Nat? Nat. Nat!
#768
2025: Year in Review
2025: Year in Review! Reflecting on a "meh" year of political woes, long distance struggles, and unexpected silver linings. Plus, setting goals for 2026!
#770
What I subscribe to
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.
#769
genidi: a dumb midi generator
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.
#765
etu: my current cli journal
A look at my command-line journal, "etu," built with Go and Bubble Tea. Exploring time tracking, Notion API integration, and personal workflow improvements.
#693
New book night
#682
Test Post
#665
Postmortem Template
Use this postmortem template to analyze outages and improve reliability. Inspired by Google and other industry best practices.
#664
What's making me happy 2017-09-03
A mix of interesting links I enjoyed this week, from tech and politics to pop culture and climate change. Plus: fire ants and Lego!
#663
What's making me happy 2017-08-27
A few things making me happy this week: memes, data hoarding, startup histories, great podcast episodes, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
#662
What's making me happy 2017-08-19
Finding joy in cake, coding tools, and AI beating Dota. Plus, peanut allergy breakthroughs and hardware security keys. A mixed bag of happy things.
#661
Daily Readings
A glimpse into my daily media diet: news, finance, and podcasts. See what I read and listen to every morning and share your own routine!
#660
What's making me happy 2017-08-12
A few things making me happy lately: Pyre, self-care apps, cooking shows, podcasts, Twitter bots, fashion, and surprisingly, trains.
#659
2017 Q2 Review
Mid-year check-in: Reflecting on a new job, moving in with a partner, and progress (or lack thereof) on ambitious 2017 goals.
#658
What's making me happy 2017-07-02
A few things making me happy: video games, fantasy books, podcasts, Rick & Morty, Let's Encrypt, cyber news, Matt Levine, and more.
#657
What's making me happy 2017-06-11
A bit of what made me happy this week: Wonder Woman, E3 trailers, funny webcomics, James Comey's testimony, plus programming and security links.
#656
What's making me happy 2017-06-04
A few cool music finds, a favorite cooking channel, some thought-provoking articles, plus what I'm reading and cooking this week.
#655
Hillary Clinton at Code 2017
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.
#654
What's making me happy 2017-05-28
A look at the interesting articles, podcasts, and distractions keeping me happy lately, from tech news to personal essays and everything in between.
#653
Words to use instead of 'insane'
Tired of saying "insane"? Explore alternative words like "wild," "absurd," and "Kafkaesque" to be more thoughtful in your language.
#652
What's making me happy 2017-04-23
A quick look at interesting reads from the past week, including infrastructure woes, software ethics, and disappearing startups.
#651
What's making me happy 2017-04-16
A collection of interesting links, articles, and thoughts that brought me joy this week. From tech to art to politics, enjoy!
#650
What's making me happy 2017-04-09
A few things that made me happy this week: books becoming movies, design podcasts, Reddit's April Fools, and a great anime binge. Plus, cool reads!
#649
2017 Q1 Review
A look back at the first three months of 2017. Assessing progress on ambitious goals related to health, career, creativity, and personal growth.
#648
What's making me happy 2017-04-04
A week's worth of interesting links, from SRE lessons and ATM vigilance to music, art, and TV recommendations while fighting the flu.
#647
What's making me happy 2017-03-29
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.
#646
My Twitter Replacement
Ditching Twitter? I built a simple app that emails you plain text tweets from key people daily. Easy Heroku deployment, open to contributions.
#645
First Day; First Look
New job alert! After a few months off, I'm excited to announce I'm joining First Look Media as a Lead Site Reliability Engineer. Onward to new adventures!
#644
What's making me happy 2017-03-16
A few things making me happy lately: SRECon success, PAX reflections, internet archiving dreams, and interesting reads on music, tech, and money.
#643
What's making me happy 2017-02-25
A few things bringing joy today: YouTube rabbit holes, upcoming tech, inspiring podcasts, supporting journalism, and ignoring the news.
#642
Raising money for Journalism
Supporting vital journalism through donations. Learn about ProPublica's impact, their financials, and why independent reporting matters now more than ever.
#641
What's making me happy 2017-02-21
A few interesting links I've been enjoying lately: the Recurse Center, cheaper hosting, security tips for travel, and asynchronous living. Plus podcasts!
#640
What's making me happy 2017-02-04
Thoughts on open source Git Virtual File System, Time app, Y Combinator & ACLU, The Egg, Let's Encrypt, GitLab, and more. Plus, 10 years of iPhone!
#639
What's making me happy 2017-01-29
Distracting myself from the news with box breathing, morning routines, Google perks, free SRE books, OKR advice, and more. Plus, fun reads and listens!
#638
What's making me happy 2017-01-22
A quick list of things bringing joy during a weird, existential funk. Reddit, Billy Joel, Shia LaBeouf, and more internet finds.
#637
What's making me happy 2017-01-15
A few things bringing joy this week: new music, reclaiming focus, crazy tech, security insights, hilarious reads, anticipated games, and great podcasts.
#636
More Office Hours!
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.
#635
PNW Tour by Train, Plane and Ferry
Visiting Portland, Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver in January. Open to meeting locals for chats about tech, politics, tea, and more. Get in touch!
#634
2016: Year In Review
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.
#631
What's making me happy 2016-12-27
A quick rundown of what's been catching my eye lately: articles, movies, and thoughts on everything from internet access to scary trees.
#630
Updating Let's Encrypt Certs on Heroku
Let's Encrypt certs expiring on Heroku? Quick steps to renew and update them, keeping your site secure and running smoothly.
#629
What's making me happy 2016-12-10
React, Gomix, office hours, best-of lists, and fun word games – a few things making me happy despite the gloomy news cycle.
#615
#opsparty
Get free 30-minute DevOps and SRE office hours with an experienced engineer. Code reviews, architecture advice, deployment help, and more. Sign up now!
#628
What's making me happy 2016-12-06
Links, thoughts, and inspiration: John Lilly's advice, mesh networking, Lin-Manuel Miranda, tech & politics, Recurse Center, and mindful spending.
#627
What's making me happy 2016-11-25
A month away, and back with movie excitement, encryption insights, amusing cartoons, great music, and digital security tips. Plus, thoughts on What.cd.
#625
What's making me happy 2016-11-01
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.
#624
Steve Jobs Quote
Steve Jobs' insightful words on innovation and moving forward, captured at an Apple event. Find inspiration for your next project.
#623
12 Days, 12 Endorsements!
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.
#622
What's making me happy 2016-10-24
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.
#621
Nintendo Switch
New Nintendo Switch console looks amazing! Check out the debut video for a glimpse at this innovative portable gaming system.
#620
What's making me happy 2016-10-17
A roundup of interesting articles, videos, podcasts, and music that brought me joy this week, from security vulnerabilities to Star Wars trailers.
#619
Cheaper SSL on Heroku
Cut Heroku SSL costs! Use free Let's Encrypt certs and Heroku's new free SSL option to secure your custom domain for as little as $7/month.
#618
What's making me happy 2016-10-08
A few things making me happy this week: a hilarious tweet, a visit from a friend, great Tiny Desk concerts, and cool new phones.
#617
Podcasts on Creativity
Explore insightful conversations on creativity with Roy Horan, Joe Hollier, and David Kelley. Discover new perspectives and fuel your own creative journey.
#616
Tweaking Blog Design
Experimenting with blog design: a Tachyons update and a look at potential future directions. Is the new direction right?
#614
What's making me happy 2016-10-02
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.
#613
What's making me happy 2016-09-27
Work survival, silly quizzes, wishing for Spectacles, Carmack's .plan, SpaceX coverage, live jelly, and Star Wars Rebels. A mixed bag of happy.
#612
Twitter Mysteries
Compromised accounts & hidden games: What if Twitter held real-world mysteries? Explore the potential for subtle online clue trails and unexpected narratives.
#611
Jon Gold on AI + Typography
A fascinating look at typography, problem-solving, and continuous learning through the lens of AI. A must-read piece by Jon Gold.
#610
What's making me happy 2016-09-20
A few happy links for the week: Ruby infinity, internet outages, motion design, Emmy GIFs, fall foliage, love questions, & Bear Grylls.
#608
Upgrading CSS on natwelch.com
Modernizing the CSS on my personal site, natwelch.com. A visual before-and-after of the upgrade from an outdated version of Tachyons.
#607
What's making me happy 2016-09-11
Reflecting on 9/11, finding joy in Cowboy Bebop, BoJack Horseman, and unexpected places like political analysis and Humans of New York.
#606
What's making me happy 2016-09-04
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.
#602
What's making me happy 2016-08-30
A few things making me happy this week: music, design, parks, fashion, a museum visit, and interesting reads on habits and email introductions.
#601
Creating a RaspberryPi Kiosk
Turn a Raspberry Pi into a simple, wall-mounted display! This guide covers hardware, OS setup, and scripting for an always-on kiosk.
#600
What's making me happy 2016-08-21
A few online things making me happy: D&D parody, automated John Oliver/Supreme Court mashups, plain text art, satire, and an Olympian connection!
#599
What's making me happy 2016-08-14
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.
#598
Don't laugh at other's downtime
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.
#597
Microfiction
Exploring microfiction: a dive into ultra-short stories, chat-based narratives, and a quest to write something tiny and impactful.
#596
What's making me happy 2016-08-07
A few things bringing joy this week: animated movies, disaster recovery testing, cybersecurity takes, memes, and text editor design.
#595
First Seven Jobs
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.
#594
The problem is always people.
Technology isn't the problem. It's the human element: creation, implementation, and inevitable errors. A look at voting machines and Russian trolls.
#593
World Sized Code Changes
Google's massive single codebase requires sophisticated tools for sweeping changes. Is Google pioneering automated code updates across the wider ecosystem?
#592
What's making me happy 2016-07-31
A few things bringing joy: queue software lists, visualizations of Apple's earnings, a wild music video, and security vulnerability grading.
#591
Happy SysAdmin Day 2016
A thank you to all the sysadmins, SREs, and IT professionals who keep everything running, especially those who inspired a lifelong journey into tech.
#590
Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Convention
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.
#589
Two podcasts on creating
Explore two podcast episodes that delve into the creative process: when to edit, when to let loose, and the parallels between different creative fields.
#587
The end of #tenbysix
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.
#588
Second quarter of 2016 retrospective
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?
#586
#chatops
A look behind the scenes at the Hillary Clinton campaign's use of chatops for internal communication and automation.
#585
Instagram hates developers
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?
#584
Project #tenbysix Update #19
Seventeen days later, an update arrives. Longplay.club progresses (sort of), Billow.in faces abandonment, and locative.garden explores the Physical Web.
#582
Project #tenbysix Update #16
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.
#581
Tuna Please!
Debugging a production outage? Discover a quirky, memorable `netstat` command that reveals open ports and associated processes. Plus, important updates!
#580
What's making me happy 2016-04-30
Sharing what's bringing joy this week: food shows, robot music curation, a moving Prince tribute, and a surprising Olympics logo opinion.
#579
Project #tenbysix Update #15
Catching up after a missed update. Working on enki.garden file indexing, Forgetful text capture, and a list of neglected projects.
#578
What's making me happy 2016-04-23
A few things making me happy right now: Warriors highlights, Billions, new music from Weezer and Moderat, great podcast interviews, and Prince.
#576
Project #tenbysix Update #13
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.
#575
Genius Web Annotations
Experimenting with Genius Web Annotations: adding it to the blog and exploring the impact. Try it out!
#574
What's making me happy 2016-04-09
A quick look back at things bringing joy: a comedian's story, subway antics, Rogue One hype, a chainsaw drone, and the Panama Papers.
#572
End of the first; Start of the second
Q1 2016 is done. Reflecting on goals, tweaking objectives, and assessing progress (or lack thereof) on health, projects, and culture.
#571
Google Campaign Donations Part 2
Updated Google employee campaign donation data, corrected after a scraping script bug. See the latest FEC filings.
#570
Project #tenbysix Update #11
Hitting a wall on my open-source Heroku-like platform. Brainstorming deployment workflows: Packer, Docker Swarm, Nomad, and the quest for a viable pipeline.
#569
What's making me happy 2016-04-02
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.
#568
Project #tenbysix Update #10
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.
#564
What's making me happy 2016-03-26
A personal list of things bringing joy this week: brotherly visits, inspiring podcasts, insightful web design articles, and cyberpunk art.
#563
Project #tenbysix Update #9
Update on my side projects: Locative game design with Wi-Fi and a Go/React web frontend. Slow progress while learning new tech.
#562
What's making me happy 2016-03-19
A few things that brought joy this week: political wins, brother visiting, Snowden's words, cool talks, creepy tech, beautiful music, and funny comics.
#561
Last Night
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.
#557
What's making me happy 2016-03-12
A few things bringing joy lately: anime, a beautiful (but short) game, 808 State, design podcasts, and Jay Pharaoh's Katt Williams impression.
#558
Project #tenbysix Update #8
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.
#556
My Values?
Reflecting on my values and mission. Are my actions aligned with how I present myself online? Exploring personal definitions and future goals.
#555
What's making me happy 2016-03-05
A quick look at what brought joy this week: a fantastic anime film, a fun fantasy thriller, a beautiful comic, and some interesting reads on tech and security.
#554
Project #tenbysix Update #7
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.
#553
What's making me happy 2016-02-27
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.
#552
Project #tenbysix Update #6
Quick update on my various side projects. This week was mostly note-taking and brainstorming, covering everything from Android apps to text-based games.
#538
Morning Routine
Struggling to build a consistent morning routine? Explore one person's attempt at structuring their day and share your own tips!
#551
What's making me happy 2016-02-20
A personal list of interesting finds: music, cool projects, a Playboy article, thoughts on code analysis, art in NY, & gravitational waves.
#550
Release 2.8
New OS and hardware platform release! Plus, a look back at 2015 and remembering family. Release notes inside.
#548
Project #tenbysix Update #5
Progress on ten prototypes in six months: scraping blogs, exploring document ranking, and tackling a big project fear.
#547
What's making me happy 2016-02-13
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.
#546
Project #tenbysix Update #4
Progress on PCA (Stripe integration!) and initial MVP thoughts for enki.garden. Plus, an update on RingClub and a list of neglected projects.
#545
Google Campaign Donations
Discover where Google employees have donated to political campaigns since 2015. Data sourced from the FEC, revealing top recipients and total contributions.
#544
Project #tenbysix Update #3
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?
#543
What's making me happy 2016-02-06
This week's happy list: TV recommendations (sci-fi, drama), interesting podcasts, a surprisingly good film, and reasons to cheer for Wikileaks.
#542
Project #tenbysix Update #2
Week two of my personal challenge: building ten prototypes by June. This week's progress focused on Creepermon, including architecture and config parsing.
#541
What's making me happy 2016-01-30
A week of campaign work, interesting podcasts, fun videos, great articles on games, and insightful political analysis. Plus, inspiring personal websites.
#540
What's making me happy 2016-01-23
A few things making me happy this week: podcasts, snow forecasts, Larry Page, cyberpunk adaptations, and personal projects.
#539
Project #tenbysix Update #1
Project kickoff! Setting up repos and codenames for ten new side projects, from RSS readers and monitoring apps to a Gandalf-in-Tokyo game.
#537
What's making me happy 2016-01-16
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.
#536
100:10:1 Part 2 (#tenbysix)
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.
#535
100:10:1
One hundred ideas, ten to build, one to ship. A list of web app & software project ideas, from the practical to the absurd, ready for your consideration.
#534
What's making me happy 2016-01-09
A look at what brought some joy this week: propaganda analysis, travel inspiration, Oscar predictions, upcoming games, music, and decluttering.
#533
What's making me happy 2016-01-02
Reflections on a week of inspiring interviews, insightful articles on writing and business, urban exploration, and favorite quotes.
#531
2015: Year in Review
A personal retrospective on 2015: moving from London to NYC, new relationships, travel, job changes, and a programming retreat. All documented in photos.
#529
What's making me happy 2015-12-26
Holiday happiness found in podcasts (Longform!), addictive games (Mini Metro!), a great movie (Ant-Man!) and surprisingly good anime.
#528
What's making me happy 2015-12-19
A few things bringing joy: piracy art, music discoveries (Nujabes, DJ Sprinkles), Conan O'Brien clips, and tech insights. Plus, holiday plans!
#426
What's making me happy 2015-12-12
A few things bringing joy this week: a sad album, a funny movie review, obscure comics, Ruby tips, Conan, open source, and making things.
#425
RIP Douglas Tompkins
Remembering Douglas Tompkins, founder of The North Face, and his inspiring legacy as a conservationist and businessman.
#424
What's making me happy 2015-12-04
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.
#423
What's making me happy 2015-11-28
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.
#422
Grace
Struggling to find the right words for Thanksgiving grace? Here are a few short, meaningful options to share at your table.
#421
Webpack on my blog
Migrated my blog's asset pipeline to Webpack. Initial impressions are positive, but the documentation needs work. Here's my experience.
#420
What's making me happy 2015-11-21
A few things cut through the week's sickness: Jessica Jones, interesting art projects, and some truly funny takes on modern life.
#419
What's making me happy 2015-11-15
A few things making me smile: a hilarious fantasy podcast, odd NYC transit stories, giant robot battles, and a new favorite band.
#418
BadBadNotGood
Discover BadBadNotGood's jazzy, experimental sound in raw warehouse sessions. Explore their unique blend of math rock, jazz, and progressive rock.
#417
Future of Internet
Is the internet's future at risk? Examining proposed regulations that could fundamentally change how we share and access information online.
#416
What's making me happy 2015-11-07
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.
#415
Listen to @replyall
A fan's take on Reply All's evolution, highlighting its blend of thoughtfulness, humor, and unexpected investigative adventures.
#414
What's making me happy 2015-10-31
A forgotten happy post! Discover what I was enjoying back in October 2015 – anime, specifically the hilarious and visually stunning Kill la Kill.
#413
What's making me happy 2015-10-24
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.
#412
Things making me happy this week
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.
#411
Cowboy Bebop: Call Me Call Me
A brief appreciation of Cowboy Bebop and its enduring beauty, fueled by a single, evocative song. Time for a rewatch.
#410
Kanye West Speech
Kanye West questions the validity of award shows, judging artistic achievement, and the desire for acceptance. A look at his 2015 VMAs speech.
#409
Destiny Matchmaking
An email from Destiny highlighting the game's matchmaking limitations stings. Why offer external solutions when the core problem persists?
#408
Projects
An interesting thought experiment on how naming something a "project" shapes our approach and interaction with it.
#407
RC Alumni Visit 2015-08-09
Sunday at RC: Failed blog port, a mock DevOps interview revealing SSL gaps, coffee with @rwong48, and couch-enabled coding.
#406
RC Alumni Visit 2015-08-06
A Recurse Center visit: coffee-walk check-ins, devops discussions with Recursers, a self-growing web system project, and a LittleBits store visit.
#405
Convox
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.
#404
Government + Hackers
Explore the complex relationship between hackers and the US government through stories from a Defcon insider. Learn about their surprising goals and motivations.
#403
Time 100: Kanye
Kanye West's Time 100 interviews explored. Watch Ye discuss his legacy, competition, and being the Robin Hood of fashion.
#402
Untitled #402
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.
#401
RC Spring 2, 2015 Return Statement
Reflecting on the Recurse Center experience: goals, projects, transparency, and the unexpected journey of 100 days in NYC.
#400
Loops and stuff
Explore how Battles and other artists craft unique music using creative looping techniques and unconventional sampling methods.
#399
Pocket Casts + What I am listening to
A new podcast app and some listening recommendations, from design interviews to X-Men explainers. Plus, a few gripes with Pocket Casts' UX.
#398
ODDISEE
Discover Oddisee, the artist who's been on repeat since his NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Explore his Soundcloud and Bandcamp for soulful beats and introspective lyrics.
#397
Twilio Beacon
Inspiration strikes! A Deus Ex-inspired lighting fixture dream collides with a real-world Twilio project. Now, to build a simpler, data-driven version.
#396
Weather Apps
Reviewing weather apps and the Dark Sky dataset, known for its accuracy and use by many applications. Useful for avoiding thunderstorms!
#395
Wikipedia
Exploring the motivations behind Wikipedia's contributors. What drives people to dedicate their time to building a free encyclopedia?
#394
Day 100 (RC 47)
Reflections on the final day of a coding retreat: summer playlists, Brooklyn pizza, 90s nostalgia, and a Recurser Social Directory debut.
#179
Day 99 (RC 46)
Pagination implemented, archives fixed, and Java bytecode debugged. Plus, progress on the Recurser Social Directory and farewell reflections.
#178
Day 98 (RC 45)
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.
#177
I Love Time
Why I'm obsessed with time: From NTP servers and leap seconds to the insane Time Zone Database and affordable GPS clocks. Infrastructure is awesome!
#176
Day 96 & Day 97 (RC 44)
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.
#175
Day 95
Haircut, shave, code updates, and a map of past homes. A rainy day leads to evening fun with Recursers in Brooklyn.
#174
Inverse an Array with Ruby
Struggling to reverse an array in Ruby without using built-in functions? Learn a simple, effective solution and common pitfalls to avoid.
#173
Day 94
Day 94 of 101! Marriage equality celebration, a random RC chat, blog tweaks, Littlebits culture & Shake Shack. How did time fly by?
#172
Day 93 (RC 43)
Mock interviews, job advice, and a surreal visit to the New York Stock Exchange. Reflections on skillsets and feeling like a new grad.
#171
Day 92 (RC 42)
Reflections on interviews, learning, and new projects. A busy day filled with conversations, coding discoveries, and future possibilities.
#170
Day 91 (RC 41)
Reflections on advice received from mentors, family, and an intriguing interview process. Thinking about people, purpose, and paths forward.
#169
Museum Architecture
Exploring museum architecture through the Guggenheim Helsinki debate, iconic designs, and the crucial role of public discourse in shaping cultural spaces.
#168
Day 90 (RC 40)
Refactoring code, squashing bugs, and helping others. Plus, pondering big life decisions after a walk and a thought-provoking talk.
#167
Writing Daily
Trying a daily "brain dump" writing exercise. Exploring thoughts, ideas, and observations without constraints. Can this daily streak continue?
#166
Days 87 - 89
Recurse Center progress, Mermaid Parade fun, Russian dumplings, and a potluck party! Days 87-89 in NYC.
#165
Day 86 (RC 39)
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.
#164
Day 85 (RC 38)
Lost in a book, blog redesign with tachyons, and catching up with a friend from London. Plus, a mystery with the Internet Archive.
#163
Day 84 (RC 37)
Drum machine woes, a park escape, DDoS edits, a job application, and Warriors hoops. Just another day in the life.
#162
Days 79 - 83 (RC 35 & 36)
Recurse Center days 79-83: Design Katas, Keybase talks, Sleep No More, 9/11 Memorial, drum machines, and a *very* long night at RC.
#161
Day 78 (RC 34)
Burnout reflections, Python dictionary discussions, and ramen with friends. A quiet day nearing the end of a NYC adventure.
#160
Day 77 (RC 33)
Day 77 at Recurse Center: Giftionary updates, hardware project dreams, Clinton campaign ponderings, and a nearly-ready CodeWords article!
#159
Day 76 (RC 32)
NYC arrival, RC web service reverse engineering with Sophie (Verge vs. Ars), Allison Parrish talk, and thoughts on anonymous proxies & performance art.
#158
Day 73 through 75
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.
#157
SF Coffee
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?
#156
Day 71 (RC 30) and Day 72 (RC 31)
Meetings with mentors, coding a GIF search app, and late-night explorations. A whirlwind couple of days at Recurse Center.
#155
Day 70 (RC 29)
Coffee in DUMBO, then diving into Hacker News' "Who is Hiring" for June 2015. A curated list of interesting companies and roles.
#154
Day 69 (RC 28)
Restructuring code, reviewing pull requests, and a data storage cryptography talk. Then drinks. A productive day.
#153
Day 68
Science fair, website building with tachyons, and mecha anime. Plus, a longing for rain on a hot summer day.
#152
Day 67
Reflections on life advice from various sources, triggered by graduation season and a new connection. Plus: resume redesign and anime.
#151
Day 66
Day 66: Earth Room impressions, Meet progress, and a cloudy Manhattanhenge attempt. What happened at Recurse Center today?
#150
Day 65 (RC 27)
Reflections on Google I/O, website woes, and a new project idea for connecting people at RC. Plus, thoughts on ambitious, unfunded projects.
#149
Jay-Z Ranks Himself
Jay-Z actually ranked his own albums. A fascinating look inside the mind of a legend reflecting on his discography.
#148
Day 64 (RC 26)
Exploring productivity tools, especially for writers. First steps with Pomodoro technique. Plus, backing up the Internet Archive and vampire comedies.
#147
Day 63 (RC 25)
Reflections from Day 63 at Recurse Center (RC 25): Advice from past & present batches on making the most of your time there!
#146
Day 62
Back to the grind after a break. Anime, a movie, and plotting the next phase with burgers and beers.
#145
Day 61
Blog fixes, RSS progress, & anime! Day 61 at Recurse Center: tackling tech debt, exploring Noragami, and a fun BBQ with friends.
#144
Day 60
NYC adventures with Johnny Scout! High Line, Central Park, beer... but a missed Brooklyn hangout? Day 60 at Recurse Center.
#143
Day 59
Jobs, life, VR, and finally, tag aliases on my blog. Then Google broke deployment. A productive, frustrating day.
#142
Day 58
Article progress and post-Philly train thoughts. Structuring ideas and reflecting on a smooth ride home, despite the exhaustion.
#140
Day 56
Two Sigma call, Thai food & Snow Crash to break a funk, then an Amtrak to Philly for a funeral. A day of contrasts.
#139
Day 55
A missed meeting, a somber purchase, and a fresh cut. Then, a movie night with friends turns unsettling.
#138
Day 52 - 54
A weekend of conferences, film festivals, unexpected conversations, and reconnecting with friends in New York City.
#137
Virtual Reality Music Video on Youtube
Explore Squarepusher's mind-bending "Stor Eiglass" in a new virtual reality music video. Dive into the visuals and learn more about the innovative project.
#136
Day 51
A glimpse into a day of coding, writing, and community at Recurse Center. Brunch, article writing, Go tests, presentations, and Barcade.
#135
Day 50
Halfway there. Reflecting on progress, grappling with Tachyons CSS, rethinking class usage, and dreaming of Ghibli-esque coding.
#134
Day 49
Recovering from family time, then back to RC during Never Graduate Week. Prototyping a newspaper-style RSS reader and diving deep into CSS frameworks.
#133
The Long Weekend (Days 45 - 48)
Family visit! A whirlwind tour of NYC: Highline, Whitney, Central Park & more. Plus: coding a drum machine & dream journaling inspiration.
#132
Day 44 (RC 24)
Saying goodbye to the first half of RC and looking forward to the next phase. Project presentations, farewell parties, and a well-deserved break.
#131
Day 43 (RC 23)
Job Fair prep, a Chinatown arcade trip, and insightful company chats, including a surprising find: rap-based education from Flocabulary.
#130
Day 42 (RC 22)
Code Words submission, debugging woes, a PGP keysigning party sparked deep thoughts on trust, a long walk, and a movie.
#129
Day 41 (RC 21)
ShhParty progress! 🎉 Perfect functionality achieved. Plus: French fries, beer, sunshine, and future thoughts. A simple, good Recurse Center day.
#128
Day 40
A day of fixing broken websites, researching interesting companies, exploring Bjork at MoMA, and burgers with friends.
#127
Day 39
Day 39: Beating Broken Age, coffee with Lindsay, and diving into Hacker News' "Who's Hiring" to explore post-RC career options.
#126
Day 38
A chill morning transitions into building a mobile-first drum machine and a quick scraper for a trending Twitter conversation.
#125
Day 37 (RC 20)
Worked on ShhParty, a silent dance party app, with Pam. Ended the day seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron - fantastic!
#124
Day 36 (RC 19)
Whiteboarding a privacy-focused app, wrestling with WebRTC connections, and drafting article proposals. Plus, meet Serious Cat.
#123
Hawkguy
Fraction's Hawkeye redefined the character. See why the comic resonated, from Fallon appearances to iconic panels, and why it's still relevant.
#122
Day 35 (RC 18)
Reflecting on progress at the Recurse Center: are my "build stuff" objectives concrete enough? Plus, drum machines, broken links, and color thoughts.
#121
Day 34 (RC 17)
Finished a multiplayer asteroids clone at the Recurse Center and presented it to alumni. Now searching for the next project.
#120
Correspondents' Dinner
A look back at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, highlighting the forced fun, Obama's best jokes, and the real-life Key & Peele moment.
#119
Day 33
A day of transitions: moving apartments and exploring the hidden arboreal wonders of Central Park's Ramble.
#118
Day 32
Reflecting on a music hackathon: interesting talks, NASA data sonification attempts, and new tools explored. A weekend of learning and inspiration.
#117
Day 30 (RC 16) and Day 31
NYC coding reflections! Mutex debugging in Go, a Polyline algorithm deep dive, websocket woes, and a USDS interview. Plus, slow program puzzles!
#116
Day 29 (RC 15)
Rubber duck debugging, Flickr frustrations, video chats, and finally fixing a frustrating build script loop. Plus, a new workspace!
#115
Day 28 (RC 14)
A day of bug fixes and JS refactoring. Plus thoughts on future career paths, Burning Man, and soundscapes hackathon research.
#114
Imperial Star Destroyer
A Craigslist find sparks a deep dive into surprisingly funny jokes & memories of Silicon Valley's startup castoffs.
#113
Day 26 + 27 (RC 13)
NYC apartment found, coding projects advanced (collision detection!), website rebuilt, and pondering Recurse Center's impact on well-being.
#112
Pretty Wallpapers
Discover stunning wallpapers inspired by Google Earth and Kanye, plus a curated collection to refresh your screens. Find your perfect backdrop!
#111
Day 25
Wandering among monumental sculptures at Storm King Art Center in upstate New York. A day of art and open spaces.
#110
Day 24
A busy day spent fixing code, catching up with friends, and improving my blog. Plus, helping with asteroid generation and an evening of Avalon!
#109
SDK Versioning
Why SDK versioning matters: Prevent broken code from breaking your users. Learn from Google's gcloud SDK and the importance of rollbacks.
#108
Untitled #108
New Star Wars trailer dropped! Dive into screengrabs, official photos, and a mind-blown reaction to The Force Awakens. Get ready to theorize.
#107
Day 23 (RC 12)
Progress syncing flying/shooting despite confusion about the Valve paper. Plus, birthday fun and the ongoing struggle to explain Recurse Center.
#106
Day 22 (RC 11)
Exploring client-server game design: latency compensation, snapshot updates, and star generation improvements. Progress at Recurse Center.
#105
Day 20 + 21 (RC 9 + 10)
Two days in one: feeling unproductive, then diving into a multiplayer asteroids game! Plus, a talk on the future of programming.
#104
Day 19
Coastal walks, art advice from Neil Adams & Will Eisner, and Frank Miller's writing wisdom. Day 19 reflects on creativity and storytelling.
#103
Day 18
NYC day 18: A quiet day of park walks, apartment hunting, and coffee in Brooklyn. Almost three weeks in the city!
#102
Day 17
A day of recharging with sketching, coding tweaks, and park explorations. Plus, finally solved a long-standing rsync mystery! Ending the day with socializing.
#101
Day 16 (RC 8)
RC Day 16: Pairing on anagrams, building stats pages, and inspiration from Recurse Center presentations! Voxel.js, NW.js & more.
#100
Day 15 (RC 7)
Reflections on readings (computing history, game programming), cyberpunk dreams sparked by Deus Ex, and the draw of Recurse Center's Game Night.
#525
Leaving Google
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.
#526
London Foods
A year's worth of London eats! From amazing Indian to killer coffee, here are some favorite spots, no reservations required.
#79
Untitled #79
#66
Untitled #66
Two newsletters are really hitting the spot. The only downside? Wanting to savor them properly, with coffee, on a laptop screen.
#65
Untitled #65
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.
#64
Untitled #64
Discover a beautiful intersection of music, color, and art at Predominant.ly. Explore how design can elevate experiences beyond mere utility.
#63
Untitled #63
Pokemon reimagined as logos! A light-hearted design find spotted on Dribbble, offering a welcome break from internet negativity.
#62
Untitled #62
A reflection on the internet's potential for good, contrasted with the disheartening reality of online harassment and growing global negativity.
#61
Untitled #61
Even with clear standards, coding errors happen. A wry observation on misinterpreting RFC specifications in programming.
#60
Untitled #60
Testing auto-tweets and sharing a weekend music obsession: Björk's raw and emotional Vulnicura. Dive into the review.
#59
Untitled #59
Exploring The Pirate Cinema, a fascinating art piece built from shared files. A snapshot of culture, technology, and collective action.
#58
Untitled #58
Unique architecture roundup: a wooden alpine lodge, playful Texas office, and a tiny prefab with breathtaking views.
#57
Untitled #57
Unpacking the technical failures behind London's Christmas rail chaos. A deep dive into the engineering and logistics that went wrong.
#56
Untitled #56
Exploring the concept of outsourced social interaction and its potential to help introverts navigate the world.
#55
Untitled #55
Explore the breathtaking detail of the Andromeda galaxy in this deep dive into a stunning Hubble image. Space is awesome.
#54
Untitled #54
A cool project visualizes the invisible. Explore a unique visualization of something we rarely think of as having a form.
#53
Untitled #53
Explore a unique sorting algorithm powered by collective decision-making. Delve into the mechanics and potential of crowd-based sorting.
#52
Untitled #52
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.
#51
Untitled #51
Ever find yourself thinking of the perfect comeback *after* the conversation's over? Discover the meaning behind "staircase wit."
#50
Untitled #50
Dave Matthews on Sesame Street? Yes, really. Watch him sing about feelings with the help of some furry friends. Lyrics included.
#49
Untitled #49
Thoughts sparked by a podcast on democratizing space, and a wistful look back at CubeSat opportunities. Links included.
#48
Untitled #48
Q*bert nostalgia meets mind-blowing tech. A glimpse at the future of DJing, where vinyl meets Bluetooth controllers. Is this real life?
#524
2014: Year in Review
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.
#47
Untitled #47
Aphex Twin answers questions from Skrillex, Hot Chip, Caribou, and more. Dive into the mind of a musical icon.
#46
Untitled #46
Reflecting on Zuckerberg's yearly challenges and the value of focusing on personal growth and broadening perspectives.
#45
Untitled #45
Run your own version of The Pirate Bay? Open source code makes it possible. Explore the links and potential implications.
#44
Untitled #44
Examining the cultural significance of low-quality images in the digital age. What makes a "shitpic" so compelling?
#43
Untitled #43
A programmer considers diving into technical papers after seeing multiple reading lists. Should they start writing summaries?
#41
Untitled #41
The Sony hack highlights a critical truth: your employer can't guarantee your data security. More breaches are inevitable.
#40
Untitled #40
A Silicon Valley perspective on Steve Wozniak, his impact, and the inspiration he provided to a generation of builders.
#39
Untitled #39
A thought-provoking link about societal trends and a longing for solutions. Is this where we're headed?
#38
Untitled #38
A brilliant pairing: Miranda Sings and Jerry Seinfeld. Dive into the awkward genius of their "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" episode.
#37
Untitled #37
Children are "underfoot" in the best way. This reflection explores the beauty of childlike curiosity and why adults should embrace it more.
#36
Untitled #36
Disturbing implications of robots learning to mimic human behavior. A must-read article about AI, energy, and the uncanny valley.
#35
Untitled #35
Explore the science behind Interstellar's stunning visuals. A look at the astrophysics that shaped the black hole depictions in the film.
#34
Untitled #34
Niket's insightful talk explores the future of technology and the importance of investing in innovation for continued progress.
#33
Untitled #33
Explore Berlin through a personal lens. A recommended read delves into the city's unique atmosphere and hidden corners.
#32
Untitled #32
US nuclear weapons security is shockingly lax. Finally, here's an article that explains why I'm so worried.
#31
Untitled #31
Spent half an hour debugging a ghost server? You're not alone. A developer laments the woes of simple environments and misplaced code.
#30
Untitled #30
A friend's global journey sparks envy and joy. Reflections on travel, perspective, and vicarious living through someone else's adventure.
#29
Untitled #29
A whirlwind tour of Japan, hacked together in 48 hours. See the sights, the code, and the sheer ingenuity.
#28
Untitled #28
Dive into a curated selection of must-see Boiler Room sets. Discover incredible performances and lose yourself in the music.
#27
Untitled #27
Dive into a curated collection of incredible Odesza sets. Perfect for losing yourself in the music and discovering new favorites.
#26
Untitled #26
The frustrating allure of reinventing the wheel. A programmer's lament on the urge to build, even when it's utterly pointless.
#25
Untitled #25
Apple makes it harder to fix your Mac Mini. A teardown reveals increased difficulty and reduced repairability in the late 2014 model.
#24
Untitled #24
Feeling scattered? Tracking time and exploring productivity strategies to combat working on too many projects at once.
#23
Untitled #23
San Francisco's at it again. A look at the city's, shall we say, *spirited* celebrations. Links to the madness inside.
#22
Untitled #22
Reconsidering first impressions: T-Pain's talent shines through. A reminder to look beyond initial judgments and explore unexpected artistry.
#21
Untitled #21
A thought-provoking video about space exploration and its power to ignite the imagination. A reminder of the beauty and wonder of the cosmos.
#18
Untitled #18
Regex giving you trouble? This post explores a tricky markdown parsing edge case and the perils of complex regular expressions.
#17
Untitled #17
Brewed coffee for three, but I'm solo. A subconscious echo? Or just a glitch in the matrix of caffeine and solitude?
#16
Untitled #16
A simple grilled cheese recipe reveals a deeper truth about the creative process. Audio is key.
#15
Untitled #15
Fake paws on real animals? Dive into the hilarious world of r/RealAnimalsFakePaws! Your daily dose of Reddit humor starts here.
#14
Untitled #14
The unique satisfaction of squashing bugs in open source software and the high that comes with contributing code.
#13
Untitled #13
Remembering the genius of J Dilla. His timeless beats continue to inspire and influence music lovers worldwide, even today.
#12
Untitled #12
A fantastic cover song that deserves your attention. Banks' "In Your Eyes" gets a fresh take.
#10
Untitled #10
Copyright law explained simply. A helpful article demystifies the basics and avoids common misconceptions. A clear summary of a complex world.
#6
Untitled #6
Jerry Seinfeld's unique acceptance speech: watch him deliver an award reaction with signature comedic timing and understated brilliance.
#5
Untitled #5
A Twitter lawsuit against the government? This just got interesting. A link to the story and a quick reaction.
#4
Untitled #4
Why I usually ignore good advice at first, then sheepishly take it. Lessons learned from smart people.
#3
Untitled #3
A reminder of something truly messed up and unbelievably great. Prepare to be fascinated.
#2
Untitled #2
Discover a vibrant online community sparking creativity. A writer's haven for prompts, inspiration, and collaborative storytelling.
#523
One Life
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.
#180
Untitled #180
Nature's beauty, simply put. Featuring stunning time-lapse videos of Yosemite's rare and captivating views.
#181
Untitled #181
Is London's startup scene fading or evolving? Examining two contrasting perspectives on the future of Silicon Roundabout and its impact.
#182
Untitled #182
Can online communities ever truly be open? Exploring the inherent limitations and a radical solution: anonymity.
#183
Untitled #183
Exploring the fascinating world of invented words for complex emotions. A deep dive into "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows."
#522
Favorite Restaurants and Bars in SF
A former San Franciscan shares their favorite, non-touristy restaurants and bars, from dive bars to perfect sushi spots. Find your next hidden gem.
#184
Untitled #184
Interested in something? Get others involved! Why open-sourcing your startup can benefit everyone.
#185
Untitled #185
De La Soul's music is free today! Celebrate their catalog finally being available to everyone.
#186
Untitled #186
Simple security lessons from the Snowden leaks: Password protect your data. Even basic tools can expose vulnerabilities.
#187
Untitled #187
A look at Jimmy Fallon's enduring appeal, highlighted by a perfect NPR piece and a classic video showcasing his talent.
#188
Untitled #188
Amazon's "Books to Read in a Lifetime" list sparked a dive into unfamiliar titles and long-procrastinated reads. Plus, Hacker News insights!
#189
Untitled #189
Exploring the enduring power of human creativity in the face of increasing automation, inspired by Ghost in the Shell and Accelerando.
#190
Untitled #190
Google's DevArt: art made with code. Exploring Google's project to program a new generation of artists.
#191
Untitled #191
Discovered some amazing designers while voting for the Net Awards. A great reminder of the talent and inspiration online.
#192
Untitled #192
Rambling thoughts on Google's Chromebox for Meetings and the desire for a simpler, better video conferencing setup.
#193
Untitled #193
Analyzing Vim usage data: personal vs. work habits. A deep dive into editor behavior coming soon.
#194
Untitled #194
California is scrutinizing hacker boot camps. Is it about protecting students, or just about taxes? A look at the implications of regulation.
#195
Untitled #195
Art, robots, architecture, cars, ads, and politics. A curated collection of interesting links from around the web.
#196
Untitled #196
A glimpse inside Google's production environment. See how they handle massive data backups and infrastructure at scale.
#197
Untitled #197
Weather, amirite? News links highlight the severity of drought and its impact, from California to the Great Lakes.
#199
Untitled #199
Docker experiments continue. Exploring proxy solutions, SSL certificates, tinyproxy, nginx, riakcs, CoreOS, Discourse, WordPress, and more.
#200
Untitled #200
A deep dive into a cool Blade Runner prop. Adam Savage breaks down the details of the film's iconic blaster.
#201
Untitled #201
Mike Tyson's raw account of battling addiction. A powerful and insightful read on overcoming personal demons.
#202
Untitled #202
A look back at 2013 through curated links: best-of lists, news recaps, cultural moments, and notable figures we lost.
#521
2013: Year in Review
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.
#203
Untitled #203
An internet list rant. Specifically, frustration with terrible male dating advice lists written by people who don't understand men.
#205
Untitled #205
Google Compute Engine is live! See the news: GA release, price drops, and expanded OS support. Run high-performance VMs in the cloud.
#206
Untitled #206
Lost Bitcoin fortune highlights the importance of data backups. Don't let a simple mistake cost you everything. Learn from this cautionary tale.
#207
Untitled #207
Exploring the intersection of art and the internet: from Venice's waterways on Street View to public domain art and code glitches.
#208
Untitled #208
Winamp's gone. Remembering the media player and reflecting on Dropbox's near-death experience at the hands of Apple.
#209
Untitled #209
Analyzing early PS4 sales figures. How will international markets and the holiday season impact overall performance?
#210
Untitled #210
A look at Google's marketing strategy, focusing on a specific NPR piece analyzing its approach in India and drawing potential parallels.
#211
Untitled #211
Google's unified login system has been a long time coming. Examining the inevitable merging of accounts and what it means for users.
#212
Untitled #212
Progress on gay marriage in the US is hopeful, but a stark reminder of the global fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality still ahead.
#213
Untitled #213
London calling! Random glimpses into life in the UK capital, gleaned from travel guides, news, and expat blogs.
#520
Moving to London
Big news: Nathaniel Welch is moving to London! Find out why, when, and how to get in touch. Plus, he's looking for London & Europe travel tips!
#519
Moto X Review
Hands-on review of the Moto X: customization via Moto Maker, impressive features like Active Notifications, and overall feel. Pros & cons discussed.
#214
Untitled #214
Startup School insights without the trip: Dorsey's daily habits, Libin's co-founder criteria, and mobile innovation opportunities.
#215
Untitled #215
Is gaming culture taking over, or am I imagining things? Plus, links to cool Wolfram Alpha Pokemon data, Infinity Blade, and Ingress.
#216
Untitled #216
Inspired by iFixit and Hartmut Esslinger, reflecting on design values and the importance of repair.
#217
Untitled #217
Quickly spin up a temporary Git server for peer-to-peer workflows, plus sysadmin tips, Dockerfile best practices, and more.
#218
Untitled #218
Pretty page, awful experience. Why Venmo and Gmail still beat Square for quick money transfers.
#219
Untitled #219
Exploring lmctfy today. Interesting containerization project, but still a work in progress. Links to related resources included.
#220
Untitled #220
Random sysadmin tasks: web server index, nginx redirects, SSH forwarding, using SSH as a proxy, and working with jq.
#221
Untitled #221
Exploring the allure of personal weather stations: resources, Raspberry Pi integration, and the possibilities of hyperlocal data.
#222
Untitled #222
Valve had an interesting week. Examining the Steam Controller, Steam Machines, and the expanding Steam Universe.
#223
Untitled #223
Weekend explorations in mapping and coding, inspired by open source tools and the Google Maps API.
#224
Untitled #224
A coveted living room, a mysterious GitHub link, and the allure of shared media. What's the connection?
#225
Untitled #225
Explore well-designed portals to niche data, including Google's new "Constitute" tool for searching world constitutions.
#226
Untitled #226
Exploring cool Raspberry Pi project ideas from Adafruit: ad blocking, IoT printers, and more. Dive into the world of DIY electronics!
#227
Untitled #227
A morning spent pondering video games: history, emulators, playing classics on modern machines, and the harsh realities of indie development.
#228
Untitled #228
Exploring Android app database integration. Notes on OrmLite, ActiveAndroid, and new Google Play Store rules.
#229
Untitled #229
Yosemite ablaze: News reports and video capture the Rim Fire's devastating impact and threat to San Francisco's vital resources.
#230
Untitled #230
Keret House: World's thinnest dwelling open for tours. Imagine owning a timeshare there, in the heart of a bustling city.
#231
Untitled #231
Sed Chess, browser-based 3D editors, and CSVs: equally pointless and amazing. Why do these technological marvels bother me so much?
#232
Untitled #232
Elevate your coffee game. Expert tips from The Atlantic's Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez on achieving coffee perfection at home.
#233
Untitled #233
Dreaming of a MAME arcade cabinet? Explore DIY plans, software, and even kegerator integrations for the ultimate retro gaming setup.
#234
Untitled #234
Create. Live. Don't let work consume you. Inspiration from building, culture, and remembering what matters.
#235
Untitled #235
Surveillance, Manning's sentence, and the shifting landscape of privacy in America. A look at recent news and growing concerns.
#236
Untitled #236
A collection of disparate stories about people, linked by an unseen thread. Team Venture, comics, haiku, Google, and forgotten heirs.
#237
Untitled #237
A great skate video find. Watch this full-length from Skateboarder Magazine and get stoked to ride.
#238
Untitled #238
Fear for the future. Echoes of past struggles. First hackers, now journalists & loved ones. Where does it end?
#239
Untitled #239
Growth hacking: Separating the signal from the noise. A critical look at the hype, definitions, and resources surrounding startup growth strategies.
#240
Untitled #240
Ashton Kutcher's surprisingly insightful speech offers a humorous and practical perspective on life, ambition, and personal responsibility.
#241
Untitled #241
Exploring the Indie Web movement: its growing popularity, key projects, and the desire for a decentralized internet.
#242
Untitled #242
Two powerful spoken word performances explore life's big questions and the impact of education. Inspiring perspectives on value and meaning.
#243
Untitled #243
A curious limitation: piping data *into* Vim is common, but using Vim's output *in* a shell pipeline? An unexpected constraint explored.
#244
Untitled #244
A poignant comic and two links to restore your faith in love. Prepare for a bittersweet emotional ride.
#245
Untitled #245
Critical web software security flaw revealed! Learn about the BREACH attack and how to protect your applications.
#246
Untitled #246
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?
#247
Untitled #247
A brief look at a few nice, minimalist leather wallets and travel accessories worth your attention (and money).
#248
Untitled #248
Indie game development on consoles in 2014: Will Microsoft and Sony empower self-publishing for independent creators?
#249
Untitled #249
Google and Android news: Chromecast, the new Nexus 7, and Android 4.3 are officially here. Get the details on features, pricing, and availability.
#250
Untitled #250
A quick rundown of Comic-Con news: Coulson's popularity, superhero movie updates, and hints about the next Avengers film.
#251
Untitled #251
Twitter co-founder Evan Williams lists his surprisingly stylish home. See the photos and dream of owning a piece of tech history.
#252
Untitled #252
Startup advice: Tech isn't always the first or best solution. Think critically, validate assumptions, and iterate intelligently.
#518
Short Story - A Damp Night
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.
#253
Untitled #253
Startup insights worth pondering. A collection of curated advice and thought-provoking links to spark your entrepreneurial spirit.
#254
Untitled #254
A look back at the Ouya game console: reviews, quirks, and the promise of a $100 gaming experience revisited.
#255
Untitled #255
Art, music, and design collide. Provocative links explore interactive installations, DJ technology, and the state of online music charts.
#257
Untitled #257
A brief look at Gittip, exploring both its potential and shortcomings in the context of open source funding.
#258
Untitled #258
Connecting with current customers is crucial for growth. Plus, insights on marketing from Dave McClure, Xbox messaging, and Radiohead vs. Spotify.
#259
Untitled #259
Tech deep dive: SSL certs, PNG optimization, Twitter's architecture, HTTP/2, and Japan's unique file sharing landscape. Explore these fascinating topics.
#260
Untitled #260
Decoding AWS's latest price drop: Separating hype from reality. Did the cost *really* decrease by 80%? Let's do the math.
#261
Untitled #261
Video games as a powerful learning tool. Exploring how educators and organizations are leveraging games to engage kids and inspire learning.
#262
Untitled #262
Is tipping economically sound? A look at the hidden costs and arguments for abolishing this common practice.
#263
Untitled #263
A look at fiery, high-altitude mishaps: spectacular rocket explosions, launch failures, and the surprising reasons behind them.
#264
Untitled #264
Exploring the complex, often contradictory, role of video games as both a cultural phenomenon and a powerful art form.
#265
Untitled #265
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.
#266
Untitled #266
Is tech really to blame for San Francisco's high rent? Exploring the complex factors behind the city's affordability crisis.
#267
Untitled #267
Exploring easier ways to deploy to my own server. Forking Dokku to support multiple sites on a single GCE instance.
#268
Untitled #268
E3 2013 highlights: Key announcements and first impressions covering Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Xbox One, Sunset Overdrive, and more.
#269
Untitled #269
Exploring the cyclical nature of creativity: how we absorb, combine, tweak, and output, shaping culture through creative "vomit."
#270
Untitled #270
Freedom, surveillance, and asylum: Exploring global liberty, data privacy, and the implications of government overreach.
#271
Untitled #271
Amazing time lapse footage and rare film captures of truly inspiring art experiences.
#272
Untitled #272
Recent revelations confirm widespread surveillance. Paranoia about privacy violations was, unfortunately, warranted.
#273
Untitled #273
A curated list of fascinating reads from the week, covering everything from Google internships to digital afterlife planning.
#274
Untitled #274
Logstash woes conquered! Sharing the resources that finally cracked the code. Links to helpful guides and patterns included.
#275
Untitled #275
"We're a public institution, so the art we have is everyone's property." Exploring the implications of public ownership of art.
#276
Untitled #276
Exploring logging and monitoring solutions for my websites. DNS queries, Graphite dashboards, and Riemann are all on the table.
#277
Untitled #277
Exploring networking, reliability, and databases through the lens of "Call Me Maybe" and real-world examples like Redis, MongoDB, and Postgres.
#278
Untitled #278
Looking for reading inspiration? Get book recommendations from Bill Gates and other curated lists to discover your next great read.
#279
Untitled #279
Two interesting reads exploring the evolving landscape of childhood development and the continuing dominance of tech giants.
#280
Untitled #280
Discover useful JavaScript libraries for manipulating audio in HTML5. A quick overview for developers working with web audio.
#281
Untitled #281
A couple of good tunes for your listening pleasure. Enjoy some electronic beats and retro gaming vibes.
#282
Untitled #282
Angelina Jolie's powerful NYTimes piece on her preventative medical choices regarding breast cancer. A personal and impactful story.
#283
Untitled #283
Google OKRs done right: the key to measurable Key Results. Plus, a dose of startup reality from SF.
#284
Untitled #284
Exploring cool art: suspended tennis balls and geometric projections that redefine space and perception.
#285
Untitled #285
A workout you can do anywhere with just a wall and chair? This simple, science-backed routine mirrors gym workouts and saves time.
#286
Untitled #286
A worthwhile recommendation: a particularly inspiring and interesting episode of This American Life. Find the transcript here.
#287
Untitled #287
Exploring Time Series storage solutions and getting sidetracked by interesting database discoveries. Cube and TheBigDB caught my eye.
#288
Untitled #288
Data visualization reveals the stark inequalities in Bay Area public transportation funding and its impact on riders.
#289
Untitled #289
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.
#290
Untitled #290
Examining the Iron Ring and pondering its potential applications in software development. Could a similar symbol foster professionalism?
#291
Untitled #291
Software engineering insights: what separates great programmers from the rest, plus a look at Mac development and the Church-Turing thesis.
#292
Untitled #292
A quick dip into the absurd: FoxGirl teachers, Family Guy ads, and Trump's... magical moments? Find unexpected humor in internet oddities.
#293
Untitled #293
Data releases on company mishaps and community oddities are fascinating. Exploring examples from EVE Online, Google, and iFixit.
#294
Untitled #294
Y Combinator's influence examined: A look at the famed startup accelerator featured in The New York Times.
#295
Untitled #295
Johnny Marr does The Smiths, and Sigur Rós goes yellow. Random music news of note, reported here.
#296
Untitled #296
Google Glass: security, privacy, fashion, and accessibility. Exploring the implications of wearable tech, from Saurik to Dustin Curtis.
#297
Untitled #297
A diverse collection of art to spark your imagination: from coffee foam creations to ghostly plane wrecks and provocative video art.
#298
Untitled #298
Straightforward career advice from someone who's been there. Lessons learned and wisdom shared.
#299
Untitled #299
Information overload demands critical thinking. Navigating the news requires combining sources to find truth. Are better tools needed to filter the noise?
#300
Untitled #300
Unbelievable places, captivating London scenes, and a directory of iSchools. Inspiration and interesting finds to spark your curiosity.
#301
Untitled #301
A bizarre and captivating art form emerges from Tokyo's underground scene. Exploring the beauty in the unusual.
#302
Untitled #302
Exploring flat design principles and Designmodo resources for creating modern, impactful user interfaces.
#303
Untitled #303
An opinion on Twitter's API, potential acquisitions, and the author's possible (and perhaps ironic) termination from the platform.
#304
Untitled #304
Google Glass through cyberpunk eyes, executive pay disparities, and the curious case of Google's bike obsession.
#305
Untitled #305
A look at Google's ngx_pagespeed project and why it's a valuable tool for web developers focused on site performance.
#306
Untitled #306
Discover incredible live music performances from KEXP's YouTube channel. Featuring Benjamin Gibbard, Tegan and Sara, Passion Pit, and Bloc Party.
#307
Untitled #307
Dive deep into the early days of The Simpsons with this extensive interview featuring the original writers. Insights and anecdotes abound!
#308
Untitled #308
Explore insightful perspectives on product development, company transparency, and understanding complexity in ideas.
#309
Untitled #309
Learn how to efficiently configure HTTP headers across multiple websites using Nginx's global add_header setting. A simple trick for sysadmins.
#310
Untitled #310
SpaceX's Grasshopper hops again! A look at the amazing video and a question: is this the future of space travel?
#311
Untitled #311
Stumbled upon a rare find: straightforward instructions on how to mirror Wikileaks. Save yourself the search, it's right here.
#312
Untitled #312
Startups vs. corporate America: which is weirder? A reflection on work culture and feeling bad for someone in the process.
#313
Untitled #313
Interesting finds from the weekend: a baseball oddity, the effects of Tylenol, Tesla's predictions, and a wild Rube Goldberg machine.
#314
Untitled #314
Speed up your web development with these two clever tricks. Learn about Git checksums for cache busting and SASS recompilation on deploy.
#315
Untitled #315
Dreaming of a future home. Inspiration from stunning architectural designs: lava flows, minimalist forms, and modern living spaces.
#316
Untitled #316
Why do some technologies fail to gain traction? Exploring the crucial link between innovation and user incentive, using Lucre and Bitcoin as examples.
#317
Untitled #317
Dreaming of a Motorola phone comeback. Could Google's design influence paired with stock Android create something truly special?
#318
Untitled #318
Security through obscurity fails again. Shodan exposes vulnerable devices, including those named after cyberpunk classics.
#319
Untitled #319
Need some visual inspiration? Check out these stunning photography finds, from long exposure transit to neon waterfalls.
#320
Untitled #320
Startup traffic insights: Examining the success rate and growth patterns of Y Combinator companies.
#321
Untitled #321
A look at the ongoing competition in browser rendering engines, including Blink, Gecko, and collaborations shaping the future of the web.
#322
Untitled #322
Google Compute Engine Gold is here! A look at expanded availability, new features, and price adjustments in Google's cloud offering.
#323
Untitled #323
Remote work pros and cons, viewed through the lenses of Google and prominent tech voices. A critical look at the evolving landscape.
#324
Untitled #324
A review of Dave Chappelle's recent Bay Area popup show, including thoughts on the material and the hype around his "return."
#325
Untitled #325
Three articles on building, creating, and clearing your head. Inspiration for your next project, whatever it may be. Now go make something.
#326
Untitled #326
A bizarre art roundup: Japanese schoolgirls' Dragon Ball moves, 3D graffiti, and Barbie-inspired oil paintings.
#327
Untitled #327
A personal exploration of inspiration and the messy, rewarding process of bringing new creations into the world.
#328
Untitled #328
Gaming blurs with cinema: Wolverine's trailer, Metal Gear Solid 5, Battlefield 4 details, BioShock Infinite DLC, and Supergiant's new game.
#329
Untitled #329
A thoughtful perspective on the enduring value and power of RSS readers, referencing Marco.org.
#330
Untitled #330
A cool project sparks the desire to dive back into C++ game development. Check out this inspiring find on GitHub.
#331
Untitled #331
Explore cutting-edge tech: cool code, innovative programming ideas, and promising open-source projects shaping the future.
#332
Untitled #332
Missed Heroku's Waza? Catch up on all the talks and highlights online. A quick recap and link to the 2013 highlight video.
#333
Untitled #333
Random inspiration: video games, Egyptian apps, FAA rumors, George W. Bush paintings, urban exploration, and more. A collection of intriguing links and thoughts.
#334
Untitled #334
Reacting to T-Mobile's move away from contracts. Hoping AT&T follows suit. A quick take on the changing mobile landscape.
#335
Untitled #335
Excitement builds for BioShock Infinite: stunning graphics, advanced AI, and immersive worlds promise a captivating story-driven action experience.
#517
Inspiration
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.
#336
Untitled #336
A curated collection of inspiring finds: stunning design, Icelandic landscapes, a wild action video, cool code, and a unique new phone.
#337
Untitled #337
Explore a compelling money-making idea perfect for blog posts and open source software. Discover the intersection of code and education.
#338
Untitled #338
Google Reader's gone. What now? A quick look at alternatives that rose to the top after the shutdown announcement.
#339
Untitled #339
Alfred's latest update shines! Plus, discover useful workflows for weather, SSH, CSS colors, and GitHub integration to boost your macOS productivity.
#340
Untitled #340
A collection of hidden Easter eggs uncovered. Can you decode them all? From binary to Google I/O, the hunt is on.
#341
Untitled #341
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.
#342
Untitled #342
A brief look at writing and storytelling through the lens of Gaiman's rules and Pixar's principles.
#343
Untitled #343
Is DRM actually helping or hurting publishers? Examining the SimCity debacle and questioning the effectiveness of anti-piracy measures.
#344
Untitled #344
Exploring different hiring strategies. Do they deliver results? A look at approaches from Cue Engineering and Harvest.
#345
Untitled #345
A thought-provoking discussion: Could the eagles have simply flown Frodo into Mordor? Exploring the plausibility and potential plot holes.
#346
Untitled #346
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?
#347
Untitled #347
Get inspired by life lessons from a Portland designer. Insights on creativity, work, and finding your own path.
#348
Untitled #348
Need background noise? Discover a couple of great websites for productivity: Coffitivity and Raining.fm. Work, play, or sleep better.
#349
Untitled #349
Oakland vs. San Francisco: Weighing the pros and cons of a move, considering safety and neighborhood vibes. Personal reflections.
#350
Untitled #350
A bizarre but perfect pairing: shockingly good waffles and a truly terrible (yet amazing) music mashup you need to hear.
#351
Untitled #351
Gamifying STEM education for young learners. These innovators are shaping the future of education, making learning awesome.
#352
Untitled #352
Essential server security tips after initial setup. This guide offers practical advice, but where's the automated script?
#516
Who is your user?
Who are you creating for? Explore the importance of identifying your core audience and the impact it has on your work as a creator.
#353
Untitled #353
Jon Allspaw's SRE/DevOps wisdom and helpful performance tools for Ops newcomers. A response to a classic Netflix perspective.
#354
Untitled #354
Napster wasn't just file sharing. It was a cultural earthquake, shaping how we experience music, information, and the internet itself.
#515
Proust Queries at age 25
Taking the Proust Questionnaire at 25: a personal reflection on happiness, fears, and aspirations at this stage of life.
#355
Untitled #355
Google Glass is getting exciting! Sergey Brin at TED 2013 and other perspectives on the future of wearables.
#356
Untitled #356
Why do some populations show lower rates of autoimmune disease despite similar gluten exposure? Exploring environmental factors and potential triggers.
#357
Untitled #357
A curated list of inspiring design portfolios from talented individuals at Google and beyond. Explore diverse styles and creative excellence.
#358
Untitled #358
NASA's next SpaceX resupply mission to the ISS is targeting a March 1 launch. Media accreditation is now open. I'm going to go see this!
#359
Untitled #359
Ruby update out! Get the best method for compiling Ruby on your Mac, plus an example using Ruby 2.0.0.
#360
Untitled #360
A recommendation to visit the newly renovated St. Louis Central Library, a stunning Carnegie Library with original marble and stained glass.
#361
Untitled #361
"Onions in the varnish" describes unconscious habits and traditions, especially in programming. Where does this phrase come from, and why do we do it?
#514
Happy Birthday Grandpa.
Discovering a connection with a grandfather I never knew through a shared birthday and a touching tribute. A moment of reflection and remembrance.
#362
Untitled #362
Discover cool, free fonts and resources from across the web. Explore open source options and find your next favorite typeface.
#363
Untitled #363
Exploring high-density, low-cost storage solutions with open designs. A look at the 180TB Storage Pod 3.0 from 45 Drives.
#364
Untitled #364
A clever solution, but beware of hidden costs. Square Checkout hardware dissected and a key missing component discussed.
#365
Untitled #365
Migrating off Heroku? A quick list of resources I found helpful, covering logging, monitoring, and infrastructure management.
#366
Untitled #366
A chilling short film explores the unsettling reality of surveillance through the eyes of a girl haunted by drone shadows.
#367
Untitled #367
Google Glass at Fashion Week: A look at the intersection of wearable tech and the high-stakes world of coordinated product releases.
#368
Untitled #368
Another platform bites the dust. Posterous's shutdown highlights the importance of owning your online presence and avoiding walled gardens.
#369
Untitled #369
Google Glass: A look back at a bold, early experiment in wearable technology and moonshot thinking.
#370
Untitled #370
A visit to the Lebbeus Woods exhibit at SFMOMA. Futuristic architectural visions interwoven with the existing world. Truly stunning.
#371
Untitled #371
Intrigued by the hype around a new immersive online world from the Halo creator. Is this the next big thing in gaming?
#372
Untitled #372
A unique and surprisingly effective way to pick website colors. Simple, visual, and a refreshing alternative to traditional color palette tools.
#373
Untitled #373
Russia's wild roads, insane dash cam footage, and a reminder of how different life is outside the US. Plus, meteors!
#374
Untitled #374
The Tesla vs. NYT review debacle: Examining the conflicting accounts, data, and accusations of fakery swirling around the Model S test drive.
#375
Untitled #375
Wired's Star Wars coverage shines, especially Chris Hardwick's humor. Recapturing that childhood magic, plus amazing Lego-Star Wars photography.
#376
Untitled #376
Why is leaving Heroku so hard, even when performance tanks? Exploring the sticky ecosystem and the allure of "free" with caveats.
#377
Untitled #377
A dive into the internet's odd corners: bizarre valentines, resources for those experiencing homelessness, and the geography of love.
#378
Untitled #378
Two men, defying expectations, chase an unlikely dream. A movie trailer that proves well-behaved clouds never make history.
#379
Untitled #379
Intelligent zooming: Insane or useless? Thoughts on responsive typography and its potential on different devices.
#380
Untitled #380
Who you surround yourself with matters. Reflecting on the power of supportive relationships and their impact on growth and well-being.
#381
Untitled #381
Software development's biggest problem? Neglecting maintenance. One developer calls out companies, like Apple, prioritizing new features over fixing existing ones.
#382
Untitled #382
Discovering cool, open-source projects from Wikimedia! A reminder of the power behind Wikipedia and its community-driven development.
#383
Untitled #383
Exploring the tension between freedom and fear when it comes to accessible weapon creation and the implications of 3D printing.
#384
Untitled #384
Dreaming of sleek San Francisco studios and modern design inspiration. A curated list of cool places, architecture, and office spaces.
#385
Untitled #385
Need a spark? Here's a curated mix of inspiring finds, from design and music to unexpected moments of joy.
#386
Untitled #386
Unexpected design wisdom gleaned from an unlikely source, plus curated lessons from top designers.
#387
Untitled #387
A funny anecdote about working with the creator of a Raspberry Pi website hit tracker.
#388
Untitled #388
Thoughts on GitTip's potential and lingering skepticism. Plus, Gittip hiring and embracing open company principles.
#389
Untitled #389
Discover a Markdown library that addresses common gripes and streamlines your workflow. A potential game-changer for developers.
#390
Untitled #390
Foursquare's impact on discovering great food, nightlife, and entertainment. A look at its recommendation power.
#391
Untitled #391
A quick look at a neat design resource: Subtle Patterns. Plus, a handy bookmarklet to preview backgrounds on your own website.
#392
Untitled #392
Exploring the nature of inspiration, from beautiful creations to diverse delivery methods. Hoping to inspire you through this site.
#393
Untitled #393
Caught between design and content in these D3.js slides. Exploring data visualization basics and what makes them effective.
#513
2012: Year in Review
A look back at a year of new jobs, travel from Missouri to Burning Man, music, code, and starting new relationships.
#512
What I learned at Burning Man 2012
Reflections on my first Burning Man. People are wonderfully strange, and with passion & freedom, create amazing things. Plus, a dust storm story.
#511
TODO: Get my web data in order
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.
#510
KFOG acknowledges mistake
KFOG admits recent changes to its morning show format were a mistake and announces a return to a listener-preferred style.
#509
Creative Frustration
Struggling to finish creative projects? Explore the pros and cons of constantly starting new things and the frustration it can bring.
#508
Annie's Three Things
Simple wisdom from Annie: save early, floss regularly, and avoid mixing uppers with downers. Three life lessons for a happier you.
#507
2011: Year in Review
A look back at a whirlwind year: graduation, European travel, a move to San Francisco, and a job (and acquisition!) at Google. Plus, music charts!
#506
Trunk Club is Awesome.
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.
#505
Building a reputation system
Lessons learned building a reputation system at iFixit: rewarding quality content, community moderation, scaling votes, and avoiding user assumptions.
#504
Advertising and the Heart
A look at Levi's "Go Forth" ad and the power of poetry in advertising. Plus, Tom Waits reading Bukowski.
#503
Summer 2011 Postcard 1
A dispatch from London in the summer of 2011: art museums, cultural insights, and coffee discoveries on a trip up to Edinburgh.
#502
Graduation!
A look back at my college graduation: earning a Computer Science degree from Cal Poly in 2011. Includes photos from the commencement ceremony.
#501
Marissa Mayer at Cal Poly
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.
#500
Her Eyes vs. Mine
A daughter's photographic minimalism meets her mother's vibrant paintings. Exploring different artistic perspectives and appreciating diverse visions of beauty.
#499
2010: Year in Review
A look back at 2010: Foursquare explorations, early Ruby projects on GitHub, detailed music listening habits, and data visualizations from iFixit.
#498
Infographics and the Election
A look at how the New York Times and CNN visualized election results. Which site presented the data more effectively and why? Design matters.
#497
Developing Your Resume
Crafting a resume with plain text and version control. A better way for developers to manage their career history and create impressive resumes.
#496
Switching to Android
Weighing the pros and cons of ditching a "dumb" phone. A user's perspective on switching to Android, covering GPS, distractions, and battery life.
#495
New York 2010
A personal travelogue of a whirlwind trip to New York City, including the Met, Central Park, NYU, MoMA, and Brooklyn's vibrant nightlife.
#494
Radiohead's All I Need
A brief, heartfelt appreciation for Radiohead's "All I Need." Pure beauty. Enjoy. /Nat
#493
My Firefox Setup
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.
#492
Sinatra, Heroku and You
A quick dive into building a simple web app with Sinatra, deploying it to Heroku, and wrangling gem versions along the way.
#491
Respect
A professor email exchange sparks debate. Is demanding respect from students a thing of the past, or a basic requirement for learning?
#490
Review of the Logitech Anywhere Mouse
A quick review of the Logitech Anywhere Mouse. Why it's a great, affordable, and versatile work mouse that works well on any surface.
#489
Learning Processing.js
A quick introduction to Processing.js, a Javascript framework for creating dynamic and visual HTML5 canvas elements. Learn the basics with examples.
#488
The Black Perl
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.
#487
Delicious Summarizer
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.
#486
Switching to Jekyll
Why I moved my blog from WordPress to Jekyll: simplicity, offline access, Markdown support, and version control. My experience and resources.
#485
80 Characters and You
Struggling with 80-character line limits? Configure Vim to highlight lines exceeding the limit and keep your code stylish.
#484
Vim Key Bindings
Customize Vim with these practical key bindings. Toggle line numbers/wrapping, paste without auto-formatting, and control code folds with ease.
#483
Useful PHP functions for personal sites
Handy PHP code snippets for your personal website! Includes age calculation, time-since formatting, and a Twitter message parser with link generation.
#482
Find and Grep
Use find and grep together to quickly locate specific code within your projects. Customize your shell for efficient searching.
#481
Campus is Changing
Explore Cal Poly's evolution through a student's lens. Discover hidden graffiti, renovated fields, and campus changes you might have missed.
#480
Obama, the speaker.
Reflections on President Obama's Inaugural Address and inaugural poem. Find transcriptions of both here for posterity.
#479
Art in Everything
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.
#478
Communities
Exploring the allure of online communities: from gaming guilds and Linux user groups to the vibrant world of WordPress and case modding.
#477
The Categorical Plan
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.
#476
365
A year-long self-portrait project: the challenges of daily photography, remembering to shoot, and camera limitations. See the updated album.
#475
Portal Typography
Inspiring typography in unexpected places. A look at creative video projects featuring Portal and Claremont.
#474
Hit Me!
Yearning for constant musical accompaniment? Explore the absurd desire for a personal, ever-present band.
#473
Scratch.
Feeling uninspired with this blog. Time for a reboot. Exploring a fresh start and a new direction for the domain.
#472
Advice for Possible Engineers
Considering engineering? Get an honest look at the challenges and rewards, from tough classes to cool projects and future career prospects.
#471
Dr. Horrible
Why does Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog resonate so deeply? A look at its brilliant marketing and what media producers can learn from its success.
#470
Music + Techno-Crack = Last.FM
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.
#469
Ugh.
Said I'd update more. Life got in the way. Here's a tiny life update and a promise (maybe) of more to come.
#468
Devolopmentary My Dear Watson
A student's startup dreams hinge on a competition. Help them refine their pitch and gather vital data by taking a quick survey!
#467
Awesome Infographics Music Video
A look at Röyksopp's "Remind Me" music video and its innovative use of infographics to tell a compelling story.
#466
iPod Touch, Facebook searching, and the Internet
On-the-go internet access dreams, dashed by reality? A look at the iPod Touch's potential, Facebook's search plans, and information overload.
#465
PAX '07 Followup
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.
#464
BarCampBlock
A weekend at BarCampBlock: attendee-driven talks, chaotic scheduling, and lots of learning. A look at the web2.0 conference experience.
#463
Hackers, Bags, and History
A day of unexpected connections: meeting online acquaintances, admiring (and begrudging) Timbuk2's new bag, and a nostalgic nod to a hacker inspiration.
#462
Cyberpunk, Gibson, and the Consumerwhore
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.
#461
SuperHappyDevHouse19
A recap of SuperHappyDevHouse 19: meeting fellow developers, nerds, and designers in Los Gatos. Plus, a run-in with a CNet reporter!
#460
The Future of the Bird
Is Thunderbird's future in jeopardy? Exploring the challenges facing the email client and a potential solution: creating an independent Thunderbird Foundation.
#459
Wizards, WordCamp, Wordie, and More
Harry Potter, WordCamp, a 7-mile run, and cool websites like Wordie? Join me for a glimpse into my chaotic weekend, plus some good news!
#458
China Debriefing
A personal account of a family trip to China: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, and Shanghai. First impressions, cultural observations, and travel anecdotes.
#457
Internet Identity And Appearance
Navigating online identity in a professional world. Cleaning up old internet footprints and building a respectable online presence.
#456
Apple Tv, yargh?
Apple TV hacked, running OSX! Is Apple cool with it? Plus, unencrypted music arrives on iTunes. Open standards win?
#455
The New Year and Internetphobia
A look back at 2007's anxieties about the internet's future: bandwidth collapses, net neutrality, and the coming video revolution.
#454
Everyday
Witness six years of life unfold in a mesmerizing time-lapse. See the passage of time in this captivating photo compilation project.
#453
Today in the news i didn't read
A cynical, quick take on the day's headlines: WoW nerfs, the end of Silicon Valley, Wiimote mayhem, and education policy woes.
#452
Water
A tired student vents about deadlines, World of Warcraft woes, and future plans for photography and website updates.
#451
Living and Breathing
An update from Nat W. on site rebuilding and a promise of new content soon. Expect broken links and modifications in progress.