go maps for an archive page. In the afternoon, Nat visited the Met and had dinner with friends.

Nat reflects on self-love during a tough commute, finishes WalkBot, and redesigns their blog after getting inspired by other projects.

A day of coding sprints: Iron Blogger, a meet-RC app UX, Fog review, broken bots, blog redesign woes, and a peek at future projects.

Fixed a blog bug, dove into the Paxos algorithm (and math symbols!), helped with Nginx/Apache, and discussed distributed systems. Evening: Prim's and video games.

First impressions of Recurse Center: meeting tons of people, absorbing new information, and realizing how much there is to learn. A whirlwind of a Day 0.

A quiet day of reading and wandering before Hacker School begins. Thoughts on PAAS limitations and project ideas. Interesting links included.

Guggenheim visits: Kawara's quantified self, Chan's animal projectors, and Farmanfarmaian's mirrors. Plus, a NetHack robot inspiration.

Walking, conversations, and whiskey. Plus, thought-provoking reads on exercise, positive thinking, dreams, and Obama on The Wire.

NYC day two: prepping for Recurse Center, obsessed with "Exile," watching fires, and compiling a massive reading list.

Nat shares three cool finds: beautiful video game art, a fun game called Monologue, and a web-based drum machine.

Technology, parenting, and blind trust: A programmer's perspective on the unsettling implications of relying too heavily on imperfect systems.

Two articles highlight alarming trends in numeracy and understanding of societal issues. Let's talk about math, logic, and critical thinking.

Nat talks about how the market for AI calendar and personal assistants is really heating up, mentioning tools like x.ai and Calendly.

First impressions of NYC: navigating the subway, exploring museums and Bushwick street art, and sketching out goals for the 101-day adventure.

London experiences: recommendations for food I enjoyed, and reflections on leaving Google and the city behind.

Reflecting on my time at Google, why I left after nearly four years, and my search for a better fit through travel and a new focus on personal projects.

A year's worth of London eats! From amazing Indian to killer coffee, here are some favorite spots, no reservations required.

Mario level design insights! A Polygon article disappoints, but a video reveals the Kishōtenketsu structure: introduction, build, twist, conclusion.

Apple's new Macbook challenges Google's Pixel. Port limitations and Chrome OS make a switch difficult despite its strengths. Updated with potential solutions.

Nat's been reading a Newsweek piece on Aibo, and it's got Nat wanting to build a robot dog.

Realistic, procedurally generated waves are here. What's next? Entire planets created from code?

A profile of Josette Melchor, the force behind San Francisco's Gray Area, a non-profit validating creative coding and urban prototyping.

A brief reflection on the ephemeral nature of web products, and lingering bitterness over Google Reader's demise. What will be next to go?

Discussing Kanye's recent rants and Fern Mallis's criticism of his fashion releases.

Exploring the potential of procedural generation, particularly in creating virtual cities. Just scratching the surface of a fascinating area.

A standout Earl Sweatshirt track finally resonates, despite past reservations. Listen now and reconsider the hype.

Exploring how Kanye's "Runaway" influenced artists like Childish Gambino and Drake to create immersive art experiences alongside their music.

A look at Kanye West's YEEZY SEASON 1 and the carefully constructed image he presents, compared to his public persona. Plus, a favorite album.

Deadmau5 created a killer track, "glish," specifically for The Verge. Listen to the awesome result here.

Nat gets annoyed by video-only content and shares a text version of an "underrated 2014 movies" list.

Jonathan Blow on prioritizing quality over speed in game development: a timeless perspective on creating lasting experiences.

Two newsletters are really hitting the spot. The only downside? Wanting to savor them properly, with coffee, on a laptop screen.

Frustrated with hotel wifi! Why can't each room's network have its own unique password for better security? So close to ideal, yet so far.

Nat talks about predominant.ly, an amazing site that mixes music, color, and art, hoping to make music discovery more serendipitous.

Pokemon reimagined as logos! A light-hearted design find spotted on Dribbble, offering a welcome break from internet negativity.

A reflection on the internet's potential for good, contrasted with the disheartening reality of online harassment and growing global negativity.

Even with clear standards, coding errors happen. A wry observation on misinterpreting RFC specifications in programming.

Testing auto-tweets and sharing a weekend music obsession: Björk's raw and emotional Vulnicura. Dive into the review.

Exploring The Pirate Cinema, a fascinating art piece built from shared files. A snapshot of culture, technology, and collective action.

Unique architecture roundup: a wooden alpine lodge, playful Texas office, and a tiny prefab with breathtaking views.

Unpacking the technical failures behind London's Christmas rail chaos. A deep dive into the engineering and logistics that went wrong.

Exploring the concept of outsourced social interaction and its potential to help introverts navigate the world.

Nat shares a video exploring the super-high resolution Hubble photo of Andromeda. Space is awesome.

Nat shares thoughts on TimeRuler, a cool project that visualizes something usually invisible.

Nat explores the concept of crowd-based sorting in this post.

A powerful quote on finding your passion: what drives you, what felt right as a child, and how to hold onto it to make a difference.

Nat explains "treppenwitz," or "staircase wit," the witty comeback you only think of after the moment has passed. It even has an interesting Wikipedia page.

Dave Matthews on Sesame Street? Yes, really. Watch him sing about feelings with the help of some furry friends. Lyrics included.

Thoughts sparked by a podcast on democratizing space, and a wistful look back at CubeSat opportunities. Links included.

Nat is hyped about DJ Qbert and the crazy new tech: a DJ controller built into a vinyl sleeve.

A look back at 2014: moving to London, taking tons of photos, and visiting new countries. Plus, a month-by-month recap of the year's adventures.

Aphex Twin answers questions from Skrillex, Hot Chip, Caribou, and more. Dive into the mind of a musical icon.

Reflecting on Zuckerberg's yearly challenges and the value of focusing on personal growth and broadening perspectives.

Nat shares a tool called OpenBay, letting you host your own Pirate Bay-style site.

Examining the cultural significance of low-quality images in the digital age. What makes a "shitpic" so compelling?

A programmer considers diving into technical papers after seeing multiple reading lists. Should they start writing summaries?

Mind blown. Disney owns the studios behind some of YouTube's biggest stars.

The Sony hack highlights a critical truth: your employer can't guarantee your data security. More breaches are inevitable.

A Silicon Valley perspective on Steve Wozniak, his impact, and the inspiration he provided to a generation of builders.

Nat shares an essay on a societal issue, agreeing with it and wishing for a fix.

A brilliant pairing: Miranda Sings and Jerry Seinfeld. Dive into the awkward genius of their "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" episode.

Children are "underfoot" in the best way. This reflection explores the beauty of childlike curiosity and why adults should embrace it more.

Nat shares a creepy article about robots acting human for years.

Nat shares a cool Wired article about the science and visual effects of "Interstellar", especially its black hole.

Niket's insightful talk explores the future of technology and the importance of investing in innovation for continued progress.

Nat shares a great read about Berlin.

US nuclear weapons security is shockingly lax. Finally, here's an article that explains why I'm so worried.

Nat shares a classic "Nerd World Problem": a 502 error that stumped him for 30 minutes, only to realize his code was running on the wrong server.

A friend's global journey sparks envy and joy. Reflections on travel, perspective, and vicarious living through someone else's adventure.

A whirlwind tour of Japan, hacked together in 48 hours. See the sights, the code, and the sheer ingenuity.

Nat shares a few great Boiler Room Sessions videos.

Nat recommends Odesza's fantastic "No Sleep" sets from SoundCloud.

The frustrating allure of reinventing the wheel. A programmer's lament on the urge to build, even when it's utterly pointless.

Apple makes it harder to fix your Mac Mini. A teardown reveals increased difficulty and reduced repairability in the late 2014 model.

Feeling scattered? Tracking time and exploring productivity strategies to combat working on too many projects at once.

San Francisco's at it again. A look at the city's, shall we say, *spirited* celebrations. Links to the madness inside.

Reconsidering first impressions: T-Pain's talent shines through. A reminder to look beyond initial judgments and explore unexpected artistry.

Nat shares an inspiring space mission video and wants more content to tickle the imagination.

Trusting him. Across the world. Link to the song inside.

Unexpected tech observations and a quick take on IPv4. What just happened?

Regex giving you trouble? This post explores a tricky markdown parsing edge case and the perils of complex regular expressions.

Brewed coffee for three, but I'm solo. A subconscious echo? Or just a glitch in the matrix of caffeine and solitude?

A simple grilled cheese recipe reveals a deeper truth about the creative process. Audio is key.

The unique satisfaction of squashing bugs in open source software and the high that comes with contributing code.

Remembering the genius of J Dilla. His timeless beats continue to inspire and influence music lovers worldwide, even today.

Nat thinks the Banks cover of "In Your Eyes" is great.

Nat shares a funny "Stingtone" video he found. It's a quick laugh.

Copyright law explained simply. A helpful article demystifies the basics and avoids common misconceptions. A clear summary of a complex world.

A quick thought on social etiquette, annoyance, and the "Irish Goodbye," possibly inspired by @dmpatierno.

Trying to get my life together with morning rituals. Experiments in waking up earlier, eating breakfast, and intentional goal setting.

Nat found a neat video about creating music with a synth.

Jerry Seinfeld's unique acceptance speech: watch him deliver an award reaction with signature comedic timing and understated brilliance.

A Twitter lawsuit against the government? This just got interesting. A link to the story and a quick reaction.

Why I usually ignore good advice at first, then sheepishly take it. Lessons learned from smart people.

A reminder of something truly messed up and unbelievably great. Prepare to be fascinated.

Nat shares a new favorite subreddit: r/WritingPrompts.

A bullet train thought: We only have one life. What are we doing with it? A brief reflection on purpose, time, and the choices we make.

Nature's beauty, simply put. Featuring stunning time-lapse videos of Yosemite's rare and captivating views.

Nat looks at two opposing views on the London startup scene, specifically Silicon Roundabout. He hopes the pessimistic one isn't right.

Nat agrees with a sentiment about closed online communities and wonders if a return to 90s anonymity could be the answer.

Exploring the fascinating world of invented words for complex emotions. A deep dive into "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows."

Nat shares his favorite restaurants and bars in SF, now that he's moved away and can reveal his secret spots.

Interested in something? Get others involved! Why open-sourcing your startup can benefit everyone.

De La Soul's music is free today! Celebrate their catalog finally being available to everyone.

Simple security lessons from the Snowden leaks: Password protect your data. Even basic tools can expose vulnerabilities.

A look at Jimmy Fallon's enduring appeal, highlighted by a perfect NPR piece and a classic video showcasing his talent.

Nat checks out Amazon's "books to read in a lifetime" list and finds some new reads, plus a few they already wanted to get to.

Exploring the enduring power of human creativity in the face of increasing automation, inspired by Ghost in the Shell and Accelerando.

Google's DevArt: art made with code. Exploring Google's project to program a new generation of artists.

Nat went to vote for the Net Awards and found a bunch of cool designers and agencies.

Rambling thoughts on Google's Chromebox for Meetings and the desire for a simpler, better video conferencing setup.

Analyzing Vim usage data: personal vs. work habits. A deep dive into editor behavior coming soon.

California is scrutinizing hacker boot camps. Is it about protecting students, or just about taxes? A look at the implications of regulation.

Art, robots, architecture, cars, ads, and politics. A curated collection of interesting links from around the web.

A glimpse inside Google's production environment. See how they handle massive data backups and infrastructure at scale.

Weather, amirite? News links highlight the severity of drought and its impact, from California to the Great Lakes.

A brief note on the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, with links to news reports.

Docker experiments continue. Exploring proxy solutions, SSL certificates, tinyproxy, nginx, riakcs, CoreOS, Discourse, WordPress, and more.

A deep dive into a cool Blade Runner prop. Adam Savage breaks down the details of the film's iconic blaster.

Mike Tyson's raw account of battling addiction. A powerful and insightful read on overcoming personal demons.

A look back at 2013 through curated links: best-of lists, news recaps, cultural moments, and notable figures we lost.

Nat Welch reflects on 2013: Google launches, trips to SpaceX and PAX, weddings galore, and a whole lot of good times with friends and family.

An internet list rant. Specifically, frustration with terrible male dating advice lists written by people who don't understand men.

Exploring Markov Chains and their creative possibilities in programming.

Google Compute Engine is live! See the news: GA release, price drops, and expanded OS support. Run high-performance VMs in the cloud.

Nat reminds everyone to back up their data after hearing about a huge Bitcoin fortune lost in a landfill.

Exploring the intersection of art and the internet: from Venice's waterways on Street View to public domain art and code glitches.

Winamp's gone. Remembering the media player and reflecting on Dropbox's near-death experience at the hands of Apple.

Analyzing early PS4 sales figures. How will international markets and the holiday season impact overall performance?

A look at Google's marketing strategy, focusing on a specific NPR piece analyzing its approach in India and drawing potential parallels.

Google's unified login system has been a long time coming. Examining the inevitable merging of accounts and what it means for users.

Progress on gay marriage in the US is hopeful, but a stark reminder of the global fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality still ahead.

London calling! Random glimpses into life in the UK capital, gleaned from travel guides, news, and expat blogs.

Nat is moving to London for work! He explains his big move, shares how to get in touch, and asks for advice on living abroad.

Hands-on review of the Moto X: customization via Moto Maker, impressive features like Active Notifications, and overall feel. Pros & cons discussed.

Startup School insights without the trip: Dorsey's daily habits, Libin's co-founder criteria, and mobile innovation opportunities.

Nat wonders if video game culture is becoming more prevalent and shares links that support the idea.

Inspired by iFixit and Hartmut Esslinger, reflecting on design values and the importance of repair.

Quickly spin up a temporary Git server for peer-to-peer workflows, plus sysadmin tips, Dockerfile best practices, and more.

Pretty page, awful experience. Why Venmo and Gmail still beat Square for quick money transfers.

Exploring lmctfy today. Interesting containerization project, but still a work in progress. Links to related resources included.

Random sysadmin tasks: web server index, nginx redirects, SSH forwarding, using SSH as a proxy, and working with jq.

Exploring the allure of personal weather stations: resources, Raspberry Pi integration, and the possibilities of hyperlocal data.

Valve had an interesting week. Examining the Steam Controller, Steam Machines, and the expanding Steam Universe.

Weekend explorations in mapping and coding, inspired by open source tools and the Google Maps API.

A coveted living room, a mysterious GitHub link, and the allure of shared media. What's the connection?

Nat checks out Constitute, Google's new tool for searching the world's constitutions.

Nat's been exploring some neat Raspberry Pi project ideas from Adafruit's learning system.

A morning spent pondering video games: history, emulators, playing classics on modern machines, and the harsh realities of indie development.

Exploring Android app database integration. Notes on OrmLite, ActiveAndroid, and new Google Play Store rules.

Yosemite ablaze: News reports and video capture the Rim Fire's devastating impact and threat to San Francisco's vital resources.

Keret House: World's thinnest dwelling open for tours. Imagine owning a timeshare there, in the heart of a bustling city.

Sed Chess, browser-based 3D editors, and CSVs: equally pointless and amazing. Why do these technological marvels bother me so much?

Nat shares coffee advice, pointing to an Atlantic article about making perfect coffee.

Dreaming of a MAME arcade cabinet? Explore DIY plans, software, and even kegerator integrations for the ultimate retro gaming setup.

Nat explores the balance of building cool things and avoiding burnout, with a look at maker culture.

Surveillance, Manning's sentence, and the shifting landscape of privacy in America. A look at recent news and growing concerns.

A collection of disparate stories about people, linked by an unseen thread. Team Venture, comics, haiku, Google, and forgotten heirs.

Nat shares a full-length skate video called "Gurus in the Ganges" that he really loves.

Fear for the future. Echoes of past struggles. First hackers, now journalists & loved ones. Where does it end?

Growth hacking: Separating the signal from the noise. A critical look at the hype, definitions, and resources surrounding startup growth strategies.

Ashton Kutcher's surprisingly insightful speech offers a humorous and practical perspective on life, ambition, and personal responsibility.

Exploring the Indie Web movement: its growing popularity, key projects, and the desire for a decentralized internet.

Two powerful spoken word performances explore life's big questions and the impact of education. Inspiring perspectives on value and meaning.

A curious limitation: piping data *into* Vim is common, but using Vim's output *in* a shell pipeline? An unexpected constraint explored.

Nat agrees with a friend that the Spirit xkcd is the saddest, then shares two romantic links to cope.

Critical web software security flaw revealed! Learn about the BREACH attack and how to protect your applications.

Catching up on the whirlwind of Moto X rumors. From camera UI leaks to custom colors, what's really happening with Motorola's mystery phone?

Nat is excited about Bellroy's slim leather wallets and travel goods.

Indie game development on consoles in 2014: Will Microsoft and Sony empower self-publishing for independent creators?

Nat rounds up today's big Google and Android news, covering Chromecast, the new Nexus 7, and Android 4.3.

A quick rundown of Comic-Con news: Coulson's popularity, superhero movie updates, and hints about the next Avengers film.

Twitter co-founder Evan Williams lists his surprisingly stylish home. See the photos and dream of owning a piece of tech history.

Startup advice: Tech isn't always the first or best solution. Think critically, validate assumptions, and iterate intelligently.

A glimpse into a damp, quiet city night. Fog hangs heavy, a police car patrols, and lines of people wait at the docks under a green glow.

Startup insights worth pondering. A collection of curated advice and thought-provoking links to spark your entrepreneurial spirit.

A look back at the Ouya game console: reviews, quirks, and the promise of a $100 gaming experience revisited.

Art, music, and design collide. Provocative links explore interactive installations, DJ technology, and the state of online music charts.

San Francisco's food scene, dissected. This week: Uni takes center stage.

Nat shares his initial excitement about Gittip, then disappointment, and looks at the broader challenges of open source funding.

Connecting with current customers is crucial for growth. Plus, insights on marketing from Dave McClure, Xbox messaging, and Radiohead vs. Spotify.

Tech deep dive: SSL certs, PNG optimization, Twitter's architecture, HTTP/2, and Japan's unique file sharing landscape. Explore these fascinating topics.

Decoding AWS's latest price drop: Separating hype from reality. Did the cost *really* decrease by 80%? Let's do the math.

Video games as a powerful learning tool. Exploring how educators and organizations are leveraging games to engage kids and inspire learning.

Nat shares some thoughts on the economics of tipping, and why it might be time to abolish it.

A look at fiery, high-altitude mishaps: spectacular rocket explosions, launch failures, and the surprising reasons behind them.

Exploring the complex, often contradictory, role of video games as both a cultural phenomenon and a powerful art form.

Two takes on the Bay Area: one a love letter tinged with frustration, the other a satirical look at tech's impact on local life.

Nat explores if tech is really to blame for SF's high rent, and dives into the city's ongoing culture wars.

Exploring easier ways to deploy to my own server. Forking Dokku to support multiple sites on a single GCE instance.

E3 2013 highlights: Key announcements and first impressions covering Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Xbox One, Sunset Overdrive, and more.

Exploring the cyclical nature of creativity: how we absorb, combine, tweak, and output, shaping culture through creative "vomit."

Freedom, surveillance, and asylum: Exploring global liberty, data privacy, and the implications of government overreach.

Amazing time lapse footage and rare film captures of truly inspiring art experiences.

Recent revelations confirm widespread surveillance. Paranoia about privacy violations was, unfortunately, warranted.

A curated list of fascinating reads from the week, covering everything from Google internships to digital afterlife planning.

Logstash woes conquered! Sharing the resources that finally cracked the code. Links to helpful guides and patterns included.

"We're a public institution, so the art we have is everyone's property." Exploring the implications of public ownership of art.

Exploring logging and monitoring solutions for my websites. DNS queries, Graphite dashboards, and Riemann are all on the table.

Exploring networking, reliability, and databases through the lens of "Call Me Maybe" and real-world examples like Redis, MongoDB, and Postgres.

Nat shares book recommendations from others, like Bill Gates' picks and books for your 20s.

Two interesting reads exploring the evolving landscape of childhood development and the continuing dominance of tech giants.

Nat shares some JavaScript libraries he found for working with HTML5 audio.

Nat's got some music for you today, including a Grum track and a classic Sega game tune.

Angelina Jolie's powerful NYTimes piece on her preventative medical choices regarding breast cancer. A personal and impactful story.

Google OKRs done right: the key to measurable Key Results. Plus, a dose of startup reality from SF.

Exploring cool art: suspended tennis balls and geometric projections that redefine space and perception.

Nat shares thoughts on a neat 7-minute workout that just needs a wall and a chair. It's pretty similar to gym routines.

A worthwhile recommendation: a particularly inspiring and interesting episode of This American Life. Find the transcript here.

Exploring Time Series storage solutions and getting sidetracked by interesting database discoveries. Cube and TheBigDB caught my eye.

Data visualization reveals the stark inequalities in Bay Area public transportation funding and its impact on riders.

Quick thoughts on GitTip's transparency, Google's dominance, and questionable life advice. A brief browse of yesterday's interesting (and not-so-interesting) reads.

Examining the Iron Ring and pondering its potential applications in software development. Could a similar symbol foster professionalism?

Software engineering insights: what separates great programmers from the rest, plus a look at Mac development and the Church-Turing thesis.

A quick dip into the absurd: FoxGirl teachers, Family Guy ads, and Trump's... magical moments? Find unexpected humor in internet oddities.

Data releases on company mishaps and community oddities are fascinating. Exploring examples from EVE Online, Google, and iFixit.

Y Combinator's influence examined: A look at the famed startup accelerator featured in The New York Times.

Johnny Marr does The Smiths, and Sigur Rós goes yellow. Random music news of note, reported here.

Google Glass: security, privacy, fashion, and accessibility. Exploring the implications of wearable tech, from Saurik to Dustin Curtis.

Nat shares a wild mix of art for your Tuesday, from coffee foam to plane wrecks. Heads up: some are NSFW.

Straightforward career advice from someone who's been there. Lessons learned and wisdom shared.

Information overload demands critical thinking. Navigating the news requires combining sources to find truth. Are better tools needed to filter the noise?

Unbelievable places, captivating London scenes, and a directory of iSchools. Inspiration and interesting finds to spark your curiosity.

A bizarre and captivating art form emerges from Tokyo's underground scene. Exploring the beauty in the unusual.

Exploring flat design principles and Designmodo resources for creating modern, impactful user interfaces.

An opinion on Twitter's API, potential acquisitions, and the author's possible (and perhaps ironic) termination from the platform.

Google Glass through cyberpunk eyes, executive pay disparities, and the curious case of Google's bike obsession.

A look at Google's ngx_pagespeed project and why it's a valuable tool for web developers focused on site performance.

Nat's sharing a few awesome live performances from KEXP's YouTube channel.

Nat found a great, long interview about The Simpsons' early days with Conan O'Brien.

Nat shares some interesting articles and thoughts on products, companies, and ideas.

Learn how to efficiently configure HTTP headers across multiple websites using Nginx's global add_header setting. A simple trick for sysadmins.

SpaceX's Grasshopper hops again! A look at the amazing video and a question: is this the future of space travel?

Stumbled upon a rare find: straightforward instructions on how to mirror Wikileaks. Save yourself the search, it's right here.

Startups vs. corporate America: which is weirder? A reflection on work culture and feeling bad for someone in the process.

Interesting finds from the weekend: a baseball oddity, the effects of Tylenol, Tesla's predictions, and a wild Rube Goldberg machine.

Nat shares two useful web dev hacks: invalidating browser caches and recompiling SASS using Git.

Dreaming of a future home. Inspiration from stunning architectural designs: lava flows, minimalist forms, and modern living spaces.

Nat explores Lucre, a money-receiving tool, and points out its missing incentive, a common flaw he finds in many new technologies.

Dreaming of a Motorola phone comeback. Could Google's design influence paired with stock Android create something truly special?

Security through obscurity fails again. Shodan exposes vulnerable devices, including those named after cyberpunk classics.

Nat's sharing some photography that's been inspiring him lately.

Startup traffic insights: Examining the success rate and growth patterns of Y Combinator companies.

A look at the ongoing competition in browser rendering engines, including Blink, Gecko, and collaborations shaping the future of the web.

Google Compute Engine Gold is here! A look at expanded availability, new features, and price adjustments in Google's cloud offering.

Remote work pros and cons, viewed through the lenses of Google and prominent tech voices. A critical look at the evolving landscape.

A review of Dave Chappelle's recent Bay Area popup show, including thoughts on the material and the hype around his "return."

Nat rounded up three articles today, all about creating things: building features, making art, and clearing your head.

A bizarre art roundup: Japanese schoolgirls' Dragon Ball moves, 3D graffiti, and Barbie-inspired oil paintings.

A personal exploration of inspiration and the messy, rewarding process of bringing new creations into the world.

Gaming blurs with cinema: Wolverine's trailer, Metal Gear Solid 5, Battlefield 4 details, BioShock Infinite DLC, and Supergiant's new game.

A thoughtful perspective on the enduring value and power of RSS readers, referencing Marco.org.

Nat found Polycode and it's making him want to get back into C++ game development.

Nat highlights some interesting new tech projects and programming ideas worth checking out.

Missed Heroku's Waza? Catch up on all the talks and highlights online. A quick recap and link to the 2013 highlight video.

Random inspiration: video games, Egyptian apps, FAA rumors, George W. Bush paintings, urban exploration, and more. A collection of intriguing links and thoughts.

Reacting to T-Mobile's move away from contracts. Hoping AT&T follows suit. A quick take on the changing mobile landscape.

Excitement builds for BioShock Infinite: stunning graphics, advanced AI, and immersive worlds promise a captivating story-driven action experience.

Feeling uninspired? A blank mind, a lack of creative drive... sometimes all it takes is a conversation, a tweet, or a new experience to reignite the spark.

A curated collection of inspiring finds: stunning design, Icelandic landscapes, a wild action video, cool code, and a unique new phone.

Nat talks about "Code Reads" as an interesting way to make money, and suggests it could work for open source blog posts too.

Google Reader's gone. What now? A quick look at alternatives that rose to the top after the shutdown announcement.

Alfred's latest update shines! Plus, discover useful workflows for weather, SSH, CSS colors, and GitHub integration to boost your macOS productivity.

A collection of hidden Easter eggs uncovered. Can you decode them all? From binary to Google I/O, the hunt is on.

Free comics are coming! A look at Marvel's offer of 700 free digital comics and a return to the world of panels and heroes.

Nat shares interesting writing and storytelling rules from Neil Gaiman and Pixar.

Nat wonders if stopping piracy really helps EA's sales, especially given the problems with always-online DRM like SimCity's.

Exploring different hiring strategies. Do they deliver results? A look at approaches from Cue Engineering and Harvest.

A thought-provoking discussion: Could the eagles have simply flown Frodo into Mordor? Exploring the plausibility and potential plot holes.

GitHub's impact on collaboration and creation is undeniable. Are we witnessing the birth of a new open-source culture, led by a new generation?

Nat shares interesting life advice from a Portland designer's CreativeMornings video.

Nat shares a couple of her favorite white noise tools, Coffitivity and Raining.fm, for focus and relaxation.

Oakland vs. San Francisco: Weighing the pros and cons of a move, considering safety and neighborhood vibes. Personal reflections.

Nat shares thoughts on amazing next-level waffles and a terrible-yet-perfect music mashup of NIN and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Gamifying STEM education for young learners. These innovators are shaping the future of education, making learning awesome.

Essential server security tips after initial setup. This guide offers practical advice, but where's the automated script?

Nat explores the question 'Who is your user?' and who creators truly make things for. Nat shares who they want to help.

Jon Allspaw's SRE/DevOps wisdom and helpful performance tools for Ops newcomers. A response to a classic Netflix perspective.

Napster wasn't just file sharing. It was a cultural earthquake, shaping how we experience music, information, and the internet itself.

Taking the Proust Questionnaire at 25: a personal reflection on happiness, fears, and aspirations at this stage of life.

Google Glass is getting exciting! Sergey Brin at TED 2013 and other perspectives on the future of wearables.

Nat explores why celiac disease is rare in some parts of Europe, suggesting environment plays a big role despite similar genes and gluten intake.

A curated list of inspiring design portfolios from talented individuals at Google and beyond. Explore diverse styles and creative excellence.

Nat is looking forward to the March 1st SpaceX and NASA resupply mission launch.

Ruby update out! Get the best method for compiling Ruby on your Mac, plus an example using Ruby 2.0.0.

A recommendation to visit the newly renovated St. Louis Central Library, a stunning Carnegie Library with original marble and stained glass.

"Onions in the varnish" describes unconscious habits and traditions, especially in programming. Where does this phrase come from, and why do we do it?

Nat just learned she shares a birthday with her late grandfather, who she never met. Her uncle shared highlights from his life.

Nat shares Bladwin's great idea: put all your favorite open source fonts in a single GitHub repo.

Exploring high-density, low-cost storage solutions with open designs. A look at the 180TB Storage Pod 3.0 from 45 Drives.

A clever solution, but beware of hidden costs. Square Checkout hardware dissected and a key missing component discussed.

Migrating off Heroku? A quick list of resources I found helpful, covering logging, monitoring, and infrastructure management.

A chilling short film explores the unsettling reality of surveillance through the eyes of a girl haunted by drone shadows.

Google Glass at Fashion Week: A look at the intersection of wearable tech and the high-stakes world of coordinated product releases.

Another platform bites the dust. Posterous's shutdown highlights the importance of owning your online presence and avoiding walled gardens.

Google Glass: A look back at a bold, early experiment in wearable technology and moonshot thinking.

A visit to the Lebbeus Woods exhibit at SFMOMA. Futuristic architectural visions interwoven with the existing world. Truly stunning.

Intrigued by the hype around a new immersive online world from the Halo creator. Is this the next big thing in gaming?

A unique and surprisingly effective way to pick website colors. Simple, visual, and a refreshing alternative to traditional color palette tools.

Nat talks about Russian dash cams and the recent meteor, reflecting on how sheltered the US is.

The Tesla vs. NYT review debacle: Examining the conflicting accounts, data, and accusations of fakery swirling around the Model S test drive.

Wired's Star Wars coverage shines, especially Chris Hardwick's humor. Recapturing that childhood magic, plus amazing Lego-Star Wars photography.

Nat's fed up with Heroku's performance, but finding a free alternative with git push, Postgres, and backups is a challenge.

A dive into the internet's odd corners: bizarre valentines, resources for those experiencing homelessness, and the geography of love.

Two men, defying expectations, chase an unlikely dream. A movie trailer that proves well-behaved clouds never make history.

Intelligent zooming: Insane or useless? Thoughts on responsive typography and its potential on different devices.

Who you surround yourself with matters. Reflecting on the power of supportive relationships and their impact on growth and well-being.

Software development's biggest problem? Neglecting maintenance. One developer calls out companies, like Apple, prioritizing new features over fixing existing ones.

Nat was reminded that Wikimedia's projects are open source and shares a few cool examples.

Exploring the tension between freedom and fear when it comes to accessible weapon creation and the implications of 3D printing.

Dreaming of sleek San Francisco studios and modern design inspiration. A curated list of cool places, architecture, and office spaces.

Today, Nat shares some random inspiration, featuring cool music moments, design finds, and more.

Unexpected design wisdom gleaned from an unlikely source, plus curated lessons from top designers.

A funny anecdote about working with the creator of a Raspberry Pi website hit tracker.

Thoughts on GitTip's potential and lingering skepticism. Plus, Gittip hiring and embracing open company principles.

Nat shares an interesting markdown library that fixes all the usual complaints about Markdown.

Foursquare's impact on discovering great food, nightlife, and entertainment. A look at its recommendation power.

Nat talks about the SubtlePatterns Bookmarklet, a neat tool for previewing backgrounds on your website.

Exploring the nature of inspiration, from beautiful creations to diverse delivery methods. Hoping to inspire you through this site.

Nat shares a D3.js 101 slide deck, pondering if the design or content is more impressive.

A look back at a year of new jobs, travel from Missouri to Burning Man, music, code, and starting new relationships.

Reflections on my first Burning Man. People are wonderfully strange, and with passion & freedom, create amazing things. Plus, a dust storm story.

Losing web data is a real threat. A plan to safeguard personal data: music, photos, websites, code, and social media. Automation and backups are key.

KFOG admits recent changes to its morning show format were a mistake and announces a return to a listener-preferred style.

Nat explores his creative frustration about rarely finishing projects, listing the pros and cons of this approach.

Simple wisdom from Annie: save early, floss regularly, and avoid mixing uppers with downers. Three life lessons for a happier you.

Nat looks back at 2011. It was a year of huge changes: graduating, traveling Europe, moving, and starting at Google.

Trunk Club sends clothes picked by a stylist for free! Try on, send back what you don't like, and only pay for what you keep. A personal review.

Lessons learned building a reputation system at iFixit: rewarding quality content, community moderation, scaling votes, and avoiding user assumptions.

A look at Levi's "Go Forth" ad and the power of poetry in advertising. Plus, Tom Waits reading Bukowski.

A dispatch from London in the summer of 2011: art museums, cultural insights, and coffee discoveries on a trip up to Edinburgh.

A look back at my college graduation: earning a Computer Science degree from Cal Poly in 2011. Includes photos from the commencement ceremony.

A recap of Marissa Mayer's "Innovation at the Googleplex" talk at Cal Poly. Comparing corporate innovation with Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" ethos.

A daughter's photographic minimalism meets her mother's vibrant paintings. Exploring different artistic perspectives and appreciating diverse visions of beauty.

A look back at 2010: Foursquare explorations, early Ruby projects on GitHub, detailed music listening habits, and data visualizations from iFixit.

A look at how the New York Times and CNN visualized election results. Which site presented the data more effectively and why? Design matters.

Crafting a resume with plain text and version control. A better way for developers to manage their career history and create impressive resumes.

Weighing the pros and cons of ditching a "dumb" phone. A user's perspective on switching to Android, covering GPS, distractions, and battery life.

A personal travelogue of a whirlwind trip to New York City, including the Met, Central Park, NYU, MoMA, and Brooklyn's vibrant nightlife.

Nat shares a gorgeous video for Radiohead's "All I Need," hoping you'll enjoy it too.

A look at my Firefox setup: the theme I use, essential extensions like Firebug and AdBlock Plus, and why I still prefer it after all these years.

A quick dive into building a simple web app with Sinatra, deploying it to Heroku, and wrangling gem versions along the way.

A professor email exchange sparks debate. Is demanding respect from students a thing of the past, or a basic requirement for learning?

A quick review of the Logitech Anywhere Mouse. Why it's a great, affordable, and versatile work mouse that works well on any surface.

A quick introduction to Processing.js, a Javascript framework for creating dynamic and visual HTML5 canvas elements. Learn the basics with examples.

A fascinating Perl poem discovered on Hacker News. Combining the beauty of poetry with the power of code, "The Black Perl" is a unique find.

Automate weekly summaries of your Delicious (del.icio.us) bookmarks using a simple Bash script. Learn how to parse the API and format the output.

Why I moved my blog from WordPress to Jekyll: simplicity, offline access, Markdown support, and version control. My experience and resources.

Nat talks about his love/hate relationship with 80-character line limits and shares how to make Vim highlight long lines.

Customize Vim with these practical key bindings. Toggle line numbers/wrapping, paste without auto-formatting, and control code folds with ease.

Nat shares useful PHP functions from his personal site, like an age calculator, time since formatter, and a Twitter message parser.

Nat explains why he prefers using `find` over `grep` for searching code, sharing a useful trick for filtering results.

Nat took photos of Cal Poly to see what's new, from revamped fields to cool graffiti. He shares what he found.

Reflections on President Obama's Inaugural Address and inaugural poem. Find transcriptions of both here for posterity.

A look at art in unexpected places, starting with album covers. Exploring how visual design enhances the listening experience and reflects the music's mood.

Exploring the allure of online communities: from gaming guilds and Linux user groups to the vibrant world of WordPress and case modding.

A simple list of life goals inspired by another's post: make others happy, be happy, and stay happy. A personal plan, in no particular order.

A year-long self-portrait project: the challenges of daily photography, remembering to shoot, and camera limitations. See the updated album.

Inspiring typography in unexpected places. A look at creative video projects featuring Portal and Claremont.

Yearning for constant musical accompaniment? Explore the absurd desire for a personal, ever-present band.

Feeling uninspired with this blog. Time for a reboot. Exploring a fresh start and a new direction for the domain.

Considering engineering? Get an honest look at the challenges and rewards, from tough classes to cool projects and future career prospects.

Nat loves Dr. Horrible, but he's really impressed by its smart marketing. He shares why letting people consume media their way is key.

A look at why Last.FM remains a favorite web 2.0 service. From AudioScrobbler beginnings to ad-light music streaming, it's a personal journey.

Said I'd update more. Life got in the way. Here's a tiny life update and a promise (maybe) of more to come.

Nat is a finalist in a competition to fund his new product, Ideaius. He needs your help with a quick survey for his presentation!

A look at Röyksopp's "Remind Me" music video and its innovative use of infographics to tell a compelling story.

On-the-go internet access dreams, dashed by reality? A look at the iPod Touch's potential, Facebook's search plans, and information overload.

A delayed PAX '07 recap: why a full review isn't happening (NADD is to blame!). Plus, links to great PAX coverage from Slashdot, Penny Arcade, and Ars.

A weekend at BarCampBlock: attendee-driven talks, chaotic scheduling, and lots of learning. A look at the web2.0 conference experience.

A day of unexpected connections: meeting online acquaintances, admiring (and begrudging) Timbuk2's new bag, and a nostalgic nod to a hacker inspiration.

A personal take on Gibson's writing, consumerism, and the joy (and pain) of buying new things. Plus: server woes and a Harry Potter aside.

Nat went to SuperHappyDevHouse 19 to code, but mostly met new people and had a blast.

Nat thinks Thunderbird needs more love and suggests a new Thunderbird Foundation could be the answer.

Nat shares her love for Harry Potter, her plans for WordCamp and a race, plus some cool site recommendations and good news about PAX.

A personal account of a family trip to China: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, and Shanghai. First impressions, cultural observations, and travel anecdotes.

Navigating online identity in a professional world. Cleaning up old internet footprints and building a respectable online presence.

Apple TV hacked, running OSX! Is Apple cool with it? Plus, unencrypted music arrives on iTunes. Open standards win?

A look back at 2007's anxieties about the internet's future: bandwidth collapses, net neutrality, and the coming video revolution.

Witness six years of life unfold in a mesmerizing time-lapse. See the passage of time in this captivating photo compilation project.

A cynical, quick take on the day's headlines: WoW nerfs, the end of Silicon Valley, Wiimote mayhem, and education policy woes.

A tired student vents about deadlines, World of Warcraft woes, and future plans for photography and website updates.

An update from Nat W. on site rebuilding and a promise of new content soon. Expect broken links and modifications in progress.