Recent Articles

Life · Fri, March 8, 2024 at 3:16 AM

At 30, I made a big decision

I am middle-aged, changed my country and started over

In 2023, I decided to move from China to Japan. Initially considering Chengdu, where poor job prospects led me to reevaluate, I decided to self-study Japanese and move for better job opportunities. Despite Japan's economic challenges, I found its stability preferable to China's uncertain future. I plan to detail this journey and provide insights on my blog.

Development · Thu, January 18, 2024 at 3:00 AM

What is a neat blog (from tech view)

What makes a "good" blog from a code perspective?

blogging web development SEO RSS Open Graph serverless hosting

The operation "Firewood" manages numerous blog applications and evaluates both surface and backend functionality. Many blogs lack proper code regularity, causing issues in data crawling and processing. Essential aspects for a well-structured blog include correct RSS output, Open Graph info, sitemaps, comprehensive `<head>` data, HTTPS configuration, and mobile-friendliness. Despite these standards, good content remains paramount.

Life · Thu, December 7, 2023 at 3:16 AM

Middle-aged people trying to hold onto time

Memory is no longer fragmented, and from now on has continuity

memory preservation historical details personal perspective dream recording

The author has kept a daily diary for over 1,200 days, initially to combat the blurriness of repetitive routines and fading memories. The diary helps retain personal historical details, serving as an index for retrieving fragmented memories and even dreams. It enriches life by preserving daily experiences, preventing them from slipping away unnoticed. The author recommends diary-keeping to others.

Life · Sat, October 14, 2023 at 3:16 AM

From ADV to scooter, I don't want On The Road anymore

Go straight to the end, directly to the knight's final destination.

motorcycle scooter adventure Chengdu

I sold my 500cc ADV after a year for a more practical mid-sized scooter. Despite enjoying long trips to Zhaotong, Chongqing, and Sichuan, I lacked time for frequent rides. Riding in urban Chengdu was impractical due to banned motorcycle zones and high preparation time. The Kymco CT250 scooter suits city commutes and occasional trips, albeit with lesser performance and higher fuel consumption.

Life · Sun, September 3, 2023 at 3:00 AM

I went back to my hometown for a week and got infected with the new coronavirus

I can't start working with just a MacBook Air like other digital nomads. My work efficiency is linked to ergonomic chairs, standing desks, two monitors, mechanical keyboards, and Mac Studio.

remote work Xinjiang work environment COVID-19

Two weeks ago, I decided to work remotely from Xinjiang. However, I faced internet delays, extreme temperatures, and an uncomfortable workspace. COVID-19 further complicated things, leading to my first positive test. My sense of taste diminished, and I ultimately returned to Chengdu. This experience highlighted my dependency on ergonomic office setups, making digital nomadism impractical for me.

Life · Wed, August 2, 2023 at 3:09 AM

Not very romantic rural life

Maintaining a vegetable garden requires costs, especially time costs

rural life gardening vegetables flowers

Falling in love with a house with a balcony, the dream of a rural oasis in the city center quickly turned into a lesson in the challenges of a garden. Facing issues with soil quality and orientation, the gardening journey involved clearing land, composting, planting flowers, mulberries, and struggling with vegetables like potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, and chili peppers. Despite the effort, a realization of the time, water, and complexity involved in maintaining a garden led to a shift towards container gardening as a more practical and manageable choice.

Comment · Thu, July 20, 2023 at 2:25 AM

This site has completely cut ties with the mainland

The swampy public opinion environment has become so vile that it is not worth investing any time or effort

China Great Firewall

After migrating, the blogger disconnected his site from mainland China due to dissatisfaction with the Great Firewall's environment and frequent social media account bans. Initially, to improve access for mainland visitors, he filed for ICP and moved the site to Hong Kong. However, recent events and negative discourse led to canceling the filing and migrating to overseas hosts for better reliability.

Development · Wed, May 31, 2023 at 11:00 AM

Independent blog navigation site "Firewood" officially launched

Still believe in the power of words and the value of free thinking

content creators writing skills Node.js backend development

Firewood.news is an innovative standalone blog navigation site utilizing AI to categorize and summarize articles for easy access. The platform encourages long-form writing, aiming to provide exposure to meaningful content in a digital era that often lacks serious discussions. The developer's vision is to create a lasting impact akin to stacked wood from the Han Dynasty, prioritizing quality over mere traffic. Firewood seeks to support bloggers and foster a community that values thoughtful content and meaningful dialogue, emphasizing truth and authenticity over superficial engagement.

Development · Tue, May 30, 2023 at 10:00 AM

The Technical Architecture of Firewood

From design to backend, my first full stack project

independent blog Node.js Nest.js web development SvelteKit

Firewood is an innovative independent blog navigation site with automated data fetching and manual curation. The backend, built with Node.js and Nest.js, includes modules for article management and scheduled tasks. AI technology is used for content classification, and SvelteKit is chosen for frontend development. Deployment is done via Docker Compose and Cloudflare Pages, with an emphasis on performance optimization. Building Firewood has provided valuable insights and a deeper understanding of backend development processes.

Life · Sun, May 14, 2023 at 11:00 AM

I don't want to drive a manual transmission anymore

I admit that I used to be a bit biased towards manual transmission cars

driving skills road trip motorcycles

A C1D driver finds manual transmissions challenging and rewarding for connecting with a car but faces difficulties due to auto-transmission popularity. Describing the manual driving process, the article details starting on slopes, emphasizing coordination and control. Through experiences with motorcycles and challenging road trips, the driver concludes that manual cars are less fun and prefers motorcycles for power and excitement. Disillusioned with manual cars post-trip mishaps, they appreciate motorcycles for the freedom and enjoyment they provide, ultimately favoring them over cars for driving pleasure.

Life · Wed, April 19, 2023 at 7:00 AM

Slug War

I am at odds with the slug.

snails slugs mucus pest control

The author has developed a nightly habit of catching slugs in their garden using a headlamp. The garden, despite its appeal, hosts various critters including fruit flies, red spiders, and numerous gastropods like slugs and semi-slugs. Their goal is to exterminate these pests using methods such as salting, burning, or chopping, as they damage plant stems and leaves.

Development · Sat, February 18, 2023 at 1:00 AM

The Road of Switching the Blog Comment System

From Disqus to Remark42, from third-party to self-hosted

independent blog Disqus Commento Remark42 self-hosted platform open-source user control Markdown syntax

The author emphasizes the importance of a commenting feature for independent blogs, discussing various platforms. They started with Disqus, which had issues like intrusive ads and privacy concerns. Later, they tried Commento, which is privacy-focused but lacks updates. Finally, they recommend Remark42, an open-source, self-hosted platform that's easy to deploy and manages data effectively.

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