December 27, 2025
Here’s the deal: I need to post more. I need to document more. I need to be more visible and more vulnerable. Most importantly, I need to get these words out of my head.
Welcome to the start of something new. I have a lot to talk about, and some of it might even be interesting or funny. I actually posted a while ago explaining what I wanted to do, but I failed to follow through on that idea.
However, the momentum has changed. I’m currently "jazzed" about the projects I’ve taken up lately, both at work and at home. Here’s a brief overview to get things up to speed.
We’ve been busy creating new ways to visualize data and cultivating a much more open discussion about various metrics. I plan to dedicate more time to these projects in future posts, so I won't dive too deep today.
Our district webpage was recently updated. Unfortunately, the tech department wasn't consulted during the testing or implementation phases, so naturally, things broke. The individual who headed the project put in minimal effort and quit shortly after launch.
One major issue was the renaming of the parent page. This broke nearly every link we share with our primary audience. It resulted in a massive scramble to set up redirects and fix a laundry list of issues I discovered within just an hour of sitting down post-launch. More "skeletons" came out of the closet as time went on, and it wasn't fun. That said, I didn't mind giving up the reins, and I’m thankful we now have someone in that position who understands the underlying systems much better.
I’ve also made major improvements to our course recommendation system. I really dug into Google Apps Script to automate the majority of the steps I used to do by hand. Stay tuned for a deeper dive on that.
I’ve been working on a few hobby projects over the last six months that have really re-energized me.
I’ve felt a growing desire to reduce my dependency on large corporations and find ways to be more self-sufficient with my tech. It started with an old 2016 Razer Blade I had laying around after I replaced it with my current MacBook (which is amazing, coming from a noted Apple hater).
I decided to turn that Razer Blade into a server. After spending a lot of time troubleshooting with Gemini and Claude, I’ve learned a ton about the process. With the addition of 24TBs of storage, I have quite a few services running, all of which seem stable (knock on wood).
To piggyback off the server, I’ve started self-hosting my music. I want to be more intentional with my listening, and moving to higher-quality files has given me a new appreciation for the medium.
The downside of only having access to local files is that discovery is difficult. Finding new artists and albums can be a chore when you aren't plugged into an algorithm. To solve this, I’m building a recommendation system that analyzes my library and suggests music I haven’t rated or heard yet based on my preferences. I’m also a "vibe" listener, so I’m working on a way to pick albums based on my current mood.
The last big project is what I’m calling The Docket. I’ve been looking for a simple way to make notes and tasks work together. Turning plans into action.
I know what you’re thinking: "Oh great, another note-taking app." The thing is, I’ve tried them all, and none fit the bill. My brain works through scratchpads and fragments. You can give me all the complex templates in the world, but all I really need is a place to take notes and generate tasks. I’ve laid down the framework and have most of the core actions working. It’s genuinely exciting.
So, those are the basics. I still want to explore fiction writing and general commentary, but tech has a firm hold on me right now.
Until next time. Cheers.