Essays and reflections on the transformation of ideas into reality—exploring AI infrastructure, learning systems, the craft of building, and the lessons learned from pushing boundaries.
Why building production LLM systems is more like medieval alchemy than modern engineering— and what that teaches us about transformation, iteration, and the careful balance between theory and practice.
Converting a traditional boat to electric propulsion taught me more about systems thinking than any software architecture course. Here's what boats and batteries can teach us about building resilient systems.
What mountaineering, hang gliding, and open water swimming teach us about managing uncertainty, preparing for edge cases, and knowing when to commit versus when to retreat. Risk management principles that apply equally well to deploying production systems and climbing mountains.
The FAA certification process for homebuilt aircraft has surprising parallels to software testing and validation. Both require documenting every decision, proving airworthiness through systematic testing, and accepting that iteration is part of the process.
After years of building AI infrastructure and developer tools, I've realized the most interesting problems aren't technical—they're about learning. How do we design systems that genuinely transform understanding? How does AI change what's possible in education? This is my attempt to find out.
Research without building is just theory. Building without exploration is just routine. Exploration without reflection is just tourism. Here's how I think about balancing intellectual work, hands-on creation, and physical challenge—and why all three are necessary.