100 Word Stories: Repeat Until Texture Is Uniform
A late-night writing challenge spirals into a constrained experiment, shaping a dark, surreal story hidden within the letters C-H-I-P. Between deadlines, audio production, and unexpected twists, creativity emerges through limitation—the realization…
Satirical Ordination Studio
A playful experiment in ceremonial design and bureaucratic aesthetics, inspired by navigating Virginia’s restrictive ordination process. Generate novelty credentials, explore how legitimacy is shaped by paperwork, and see how quickly satire resembles official…
From Passing Communion To Taking It
Raised to observe but never partake, I reflect on how faith, scripture, and experience reshaped my understanding of Communion. What once felt distant now feels personal—an invitation not just to remember, but to participate, connect, and finally take part.
The Email Problem in Hosting
Setting up web hosting is straightforward until email enters the picture. Blocked ports, relay services, domain restrictions, and deliverability concerns quickly complicate things, turning what seems simple into one of the most challenging parts of running a reliable…
Inside a Vintage Phone Revival
Reviving vintage phones turned into a full day of discovery—bringing a TTY printer to life, restoring ringing bells, organizing a private phone network, and even dismantling a century-old magneto. Hands-on progress is bringing this interactive exhibit closer to…
A Life Recovered from MiniDV
Old MiniDV tapes revealed forgotten footage from 2008—woods that no longer exist, family moments, and fragments of a life once lived. What began as digitization became something deeper: a rediscovery of memory, time, and the person I used to be.
Building a Self-Contained Phone Network with Asterisk and Grandstream ATAs
Building an 18-line phone system with Grandstream ATAs and a Raspberry Pi turned into a deep dive into networking, provisioning, and Asterisk quirks. What started as a simple upgrade became a full system redesign with…
Coffee & Conversation: The Phoenix Project
A reflection on The Phoenix Project and how past relationships shape boundaries, trust, and distance. Not all healing happens in public or structured spaces—sometimes it’s built quietly, through awareness, experience, and the choice to protect your peace.
Accessible Communication, Revisited Through TTY
Adding two vintage TTY machines turned into something more than an exhibit. For a moment, they talked—no phone line required. That moment reshaped the exhibit, adding interactivity & accessibility while revealing how communication was once built…
If You Only Have One Backup, You Have a Problem
Backups aren’t just copies—they’re a layered strategy. By combining local speed, offsite protection, and full system snapshots, you reduce risk, shorten recovery time, and give users control. Each layer serves a purpose, and removing one creates a…
Building Reliability, Not Just Websites
Moving beyond trial hosting, I began building a dependable foundation—choosing cPanel, CloudLinux, and JetBackup to support real proposals. Inspired by FOIA insights and SBDC guidance, this shift focuses on reliability, isolation, and understanding the true…
Restoring the Signal
Repairing relationships, rediscovering old tools, and building new systems, this project reconnects people through sound, text, and shared experience. From rotary phones to TTY machines, the exhibit restores more than signals—it brings communities, stories, and forgotten…
100 Word Stories: A very Cultured Performance
A last-minute email sparks a surreal museum story—cheese becomes music, balloons become sculpture, and creativity outruns time. Written, recorded, and produced in 35 minutes, this piece explores pressure, process, and the freedom of bending prompts…
Pysanky Ukrainian egg
A quiet Sunday visit turned into a hands-on lesson in patience, creativity, and imperfection. While decorating a Ukrainian egg, I rediscovered childhood memories, experimented with unfamiliar techniques, and learned that sometimes the process matters more than the outcome.
With Grace & Joy Ribbon-Cutting
A ribbon cutting led me into a world both familiar and unfamiliar—where memories, meaning, and discomfort met. While I didn’t quite fit, the experience revealed something deeper about perspective, community, and the value of spaces not built for everyone.
Zoning, Walls, Energy, and Blight
I came to speak about a single blight issue, but the meeting unfolded into multiple conversations that directly affected me. From zoning to energy policy, one evening revealed how interconnected local decisions are—and how one concern leads to another.
Peace Walk, Personal Reflections
A quiet walk for peace became something more—a personal journey through discomfort, reflection, and unexpected connection. Inspired by a traveling Buddhist monk, I found myself questioning, observing, and discovering that sometimes the hardest steps aren’t…
Voting, Waitlists, and Beanie Hats
A simple trip to vote revealed more than expected—local identity, internal party conflict, confusing systems, and quiet absences. Sometimes participation isn’t blocked, just unclear. Showing up matters, but knowing where to invest your time and energy matters too.
Family Pharmacy Ribbon-Cutting
Attended a ribbon-cutting event at Family Pharmacy Services as new ownership took over the only independent pharmacy and honored well-respected staff to cut the ribbon and continue the service the community has come to know.
ADUs: Better, But Still Questions
Updated ADU language shows improvement, but questions remain around enforcement, annual reviews, owner occupancy, and property transfers. The details of implementation will determine whether ADUs function as a practical housing solution or create new layers of…
Blocked From Going Solar
While electric rates were under discussion, a larger issue emerged: the lack of net metering. After months of planning a solar installation, the project was halted—highlighting a gap that limits energy choice and resilience for residents.
When Events Get Complicated
Proposed changes to event fees and requirements raise concerns about complexity, timing, and unclear rules. For organizers, the process risks becoming discouraging, where navigating paperwork and approvals becomes harder than actually planning the event itself.
Sixth Street Blight
A boarded-up property on Sixth Street has become a defining image of Front Royal online. With no visible progress toward resolution, the concern isn’t just neglect—it’s how a single, prominent property shapes the town’s identity and perception.
Who Benefits from Rezoning?
A developer requested rezoning from R1 to R3 to build duplexes, despite a recommendation for denial. After listening to public input, one question stood out: how does this proposal benefit the broader community beyond the applicant?
A Beautiful Wall Moment
A short exchange about retaining wall height turned into an unexpected public comment moment. A familiar phrase surfaced, and I offered a different perspective—what if walls didn't just divide space, but reflected community through art and murals?
Building My Own Hosting Platform
Building my own hosting platform is shifting how I work—consolidating sites, reducing costs, and removing platform limitations. What started as infrastructure is becoming a way to better serve local clients with flexibility, control, and sustainable support.
100 Word Stories: Bubble Rap
A playful twist on the “Bubble Wrap” prompt becomes “Bubble Rap,” blending rhyme, rhythm, and storytelling. From clunky drafts to performative verse, this piece explores cadence, creativity, and AI experimentation—ending with a pop, a punchline, and a lingering memory.
Ringing a Crank Phone Digitally
This relay module enables a Raspberry Pi or Arduino to ring a 1916 wall phone by safely switching an external AC signal to the bell. A transistor drives the relay, preserving isolation while bridging digital control with original electromechanical hardware.
Detecting a Phones Hand Crank
Building a crank detection module for a 1916 wall phone, this project uses an optocoupler to safely sense magneto activity while preserving original hardware. The design highlights protection, isolation, and modular expansion toward a fully functional hybrid…
Tourism Website Discussion vs Reality
Public comment highlights gaps between Warren County’s tourism website and reality, including broken pages, missing businesses, and lack of agritourism content. A review prompted by earlier discussions reveals inconsistencies in representation, execution, and…