I started building websites back in 2001—using HTML, PHP, image buttons (because web fonts weren’t a thing yet), and cutting-edge table-and-iframe layouts 🙈.
The web has come a long way since then—and so have I.
For the past 17 years, I’ve been building complex web applications for a living, mostly with PHP and Ruby on Rails.
These days, I mostly blog about daily life, my bike tours, and occasionally some technical insights.
At Techgenossen, we use GitLab Community Edition, and I’m always impressed by how easy it is to upgrade. Despite GitLab’s complexity, the process—though it takes time for Chef scripts and migrations in our single-container setup—has always been reliable.
While I sometimes wish GitLab were simpler, I deeply appreciate the extensive features they offer for free and how much effort it must be to support these self-hosted installations.
Finished reading: Janus from Phillip P. Peterson 📚
I can’t believe YouTube live-translates the audio of German videos into English – for a native German! 🤯 While this feature is super impressive, it makes no sense — both my browser and YouTube account are set to German.
That said, this kind of live audio translation would be amazing for traveling to countries where English isn’t widely spoken. It’s giving serious Babel Fish vibes! 🐟
Finished reading: The mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey 📚
Finished reading: Exodus from Peter F. Hamilton 📚.
Yesterday, I ordered an iPhone 16 for app-testing for my business on Amazon, and today an empty box arrived. It was sealed, but the weight was completely off - and no iPhone in sight.
This was the most disappointing unboxing experience ever. :(
Fortunately, Amazon will send me a new package, but I am still disappointed.
My mother and I recently visited Porto together, and what a gem of a city it is! With so much to see and do, everything feels both walkable and elegant. I’m already looking forward to returning in a few years to explore more of its charm.
It was my second visit to Lisbon, Portugal, and I decided to stroll along the banks of the Tagus River to admire the cruise ships. That's when I stumbled upon the beautiful ferry terminal.
In the quiet of the morning, the terminal was completely empty, but as a ferry drew closer, I couldn't resist capturing the moment with a photo.
Finished reading: Roadkill from Dennis E. Taylor 📕.
Yesterday, my brand-new reMarkable Paper Pro arrived, and I couldn’t wait to share my first impressions!
Here’s what I think so far:
Of course this is all relative to the other colored eReaders - even with Gallery 3 the colors do look washed out compared to an iPad - so I am not sure if I can recommend this device to someone who is not into E Ink.
Despite these drawbacks, I’m still thrilled with my purchase. I’m eager to dive in and start journaling and organizing my thoughts on it!
After this nearly perfect summer, I’m really enjoying the cooler autumn temperatures—they’re just right for long walks outside.
A few weeks ago, I started to simplify my smartphone use.
First, I ordered a refurbished iPod. It still syncs perfectly—even with Mac OS Sequoia, which I find great. After that, I deleted the Music and Podcast apps, and I don’t miss them at all. Now, the music-listening issue is solved, and I love running with my iPod. The HDD was swapped out for an SD card, so the music never skips.
Next, I got a Ricoh GRIII—a fantastic little camera. I love the photos I take with it much more, though I sometimes forget to pack it in my bag.
Now, onto the tougher parts: I’m unsure how to completely ditch my smartphone. I rely on banking apps and digital tickets that aren’t easy to replace. Plus, Signal and WhatsApp don’t really work on dumb phones.
Even communicating with my health insurance is easiest on my smartphone. I wish phone manufacturers would simplify these devices and make them less addictive.
As for my little experiment, I already use my phone infrequently. Maybe switching to something like a Light Phone isn’t the answer after all.
I do not own a car and I generally don’t like cars that much - but I must say that some old-timers look really elegant. Much nicer than contemporary cars.
Finished reading: Pantopia by Theresa Hannig 📚
I love to take a walk along the Amper-river in the evening. It always calms me down.
A fresh delivery of sardines 😍
I had my first Aikido training yesterday, and I must say, the movements seem to be quite challenging to learn. I am looking forward to delving deeper into the practice during my next session on Friday.
Finished reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
I really enjoyed reading this very creative book. It involves a public library, the love for ancient Greece and nature, some science fiction and a hand full of great protagonists.
I really enjoy playing Octopath Traveler II, a classic JRPG, that reminds me of the games of my childhood.
Despite looking old on first glance, the 2.5D art style, the story and the voice acting are really superb. This is really an AAA game in my opinion!
A few weeks ago, I resigned from my current job. I am delighted about it! I finally will being an independent programmer again. The pay-check will not be safe – but I will have a lot more freedom to write great software.
Finished reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
I really enjoyed reading this very creative book. It involves a public library, the love for ancient Greece and nature, some science fiction and a hand full of great protagonists.