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.

The Career Audit: Skills, Joy, and Market Value Sweet Spot

June 17, 2025

The most successful career moves happen at the intersection of three things: what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what the market values. Most people focus on one or two of these, then wonder why they feel stuck or unfulfilled. We’ve all learned this the hard way in one way or another. Here’s the framework I wish I’d had for doing a real audit of where you stand and where you might want to go....

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The Family Financial Meeting: A Step-by-Step Guide

June 16, 2025

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Please consult with qualified professionals before making financial decisions. Ultra-wealthy families often hold formal family meetings with detailed agendas and professional facilitators. While that level of formality isn’t necessary, regular family financial meetings are one ...

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Burstiness: The Rhythm Detector AI Can't Fake (Yet)

June 13, 2025

The Human Writing Heartbeat If perplexity is the thermometer of AI detection, then burstiness is the EKG. It measures the natural rhythm and variation in human writing: something AI models struggle to replicate convincingly. Think about how you naturally write. Sometimes you craft long, complex sentences with multiple clauses and detailed explanations that wind through several ideas. Other times y...

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Perplexity 101: How Language Models Measure Surprise

June 11, 2025

The Mystery of “Too Perfect” Text You’ve probably heard the term “perplexity” thrown around in discussions about language models, but what does it actually mean? Think of it as a confidence meter for how well a language model can predict the next word in a sequence. Low perplexity means the model finds the text predictable. What Perplexity Actually Measures At its core, perplexity measures uncerta...

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Testing the Waters: Explore Career Paths Without Burning Bridges

June 10, 2025

The question I get asked most often isn’t about technical problems or specific tools. It’s this: “How do I know if I should go into management?” Or product. Or consulting. Or stay technical and aim for staff/principal roles, or go found a startup. The honest answer? You probably don’t know until you try. But here’s the thing: you can try without making permanent decisions. You can test the waters ...

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Launching Atlanta AI Dinner: Just Good People and Better Conversation

June 9, 2025

I’ve been to enough “AI networking events” to know the drill. You walk into a room full of people clutching business cards, half-listening to conversations while scanning name tags for their next mark. Someone inevitably corners you to pitch their revolutionary data platform that’s “totally different from everything else out there.” I’ve had fantastic conversations at these, met great people, and ...

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Moroccan-Inspired Spiced Chicken Thighs with Couscous: One-Pan Magic

June 8, 2025

Here’s a killer way to turn your chicken thighs and couscous into something flavorful, comforting, and a little bit fancy without much effort. This dish combines the warmth of North African spices with the convenience of a braised finish in the oven, a technique that prevents the couscous from burning while ensuring everything cooks evenly. 🍗 Spiced Chicken Thighs with Couscous and Vegetables 🛒 In...

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Microwave Egg Fluff: The Weird Technique That Actually Works

June 7, 2025

When Weird Actually Works Look, I know what you’re thinking. Mayonnaise in scrambled eggs? In the microwave? This sounds like the kind of thing someone would suggest at 2 AM after too many drinks. But hear me out, because it works. The secret here is that mayonnaise is eggs and oil already. When you whisk it with a fresh egg, you’re creating this airy, emulsified mixture that puffs up beautifully ...

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Consumption vs. Creation: Finding Balance in Your Leisure Time

June 6, 2025

The Two Faces of Free Time After a long day, sometimes all I want is to collapse on the couch and let Netflix, YouTube, or the endless scroll of Instagram Reels wash over me. This is what I call consumption-based leisure: relaxing by passively taking in content, entertainment, or information. It’s easy, it’s everywhere, and it’s designed to be as frictionless as possible. Content producers are ama...

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AI for Small Business: Real-World Ways to Get Started

June 4, 2025

If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably heard that AI is going to “revolutionize everything.” But what does that actually mean for your day-to-day? Spoiler: it’s not about replacing your team with robots or building a self-driving delivery van (unless you really want to). The Everyday AI Toolkit for Small Business AI used to be a very niche technology: mainly for startups and large compa...

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