Year 4 at the Smallholding
Here's my annual update for this year (year 4) on the smallholding. This was one has been a mix of ups and downs.
Why is Pure Blog so ugly?
Someone recently told me that they won't use Pure Blog because it's too ugly. I'm here to show you that's not true.
My Hobby Is Learning
After a string of hobbies through my life, I recently realised that my actual hobby is learning.
Would You Like to Write to Me?
I love writing (with a pen). If you do too, would you like to write to me?
Privacy and Webmentions
Are Webmentions bad from a privacy perspective? I'm not so sure.
I Don’t Remember the Last Time I Checked Mastodon
I post and reply from my website these days, so I actually need a Mastodon account?
One Year
It's been a year since my little sister, Lisa, took her own life and it's still awful every single day.
I Switched to Brave Browser
I've been using Brave for a couple months now after using Firefox for around 25 years. I think Brave will be a permanent change.
How I Develop Pure Commons Apps
A couple of people have asked, so here's my process for developing the Pure apps.
A Good Use of AI
This email from my oldest son's school is a great demonstration of using AI for good.
Do you use :visited on links?
I always made the :visited attribute for hyperlinks look the same as links that haven't been visited, but now I'm questioning that behaviour.
Amelia the Chicken
We lost our favourite chicken, Amelia, last night. She was the best.
It's Never Too Late to Learn
My wife showed me an email I'd sent her when we first met and my lack of basic English was shocking.
New Design for Sept 2026
I decided I was bored of the old site, so I created a new theme.
Android Auto Has Been Hammering My Phone’s Battery
I've noticed that Android Auto has been hammering my phone battery recently. I think I've fixed it now though.
Gamifying Snacking with Snacker Tracker
Evening snacking has long been a problem for me, so I built a tool to help me gamify it, which is working well so far.
On Publishing Your Salary
I don't think I agree with publishing your salary online. Here's why...
New Pets, Sick Pets, and Hemorrhaging Money
It's been a crazy (and expensive) couple months at home!
Linkception
The backbone of the internet is the hyperlink, so go forth and link out to your fellow bloggers with reckless abandon.
Left-Handed People Can’t Use a Fountain Pen
Apparently left-handed people can't use a fountain pen as the left hand smudges the ink as they write. I call bullshit on that.