Exploring Ideas: A Blog on Technology, Startups, Food, and More

Welcome to my blog where I share thoughts and insights on technology, startups, and life in Atlanta. Browse through the articles below or explore by topic.

Trail Report: Riverwalk Atlanta

November 1, 2024

Hidden along the banks of the Chattahoochee River, behind Whittier Mill Park, lies one of Atlanta’s best-kept secrets: the Riverwalk trails. These hand-cut, volunteer-maintained paths offer an experience that feels remarkably remote despite being within city limits. Trail Overview These trails are unique in that they’re unmarked and informal - part of their charm is in the exploration. While this ...

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Filipino Chicken Adobo

August 7, 2024

Chicken Adobo is often considered the national dish of the Philippines, and it’s incredibly easy to see why. It’s a savory, tangy, and deeply flavorful dish made with simple ingredients. Chicken simmers away in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. Serve it over rice! Ingredients 2 lbs chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks work best, bone-in, skin...

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Simple Summer Succotash

June 15, 2024

Succotash is one of those classic American side dishes that just screams summer. It’s simple, fresh, and versatile. This is a basic version, feel free to add other veggies like zucchini or okra if you have them on hand. Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil or butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans...

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The Art of Design in Technical Startups

June 15, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring the critical role of design in technology companies. What is Design, Really? Design is the study of how media communicates with people. It’s far broader than just making things look pretty - it encompasses aesthetics, messaging, and the communication channels themselves. Design intends to...

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The Invisible Hand of Startup Culture

May 15, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring the qualitative aspects of building and maintaining healthy startup cultures. This isn’t about technology stacks, architectural decisions, or how to build specific features. Instead, let’s explore something less tangible but equally critical: how individuals within a company interact with...

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Mother's Day Comfort: Colcannon and Coq au Vin

May 12, 2024

While colcannon and coq au vin might seem like an unlikely pairing, this combination of French countryside cooking and Ireland’s best take on mashed potatoes creates a memorable meal worthy of any special occasion. The rich wine sauce from the coq au vin finds a perfect companion in the buttery, cabbage-flecked colcannon. This has become one of our favorite celebration meals, joining other comfort...

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Trail Report: Southside Park

May 1, 2024

Southside Park is Atlanta’s only (official) ITP mountain bike trail system. Located in south Atlanta, it’s become a favorite among local riders for quick after-work sessions and skills development. Also pretty banging for trail running (w/ Atlanta Snack Club ideally). Trail System Overview With about 8 miles of singletrack, Southside isn’t huge, but the quality is super high. The trails here are s...

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Decision Making Under Uncertainty: Lessons from Practice

April 15, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring how to make complex decisions under uncertainty in technical startups. The Nature of Uncertain Decisions Decision-making is a game of compromise. In simple cases, where information about a decision and its various outcomes is complete and available, finding the optimal path is straightfor...

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Science vs. Engineering in Startups: A Tale of Two Methodologies

March 15, 2024

The following is excerpted and adapted from my private notes during my time at Predikto (2014-2018), exploring the intersection of scientific and engineering methodologies in startup environments. This is part of a series on startup structure and methodology, following Startup Structure and Information Flow and Decision Making Under Uncertainty. The Challenge of Technical Startups Startups in nasc...

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NASA Technology Readiness Levels: A Software Development Perspective

February 17, 2024

NASA’s Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) have become a standard way to assess the maturity of technologies in certain industries like aerospace and defense. Originally developed by NASA in the 1970s, TRLs provide a consistent framework for evaluating how close a technology is to being deployment-ready. This framework has become increasingly relevant for modern software development, particularly i...

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