Writing
Blog
Notes from the desk - web builds, gear picks, recipes, and whatever I'm figuring out as I go.
Blog posts
Alex Eala Pro Career Tracker
My running scrapbook of Alex Eala's WTA career - rankings, matches I'll never forget, and matchups I'm watching for next.
Gilas Naturalization Can't Be the Whole Program
Naturalization can't be the whole Gilas program. It is not a ban on imports. Douthit and Blatche helped World Cups. Development is the long fix.
OpenAI Is Leaving Cursor. I'm Fine With That.
- August 29, 2026
- Technology, AI, Opinion
OpenAI says it will stop serving models in Cursor after the SpaceX deal. I code personal projects on Composer 2.5 and will not use Claude for that work. Cursor has until November to find replacements.
Celebrate After - Or Experience Excellence at Home
Filipino sports love usually runs celebrate-after: excellence abroad, parade at home. Dec 8 is an exhibition match in a huge arena, Alex live on Philippine soil, not a tour stop or parade after the fact. I will probably watch from the couch.
One Point Is Enough for the Best Pre-Slam Show
The AO One Point Slam is sudden-death tennis with board-game tension: one point, rock-paper-scissors, amateurs vs pros. An amateur won in 2026. It returns for AO 2027 with a million-dollar prize and a grassroots path from local clubs to Rod Laver.
Why I Look Past the Lyrics When Picking Worship Songs
Song selection is teaching by repetition. A pastor protects the flock, including the follow-up when people look further on their own.
Weeknight Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup
A shop bowl costs the same as a kilo of stew cubes. Instant Pot stretch: 1 kg beef, 2.4 L, 40 min in my 8-quart. Feeds 6-8, leftover broth for later.
Skip the Viral Tote - I Carry the IKEA FRAKTA
Viral tote bags come and go. I nest medium FRAKTAs clipped shut for flights, keep BRATTBY by the door, and still reach for that manly IKEA blue.
Cheer Between Points - Not on the Toss
If you're in the stands for Alex - save the roar for between points. A shout on the toss hits her too. Clap good tennis both ways, and leave the lines to the chair.
Instant Pot Beefy Taco Pasta
My Instant Pot taco pasta for a 1 kg lean beef and 1 kg short-pasta batch in the 8-quart. Brown the meat separate, layer under the sauce, high pressure 5 minutes.
Why My Son Loves Toca Boca World
- July 30, 2026
- Parenting, Games, Opinion
Davis plays on a locked-down kids phone, not mine. Toca Boca World beat the apps every other kid talks about - no chat, no feed, no ranked meltdown when the timer hits.
Why I Love Modern Board Games
Toy-store games never clicked - Monopoly unfinished, chess theory that didn't survive a real game. Modern hobby games fit my 30-minute table, home shelf and travel pouch both.
Why I Prefer the Google Ecosystem Over Apple
- July 26, 2026
- Technology, Opinion
I run a MacBook Pro M4 and an 11th-gen iPad - and I still live in Google's ecosystem. One Google account glues my Mac, Android, Linux, and TV together. No compelling reason to add an iPhone or Apple Watch on top.
Retheming Hanamikoji as Duopoly
I love Hanamikoji for the mechanics, not the geisha art. Duopoly is my build log - fewer components, dull flags, same hook without the illustration.
One Sheet, Eight Pages: Why I Use a 1-Page Zine for Rules Booklets
One sheet of paper, folded into an eight-page booklet. I use it for board game rules and quick guides that fit in a pocket or game box.
The Short Extension Cord in My Laptop Bag
A short extension cord lives in my laptop bag. Hotel outlets behind the bed, blocked café sockets, full meeting-room strips - here's what I look for.
Static Site or CMS? How I Pick the Stack
- July 10, 2026
- Website, Technology, Tips
I pick static or WordPress by who publishes, what changes live, and whether anyone needs a login - not by which one wins the argument online.
Instant Pot Arroz Caldo
My arroz caldo now lives in an 8-quart Instant Pot. Bone-in drumsticks, 25 minutes under pressure, big batch in about 45 minutes start to bowl.
Why I Stopped Playing Marvel Snap
Marvel Snap hooked me with three-minute matches. Then the meta treadmill and cube anxiety turned a snack game into homework. I never spent a cent.
Why I Focused on Open Source Technologies
- July 4, 2026
- Technology, Opinion, Developer Life
Open source wasn't a purity test. No license fee got me in the door; freedom to install, read the code, and move my files is what kept me for twenty years.
Sustainable Online Publishing
- June 12, 2026
- Website, Ideas, Technology
I already decided to own my site. This is how I keep publishing without treating social as my archive - domain, Git, push, share.
Consistent AI Output for WordPress Builds
- May 30, 2026
- Technology, AI, Web Development
Client WordPress builds with AI in the loop looked fast until handoff day. Helpers, reference examples, rules doc, and the same review bar fixed the drift.
HugoPlate: The Theme Quietly Powering This Site
- May 29, 2026
- Website, Technology, Reviews
Live demos of every HugoPlate shortcode this site uses, plus why I still run the theme a year later - what I changed and where it bit me.
The Mouse Wheel Click: One Button, Three Operating Systems
- May 28, 2026
- Technology, Productivity, Tips
Most people right-click every link to open a new tab. There's a faster button under their finger - same gesture on every OS, and almost nobody uses it.