The blogroll listed on my website. https://home.hedy.dev/blogroll/ 2026-07-13T03:51:07.872Z BlogFlock Seirdy, erock, James' Coffee Blog, Sloum, Manuel Moreale RSS Feed, Protesilaos Stavrou: Master feed with all updates, Ploum.net, ~hedy, Baty.net https://baty.net/posts/2026/07/my-home-office-in-1995/ 2026-07-12T10:29:34.000Z

<p>I've been feeling the urge to redo my home office. There's no good reason for this other than that I'm bored and restless. The current layout works and is plenty fancy for who it's for. And yet, I keep rearranging furniture in my head.</p> <p>This morning I ran into a photo of my office in 1995. Look at this disaster of a desk.</p> <!-- more --> <figure> <img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260712-Home-office-1995.webp" alt="Black and white photo of my home office." /> <figcaption>My desk in 1995</figcaption> </figure> <p>Thing is, I did more and better work in all that chaos than I do today in my fancier, tidier, much more capable setup. This is because the desk has nothing to do with it. I loved what I was doing back then and everything else was tangential and irrelevant.</p> <p>The &quot;office&quot; was the dining room in my first, tiny old house. I mean, look at the wallpaper and heavy curtains. I sat in that terrible chair for many hours every day and never even noticed how uncomfortable and unsupportive it was. The &quot;desk&quot; was an antique wooden table.</p> <p>But, on that desk was a Power Mac 7200 (pretty sure) with Extended Keyboard II, which is still the best keyboard ever made. Couple that setup with a Wacom tablet and StyleWriter printer.</p> <p>I guy could change the world with that setup. This guy didn't, but I still felt like I was about to.</p> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: My%20home%20office%20in%201995">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-12-emacs-doric-themes-1-2-0/ 2026-07-12T00:00:00.000Z

<p>These are my minimalist themes. They use few colours and will appear mostly monochromatic in many contexts. Styles involve the careful use of typography, such as italics and bold italics.</p> <p>If you want maximalist themes in terms of colour, check my <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">ef-themes</code> package. For something in-between, which I would consider the best “default theme” for a text editor, opt for my <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">modus-themes</code>.</p> <ul> <li>Package name (GNU ELPA): <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">doric-themes</code></li> <li>Sample pictures: <a href="https://protesilaos.com/emacs/doric-themes-pictures">https://protesilaos.com/emacs/doric-themes-pictures</a></li> <li>Git repository: <a href="https://github.com/protesilaos/doric-themes">https://github.com/protesilaos/doric-themes</a></li> <li>Backronym: Doric Only Really Intensifies Conservatively … themes.</li> </ul> <p>Below are the release notes.</p> <hr /> <h2>Version 1.2.0 on 2026-07-12</h2> <h3>Two new themes</h3> <p><code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">doric-tiger</code> is a light theme, while <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">doric-lion</code> is dark. Both have warm colours.</p> <h3>Org agenda events are easier to spot</h3> <p>Events are entries which have an active timestamp but not a <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">SCHEDULED</code> or <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">DEADLINE</code> keyword associated with it. Those are now rendered in italics in addition to the faint foreground they already had (the faint foreground is there because an event is not as important as a</p> <h3>Support for <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">vc-dir-key-binding-hint-label</code> (Emacs 32)</h3> <p>This concerns a new option for VC Dir buffers to display their available key bindings. The face applies to the additional headings. They should now look like all the other headings in those buffers in the interest of stylistic consistency.</p> <h3>Some <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">package.el</code> faces stand out more</h3> <p>Those are present in the buffer that <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">M-x list-packages</code> produces. They concern certain status indicators and fit in better with the rest of the design.</p> <h3>The <code class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge">nobreak-space</code> face is now underlined</h3> <p>This is one way to make that character visible. It is useful to know that a space is not the regular space. For example, in French orthography we are expected to include non-breaking spaces between the quotes and the words like « Protesilaos ». Whether you actually follow that guideline is another discussion—I happily ignore it.</p> https://baty.net/journal/11Jul26/ 2026-07-11T12:33:28.000Z

<figure><img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260711-20090514-L1000990.webp" alt="Girl in red had walking near yellow centerline"><figcaption>Girl in red hat (2009)</figcaption></figure><p>I know that I'm in one of Those Moods™ when I open my RSS reader and mark every single item as read while saying things like, &quot;Boring&quot;, &quot;Stupid!&quot;, &quot;Shut up, already!&quot;, &quot;Useless&quot;, &quot;Oh Fuck off!&quot;.</p> <hr /> <p>I spent several hours yesterday updating and building on my &quot;Digital Print Archive&quot; concept. The idea is to keep my RAW files as a giant, long-term &quot;negative&quot; archive, while the edited keepers live separately as &quot;prints&quot;. Claude and I gathered all of the edited JPGs from the main library and created a consistent folder structure with them. I thought this would simplify things. Instead, I now have two giant, similar-but-different maintenance burdens instead of one. It may have been a mistake.</p> <hr /> <p>Today is our 7th wedding anniversary. I'm going to hang out with my beautiful wife by the lake, which will be the opposite of yesterday, and that's what I need.</p> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: Saturday%2C%20July%2011%2C%202026">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://protesilaos.com/poems/2026-07-11-window-to-olympos/ 2026-07-11T00:00:00.000Z

<div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>Open a window to sunbathed Olympos where three eagles guide mountaineers to the slopes of serenity Pause and marvel as the doves take flight from the ancient oak tree to reach the golden grapevines that bee-eaters now call home </code></pre></div></div> https://jamesg.blog/2026/07/11/winter 2026-07-11T00:00:00.000Z

<p>Speaking of trains, I tell a story of Winter to my friend, of the train that stopped in the village station on an evening so cold my fellow passengers and I could see our breaths. The local pub offered refuge to all those who wanted to sit in the warmth. I wanted to feel a bit more of the cold – to see my breath; to feel all the parts of me. Anxiety warms the cold, too.</p><p>Reflecting on the story of Winter, in the cold, there was nothing but warmth. My hands were likely almost immovable, frozen by the chilly air. Despite the cold, I was accompanied by the words of another friend, and the pub opened and in the darkness there was melody and community and story. We shared an experience.</p><p>I think of the Winter on my walks: of the peaceful paths on cold mornings where the sun doesn’t rise until later. I think of Winter while I yearn for a cup of tea on a day too warm to drink one. I think of Winter when I least expect it.</p><p>I am not much closer to the question I have sat with for months: Why does Winter stay with me in spring and summer days? Perhaps it is the contrast: between the cold and the warmth, and the journey we all go through with Nature every year, progressing through the seasons – our season(s). Or is there something else I am yet to see when I look inward and outward and inward again?</p><p>I love the chills and clear skies of Winter, but I wouldn’t want to miss Summer for the world. Winter and Summer are what they are because they exist together. Collectively, all seasons bring forth the colours of the year.</p><script>(function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'a1977d9fcc820864',t:'MTc4Mzc2OTU3OQ=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&amp;&amp;(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();</script> https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/zpagjcbq0ljbger1 2026-07-10T17:40:00.000Z

<p>With the 150th interview of People and Blogs now live, it’s officially time to downsize my online presence again. My digital life follows a somewhat regular rhythm and I alternate through phases of expansion, where I buy domain names, ship new projects, start newsletters, and chase a million ideas, and phases of contraction, where everything happens in reverse: domains are left to expire, projects are archived, newsletters are deleted, services are cancelled.</p> <p>And my recent <a href="https://manuelmoreale.com/thoughts/decoupling-from-the-web">decoupling from the web</a> was the beginning of one of these downsizing phases. The Dealgorithmed newsletter has been deleted; the domain is not going to be renewed, and it will expire later in the year. My From the Summit newsletter and my personal newsletter have been merged into a single new newsletter called “<a href="https://buttondown.com/manuelmoreale">Thoughts and Walks</a>”. If you were already subscribed to one of my newsletters, you can manage your preferences from the <a href="https://buttondown.com/portal">Buttondown’s Portal</a> and decide what type of content you want to receive. I'll write a more in depth post about my plans for the newsletter.</p> <p>The only project that has survived the cut—aside from this blog—is blogroll.org, and that is not going anywhere anytime soon because there are things I want to add to that site. But more on that at a later time. Decluttering is fun! It's a nice mental exercise to delete stuff and become lighter again.</p> <hr> <p>Thank you for keeping RSS alive. You're awesome.</p> <p><a href="mailto:hello@manuelmoreale.com">Connect via email</a> :: <a href="https://manuelmoreale.com/guestbook">Sign my guestbook</a> :: <a href="https://ko-fi.com/manuelmoreale">Support for 1$/month</a> :: https://jamesg.blog/2026/07/10/gardens 2026-07-10T00:00:00.000Z

<p>A pink symmetry on the peaceful pond catches my eye. “It’s a lotus!” I have made lotuses with paper before, but cannot remember the last time I saw one (have I noticed one before in the way I did today?). The vivid colours are striking: pink petals define the shape of the flower, with a yellow centre. “I can see why Monet painted lotuses and lily pads,” I said. Their beauty caught my eye at first sight. Around, there is a lotus emerging from green leaves. I wonder when it will bloom.</p><figure><picture><img alt="A pink lotus next two a large lily pad and surrounded by several smaller ones. There is a blooming lotus in the bottom left corner too." loading="lazy" src="https://editor.jamesg.blog/content/images/2026/07/IMG_4919-2-Large.jpeg" style=" max-width: 130%;"/></picture><div class="alt"><label><input aria-label="Toggle image alt text on screen" type="checkbox"/>ALT</label><div class="content">A pink lotus next two a large lily pad and surrounded by several smaller ones. There is a blooming lotus in the bottom left corner too.</div></div></figure><p>⁂</p><p>With petals made of air, petals of delicate white, and a beautiful symmetry, I am mesmerised by another flower. The botanic gardens are full of colours – of flowers I have never noticed to the extent I have today.</p><p>“Cornflower,” reads the plaque. I search for the name when I get home, too. Perhaps next time I see one of these flowers I will be able to recall them by name, and, when I do, I might think about the story of when I first noticed one: while surrounded by colour in the botanic garden, petals, symmetrical as a snowflake, stood out.</p><figure><picture><img alt="A white cornflower is in the centre of the image, surrounded by blooming blue cornflowers. The white cornflower has several white flowers that stem from its pink centre. There are gaps between each flower that look like petals." loading="lazy" src="https://editor.jamesg.blog/content/images/2026/07/IMG_4925-2-Large.jpeg" style=" max-width: 130%;"/></picture><div class="alt"><label><input aria-label="Toggle image alt text on screen" type="checkbox"/>ALT</label><div class="content">A white cornflower is in the centre of the image, surrounded by blooming blue cornflowers. The white cornflower has several white flowers that stem from its pink centre. There are gaps between each flower that look like petals.</div></div></figure><script>(function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'a191eca919dda924',t:'MTc4MzcxMTIxMg=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&amp;&amp;(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();</script> https://protesilaos.com/interpretations/2026-07-10-maheritsas-years-breath/ 2026-07-10T00:00:00.000Z

<p>For the present entry, I am picking a piece from the works of Lavrentis Maheritsas. Lavrentis was at his peak before modern audiovisual technology became the norm, which means that it is hard to find any of his songs rendered in high quality output.</p> <p>Compounding the problem, there are no excellent covers either, perhaps because contemporary singers recognise that they cannot produce a performance that will stand as an equal to the original material.</p> <p>At any rate, here is the man in a solo live performance at some closed space <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpdoQ3VDzVU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpdoQ3VDzVU</a> and here is an alternative done for national television <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqU8UMWgg08">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqU8UMWgg08</a>.</p> <p>The lyrics are below, followed by my faithful translation of them, and further comments on what this song is about.</p> <div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>Τόσα χρόνια μιαν ανάσα Ερμηνεία: Λαυρέντης Μαχαιρίτσας Στίχοι: Λίνα Δημοπούλου Μουσική: Λαυρέντης Μαχαιρίτσας Ανάβω ένα τσιγάρο απ'τα απαγορευμένα Πάντα το σκασιαρχείο αγαπούσα πιο πολύ Ανάβω κι άλλο ένα τσιγάρο Στη δουλειά και στο σχολείο στης αγάπης την αρένα μια απόδραση ζητούσα και μια άτακτη φυγή ώσπου φάνηκες εσύ Πήραν φόρα οι μελωδίες και του έρωτα οι χημείες και γεννήθηκαν τραγούδια κι ένα όμορφο παιδί ούτε το'χα φανταστεί Είναι τώρα που μετράμε κάπου δυο δεκαετίες και κανένας πια δε θέλει να το σκάσει από κει φτάνει δίπλα να είσαι εσύ Σε μιαν ανάσα τόσα χρόνια τα χωράω Τα φιλιά σου κι όσες γράψαν μουσικές Σε μιαν ανάσα Σε μιαν ανάσα Ότι έγινα σε σένα το χρωστάω Το χρωστάω κι ο δειλός δε το ξεστόμισα ποτέ Κι αν καμιά φορά με πιάνουν κάτι ανόητες μανίες και τα κάνω άνω κάτω και τραβάω το σκοινί του σκορπιού μου το κεντρί Βγάζω, μάτια μου, ισόβια σε κρυμμένες μου φοβίες μην ξυπνήσω κάποια μέρα κι έχεις εξαφανιστεί Μια ζωή χωρίς ζωή </code></pre></div></div> <div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>All these years a single breath Singer: Lavrentis Maheritsas Lyrics: Lina Demopoulou Music: Lavrentis Maheritsas I light a cigerette of the forbidden ones Always the escapade I loved the most I light another cigarette At work and at school at love's arena an escape I sought and a disorderly flight until you showed up The melodies took pace and love's chemistries and songs were born and a beautiful child I had not even imagined it It is now that we count about two decades and nobody wants anymore to escape from it provided you are there In a single breath all these years I fit Your kisses and all the music they wrote In a breath In a breath All I became to you I owe I owe and the coward never uttered as much And if sometimes I am gripped by mindless manias and turn things upside down and go to extremes the sting of my scorpion I spend, my eyes, a life sentence in my hidden phobias not to wake up one day and you are gone A life without life </code></pre></div></div> <p>Beyond the obvious elements of romance and love, this song is about how we thrive within constraints. Every agent of action needs structure in their life in order to retain their vitality.</p> <p>The impression of complete openendedness leads to ruin because human has the propensity for hubris. It is an innate frailty of our character: to overdo it, to go beyond the confines of what is sustainable. We never have enough.</p> <p>Whether some phenomenon is benign or detrimental to us is a matter of degree. Nothing is an absolute blessing or curse. Even water, the essence of our life, will poison us if we drink too much of it too quickly.</p> <p>There must always be boundaries to prevent us from going too far. They put a limit on our otherwise insatiable wants. In doing so, they empower us to channel our limited energy to what we can do well, thus bringing worth our best version.</p> <p>Relationships, habits, responsibilities, and rules form a nexus of forces that keep the individual present in their presence. A sense of belonging, duty, commitment, or purpose is essential. It is what anchors the person in their milieu by holding them accountable to a certain standard, while rewarding them accordingly.</p> <p>A person who lacks structure is, as the song correctly describes, always keen on escaping from whatever their immediate reality is. They will even flee from their own works, for those require further maintenance or shall create some longer-term responsibility, i.e. a form of structure.</p> <p>As such, a person without any structure in their life is one who does not reach their potential. They feel a void within them and experience the attendant powerlessness. Their very agency is the cause of their angst.</p> <p>In the song, the structure comes from the “you” who is the spouse of the poetic first person. It is the person who sets the “I” in order, giving our protagonist the impetus they need to become creative.</p> <p>The structure is not necessarily external to the person. It can come from within. That is discipline: to define, implement, and continuously enforce one’s own rules for every facet of their life. To the disciplined person, these rules are not negotiable: they are sacrosanct for as long as reasonableness demands.</p> <p>In practice, there will be internal and external sources. Even the most disciplined person benefits from having commitments: projects of some kind or relationships that demand attention and require upkeep.</p> <p>Remember that hubris is latent in everything we do. This includes the aforementioned structure. There may come a time, for example, when the person will need to revise the precepts that their discipline safeguards or to terminate relationships that are becoming toxic.</p> <p>Whatever the case, there is no shame in recognising what kind of person one is. Those who lack discipline must muster the courage to admit as much and then try to find structure through social arrangements: family, friends, tribe, club, religion… The modalities do not matter.</p> https://manuelmoreale.com/@/page/efmcl3j5dpq0ibyk 2026-07-09T11:10:00.000Z

<p>I was down in <a href="https://sextonplugged.it/">Sesto</a> a few days ago for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparat_(musician)">Apparat</a>’s concert. The new album is great, attending the event with family and a few friends was a very enjoyable experience, and the atmosphere was very blue!</p> <figure class="media-container" data-template="with"><div class="media-content"><img class="media-img" loading="lazy" src="https://manuelmoreale.com/media/pages/thoughts/a-moment-with-blue-and-orange/5a7b62dc27-1783595284/blue.jpg" style="aspect-ratio:1500 / 2000"></div><figcaption>That orange iPhone was quite something!</figcaption></figure> <hr> <p>Thank you for keeping RSS alive. You're awesome.</p> <p><a href="mailto:hello@manuelmoreale.com">Connect via email</a> :: <a href="https://manuelmoreale.com/guestbook">Sign my guestbook</a> :: <a href="https://ko-fi.com/manuelmoreale">Support for 1$/month</a> :: https://baty.net/posts/2026/07/roll-026-2026-rolleiflex-2-8d/ 2026-07-09T10:11:11.000Z

<figure><img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260709-2026-Roll-026_01.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Gail and Carol (feat. Fred)</figcaption></figure><p>My in-laws were in town for the weekend.</p> <!-- more --> <p>I like carrying the &quot;little&quot; Rolleiflex. It's small enough and handles well. People stare when I'm using it, though.</p> <figure> <img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260709-2026-Roll-026_06.jpg" alt="" /> <figcaption>Fred pretending not to know I was taking his photo</figcaption> </figure> <figure> <img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260709-2026-Roll-026_07.jpg" alt="" /> <figcaption>Alice on the deck</figcaption> </figure> <figure> <img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260709-2026-Roll-026_08.jpg" alt="" /> <figcaption>Alice and Gail posing</figcaption> </figure> <figure> <img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260709-2026-Roll-026_12.jpg" alt="" /> <figcaption>Smooches</figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: Roll%20026%20(2026)%20-%20Rolleiflex%202.8D">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-09-emacs-live-linkarzu-org-basics/ 2026-07-09T00:00:00.000Z

<p>This Sunday I am meeting again with Christian Arzu from the @linkarzu YouTube channel. We will look into the basics of Org mode. How to use it to write documents and organise your life.</p> <p>Our previous meeting about getting started with Emacs is here: <a href="https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-05-emacs-live-with-linkarzu/">https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-05-emacs-live-with-linkarzu/</a>.</p> https://jamesg.blog/2026/07/09/75-reasons-to-start-a-personal-website 2026-07-09T00:00:00.000Z

<p>I love having a personal website. Here, I share reflections, stories, thoughts, ideas, and more. Because I have a website, I always have the idea in the back of my mind that there is a place for my writing. I can write a story and share it with friends, and even the world. What I write might not be perfect, but it is mine. This is my home for my creative works.</p><p>Earlier today, I read <a href="https://kaia.starscene.com/indexnew.html">Kaia</a> make an argument for having a personal website that really struck a chord with me:</p><blockquote>so this manifesto isnt overly long to just go tell you to make a site in defiance of social media or anything like that (although thats a valid reason). i want to encourage you to be creative</blockquote><p>I love the idea of defining websites in terms of what they can do, rather than in opposition to what exists. This got me thinking: maybe I should make a list of reasons why someone might want to start a personal website? And so I went to my whiteboard and started jotting down ideas. Before I knew it I had 10, 20, 30 reasons why someone may want to start a personal website.</p><p>This post exists in large part because someone half-way across the world wrote a blog post and a friend shared it in a community I’m in. I think this illustrates the potential of the web: we can advance and build on each other’s ideas.</p><p>With that in mind, here are 75 reasons why you might want to start a personal website. There are likely many more, but here are the ones that came to mind for me.</p><ol><li>Your site can be a creative playground for whatever kind of art you do, or want to do. Want to write? Start writing a few things down and see if blogging is right for you. Love design? Draw your dream site on paper and see if you can make it on the web.</li><li>With your website, you can showcase what you are proud of: essays, poetry, illustrations, music, recipes – anything you have made, you can share it on your website.</li><li>What you share on your website – whether it’s a personal reflection, a set of instructions on how to do something, or something else entirely – might help someone.</li><li>What you share on your website might inspire someone (like Kaia did for me!).</li><li>Once you have a site, there are so many skills you can learn if you are interested: web design, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, information architecture, and more. I am still learning new things about all of these areas despite this website now being six years old.</li><li>The skills you learn while making a website will last you a life-time. Even if you stop making web pages, what you learn about layout, design, and whatever you decide to do with your site can stick with you.</li><li>You can participate in a community of people who have personal websites. The <a href="https://32bit.cafe/" rel="noreferrer">32-Bit Cafe</a>, the <a href="https://indieweb.org" rel="noreferrer">IndieWeb</a>, the <a href="https://forum.melonland.net/" rel="noreferrer">MelonLand Forum</a>, <a href="https://bearblog.dev/discover" rel="noreferrer">Bear Blog</a>, <a href="https://omg.lol" rel="noreferrer">omg.lol</a>, <a href="https://neocities.org" rel="noreferrer">Neocities</a>, and so many other spaces exist for people who have personal websites to connect. Indeed, you’re not alone: there are countless people out there making websites.</li><li>You can participate in a blogging carnival if writing is your thing. This is when a rotating host chooses a topic and everyone interested writes about it on their website. The IndieWeb Carnival is a good place to start, but there have been carnivals on everything from books to mathematics. And you could even start your own, too.</li><li>On your website, you control the design. You can make your site look the way you want! You can experiment with different typefaces, imagery, and more.</li><li>On your site, you control the layout. You can present and arrange things however you want!</li><li>You can use whatever colours you want on your website.</li><li>You can experiment with animation on your website.</li><li>You can write as much or as little as you would like – indeed, you can do what you want on your website! There are no character limits, and you can control how your writing is displayed. I have designed my site for reading my words, for example, because I love sharing words on the web.</li><li>When you have a website, you have a space you know you can go to create and share what you have made with the world.</li><li>You can share your website with friends so they can catch up on what is new in your world.</li><li>You have more control over your website than you do on social media. And if you choose a tool for hosting a website that supports data export (or if you decide to make your own website by hand with code), you will be able to export your data from your website at any time. You own your data.</li><li>You can create on your own terms. You don’t have to be surrounded by algorithms on your website.</li><li>The indie web community knows that <a href="https://indieweb.org/life_happens">life happens</a>. You can let your website sit for a while if you want or need to, and come back to it whenever you are ready.</li><li>By having a website, you can be the change you want to see in the web.</li><li>You can start conversations about topics that interest you.</li><li>You can participate in conversations others have started.</li><li>You can help build the personal website community. There are already meet-ups happening all around the world for people who make websites (there is even a <a href="https://2026.html.energy/">HTML Day</a> which, in 2026, will have events in everywhere from Cologne to Dallas to Saskatoon to Kuala Lumpur).</li><li>The skills you build making a personal website may be useful for making other kinds of websites (i.e. a site that advocates for a cause you care about).</li><li>As you create on your website, you will build an archive of your work. Over time, you’ll be able to look back and see yourself grow.</li><li>Over time, you can change the design of your website so that it fits you as you grow.</li><li>You can blog with friends!</li><li>You can make web pages about all of your interests: music, film, books, games.</li><li>You can share moments that bring you joy.</li><li>You can connect with other people who share similar interests. You might even make friends, too.</li><li>You can be as playful as you want on your website. Your website could have a whimsical design, be a place where you share things that made you laugh, have a fun mascot – whatever you want.</li><li>You can see what is possible with the web.</li><li>You become part of the history of the web: you’ll join the community of people who have made personal websites to express themselves online.</li><li>You can post into the void if you would like (either anonymously, or on your own website).</li><li>You can create a professional presence on the web if that interests you (i.e. you can create a portfolio on your website, and/or share your resume).</li><li>You might meet people with whom you can start a group blog.</li><li>You can experiment with a different way of interacting with technology, one where you have more control and there is less pressure to create in a certain way.</li><li>Your website can do whatever you want it to do. Your website can be what you want it to be. Want your website to be closed on Mondays? You can do that. Want to add a guestbook so people who have seen your website can leave you a note? You can do that, too. You can do things your own way on the web.</li><li>You can curate lists of all the interesting things you have found on the web and share them.</li><li>You can ask questions in blog posts without knowing the answers; maybe you’ll start a discussion.</li><li>Your website never has to be finished: you can build and add to it whenever you have time, whether that means every day, every month, or every year.</li><li>Over time, you will build an archive of pages and works that you can consult as you create new things.</li><li>Whenever someone asks how to connect with you, you can share your personal website!</li><li>You can advocate for civic causes on your personal website.</li><li>You can build a presence on the web that can outlast social networks, so long as you keep your site online.</li><li>You can build a home on the web.</li><li>As you explore the web, you might start to ask yourself “how did they make that?” when you see a cool feature on a website.</li><li>When you have a website, you might start to realise you want technology to be a different way, and have experience to help you articulate how you want things to be.</li><li>You can start a digital garden to organise your thoughts on topics that interest you.</li><li>The potential of personal websites is so great that there are plenty of opportunities to make new things. What people have made before can serve as an example, but as a website owner you get to choose what you make. You can be as creative as you want to be on your website.</li><li>You can keep all of your creative works – drawings, poems, videos, stories – in a single place.</li><li>You can create a single page that links out to other places people can find you on the web.</li><li>As you experiment on your website, you might find you really like doing something (i.e. using a specific design technique, writing in a certain way) and feel inspired to create more.</li><li>You can show to all of your friends that the web can be a different way.</li><li>You can experiment with your creative process.</li><li>You can write guides on how to do things so that: (i) future you remembers how to do the thing, and; (ii) so that others can learn from you. I especially love doing this when there is no guide on the web on how to do something, or if the existing guides are too complex.</li><li>You can create as many placeholders as you want while you think about what you want to make; your site doesn’t need to be polished from day one.</li><li>You can publish photographs in their full quality without having to think about how they fit into a standard grid.</li><li>You can decide how to organise all of your creative works. What about creating a web page that contains a story you wrote, with an accompanying soundtrack you made? That’s possible with the web!</li><li>You can make a web page with lots of useful links you have found so that you can access those links across different devices, and so that your friends can see them, too.</li><li>You can create URLs (links) to all the ideas you are passionate about so other people can reference them in their works, and so that you can easily find your ideas, too.</li><li>You can share reading lists for subjects you are interested in.</li><li>Over time, you will learn that you don’t need to be a technical expert to build a website: the web is for everyone.</li><li>Your website will be accessible from wherever someone has an internet connection. People will not need to have an account with a proprietary service to see your creative works. (If you post on Instagram, I can’t see it because I don’t use Instagram. But if you share your creativity on the web, I can see it because it’s on the web!)</li><li>You can brainstorm new ideas for your personal website with your friends; making websites can be a personal creative act, but also a collaborative one, too.</li><li>You can make as many or as few pages as you want: the only limits are your imagination.</li><li>You can share your creativity with the web without worrying about pop up banners that a platform adds.</li><li>You can share your website with as many or as few people as you would like.</li><li>You can take pride in building something that you use.</li><li>Your website might inspire someone else to make their own website.</li><li>The web is more fun when everyone is doing their own thing.</li><li>You can create for the sake of creating, and/or because you want to make things to share with friends. You don’t need to have another reason to put something on the web.</li><li>The web is open and free and decentralised. By publishing on the web, you can demonstrate the power of these values.</li><li>You can be yourself.</li><li>Making websites is fun!</li></ol><p>Wait… that’s only 74 reasons? Yes, I have a habit of cutting myself short in these lists. If you have a personal website, I encourage you to reflect on, and, if you would like, share, the reason(s) that you think someone should start a personal website. You may already have written about this before, but I think the web is special enough that it is worth us continually asking ourselves what potential this medium has for both ourselves and others.</p><p>Need even more reasons? The <a href="https://indieweb.org/why" rel="noreferrer">IndieWeb wiki has been gathering reasons to start a website</a> for a while, too.</p><p>The web isn’t perfect: some things are still hard to do. And the web community hasn't worked everything out yet: not everyone wants to post in public, but yet publishing privately or to only a group of friends on the web is hard. </p><p>Starting a website isn’t for everyone, either: you might not want to start a website, and that is okay, too. Readers make up the web just as much as those who publish. It’s better to enjoy reading the web than to feel pressured into starting a website when you’re not ready.</p><p>With that said, I hope the list above has inspired you in some way. If you already have a personal website, you might have come away with a new perspective. If you were thinking about starting one, you might have seen a reason to start one that resonates with you. If a friend sent you this to encourage you to start a website, maybe now you see why they talk so much about websites.</p><p>You don’t need to know how to code to make a website: tools like <a href="https://omg.lol/">omg.lol</a>, <a href="https://bearblog.dev/">Bear Blog</a>, and more all exist to help you start a website. That is to say, don’t be deterred because you think you need to have technical skills to make a website. The web is for everyone. I love the web because it is for everyone.</p><p>Do you feel motivated to start a website now? Great! If you need guidance on where to begin, I have a page with some links that relate to <a href="https://jamesg.blog/make-a-website">making your own website</a>. Need inspiration on what to make? I have a list of <a href="https://jamesg.blog/2024/02/19/personal-website-ideas">100 things to do on your personal website</a>, and a list of <a href="https://jamesg.blog/2024/03/10/100-more-personal-website-ideas">100 more ideas</a>, too.</p><p>Now, go create something on the web! Have fun, be yourself, and experiment. Maybe you’ll turn around six years from now and look back thinking how glad you were to start a website, just as I am now.</p> <!--kg-card-begin: html--> <p><a class="u-syndication" href="https://news.indieweb.org/en">Also posted on IndieNews</a>.</p> <!--kg-card-end: html--><script>(function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'a18663f57cabf09d',t:'MTc4MzU5MDI3MA=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&amp;&amp;(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();</script> <a class="tag" href="https://2026.html.energy/">HTML Day</a> <a class="tag" href="https://32bit.cafe/">32-Bit Cafe</a> <a class="tag" href="https://bearblog.dev/">Bear Blog</a> <a class="tag" href="https://bearblog.dev/discover">Bear Blog</a> <a class="tag" href="https://forum.melonland.net/">MelonLand Forum</a> <a class="tag" href="https://indieweb.org/life_happens">life happens</a> <a class="tag" href="https://indieweb.org/why">IndieWeb wiki has been gathering reasons to start a website</a> <a class="tag" href="https://jamesg.blog/2024/02/19/personal-website-ideas">100 things to do on your personal website</a> <a class="tag" href="https://jamesg.blog/2024/03/10/100-more-personal-website-ideas">100 more ideas</a> <a class="tag" href="https://jamesg.blog/make-a-website">making your own website</a> <a class="tag" href="https://kaia.starscene.com/indexnew.html">Kaia</a> <a class="tag" href="https://neocities.org">Neocities</a> <a class="tag" href="https://news.indieweb.org/en">Also posted on IndieNews</a> <a class="tag" href="https://omg.lol">omg.lol</a> <a class="tag" href="https://omg.lol/">omg.lol</a> https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-08-emacs-global-keybinding-overrides/ 2026-07-08T00:00:00.000Z

<p>In this video I demonstrate how to define key bindings that have a global overriding effect so that major modes cannot change them. This is important if you want to redefine keys that are not meant to be configured by the user.</p> <p>Below is the code I showed in the video:</p> <div class="language-elisp highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code><span class="p">(</span><span class="k">setq</span> <span class="nv">custom-file</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">locate-user-emacs-file</span> <span class="s">"custom.el"</span><span class="p">))</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nb">load</span> <span class="nv">custom-file</span> <span class="no">t</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">load-theme</span> <span class="ss">'modus-operandi-tinted</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nb">use-package</span> <span class="nv">keycast</span> <span class="ss">:ensure</span> <span class="no">t</span> <span class="ss">:config</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">keycast-mode-line-mode</span> <span class="mi">1</span><span class="p">))</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">set-face-attribute</span> <span class="ss">'default</span> <span class="no">nil</span> <span class="ss">:height</span> <span class="mi">180</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="c1">;; Your only safe keys are documented here:</span> <span class="c1">;; (info "(elisp) Key Binding Conventions")</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">define-key</span> <span class="nv">global-map</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">kbd</span> <span class="s">"M-o"</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="ss">'other-window</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="c1">;; (define-key MAP KEY nil)</span> <span class="c1">;; There is also `defvar-keymap'...</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nb">defvar</span> <span class="nv">prot-overrides-mode-map</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">make-sparse-keymap</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="s">"Keymap for the `prot-overrides-mode'."</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">define-minor-mode</span> <span class="nv">prot-overrides-mode</span> <span class="s">"Activate the `prot-overrides-mode-map'."</span> <span class="ss">:global</span> <span class="no">t</span> <span class="ss">:init-value</span> <span class="no">nil</span> <span class="ss">:keymap</span> <span class="nv">prot-overrides-mode-map</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">define-key</span> <span class="nv">prot-overrides-mode-map</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">kbd</span> <span class="s">"M-o"</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="ss">'other-window</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">define-key</span> <span class="nv">prot-overrides-mode-map</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">kbd</span> <span class="s">"C-&lt;return&gt;"</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="ss">'find-file</span><span class="p">)</span> <span class="p">(</span><span class="nv">prot-overrides-mode</span> <span class="mi">1</span><span class="p">)</span> </code></pre></div></div> https://baty.net/notes/2026/07/do-i-prefer-linux-now/ 2026-07-07T12:55:00.000Z

<p>It's the weirdest thing. I needed to do something using macOS yesterday and the whole time I just wanted to get back to my Linux desktop. This isn't the first time I felt this way, but it happened sooner and the feeling was stronger this time.</p> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: Do%20I%20prefer%20Linux%20now%3F">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://baty.net/journal/07Jul26/ 2026-07-07T11:20:06.000Z

<figure><img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260707-Roll-024_08.webp" alt="Building mostly covered in vines"><figcaption>Vines. Grand Haven, MI (2026) - Nikon F100 / Kodak ColorPlus 200</figcaption></figure><div class="compact status"> <ul> <li><strong>STATUS</strong>: Recovering from too much socializing</li> <li><strong>TODO</strong>: Mow lawns (Mine and my stepdaughters)</li> <li><strong>READING</strong>: <a href="https://emacs101.github.io/howm.html">Howm tutorial</a></li> <li><strong>LISTENING</strong>: Wet Leg, &quot;Moisturizer&quot;</li> </ul> </div> <hr /> <p>The in-laws fly out this afternoon. We had fun, but I'm exhausted from socializing. I'm not suited to &quot;doing things&quot; with people for more than a couple hours at a time for more than a day at a time.</p> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: Tuesday%2C%20July%207%2C%202026">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://jamesg.blog/2026/07/07/www-9 2026-07-07T00:00:00.000Z

<p><a href="https://web-weaving.jamesg.blog/9" rel="noreferrer">The ninth episode of Wonders of Web Weaving is out</a>:</p><blockquote>In Episode 9, I chat with Rachel, the author of <a href="https://kwon.nyc">kwon.nyc</a> and curator of "<a href="https://projects.kwon.nyc/internet-is-fun/">The internet used to be* fun *(It still is, but it used to be, too)</a>". We talk about, among other things, metaphors for the web, creative mediums on the web, physical creative spaces, and more.</blockquote><p>I hope you enjoy the episode!</p><p><a href="https://web-weaving.jamesg.blog/subscribe/" rel="noreferrer"><em>Wonders of Web Weaving also has an RSS feed</em></a><em> you can use to follow along from wherever you get your podcasts.</em></p><script>(function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'a177ebca7c208b9c',t:'MTc4MzQzODU0Nw=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&amp;&amp;(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();</script> <a class="tag" href="https://kwon.nyc">kwon.nyc</a> <a class="tag" href="https://projects.kwon.nyc/internet-is-fun/">The internet used to be* fun *(It still is, but it used to be, too)</a> <a class="tag" href="https://web-weaving.jamesg.blog/9">The ninth episode of Wonders of Web Weaving is out</a> <a class="tag" href="https://web-weaving.jamesg.blog/subscribe/">Wonders of Web Weaving also has an RSS feed</a> https://protesilaos.com/interpretations/2026-07-07-pozavli-got-on-new-boat/ 2026-07-07T00:00:00.000Z

<p>For the present entry I have picked this wonderful rendition of a traditional song: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_TywytZvdw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_TywytZvdw</a>. It is nominally about fishers at sea and thus pertinent to everyday life in many parts of Greece. The livelihood of plenty of locals is connected to the sea in some capacity, while others still are enthusiastic hobbyist mariners.</p> <p>Before I elaborate on the substantive point of this song, I note how the challenge with traditional Greek music is to find a video with high image and audio quality. Usually you get some otherwise excellent performance whose recording leaves much to be desired.</p> <p>Below are the lyrics, my translation of them, and further comments.</p> <div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>Σε καινούρια βάρκα μπήκα Ερμηνεία: Ποζαύλη Στίχοι: Παραδοσιακό Μουσική: Παραδοσιακό Σε καινούρια βάρκα μπήκα και στον Αϊ Γιώργη βγήκα Είδα ναύτες παλληκάρια που ψαρεύανε τα ψάρια Έχετε ψαράδες ψάρια αστακούς και καλαμάρια Έχουμε δε τα πουλάμε με τους φίλους θα τα φάμε </code></pre></div></div> <div class="language-plaintext highlighter-rouge"><div class="highlight"><pre class="highlight"><code>I got on a new boat Singer: Pozavli Lyrics: Traditional Music: Traditional I got on a new boat and to Saint George I went I saw bold sailors who were fishing the fish Do you fishers have fish lobsters and squids We have but are not selling we will eat them with our friends </code></pre></div></div> <p>This being a traditional song it embodies the ancient value of friendship in particular and community in general. The Greek tradition puts the collective above the individual, even though it still expects from the latter to be virtuous. Its collectivism tends to ameliorate structural inequalities as it does not encourage the individual to pursue enrichment or glory at the expense of others.</p> <p>There is no equality, strictly speaking, as the innate differences in talent and potential are not subject to human institution. Though all members of the community are alike: they share the same living conditions. The culture promotes an ethos of loyalty to the community, which is expressed through the act of giving or sharing as well as reusing what is available.</p> <p>Getting a new boat typically is a waste of resources in this regard. Why do it when (i) at least one of your friends or neighbours has a boat and (ii) they are eager to share it with you through some joint endeavour that reinforces your bonds? I experienced this myself. I did not have any property yet still went on a boat countless times. We would travel around and even go on multi-day sailing adventures. The only thing I could bring to the table was myself. No food, no money, nothing. My company was enough.</p> <p>And this is not limited to boats. As kids we had the same with footballs, for example. One of the better-off boys in the neighbourhood had a ball, but he could not join us at all times because he was studying (yikes!). We would knock on his door and his mother would just hand us the ball while reminding us that her son would meet us later.</p> <p>As such, the person with the new boat can be a symbol of arrogance. This is the kind of fellow who turned individualistic. Perhaps they are highly capable and this quality of theirs is inflating their ego because of the results it yields. Maybe their new boat is the fanciest one around and perhaps they now believe that they can buy anything they want. Money can buy happiness, they claim, as it is the conduit to experiences, though it does not buy you friends. Those who are around because of your money are neither friendly nor genuine: they will abandon you if they find a better opportunity elsewhere.</p> <p>The fishers are not selling their fish because they are not thinking in terms of profit margins. They do not submit to the authority of the balance sheet nor are they playing what effectively is the sociopathic game of prevailing over others. For them the highest value is not of a monetary kind. It pertains to the beauty of spending time with your community: the tribe that accepts you for who you are; the tribe that knows you well and, therefore, does not tolerate your pretentiousness.</p> <p>In the individualist world, nobody will congratulate you for being with your friends and for appreciating the little things in life like nature at-large. This is not a winning strategy if you care about the rat race of personal enrichment and the attendant high social status.</p> <p>The community is all about trust, cooperation, and the containment of the self. It effectively runs counter to the idea of upward social mobility, of sacrificing everything in pursuit of prestige and of pretending to be better than everybody else if you do achieve some individualistic goal. It also does not reward the entitled “me, me, me” propensities. Those who do make some kind of progress are expected to share what they got instead of acting like they are special: to eat the fish with their friends, as it were.</p> https://baty.net/journal/06Jul26/ 2026-07-06T14:52:21.000Z

<figure><img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260706-bench.webp" alt="Colorful bench"><figcaption>Bench, Saugatuck, MI - Nikon F100 / Kodak ColorPlus 200</figcaption></figure><p>Spent hours this morning trying new ways to deal with film scans on Linux. It involved Vuescan, Darktable, and a lot of cursing. I'm making progress, though, and I don't hate the results as much now.</p> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: Monday%2C%20July%206%2C%202026">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://baty.net/journal/05Jul26/ 2026-07-05T11:25:22.000Z

<figure><img src="https://baty.net/img/2026/20260705-olympia.webp" alt="Black and white photo of Olympia SM3 typewriter"><figcaption>Olympia SM3 (2016) - Graflex 4x5 Crown Graphic</figcaption></figure><div class="compact status"> <ul> <li><strong>STATUS</strong>: You're not going to believe what I did this morning</li> <li><strong>TODO</strong>: Stop doing the thing I did this morning</li> <li><strong>READING</strong>: &quot;Validation&quot;, by Caroline Fleck, PhD</li> <li><strong>LISTENING</strong>: Styx, Crystal Ball</li> </ul> </div> <hr /> <p>Ok, so here's what happened...</p> <p>...never mind, just know that I've moved the blog back into Eleventy from Ghost. It lasted a month this time. Felt longer.</p> <p><a href="mailto:jack@baty.net?subject=[Baty.net] Re: Sunday%2C%20July%205%2C%202026">✍️ Reply by email</a></p> https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-05-emacs-live-with-linkarzu/ 2026-07-05T00:00:00.000Z

<p>[ The video will be recorded. ]</p> <p>I will do a live stream together with Christian Arzu, a NeoVim user, who is now trying out Emacs. In this meeting we will go over the basics. The idea is that I will do some handholding at this early stage to set Christian up with a basic configuration. We will also take any comments from the chat.</p> <p>For some background, read my comments on an article that Christian posted the other day about his expectations: <a href="https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-04-emacs-for-beginners-with-linkarzu/">https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2026-07-04-emacs-for-beginners-with-linkarzu/</a>. My article also includes commentary on some of the feedback Christian gets for his premium offerings.</p>