About

This blog came about as I struggled with wanting to share stories and projects online, but not wanting to be trapped on social media. I, like everyone, need a place to share stories, I love sharing stories. But I don’t like the advert-heavy, addictive nature of social media apps. The blog therefore emerged as a place to act as a portfolio for my web development projects and a traditional blog.

I’d like my blog to be inspired by some blogs of old. Websites that are simple, bare-bones, focused on the content…

Blogs with a consistent, domain-specific type of content like Steve McCurry’s photography blog, or idiosyncratic blogs packed full of information that operate more like a place for imparting ideas like Bret Victor’s, blogs with humorous trip reports like Julian Todd’s, random old blogspots like Straybob’s, places to share deep, meaningful stories like Ben Winston’s.

Many of these blogs sit in lost, forgotten corners of the internet and that’s something I like about them. The stories and content on them sinks deep into your subconscious until you barely recognise it’s there because it’s a part of you. Social media is like sitting down for a drink in a club, it’s intoxicating, there’s flashing lights and music blaring, you’re engrossed but you’re distracted, barely able to enjoy what you’re consuming because it’s not designed to be a deep, fulfilling experience. Visiting someone’s personal blog is like popping round to an old friend’s house for dinner that they’ve made to share.

It’s an experience, it’s intentional, it’s identity, and it’s connection with an individual. Big words. But anyway, this is my lost old little corner of the internet, welcome.

Technical info: This blog was built using Svelte and SvelteKit, based largely on this Youtube tutorial from JoyOfCode. For my old blog, click the link in the navigation bar above.

Matt Chaib