Running Scheduled Data Collection with Synology and Docker

February 11, 2021

I've used my Synology NAS for some time now - about two years and counting, and it's been a great tool to backup information locally (e.g. from my phones or shared computers). Then, I got to thinking - it's pretty much a mini-computer. It has a quad-core 1.4Ghz CPU, a whopping 2GB RAM, and _plenty_ of storage. I can do more with it than just use it for occasional data dumps. That is - I could use it for frequent data dumps.

Using Nikon D3100 As Webcam

February 4, 2021

Back in 2010, Nikon built a nice 14.2MP entry-level DSLR camera - the D3100, which I was using for some time now. It's a nice camera, and for 99.9% of cases it works perfectly well. It takes nice shots, supports interchangeable lenses, can film decent quality (by that I mean 1080p) video, and has some extensibility points.

Launching Windows Store Apps On Stream Deck

January 21, 2021

I just recently got a Stream Deck - it's a wonderful tool to automate some of the more boring (read: routine) tasks. Literally with a click of a button I can kick off a bunch of automation. Apparently it can do everything _but_ launch Windows Store applications.

Hosting Your Own Notes On Synology NAS With Docker

January 19, 2021

As I was fiddling with some automation scenarios at home, I thought of putting the Synology Network Attached Storage (NAS) to good use. That is, in addition to all the photo backup stuff it's already doing. At the end of last year, I wrote a blog post about building a simple system to maintain evergreen notes, based on Hugo, Docker, and, well, that's it - there are only Markdown files in the mix. Evergreen notes in this context are nothing other than a personal Wikipedia of sorts.

Automatically Finding A Short Twitter Username

December 30, 2020

I had a chat with a friend the other day, and he mentioned off-hand that in his life there is a very unique problem - lack of a short username for their Twitter account. Seems like everything good is already taken, which makes sense considering that Twitter itself is 14 years old. You can bet that in 14 years, a lot of people did get very creative with usernames.

Freely Accessing Your Own Nest HD Camera Stream

December 30, 2020

Way back in 2018, I coded up a little project that allowed me to record my Nest camera stream in a _very_ hacky way. I wanted to get the raw video off of the camera without paying for a Nest Aware subscription.

Unlocking My Air Data Through API Analysis

December 28, 2020

I am naturally curious about the APIs that the devices in my house use, so when I got an air quality monitor, one of the first things I did was fiddle with the REST APIs that were made available through the device.

Building Evergreen Markdown Notes

December 24, 2020

Some of the more traditional approaches to taking digital notes work quite well in 99% of cases - I think most of the tools on the market are doing a marvelous job. But I often caught myself needing something more, specifically for notes that I wanted to write once and frequently refer to later (e.g. details about specific projects that don't change often).

I Launched A Personal Site Directory

December 6, 2020

In 2020, it might seem like the art of crafting your own personal site became a thing of the past. Most of the engagement happens on social networks or inside walled gardens.

Joining Microsoft Developer Relations

November 16, 2020

Talk about making some life changes in a short period of time! I am genuinely pumped to be coming back to something that is near and dear to my heart - developer relations.