All Food Life Music Outdoors Sci-Fi Tech

• Tech: Where is this going?
  2026-04-25
  

  As I continue to update the website, I find myself focusing on the essentials of web publishing. No ads, subscriptions, or other nonsense are of interest to me. In fact, there is a personal determination to grow this project as far as I can before even considering adding JavaScript. Right now, it's just a focus on creating a polished publishing platform. Where it's going from there? I'm not completely ready to put on paper what I think it could become but it's a fun project and I'm looking forward to sharing more as I go.

• Outdoors: Berry Patch - Part 1
  2026-04-11
  

  Planted the first part of the berry patch this weekend. A set of Brightwell blueberry bushes are now at the start of our backyard nature trail. Looking forward to when they start producing!

• Food: Birthday food selection
  2026-04-10
  

  My son's birthday is today!! I haven't a clue where the time has gone as he starts high school this year. When asked, he had only one request for his birthday dinner: smoked spare ribs. He loves it when I fire up the smoker but the kid has a special place for ribs.
  
  The details
  Hickory smoked with a home-made dry rub, aproximately 2 hours at 225 F, mopped with melted butter and brown sugar then wrapped for about 2 more hours at 225 F. To finish them, I unwrapped them and threw some more coals in for a high heat finish until they had the desired char and glaze. They rested for 30 minutes before they were served and vanished in less than that time.

• Sci-Fi: Apparently I woke up in an episode of Black Mirror
  2026-04-10
  

  This is more of a Life post than a Sci-Fi post but I will take the opportunity to say that I prefer my dystopian societies to be found in the realms of science fiction.

• Life: Once upon a time and hopefully, again, one day
  2026-03-31
  

  Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! Credit: "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus

• Outdoors: They're back
  2026-03-27
  

  It's that time of year and the hummingbirds have found their way back!

• Life: I'm that guy that talks to animals
  2026-03-25
  

  I have conversations with the cats all the time and I'll absolutely stop to talk to dogs that I pass on the sidewalk as well. If there was a Duolingo for animals, I'd be there.

• Tech: AI is everywhere but should you put it there?
  2026-03-24
  

  You can't ignore it any longer, professionally speaking. One of the frustrating engineering decisions I've seen recently is integrating AI features into products without much consideration to the user experience. Everyone wants to market their product as "AI enabled" or "powered by AI" to stay relevant but working from that mindset alone is not likely to translate well into success for the long term. Be purposeful and think ahead about how you integrate AI. Ensure that it doesn't get in the way of your user's experience. Adding functionality just so you can say it's there does not mean it's the most efficient way for your user to accomplish the task.

• Sci-Fi: Project No Spoilers
  2026-03-23
  

  I've heard that Project Hail Mary is definitely a movie I should have on my list to go see but I'm trying to decide if I want to watch the movie or read the book first. It's a classic decision, really. Until I accomplish either of those goals though, I'm avoiding spoilery.

• Life: Vacation is over
  2026-03-15
  

  Absolutely loved getting things done around the place but it was very refreshing to take more downtime than I normally take. After relaxing with friends and enjoying some well-needed downtime with my wife, I feel absolutely recharged. Seriously looking forward to accomplishing some major goals on my list.