What is this site?

Welcome to my digital garden—a space where I cultivate ideas about creativity, art, and the intersections of life and craft. This site is my attempt to capture the sparks that light up my creative journey: from the dog-eared pages of books that changed my perspective, to the late-night revelations that strike while working on a project. Here, you’ll find:

Explorations of the creative process, including the messy, beautiful parts rarely discussed Writing experiments and artistic practices that keep my creativity flowing Books that have shaped my thinking (and might reshape yours) Hard-won productivity insights for fellow creators Musings on how art, culture, and technology dance together in our digital age Stories from my own creative adventures—both the victories and the stumbles Wisdom gathered from artists, writers, and thinkers who inspire me

I share everything from margin notes in my favorite books to rough sketches from my notebook, from half-formed poems to fully-realized projects. When I’m not at my day job, you’ll find traces of my creative experiments here—breadcrumbs from my ongoing quest to make meaningful work. Consider this less of a traditional blog and more of a living document—one that grows and evolves as I do.

Quicklinks

Jump Links

Tools | Films | Books | Principles | Projects | Notes | Photos

Tools and Materials

Tools I use for home repairs

Whether you’re hanging pictures or tackling major repairs, these tools form the foundation of any home DIY toolkit:

Hand Tools

Claw Hammer (16 oz)

Screwdriver Set

Adjustable Wrench

Pliers Set

Utility Knife

Measurement & Layout

Tape Measure (25 ft)

Level

Speed Square

Power Tools

Cordless Drill/Driver

Circular Saw

Safety Equipment

Safety Glasses

Work Gloves

Specialised Tools

Stud Finder

Wire Stripper/Cutter

Putty Knife Set

Storage & Organisation

Tool Belt or Apron

Tool Box

Additional Essentials

Allen Wrench Set

Pry Bar

Hacksaw

Pro Tips:

Remember: Quality tools make for quality work. While it’s tempting to buy the cheapest option, mid-range tools often provide the best value for DIY enthusiasts.

Essential Car Tools and Emergency Kit

Whether you’re dealing with a flat tire or an unexpected breakdown, these tools can help you handle common car emergencies:

Basic Tools

Tire Changing Kit

Multi-Tool Set

Tire Pressure Gauge

Jump Leads/Portable Jump Starter

Emergency Equipment

Torch/Flashlight

Warning Triangle & Hi-Vis Vest

First Aid Kit

Weather & Emergency Items

Ice Scraper & Small Shovel

Emergency Supplies

Basic Repair Items

Pro Tips:

Remember: The best tool is the one you know how to use. Take time to learn basic car maintenance and how to use each tool properly.

Essential Linux/Ubuntu Server Tools

Here’s a focused list of tools specifically for managing an Ubuntu-based home server:

System Management

  1. Package Management & Updates

    • apt and apt-get for package management
    • unattended-upgrades for automatic security updates
    • dpkg for package information
    • aptitude for advanced package management
    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install unattended-upgrades

  2. Container Management

    • Docker and Docker Compose
    • Portainer for web GUI
    • systemctl for service management
    sudo systemctl status docker
docker compose up -d

  3. System Monitoring

    • htop for process viewing
    • nmon for performance monitoring
    • lm-sensors for temperature monitoring
    • smartmontools for disk health
    htop
sensors
smartctl -a /dev/sda

Network Tools

  1. Network Analysis

    • netstat for connection monitoring
    • iftop for bandwidth monitoring
    • nmap for network scanning
    • curl and wget for downloads
    sudo netstat -tulpn
sudo iftop -i eth0

  2. Remote Access

    • openssh-server
    • ufw for firewall management
    • fail2ban for security
    sudo ufw status
sudo fail2ban-client status

Backup & Storage

  1. Backup Tools

    • rsync for file synchronization
    • timeshift for system snapshots
    • duplicati for encrypted backups
    • tar for archiving
    rsync -avz /source/ /destination/
timeshift --create

  2. Storage Management

    • ncdu for disk usage analysis
    • lsblk for block devices
    • df and du for space usage
    ncdu /
lsblk -f
df -h

Development & Scripting

  1. Text Editors & Development
    • nano for basic editing
    • vim for advanced editing
    • git for version control
    nano /etc/config.conf
git clone repository-url

Logging & Debugging

  1. Log Management

    • journalctl for system logs
    • tail for log following
    • grep for log searching
    journalctl -u service-name
tail -f /var/log/syslog

  2. Performance Analysis

    • iostat for I/O statistics
    • vmstat for virtual memory stats
    • sar for system activity
    iostat -x 1
vmstat 1

Pro Tips:

Basic Installation Command:

sudo apt install \
    htop \
    iftop \
    nmon \
    fail2ban \
    ncdu \
    tmux \
    ufw \
    rsync \
    git \
    lm-sensors \
    smartmontools

Security Best Practices:

Remember: Regular maintenance and monitoring are key to a stable Ubuntu server. Keep your system updated and regularly check logs for any unusual activity.

Films

Films That Shaped My Perspective

A curated list of films that challenge, inspire, and provoke thought. Each has influenced art, storytelling, or our understanding of the human condition:

Philosophical & Existential

  1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

    • Kubrick’s meditation on humanity’s evolution
    • Groundbreaking visual effects
    • Explores themes of technology, consciousness, and human potential

  2. Blade Runner (1982)

    • Questions what makes us human
    • Influential neo-noir aesthetic
    • Explores artificial intelligence and consciousness

  3. The Seventh Seal (1957)

    • Bergman’s masterpiece on faith and doubt
    • Iconic imagery
    • Medieval allegory for modern existential questions

  4. Stalker (1979)

    • Tarkovsky’s sci-fi meditation
    • Explores faith, desire, and human nature
    • Hypnotic visual poetry

Human Connection & Society

  1. Cinema Paradiso (1988)

    • Love letter to cinema
    • Coming-of-age story
    • Explores memory and nostalgia

  2. Tokyo Story (1953)

    • Ozu’s meditation on family
    • Generation gaps
    • Universal human relationships

  3. The Lives of Others (2006)

    • Surveillance and humanity
    • Power of art and empathy
    • Political transformation

  4. Rashomon (1950)

    • Multiple perspectives
    • Truth and subjectivity
    • Kurosawa’s storytelling mastery

Innovation & Creativity

  1. 8½ (1963)

    • Creative process and artist’s block
    • Memory and imagination
    • Fellini’s autobiographical masterpiece

  2. Paris, Texas (1984)

    • American landscape
    • Lost connections
    • Visual storytelling

War & Humanity

  1. Apocalypse Now (1979)

    • War’s impact on human psyche
    • Journey into darkness
    • Visual and sound innovation

  2. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

    • War’s effect on innocents
    • Human resilience
    • Emotional storytelling

Science Fiction & Technology

  1. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

    • Identity in digital age
    • Cyberpunk influence
    • philosophical questions about consciousness

  2. Solaris (1972)

    • Human memory and loss
    • Space exploration
    • Psychological depth

Personal Growth

  1. Wild Strawberries (1957)

    • Life reflection
    • Memory and regret
    • Personal growth

  2. Wings of Desire (1987)

    • Human experience
    • Love and mortality
    • Poetic visualization

Social Commentary

  1. Modern Times (1936)

    • Industrial society
    • Human dignity
    • Chaplin’s genius

  2. Children of Men (2006)

    • Hope in darkness
    • Society in collapse
    • Technical innovation

Art & Vision

  1. The Tree of Life (2011)

    • Experimental narrative
    • Visual poetry
    • Life’s big questions

  2. In the Mood for Love (2000)

    • Visual composition
    • Restrained emotion
    • Cultural detail

Impact on Filmmaking

These films have influenced:

Viewing Notes:

Books

20 Life-Changing Books: A Century of Literary Giants

A curated list of 20 transformative works by different authors, each representing a unique and vital voice in 20th-century literature:

The Revolutionaries

  1. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson (1971)

    • Defined Gonzo journalism
    • American Dream dissected
    • Changed literary journalism forever

  2. The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway (1926)

    • Lost Generation defined
    • Modernist prose mastery
    • War’s impact on youth

  3. On the Road - Jack Kerouac (1957)

    • Beat Generation bible
    • American freedom explored
    • Stream of consciousness perfected

  4. Post Office - Charles Bukowski (1971)

    • Working-class realism
    • System critique
    • Raw authenticity

  5. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger (1951)

    • Teenage alienation
    • Voice of a generation
    • Cultural phenomenon

The Visionaries

  1. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe (1968)

    • Counterculture chronicle
    • New Journalism pinnacle
    • Sixties zeitgeist captured

  2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Ken Kesey (1962)

    • Individual vs institution
    • Mental health explored
    • Power and rebellion

  3. Catch-22 - Joseph Heller (1961)

    • War absurdity
    • Bureaucracy satirized
    • Dark humor mastered

  4. Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison (1952)

    • Identity and race
    • American experience
    • Modernist masterpiece

  5. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

    • American Dream examined
    • Jazz Age captured
    • Social criticism perfected

The Innovators

  1. Naked Lunch - William S. Burroughs (1959)

    • Experimental narrative
    • Consciousness explored
    • Convention shattered

  2. Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut (1969)

    • War trauma
    • Time and memory
    • Genre-bending storytelling

  3. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner (1929)

    • Southern gothic
    • Stream of consciousness
    • Family decay

  4. Beloved - Toni Morrison (1987)

    • Historical trauma
    • Ghost story
    • American slavery’s legacy

  5. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - Carson McCullers (1940)

    • Southern alienation
    • Human connection
    • Youth perspective

The Truth-Tellers

  1. 1984 - George Orwell (1949)

    • Totalitarian warning
    • Language and power
    • Surveillance society

  2. Native Son - Richard Wright (1940)

    • Racial injustice
    • Social determinism
    • Urban experience

  3. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck (1939)

    • Great Depression
    • American migration
    • Social justice

  4. Tropic of Cancer - Henry Miller (1934)

    • Literary freedom
    • Artistic life
    • Paris expatriates

  5. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole (1980)

    • New Orleans life
    • Comic masterpiece
    • Social satire

Literary Impact:

Common Themes:

Historical Context:

Reading Notes:

Principles

Rules to live by

Creative Manifesto

Studio Etiquette

Projects

Tech

Art

Writing

Notes

A selection of notes I keep pinned around my studio for inspiration:

Photos

A small photo gallery: