Posts Posts JSON feed
-
Hey IndieWeb, POSSE people, can we please use the same hashtags for reviews?!
I reviewed the same TV show as Justin on our respective blogs, then syndicates to Mastodon and Bluesky, but our hashtags don't overlap so nobody finds us through tags. I'm standardizing on a set of hashtags for each platform and medium so IndieWeb reviewers can actually connect.
-
European digital sovereignty helps everyone, not just Europeans
Ok Europeans, please get your shit figured out so you can save the world. Thank you please.
-
And that's a wrap on Blaugust 2026!
Finished a post every day for August and yeah, I'm fried, but I crushed it by leaning on my drafts folder and pure stubborn momentum.
-
It's my dang birthday
I'm grateful for the people and the life I've got, and I'm hopeful the next year stacks up to this one.
-
An overview of how our family is prepared
Richmond keeps throwing water problems at us, so we've built our preps around that instead of the zombie apocalypse stuff. What does your local threat model look like?
-
The best shows and movies of 2026 according to Mike and Rachelle, so far
Check out our ratings. Are we missing any must watch shows or movies from 2026??
-
Some of our favorite smart home automations
Y'all, I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to hit the Blaugust goal. Check out this list of our favorite automations though!
-
How I use Home Assistant to automate and monitor my aquariums
If you like aquariums or Home Assistant, you might enjoy reading this one.
-
My AR glasses daydream
Oh just fantasizing about sci-fi glasses.
-
New generations have SO. MUCH. MUSIC. to love
Just thinking about music and a little trip down memory lane.
-
Re: I no longer care
On getting older and being more secure in my opinions. Plus, I talk about our minivan... how can you not click the link my dudes?!
-
Please let me interact with your blog post!
Just some more opinions about blogging y'all!
-
Re: Things to do after your dad dies
Just adding my two cents.
-
NFL vs F1, which is the better TV viewing experience?
Spoiler alert: I think F1 is the better viewing experience but click the link if you want to read my pontifications about it.
-
Titans football is back!
The punishment (watching Titans games) resumes soonly. I'm expecting the team to be a bit better but when you've only won 6 games in the last two years, that doesn't take much.
-
Re: The Loss of Links Continues
Just adding my two cents to this discussion about link rot and what we can do about it.
-
My perfect laptop
Don't mind me. Just day dreaming about my perfect laptop.
-
How I share links on my blog
Someone emailed me about my link sharing workflow so I thought I'd just document it for everyone to see.
-
Citizen developers in Power Platform, five years later: Better or worse with AI?
I revisited my 2021 take on Power Platform's citizen developers to see if AI actually made things better. TL;DR: I think it made them worse
-
Re: Tech sucks? Really?
Oops, this one turned into a rant. /shakes fist at clouds
-
Trip Report: Malvern Hill Battlefield
I took a little bike ride on Saturday and typed up a few thoughts about it. Check it out if you're into bikes or Civil War history.
-
My backup strategy 2026
I've been working on my backup strategies lately. Check it out if that's your jam.
-
Three years at Tripoint, a retrospective
We're once again closing in on the end of the FY. In the contracting space, that usually brings some uncertainty with it so I'm doing my first work retro in 3 years.
-
Mike's chonky Denver omelet
Breakfast is my favorite meal and this omelet is probably my favorite breakfast food. Check it out if you're so inclined.
-
How I use Home Assistant to help with my cats
What do you get when you mix Home Assistant with 5 cats? My house!
-
My blogging workflow 2026
I see that people are talking about phoneblogging but I don't do that. Here is my blogging workflow instead. 😎
-
What happens to our blogs when we die?
Does anyone want to read my dumb blog after I'm dead? Hell if I know, but I want to give my family the opportunity.
-
How I make my blog posts more resilient
I imported a bunch of old posts from 2012-2019 and here are some lessons learned about post resilience.
-
Why I switched from Firefox to Vivaldi for browsing
Mozilla finally did it. They pissed me off enough that I've made the switch.
-
Smarter Thermostat with Home Assistant
I set up Home Assistant to automatically switch my thermostat between heating, cooling, or both based on weather forecasts, so it stops trying to heat the house on summer mornings or cool it on winter evenings.
-
Relationship advice I'd give to my younger self
Here are some of my own hard-won lessons about relationships.
-
How did the Canadian wildfires show up in Home Assistant here in VA?
I've got AirGradient sensors scattered around, so when the smoke rolled through I got to watch it in real time.
-
Re: Who would ever read this?
I still struggle with external validation.
-
How I self-host my ebooks and audiobooks
Here's a dang overview of how I self-host my ebooks and audiobooks! Check it out if that's your jam.
-
I own my books
My digital rights manifesto but especially about books.
-
Please meet our cat Lennie
Say hello to the newest goblin, Lennie! He's pretty derpy and weird but we love him still.
-
3½ Years With the ULTRALOQ U-Bolt Pro Z-Wave Smart Lock
We've had our U-Bolt Pro Z-Wave Smart Locks for a few years now and they're fine. Even if they weren't discontinued, I probably wouldn't recommend them.
-
Re: Most slopcode projects are abandoned and deleted within months of release
Building is fun and maintaining is not, especially alone. Maybe give new projects a beat to exist before relying on them.
-
Webmentions on my blog, Part 2: Outgoing
So I built my own webmentions feature. Here is an overview of how the robot and I developed it.
-
Please excuse me as I ramble about hyperfixation for a minute
I can hyperfocus on projects in a way that exhausts me completely, leaving nothing for the rest of life, and I'm trying to figure out if that's just how I'm wired or actually a problem worth addressing.
-
Webmentions on my blog, Part 1: Incoming
I built my own webmention receiver instead of relying on Webmention.io, using Node.js, Express, and a flat JSON file to avoid third-party dependencies and extra databases. Here's how it verifies incoming mentions, classifies them by type, stores them, and even polls Mastodon, Bluesky, Pixelfed, and Flickr for social reactions.
-
Dear Pinboard, I'm breaking up with you. It's me and it's you.
I'm ditching Pinboard after 15 years because I've outgrown paying for a service that feels abandoned when I can just self-host the thing myself.
-
Bloggers, can we make better titles for our posts?
On where I provide my unsolicited opinion about how you write posts on your blog.
-
Congrats to the Knicks, and some thoughts on the modern NBA
Watched my first NBA games in decades because Rachelle likes Mamdani and the Knicks are New York's team, and now I have some half-baked opinions about three-point shooting, traveling calls, and whether the Wizards' name alone is enough reason to root for them.
-
Please meet our cat Linus
We adopted Linus from the Richmond SPCA in November 2024 after he caught our attention playing through the cage bars, and now he's our chonkiest, most food-motivated boy who spends his days supervising whatever we're doing (dishes, aquarium work, box inspections).
-
Rolling my own bubbles.town widget
I built my own bubbles.town widget for 11ty instead of using their JavaScript, calling their API once at build time and baking the vote count straight into the page.
-
Re: No, I Won't Buy You A Coffee
Weighing in on the buy me a coffee debate between HakkerBlog and Gordon McLean, I land somewhere in the middle: they feel dated and a bit tacky to me, but I'm not bothered by them on other sites, and I skip them on mine because I'd rather use the space for something that actually matters.
-
My site now supports webmentions
I finally got webmentions working on my site by setting up a homelab server with an Intel NUC to handle the build process, and now I'm collecting likes, replies, and mentions from Mastodon, Bluesky, and indie websites.
-
My KeePass and Syncthing setup
How I sync passwords across my laptop, desktop, and phone using KeePassXC and Syncthing, plus a couple bash scripts I wrote to handle masked emails (like 1Password's feature) and merge sync conflicts.
-
I'm against gerrymandering, but I voted Yes in Virginia
The tension between voting your principles and voting strategically in a polarized moment, and why I chose the latter even though I hate it.
-
Trip Report: Saturday biking around Richmond, VA
A Saturday ebike tour around Richmond, from the Virginia Capital Trail to Pony Pasture, with a stop at The Veil and an unfortunate flat tire.
-
Re: On AI-enhanced Writing
My response to @enocc@mastodon.social blog post. I feel I have a minority opinion on the topic. I think we should just the product, not the the how.
-
My Experience as a Juror on a Cold Case Rape Trial
My experience serving as a juror on the 2026 cold case rape trial of Maurice Muhammad in Richmond, VA, where DNA evidence from a 1992 rape kit identified the defendant more than 30 years after the crime.
-
I Was Called for Jury Duty in Richmond, VA. Here's What I Wish I'd Known.
What to actually expect when you're called for jury duty in Richmond, VA, from the confusing mail instructions to voir dire and everything in between.
-
My Smart Home Setup 2026
I created a slash page for my smart home setup! Check it out if that's your jam.
-
My AI Manifesto
Good grief, I'm thinking and talking about AI too much. Sorry about that. I, too, am exhausted by it and after this, I will try my very best to stfu about it in public channels.
-
Re: No AI Badges
Exploring where to draw the line on AI use when it comes to displaying 'No AI' badges on your website.
-
Meet Mac!
Meet Mac, our adventurous orange tabby who climbs roofs, breaks through locked cat doors, and supervises fish tank maintenance.
-
Sorry folks, you can't avoid AI
I consider many people on the Fediverse to be my tribe, and they largely reject AI. I think they have it wrong.
-
Please meet our cat Polly
Meet Polly Pockets, our timid, snuggly, crawl-space-dwelling calico with a parrot complex and a permanent RBF.
-
Re: The Good & Not Good
Reflecting on religion, morality, and where goodness actually comes from.
-
More blog updates! Feeds, books and watch log oh my!
I've added a few more features to my site. A book log, a watch log and the feeds to go with them.
-
Site Redesign Complete
I've finished redesigning my website with a minimalist approach, updated my RSS and JSON feeds, brought back Open Graph tags, and refreshed my favicons.
-
Re: Self-hosting versus lots of small indieweb providers
Pondering the IndieWeb: Why true data portability and identity ownership matter more than just self-hosting, and why email is still the gold standard.
-
How to Use Multiple Temperature Probes with the Apollo Automation TEMP-1
Use Dallas indexing to connect multiple temperature probes to a single Apollo Automation TEMP-1 sensor in Home Assistant with ESPHome.
-
What I’ve Learned About Cycling Freshwater Aquariums
Sharing my experience cycling a freshwater aquarium and the lessons I learned along the way.
-
So I guess I'm into aquariums now
Rediscovering my love for aquariums after 30 years, I’ve gone from one small tank to several thriving freshwater setups—and I’m documenting the journey.
-
Re: Digital hygiene: Passwords
My take on password managers, MFA, and recovery code storage in response to Herman’s post on digital hygiene.
-
Re: Thanks for the Referrals
Sharing insights on how I use Fathom Analytics and webmaster tools to understand site traffic, improve posts, and debunk mobile-first design assumptions.
-
Road Trip to Omaha
A spring road trip from Richmond to Omaha for the NFL Draft, van camping in a Pacifica, testing gear, visiting family, and driving 2,600+ miles frugally.
-
Re: Mastodon Exit Interview
Reflecting on Mastodon’s limitations around account control, portability, and federation—why it still doesn’t quite feel like owning your identity online.
-
Two Weeks with the Pixel 9 Pro XL
First impressions of switching from iOS to Android with the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL—what works well, what doesn't, and whether it's worth the trade-offs.
-
Please meet our cat Lily
Meet Lily, our aloof yet loving feline matriarch: smart, sassy, laptop‑perching shadow who rules kittens with bops and selective affection daily.
-
Re: Your Phone Should Be Distributed, Not Centralized
Responding to frustrations with app store monopolies. Exploring vendor lock-in, the challenge of avoiding Big Tech (Google/Apple), and finding peace.
-
On choosing an Android phone over an Apple phone
I chose a Google Pixel over an iPhone to escape Apple's walled garden, reduce vendor lock-in, and regain control--despite Google's own privacy trade-offs.
-
Looking for non-Amazon reading workflows—recommendations welcome
I'm looking to move away from Amazon for reading. Here's my current setup. Please recommend a non-Amazon, open-source-friendly workflow.
-
Open Source, Privacy, and Sanity: Learning from My Mistakes
After burning out on my quest to ditch big tech, I''m ready to try again—this time with balance. Here''s how I plan to reclaim tech freedom without the frustration.
-
The Real Value of Car Tech: A Minivan Owner's Perspective
A personal perspective on modern car technology, contrasting the auto industry's push for self-driving cars with practical features that actually matter to everyday drivers, based on experience with a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica.
-
How to Fix the “ESP Does Not Have Enough Space” Error When Flashing Athom Human Presence Sensors with ESPHome
Learn how to resolve the "ESP Does Not Have Enough Space" error when flashing Athom Human Presence Sensors with ESPHome. This step-by-step guide breaks down the solution to help you overcome OTA file size issues and successfully flash your devices.
-
Remembering our cat Oliver
Oliver, a cherished cat, passed away suddenly due to complications from diabetes. A once-grateful stray, he brought joy with his loving companionship and quirky habits. He’ll be deeply missed.
-
How to generate SSH keys on Linux
The exact ssh-keygen steps I use to make a new SSH key on Linux, add it to the ssh-agent, and get the public key onto a server.
-
How to set the open and close limits on Aqara E1 curtain driver
How to set the open and close limits on Aqara E1 curtain drivers using the physical buttons, without the Aqara hub.
-
How to restore SSH keys on Windows 11
This is a note to self about doing the thing the title describes.
-
Our 2023 Thanksgiving Cruise
We went on a cruise during the week of Thanksgiving 2023. Here is my write up.
-
Password managers and 2fa
Here is my strategy for passwords and two factor authentication
-
My smart home setup 2023
I started my home automation journey in February 2021. Since then, I've added more functionality, so I'd like to document my current setup and thoughts.
-
How to backup and restore ssh keys on Linux
I just reloaded the OS on my little System76 box and I stumbled around a bit when trying to restore my ssh keys. Here is a note for myself but maybe it can help someone else too.
-
A quick note about my site migrations
Seeing some spam from my RSS feed? Sorry about that.
-
How to add a custom slugify filter to 11ty
During my recent blog migrations, I discovered the new slugify filter handles apostrophes differently. I'd prefer they were dropped. Here are the steps.
-
How I setup a new website on caddy server
I can never remember the exact steps to setup a new website on caddy server. These are my notes for the next time I need to do this.
-
Case study: Calculating business days with Power Apps
We had a requirement to calculate only business days in Power Apps, when calculating a due date in the future. I've never done this before, so it was an excellent opportunity to document how I came up with a solution that worked.
-
My approach to dialog boxes in Power Apps
This is my approach to dialog boxes in Power Apps
-
Welcome to mharley.dev 2.0
I've finally made a move to update my professional website.
-
Good morning computer 15-Jan-2023, Richmond VA edition
We moved!! And here are some links!
-
How to setup Calibre to remove DRM from ebooks on Linux
How I set up Calibre and the DeDRM plugin on Linux to make backup copies of the ebooks I've paid for, including the ACSM install failure that trips people up.
-
My 2022 in review
Here is a quick reflection on 2022
-
Twitter migration tension. Old guard vs new. Fight!
Some thoughts on the tension between the new Mastodon guard and the old. Can't we all just get along?!
-
My Open Source contributions for 2022
I'm a big user of open source software and I think it's important that we support the projects. Here are my contributions for 2022.
-
Good morning computer 18122022, vibe check and links edition
Just checking in and sharing some links.
-
Are personal Mastodon instances bad for discovery?
For the past 10 days or so, I've been using my own personal Mastodon instance and I'm not sure how I feel about it so far.
-
I need music player app recommendations for Android and Linux
I want to sync playlists between the two. How?
-
On the Twitter migration and the Fediverse
I have thoughts about the Twitter migration thing that's happening on Mastodon. After reading Hugh's essay on the topic, I feel inspired to scribble a few down.
-
How I Internet
Inspired by Cassey Lottman, I am going to share a bit about how I spend my time online.
-
Rachelle and I got married in Las Vegas
A quick write up about our elopment in Las Vegas.
-
My online personal brand. Why do I care?
I find myself struggling with my online personal brand. Why do i even care?
-
Welp, my XMPP experiment is over
I tried using XMPP for 6 months but have now shut down my server. Here are my thoughts.
-
Re: The Linux Desktop is Hard to Love
Comparing Linux and Apple is a mistake as they are different approaches.
-
How I manage my imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome is a real thing and here are some techniques I use to manage mine
-
How I configured my Synology NAS and Linux to use rsync for backups
There are many guides on the web about this topic but many are different and contain unnecessary steps.
-
Hello to all the new Mastodon users
Here are some of my fav people to follow on Mastodon.
-
Power Automate Get Member Email Addresses of a SharePoint Online Group
Here is a quick walkthrough on how I use Power Automate to get member emails from a SharePoint Online group.
-
Why I bother with static sites
Many people in my feed seem to be frustrated by running a static site. Here is why I persist.
-
On ebook readers and why I am opting out of vendor lock-ins
A detailed look into why bad data retention practices and vendor lock in no longer works for me.
-
Automating some of the publishing steps for my Eleventy blog
Heres how I automated some of the tedious steps of publishing new posts on my Eleventy blog.
-
Police start arresting protesters to end the siege of Canada's capital
I'm so tired of COVID and protesters. Please go away.
-
On being frustrated with the current state of browsers
I feel pretty frustrated by the lack of a broswer that isn't working on an ad network
-
Lets make collecting an MP3 library popular again
If you are switching streaming services, why not just invest in your MP3 music collection? Let's make that shit cool again.
-
My complete blogging workflow
Here is my complete blogging workflow from how I manage ideas all the way to publishing and sharing.
-
Giving up on encrypted email
PGP is little more than performative LARP. I'm no longer going to mess with it.
-
How can we address racism if we can't acknowledge what racism is?
I'm using MLK day as an opportunity reflect on my thoughts about discussions around race
-
Say hello to obsolete29.com v4!
Eleventy came out with v1.0 so I rebuilt my site to celebrate.
-
OpenSea valued at $13.3 billion in new round of venture funding
Rich people are dumb.
-
Please do not buy a WiFi router that doesn't autoupdate
We need to give our WiFi routers more considering than a jumped up toaster oven.
-
My Cryptocurrency experience
To form some first person experiences with cryptocurrency I'm trying to buy some bitcoin and pay someone with it.
-
My favorite books of 2021
According to my notes, I've read 38 books in 2021. Here is my list of favorites for the year.
-
My 2021 in review
This was not a great year for me but here are some recollections and photos from the year!
-
First concernt in two years!
I saw Whitechapel play at The Mill & Mine. I had a great time.
-
Read The Last Graduate - 4.5 stars
this is the description field
-
My Open Source contributions for 2021 - Do you support any projects?
I performed my year end audit of the OSs projects I use and support. I'm hoping to encourage others to support their projects
-
Why its hard to move away from iPhone
As a long time iOS user, I trust Apple much more than I trust Android to protect my privacy
-
Researcher cracked 70% of WiFi networks sampled in Tel Aviv
Good password practices are as important as ever. Update yours if you haven't done so already.
-
You want Tor Browser ... not a VPN
Have I been overvaluing my VPN? Let's take a look at using Tor instead.
-
The Decentralization Fallacy
When finding the path forward from our tech overlords, decentralization isn't enough.
-
On languishing and trying to see the positives
I've struggled with my mental health the last few months. I thought I was depressed, but "languishing" seems to fit pretty well too.
-
Updated social sharing (open graph protocol) images for my personal site
Using the large social sharing images added nothing to the information being published so I've decided to stop using them.
-
Breaking up with Apple - Two Month Check in
It's been just over two months since I declared I was breaking up with Apple so I wanted to check in and document my experiences so far.
-
Amazon-designed fridge will use the same tech as Amazon Go stores
Anti-competitive and anti-consumer actions by big tech is bad mmkay?
-
Firefox now shows ads as sponsored address bar suggestions
Oh man I really don't know how to feel about this. :(
-
Re: Government secretly orders Google to track anyone searching certain names, addresses, and phone numbers
My main threat model is focused on resisting surveillance capitalism but I am also interested in protecting myself from the police.
-
Coffeeneuring Challenge 2021
A challenge to ride bikes and drink coffee? Yes, thank you please.
-
It's time to stop paying for a VPN
Brian's threat model is not everyone's threat model so be sure to keep that in mind as you read this silly article.
-
Scooter user death in Nashville shows how car centric we are
Cities should be made for people not cars. Why do we have such a blind spot for how dangerous cars are?
-
I've changed from using 1Password to KeePass for password management
I just finished my migration from 1Password to Keepass. Here's my reasons and setup.
-
I've decided to stop using analytics on my personal site
I obsess about the analytics in an unhealthy way, plus this aligns better with my values. Win/win!
-
Neiman Marcus data breach impacts 4.6 million customers
Let's use this example of a data breach to review my SOPs as they relate to security and privacy.
-
Fairphone 4 has an incredible 5-year warranty, aims for 6 years of updates
This looks very interesting to me! Love the idea.
-
Game of Thrones is still the all time best TV show
Rachelle and I just finished our re-watch of Game of Thrones and it's still the best TV ever made.
-
My online account creation workflow is very convoluted, for privacy!
Privacy is not convenient. Here is my workflow for creating new online accounts.
-
Film studios sue “no logs” VPN provider for $10 million
This is is disconcerting
-
Reply-to links in site feeds
I really love when people include Reply-to links in their RSS feed. Here are a couple options.
-
There’s no escape from Facebook, even if you don’t use it
The scale and scope of Facebook's internet surveillance is always shocking
-
How I'm using my Synology NAS to own my content
I've just started the journey of self-hosting and divesting myself from big tech. Here are a few of the things I'm doing so far!
-
My blog is now hosted on Capsul as a VPS
I wasn't unhappy with the performance of GitHub Pages but I felt Capsul aligned better with my organizing principles.
-
Analysts: Google to pay Apple $15 billion to remain default Safari search engine in 2021
I can't believe I was every so naive to believe that Apple cares about privacy. This violates the core principle that I thought Apple had.
-
Amid backlash, Apple will change photo-scanning plan but won’t drop it completely
This annoucement doesn't change my mind about breaking up with Apple so I will continue the slow but methodical move in divesting myself from the Apple ecosystem.
-
MacBook Pro user tries Linux as daily driver
I recently purchased a Meerkatfrom System76 with the intent of replacing my 2015 MacBook Pro as my daily driver. I wanted to share my initial impressions.
-
Twitter threads are the new blog posts
Which is more important to you? Reach and discoverbility or being the owner of your content and identity?
-
Social account thief goes to prison for stealing, trading nude photos
Reason number 5,117 as to why basic account security is important.
-
Opting out of Spotify
Spotify is the worst of the worst when it comes to monetization and privacy. I'm opting out.
-
Impressions of CalyxOS after two weeks
I've had my Pixel 4a, running CalyxOS for about two weeks now and I wanted to share my impressions at this point
-
The best grilled chicken
Sunday's usually mean grilling at our house! Today we're grilling some chicken breast.
-
An Apple fanboy tries out Android on a Pixel 4a
I am taking the initital step of divesting from Apple by trying out a Pixel 4a. Here are my first impressions
-
Wait Apple, maybe I still love you
Last week I posted I'm breaking up with Apple in response to Apple's plans to scan devices for banned content. I've had some time to sit with my feelings and process them, so I wanted to update my thoughts.
-
I am breaking up with Apple
Scanning customer phones for banned content is the opposite of taking user privacy seriously. I'm breaking up with you Apple.
-
Our quick weekend trip to Memphis
To celebrate our two year anniversary, Rachelle and I decide to take a weekend trip to Memphis, in lieu of gifts. Here is my trip report.
-
Introducing my new Weber Performer 22 inch charcoal grill
We recently moved from an apartment complex into a house with a decent deck so we bought a new grill about it!
-
Resisting Surveillance Capitalism
I believe resisting surveillance capitalism is important and here are some of the things I do.
-
Common pitfalls of low-code solutions with Power Platform
My thoughts on what to look out for when enabling Citizen developers to use low-code solutions.
-
Using Power Automate Flow to add users to a SharePoint group
I recently had a requirement to add users to a SharePoint group using Power Automate Flow. This is how I did it.
-
Lessons learned from my time at USDA
I have accepted a new position at Asurion. Here is my retro from my time at USDA!
-
Why I blog
I recently read an article about building a blogging habit and I'm inspired to share my own thoughts on it.
-
Setting a conditional variable in Javascript
I'm teaching myself Javascript. I have lots of experience with PowerShell
-
Improving my automated open graph image process w/ Eleventy
I recently launched a new version of my web site and I improved the automated open graph image process. I used Eleventy and Puppeteer and this is how I did it!
-
Improving upon my image processing with Eleventy
I recently relaunched my website and I believe I have improved upon my image processing setup using eleventy-img. Here is what I did.
-
Welcome to obsolete29.com v2.0!
I have decided to rebuild my personal site. I wanted a more minimlist look and feel. Here is what I did!
-
Hiking the Black Mountain section of the Cumberland Trail
I hiked Black Mountain on March 27th 2021. Here is my trip report.
-
Leaning into Power Platform
I have a confession. I'm a SharePoint Developer and I don't like Power Platform; I'd rather do it in PowerShell.
-
Watched: The Wire ★★★★½
Rachelle and I just finished watching The Wire and I think it's still a great show!
-
Getting started with home automation and my initial thoughts
I have been interested in home automation for a long time and have finally decided to dip my toe in. Here are some quick notes about my thoughts so far.
-
Lessons learned from my job search
My last day at Bridgestone was Monday, December 7th. These are my observations from my job search.
-
How to create a border-top linear gradient
I was struggling to create a linear gradient top border for a call out section. Here's the solution I landed on.
-
Automated social sharing images with Eleventy and Puppeteer
I recently figured out how to generate social sharing (Open Graph protocol) preview images using Puppeteer on my Eleventy site. This is what I did!
-
Setup social sharing previews, SEO, and favicons on Eleventy
This is part four of how I used 11ty to setup my personal site. This is how I setup open graph protocol, search and favicons.
-
RSS, a love letter and walkthrough for my Eleventy site
I love RSS. I love how uncool it is. Here's how I configured my 11ty site with a RSS feed.
-
My 2020 in review
2020 has been a tough year for most. Here are some reflections on my own.
-
Styling inline SVG images with an external style sheet
Let's take a look at how I updated my in-line SVG images so I could style them with an external style sheet
-
Configuring responsive and optimized images with Eleventy
This is part two of a multipart series about how I setup my personal web site using Eleventy. Let's configure responsive images using the eleventy-img plugin.
-
Building my personal site with Eleventy
This is part one of a multipart series about how I setup my personal web site using Eleventy
-
Please meet my cats
If you follow me on Twitter, then you already know I have three cats. I'd like to introduce you to them now. Thank you.
-
Lessons learned from my time at Bridgestone
After nearly 5 years with Bridgestone, I’ll be leaving the company because of restructuring. Since the announcement, I’ve reflected about my lessons learned that I can take away with me and onto my next opportunity.
-
I am learning web development
I'm teaching myself web development and I'll be writing about my journey.
-
Nashville foosball
I’ve been playing foosball, mostly at work for about 2 years now. I've taken to the game and when I started to pursue playing outside of work, I had some trouble finding good information on the internet about places to play foosball in Nashville.
-
Hiking Greeter Falls, Big Creek Rim, Big Creek Gulf, Ranger Falls
Today we hiked out in one of our favorite hiking areas, the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. Here's my trip report.
-
Hiking the Laurel-Snow SNA Section of the Cumberland Trail
On July 28th, 2019, Meredith and I hiked the Laurel-Snow SNA sectin of the Cumberland Trail. This is my trip report.
-
Hiking Stone Door Trail, Big Creek Gulf Trail, Ranger Falls
On July 15th 2019, Meredith and I did some hiking in Savage Gulf. This is my trip report.
-
Hiking Fiery Gizzard Trail to Raven Point
On July 7th 2019, Meredith, Whitney and I hiked the Fiery Gizzard Trail to Raven Point. This is my trip report.
-
Cycling Astoria OR to SF CA
In the fall of 2017 I attempted to ride my bicycle from Astoria OR to San Franciso CA. I only made it three days.
-
Cycling the C&O and GAP Trails 2015
In 2015 I attemped to ride the C&O and GAP trails from Washington DC to Pittsburg PA. This is my trip report.
-
Cycling the Natchez Trace
In the fall of 2014, I took a week long cycle tour trip and rode my bicycle from Natchez MS to Nashville TN. Here is my write up.
-
SharePoint 2013 Sorry, you cant create a new item with Quick Edit because this view is missing one or more required columns.
SharePoint 2013 Sorry, you can't create a new item with Quick Edit because this view is missing one or more required columns. To create a new item, please click "New Item" or add required columns to this view.
-
The Bible is Wrong About Sexuality
Here are some of my thoughts based on Dan Savage's podcast.
-
Quote of The Day - John Greenleaf Whittier
Quote of the day for 4/30/2012
-
Atheists in Church: God is Watching
As my friends know, my wife Jen is a Christian and goes to church pretty regular. Well today she invited me to church and I wanted to jot down my thoughts on part of the sermon.
-
Cathy Samford Lawsuit
Cathy Samford was fired for being pregnant out of wedlock.
-
Concert Review: Butch Walker Nashville
Wow. That's how I feel after seeing Butch Walker play at 12th and Porter last night in Nashville, TN. Here is my quick write up about our experience.
-
Junior Dee Harley
Genealogy and family history page for Junior Dee Harley, with photos, records, and links for those researching or related to him.
-
Religious Freedom
I think everybody has a basic fundamental right to religious freedom. I happen to think that religious freedom by definition has to include freedom from religion too.
-
Quick hit: death and dying
More thoughts on death and dying and why wasting your my precious time on trivial things is so dumb
-
Cathy Samford Fired For Being Unwed Mother
My thoughts on Heritage Christian Academy because she was fired for being pregnant
-
PodCamp Nashville 2012
Today was PodCamp Nashville 2012. Jen and I got to meet a bunch of people that we've only talked to on Twitter so that was a pretty big plus.
-
Angry Atheists
Sometimes even allies can be at odds. Here's my recouting of one such occasion.
-
My weekly cook up
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Here is my weekly cookup routine
-
Commuting: Why am I doing this?
I live in a small town in Tennessee called Crossville. I work in Nashville, TN. That's 120 miles from my driveway to the office parking garage, one way. Why???
-
Our Atheist-Christian marriage
I'm an atheist and my wife is a Christian. How can this work you might ask? Well... it's not always easy. I can't speak to her perspective or experiences but I can speak to my own.
-
My First Tattoo(s)
I finally got my first (and second) tattoo over the past week. It's something I've always been interested in doing but I've waited because I knew that once I got started, I'd have to get tattoos until I was covered.
-
Death and dying
I learned last night that a twitter friend of ours passed away on Monday. We weren't very close but it's made me ponder if I'm living my best life.
-
Why I am an atheist
I enjoy talking about religion in general but a few specific events are prompting this blog post. First, my wife has recently been getting more involved with her church and we've been hanging out with her church friends, so church and religion and God has been a topic of conversation around here. Second, my daughter's boyfriend asked her why I didn't believe. Finally, one of my friends recently asked me why do I care about religion if I don't believe it.
-
My Blog
Hi, my name is Michael Harley and I love the Internet. I’ve created this blog so I can have a place to write about topics that don't easily fit into 140 characters or are not appropriate for Facebook (family).