Things I build, break, fix, and write about

1 September 2026
Metadata schema choices for content libraries

Structured metadata only works when it matches how people actually retrieve content. I have seen neat schemas fail as soon as the library meets real records, and tarot makes the problem obvious. If the fields do not support search, filters, and odd edge cases, the catalogue stops being useful.

31 August 2026
Federation trade-offs in self-hosted social feeds

Federation looks tidy until you let it touch the edges, and then the odd cases arrive fast. I prefer self-hosted social feeds that stay explicit about...

31 August 2026
FireAvert Z-Wave stove shutoffs for offline safety

FireAvert’s setup does the part that matters without asking Home Assistant to babysit it, which is exactly how I want stove protection to behave. The...

31 August 2026
Weekly Tech Digest | 31 Aug 2026

Stay updated with the latest in tech! This digest covers AI ethics, auto industry shifts, and the impact of politics on technology, exploring today's...

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7 May 2026
n8n | stable

n8n v2 19 4: bugfix release, dynamic Quick Connect disclaimer, webhook mode hooks, GIT SSH COMMAND restored, Snowflake Insert and Update fixed

6 May 2026
Siri privacy settings for shared rooms and offices

Siri privacy settings are only useful if the microphone is not sitting in the wrong room, listening for the wrong thing. I trust fewer devices in shared spaces, because voice assistant privacy usually...

6 May 2026
Token spend caps for AI APIs

AI token spend caps are one of the few sane ways to stop convenience from turning into a bill I have to explain later. Alerts are useful, but they arrive after the request has already spent the money;...

4 May 2026
Bosch High Pressure Washer EasyAquatak 120 + 2 more Amazon tech bargains

Discover the Bosch High Pressure Washer EasyAquatak 120 and two more tech bargains this week.

30 April 2026
n8n | stable

n8n 2 18 5: hide AI workflows, warn on publishing AI gateway creds, editor fixes, open executions from Connect usage, OpenAI dynamic image models

28 April 2026
Testing Proxmox restores before you rely on them

A green job in a Proxmox backup guide means very little until the restore boots, logs in, and serves traffic. I have trusted the dashboard before, only to find the archive was fine and the recovery...

27 April 2026
Network segmentation for vehicle telemetry in Home Assistant

Modern cars are noisy little computers, and vehicle telemetry isolation only works if you treat them that way from the start. I put the car on its own VLAN, lock the firewall down, then let Home...

26 April 2026
Isolating Android on a VLAN with firewall rules and DNS split

I would not migrate an Android phone into my homelab blind. A clean Android homelab firewall DNS split, with VLAN isolation and hard DNS rules, keeps the phone useful without letting it sniff around...

26 April 2026
Security Advisory – 24 Apr 2026

Daily security advisory summary for 24 Apr 2026

25 April 2026
Setting lifecycle tracking for kitchen appliances with Home Assistant

I stopped treating appliance failure as a surprise and built a Home Assistant replacement schedule around dates, run counts, and service history. It is plain, slightly dull, and far more useful than...