Today is May 6th! Today is a special day! I have lived to be 31 years old. I'm still feeling 25! The age of 31 is still young. It has been an eventful year full of ups and downs.
San Francisco
San Francisco is still my home, and I plan to stay here for the long haul. I’ve made so many friends that I love dearly. I like socializing with all people. I love when friends and family come to visit.
I’ve discovered so many different sides of San Francisco. Just week I went to Audium, a place for the intersection of sound, space and deep immersive experience.
New Romantic Relationship
Dating Reflections
Looking back at my 20's, I appreciate all the experiences I had dating various people. Some relationships were good. Some were bad. While some were, "WHAT THE FUCK DID I SEE in [name of person] ???
Current Relationship
I started a new relationship within the last year. It's been a great adventure dating this beautiful person. I've learned what it's like to be more vulnerable with myself and not be afraid to show my true emotions with someone new in my life. They are super funny and know how to have a good time!
We're approaching our 1st anniversary as a couple. I really care for this person. Every time we meet up, I still get those butterflies in my stomach and smile to no end. They are a sweet, funny and down-to-earth person. I've learned so much. No relationship is perfect. We balance each other out.
One piece of the puzzle
In any relationship, don't forget your friends and family. You need to be around people beyond just your partner. Sure, we all go through the honeymoon phase where you want to be around them 24/7 and they are your world. You need time for yourself and away from your partner. After a while, you don't want to feel resentful. That resentment can add up real quick.. I remember every day that I am my own person. That person you are dating is one puzzle piece of your life. Go hang out with your girlies at Happy Hour. My hobbies are still important to me. I need time to go shoot on film camera’s or record my voice or even coding. I am still me.
Losing a friend.
One of my saddest moments this year was the passing of a great friend. We would talk a few times a week. I think about him every day. I miss his quirks. I loved all the advice you’d give me during hard times. I wish you were still here. I still listen to your voicemails and read our old conversations.
I want to call you, wishing that you pick up.
Please check in with your friends. Tell your friends you love them! Dudes, this applies to you as well. Show emotion! Express yourself by using your words.
Adventures
EDC
I went to EDC Orlando this year! It's been a long time since I've been to a music festival. I had a blast! I got to see many artists. The entire experience was surreal, and I felt things I haven't felt in a long time. The music was great, and I found more artists to meet.
If you get the chance to experience a music festival such as EDC, you won't regret it!
Hiking
I went on more hikes with friends this year! I primarily went hiking around the Bay Area. One of my favorite hikes I did was the San Francisco Crosstown Trail, where you start in one far corner of San Francisco and end in the other far corner. This is a great way to discover different neighborhoods of San Francisco and find some amazing views of the city. The secret staircases that lead to amazing sights or the vary narrow paths in between neighborhoods. The cityscape is breathtaking.
Check it out for yourself:
The world
I need to be more uncomfortable with myself. The future is also scary. It’s hard to ignore what’s happening currently in the world. It does worry me greatly. It’s important to not keep your head in the sand.
I have to stay positive while addressing things. What’s happening in the world affects ALL OF US!
How am I celebrating my birthday?
I will be visiting some friends for a weekend adventure. Who knows what side adventures we will take!!
Closing Note
I made it through the first year of my thirties. Thirty-one is looking fun! There is so much to do!
If you didn't catch on until now, yes, this was a birthday post!
This has been a difficult week as we laid to rest our sweet Carly. Carly was a beautiful Chihuahua mix with beautiful long hair and puffy tail. She lived a great 14 years of being fabulous and being a diva in every way possible.
She was an amazing dog with a big personality. She would judge you and not hold back with the facial expressions. She might be forgiving if you give her a treat. Just maybe....
Carly loved getting dressed up. She would wear her puffer jackets to stay warm on cool days. She would wear a bikini to her beach days. She was a 49ers fan and the best cheerleader! She dressed to impress. TREAT?
We remember the great times we had with her. We remember all the beautiful bike rides where she always had a blast. We remember all the birthdays we had with her.
She had experienced a handful of health problems in the last few years. A major turn in health was when she going blind. That didn't stop her from living life to the fullest! She was the life of the party! She loved going out!
I miss that little furball. I miss how much I loved dog sitting you and going on different adventures like going to the beach or cruising on my skateboard while you were in your backpack at Golden Gate Park.
Rest in Peace, Carly! Run with the wind!
Being fabulous and needs time to recharge! It's a lot of work! You'd find Carly resting on the couch or on the rug. She would snore! It'd be so cute!
Carly loved shopping! She also loved going into the pet store, tell her daddy to buy her a snack! She almost always got what she wanted. She also loves traveling in her backpack.
Carly loved going to the beach! She loved the sunny days! She also loves the sun sets. It really brings the best out of her! It's so cute when you see her little paw prints in the sand.
Carly's last visit to Delores Park. She always loved running around with the other dogs. She would also go to different picnic groups and ask for food.
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Ahhh! The fresh air of the forest! The feel of the dirt path and having to watch your step so you don't trip.
I texted my friend a few weeks ago about going on a hike sometime. It worked out and we set a date.
Last week I went on the hike. I met my some new people and saw saw others I haven't seen in a while. We went hiking at the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. The hike itself was approximately 4 miles.
It was nice getting away from San Francisco even if it means going across the Bay Bridge.
I definitely want to go on more hikes this year and enjoy nature and be nurtured off the beaten path.
This is related to my adventure post for the IndieWeb Carnival.
My partner recently adopted a new cat from the SPCA. After much brainstorming, we came up with the name Astro. Astro is a really cute name for a really cute cat. He is a 1- year old cat. He is such a sweetie pie!
He melted our hearts when we saw him. The way he blinked at us really got to us. Somehow he ended up going home with us.
I recently discovered that pet insurance exists.
At this moment, the other cat isn't fond of Astro. Hopefully they will get along pretty well. We learned that we need to ease into their introduction. The other cat thought Astro was going to be there for a few hours the first day he came home. The other cat didn't even pay attention to him until the evening and started hissing at him.
Even if you're not ready to adopt, donate your local SPCA to support their cause. If you near San Francisco, here's the link to donate to the SFSPCA!
I like to do a lot of things. I have lots of interests. I do love my hobbies. I may have a bit too many, but I'd like to share some of my hobbies.
I'll keep this short because I can write on and on about these two things.
Hobby #1
I love collecting old Apple Products. They bring me lots of joy. I like hugging them. See the picture above. Hopefully, one day I can own an iBook AKA the Clamshell Mac.
Hobby #2
I love taking photos on film cameras. There are no redos. You are limited by the number of shots on the roll of film. It's a very intimate art form.
This is a great blog post from Discogs on how to store your records properly. It really has me thinking if I'm doing this correctly for my vinyls. I will be re-evaluating my record collection.
Knowing how to store vinyl records is crucial while building a collection. Understanding how to store your records can keep them safe and in stable condition, ensuring longer play-ability and more time on the turntable without scratches and warbles.
Records are the most stable physical format developed to date. However, dust, foreign matter, heat, and pressure can cause distortion and surface noise in playback. Also note that although vinyl records are relatively hardy, record covers are not. Keep in mind the fragility of the sleeve as much as the record itself.
For April 2026, I'm hosting the IndieWeb Carnival on the topic of adventure. Everyone and anyone is welcome to participate! I love reading posts in different languages!
🚊 🚊 🏙 🚆🚊 🚊 🏙 🚆
Big Question?
Close your eyes for a second. What comes to mind when you think of the word, adventure? Do you think of thrill? Do you take a risk?
For myself, the first idea that comes to mind is walking through a quiet and peaceful forest.
Adventure with friends
I've gone on many adventures with friends by traveling to different places. We build our relationships by the adventure and growth. It's beautiful seeing this in the people you love.
San Francisco
Every day is a new adventure in San Francisco; you never know who or what you'll find. My daily routine has to be adjustable, knowing I will find something new to be interested in.
I love the thrill of taking a side adventure by stumbling on a new place to eat. It's good to venture off from the places you feel comfortable eating at on the daily.
Living in a city like San Francisco has allowed me to grow and become more authentic with myself. Personal growth has always been an ongoing adventure for me.
This city has so much to offer. New day, new adventure!
Songs
Many songs always remind me of adventure, like going on a hike or going abroad to a land unknown. Some songs are helping with your internal adventure to become the person you want to be.
One of my favorite songs that I like to play when driving through the mountains or forests of California is Silly Bears by The Akron Family.
Keep the juices to flow.
In case you need some ideas to get started on your carnival post.
What adventure or journey are you currently on with your growth?
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
How do you feel about your personal website?
How would you compare and contrast these two ideas: adventure and journey?
Do you have an adventure you've had planned but never managed to go on?
What song reminds of you of a road trip adventure?
Adventure means something to all of us. What does it mean to you?
Send me a webmention, email the link of your response at pablo[at]lifeofpablo.com, or find me on Bluesky to submit your posts. I will create a round-up post, and update this blog post with the replies I receive!
Over the past year, I went on a number of hikes that I lost count. I've been going to places in Northern California primarily. It's been nice hanging with friends and reconnecting with them. It's nice to get away from the concrete jungle of San Francisco. I love spending time in SF but nature is nurturing.
Nothing like eating some Cherry Pie on the beach as a reward for making it through that hike or getting a beer afterwards. It's the little things of life.
What are you favorite places to go hike?
This view is amazing.
I love the beach.
Eating some cherry pie at the end of the hike.
The yellow color pops.
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I'm not someone who plays video games often. Something I've been doing since last May is joining a group of friends for video game night. I'm not good at video games, nor did I grow up with them. I come in last place in Mario Kart.
I love being around friends and the energy they bring. Maybe someday I will be decent at video games.
Mexico does have a bread culture and it's delicious.
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I remember, as a kid, spending summers, holidays, or extended periods of time in Oaxaca, where I would eat the most delicious breads. There are breads I can only get in Oaxaca. It's fascinating how bread can vary from town to town.
Mexico has a delicious bread culture.
I don't appreciate it when someone disses the Mexican cuisine, and especially on Mexican bread, due to not knowing the history, lack of awareness, and most likely ignorance. It's important to respect the cultural cuisine.
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The annual event for networking. Rethink how networks get designed, deployed, and managed.
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📍:
Last month I attended Meter's annual event called MeterUp. It was a very fun day listening to various talks. It was exciting listening to Bob Metcalfe, who invented Ethernet. There were plenty of other speakers who also had some great conversation points.
Meter showcased their new line of products that are being released. It was visually appealing to see the new product line. I had the opportunity to touch and feel the inner workings of the product. It was so satisfying to feel the various parts!
I did some networking with others in the MSP space and learn what people use for their networking stacks for clients.
Time
Session
Notes
08:00 AM – 09:00 AM
Registration and breakfast
09:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Meter keynote Livestream
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
Break
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Ethernet at 50: how one idea wired the world
with Bob Metcalfe
12:00 PM – 01:00 PM
Lunch
Labs Open
01:00 PM – 01:25 PM
The next frontier: how intelligence will reshape our world
with Satya Nadella (Virtual)
01:30 PM – 01:55 PM
Customer Q&A
Labs Open
02:00 PM – 02:25 PM
Inside Meter: deployment operations
02:25 PM – 02:50 PM
Where are all the networking engineers?
02:50 PM – 03:30 PM
Break - Networking lounge Q&A with Bob Metcalfe
03:35 PM – 04:05 PM
Scaling simplicity: building systems that last
with Sanjit Biswas
04:05 PM – 04:35 PM
Better together: powering connectivity at scale
with Kate Johnson
04:35 PM
Happy hour
Labs Open
A Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United States
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With all the injustices happening right now to my people, I've been researching civil rights cases and the progress that has been made. It's time to make more progress to protect our civil rights.
This research guide from the Hispanic Reading Room at the Library of Congress focuses on 20th and 21st century court cases, legislation, and events that had important impacts on civil rights in Chicana/o/x, Hispanic, Latina/o/x, Mexican-American, and Puerto Rican communities the United States. Each page provides an overview and timeline of a civil rights topic and some breadth of research material for further study at the Library of Congress or your local library. The facts presented draw from Library of Congress materials and external sources listed.
The first of its kind, this comprehensive online compendium of Civil Rights resources includes references to search and seizure, legal representation, self-incrimination, immigration, medical care, and equal access to educational resources. The Hispanic Reading Room will link this guide to webinar and podcast content in which scholars and community members help contextualize these court cases, legislation, and events. Since civil rights events are ongoing in Latinx communities, these references aim to connect the past with the present.
I forgot how much I enjoyed the song, Love Like Woe by The Ready Set. I'm pretty sure I was a teenager when this song came out! It's still a bop. I've always wanted to see them live in concert! They were touring in Los Angeles last year, but didn't realize it! Hopefully, they come around near San Francisco or Sacramento!
It happened! Hooray! 1 Trillion Pages Archived at the Internet Archive! What an amazing time to celebrate the preservation of internet history!
A few weeks ago, I was very fortunate to attend a celebration at the Internet Archive! It was an amazing experience! I'm so happy I got a ticket!
What an amazing time to celebrate this milestone in human history. There were many appearances from people past and present at the Internet Archive. I finally got to see Brewster Kahle in the flesh. He's the founder and digital librarian of the Internet Archive.
California State Senator Scott Weiner of Senate District 11 made an appearance and received an award!
The mood was great! People were cheering, dancing, screaming, and all in between! I was dancing around!
I'm very happy that the Internet Archive gives me hope for the internet. The current state of the internet is sad.
Countdown Celebration
Pablo in front of stage
Live Music
Activity:
Notes I took during the event!
Encycopedia
WWW - NYT 1989/91
Dark Algorythm
AI
2001, A Space Odyssey - 1968 Film
Decentralized Web
Internet Archive Europe
Audrey - Former intern
Geocities - we had our own addresses
created a
Annie Rauwerda
Screaming in General
Vienna Bread - Radial motion
High Five Couple
G-Mail (Garfield Mail)
Inside Redon
Mr. Torttilla Comments - YouTube
Mark Grahan - Dir. Wayback Machine
Many Gov't data sets only found on Wayback Machine/Archive
28 M broken links fixed
IA WBM + AUTOMATIC Link Fixer
Reddit making it difficult to archive
Lily Jumali - BBC
Gov't or selectively modify
CEO/President of NRR Congrats to IA
Joy Chesbrough - Dir., Philanthropy
Launched the web we've built campaign
Video about CERN/WWW - Sir Tim
Luca Messarra - Cultural Historian Stanford
Why? Should we care about the past?
Finding old biscuit recipe
Absurd^2
Live Music
Activity:
You're in my hand
Color?
Which flavor?
Quite colorful
You're tasty
You bring me joy
Random personality.
Calling all Geminis!
Sometimes you're upright.
Sometimes your horizontal
You're deep in my belly
Currently, I'm writing this blog post on a BART train heading back to San Francisco. I haven't been writing as much lately and Ive been wanting to spend my time better on my commutes. Looking at my phone so much makes me feel like a zombie at times. I defintely need more self-reflection where I tap in my own thoughts instead of being on auto-pilot. This got me thinking about the question, "Where do people write their blog posts?"
This coming week I challenge myself to write a blog post at the park? I want to write more for the remainder of the year.
Where do you write your blog posts? Where do you consider the most awesome place you've written a post?
📍 Written on the Yellow Line Train (BART) towards San Francisco
We take our phones everywhere with us and I mean everywhere! What are the odds you're reading this on your morning communte or in the kitchen catching up on your RSS feed? Heck without our phones, the phrase, Ïf you didn't take a photo, did it even happen?" Our lives for some reason must be captured every waking moment. It doesn't always have to be!
Let's back track to last Friday. I'm dog sitting for some friends and it's a Friday night. I've been looking forward to going to a show with my good friend after a few days of sitting. I attended the Lane 8 Concert! It's been years since I've seen him in concert. I got all dressed in my show attire. Nothing fancy. Just a T-Shirt and shorts and my shiny teeth and me! I got dinner with my friend beforehand. All the pre-show activities.
We got in line for the show. It's the usual routine, "GET YOUR IDS OUT!" or "Have your tickets ready at the door." Hence, our tickets our on our phones. Once they scanned our tickets, the staff handed me a pouch. I was a little confused and I was like, "Oh?!" Then, I shrugged and place my phone in the pouch. The pouch can't be opened at the show. In order to open it, it has to be opened with a magnet similar to the security tags you find at the clothing store. It's been a while since I've experienced this. I was all for it.
Don't get me wrong, I think we are all wired to have unconditional access to our phones and having a barrier that prevents us can put people on edge. Once your phone is in the pouch after a few minutes, the urge to use it and to simply pull it out of your pocket for no reason of pulling out your phone also goes away. The pouch is grippy enough it's not falling out of your pocket. I know there's psychology behind this.
I really appreciated having my phone in a pouch. It brings me joy I can be in the moment. I think in our day in age, we lack that ability unless we're put in a situation like this. I really appreciate Lane 8 have his ticket goers not use their phone. You get more value out of the ticket you paid for.
Federal funds withheld from the Columbia University School of Nursing
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I've been affected by the federal funding cuts months ago at Columbia. I was participating in a clinical study on a topic very important to me. I don't appreciate the attacks on universities.
Check out this blog post I wrote for Terrabyte, a project I am involved with! It's been great to be a part of team!
Hey! I’m Pablo – people call me Pabs. During the day, I’m an IT consultant in San Francisco, CA. At Terrabyte, I’m a Hardware Engineer & Developer. My experience being on the Terrabyte team has been great!
I’ve been thinking about my first students I had as a first-year middle school French teacher. I remember when they first walked into my classroom and I said, "Bonjour" while giving them a high-five! From their first day in seventh grade to their eighth-grade promotion. I was very fortunate to teach them.
Look at them now! They just recently graduated from high school. It brings me joy! They were just kids, and now they are adults going off to the next stage of their lives. I want you all to do great things.
The real question here is, did you keep up with your French?
Today, I turn 30 years old. Woohoo! I guess I’m no longer a 20-something-year-old. These last 10 years have flown by quickly but man, have they been memorable. It’s a tad bitter sweet. The positive overtakes the negative by a long shot. I can’t stop the aging process. If only it were that easy!
Honestly, at this very moment, I don’t feel any different. I still feel energetic and craving adventure. I think these song lyrics from T-Swizzle describe how I feel.
(Hey!) I don't know about you
But I'm feeling twenty-two
In hindsight, looking at myself in the mirror more recently, I notice my facial hair is starting to turn white. Nothing like a fresh shave that still makes me look young and boyish. I must being doing something right with my skin routine (and maybe good genes from my parents)!
Reflections
I reflect on the growth I’ve had since I entered my 20s. My 20s were about
Learning
Falling and rising
Going on adventures.
Loved ones
I learned some great lessons along the way. Some lessons were not so easy to swallow. Man, did I learn. There are so many things I know now that I wish a 20-year-old me knew. One of the things I wish he knew was, “Love yourself more!” I do love myself more than ever. I’m happier with who I’ve become. I’m not done learning who I become. I don’t think that ever stops. There were many moments in life when I hit my absolute lowest. Those are moments I’m not proud of. While I did manage to get myself out of them, I did come back stronger. Another lesson here - ask for help and use the resources available to you. You’re not alone, I promise.
Take risks! Take more! I'm thrilled to have moved to California. I still can’t believe that this guy from Nebraska moved to San Francisco. I was grateful to have gone on so many adventures. I learned so much about myself getting away. Some of my best learning moments have been from strangers and experiences with myself in another country. Who knew you could learn something so new about yourself at 3 am while eating a dõner kebab on the streets of Berlin?
When I was in my early 20s, I said something along the lines of, “I get to be away from my parents! Freedom!” When I was in college, I didn’t want to come home as often, or if I went home to visit, I would not stay for too long. Now more than ever, I miss my parents. Now, I live far away from them. I only get to have home-cooked meals a few times a year. It honestly makes me sad watching them get older. I still need my parents. I do my best to call every day. My relationship with them has been stronger than ever. I am thankful for all the things they’ve done for me and my siblings
Who’s cutting the internet onions on here?
Travel
I’m very fortunate that I traveled a lot in my 20s. I want to thank my parents for taking us to Mexico as a young kid.
I’ve traveled to Canada, all over Europe, South Korea, Mexico, and various parts of the United States.
Travel Buddies
I got to travel with my favorite travel buddies, Sammy and Manny! We've have gone on some wild adventures. I’m very happy we stayed friends. Best travel buddies ever!
Best Birthday Ever! - Czech Republic
One of my favorite birthdays was when I was studying abroad in Europe. I visited my friends in the Czech Republic.
Pablo’s 22nd birthday in 2017 in Czech Republic]
Friends
I’ve made an amazing community of friends. People, I consider my family away from home. Learning from people whom I loved, making friends wherever I go! I’ve made so many friends.
What goals do I have in my 30s?
There are a lot of things I want to accomplish during my 30s. I have a vision for the next few years! I’m hopeful I can find the right path to reach my goals
Education
I truly value education. It got me where I am today! I was very fortunate to receive a great public school education. Others also need to have access to a great public school education. We must fight against the privatization of the education system. I want to continue to fight for public education. Public education provided me with so many opportunities.
I am currently doing my master’s degree at the University of Nebraska Kearney. My goal one day is to teach a class or two at the university level. It would be awesome to guide future teachers and help them be confident with technology use and go beyond 21st-century learning. I do miss being in the classroom.
I would like to receive a PhD.
I also want to improve my programming skills.
Health
I’m working towards getting in better shape and thinking of long-term health. As I age, I know I won’t bounce back from injury as quickly. I know I must do everything in my power to take control of my health. Preventative measures are what will keep the hospital away.
Mental health is just as important.
Adventures
I want to continue traveling. I want to visit more parts of the world. Ever since I last renewed my passport, the visa pages have been blank. The passport I had in my early twenties was pretty full. It’s so satisfying to look at the stamps and stickers on each page. I want to take my parents on a fun adventure as well
Startup
I’ve been helping a friend with a startup and launching an idea that we have. I am hopeful this year will be great!
Financial Independence
I want to make smarter choices with money. I’ve been reading up on financial literature to become better with money. Times are changing, and I must keep up with inflation, changing markets, AI, etc.
Looking Forward
Overall, things are finally clicking. I’m excited for what’s to come and all the things to learn. I will reevaluate and reprioritize many things in life.
What have you learned in your 30s?
How am I celebrating my birthday?
Luckily, I live in San Francisco, so there’s a lot to do! I will be celebrating the entire weekend with my friends in San Francisco! So stoked to watch Drag Disco with Trixie Mattel! Let’s put on some pink clothes and dance into my 30s!
This post is a response to my blog post. I am answering question #91: What makes a good friend? What makes a good friend? That's a great question. I…
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This post is a response to my blog post. I am answering question #91: What makes a good friend?
What makes a good friend? That's a great question. I think everyone has a different definition of what makes a good friend. I will share mine.
One of the most important things to understand about friendship is point's of view. We don't have to always agree with each other. We do need to be able to listen, process and be able to provide counter points of view in a respectable manner. Allowing time to process is important instead of reacting as the default.
One of the most important qualities of a good friend is being supportive. I'm very fortunate to have friends who are supportive and emotionally connected. We check in with each other, we talk about our emotions, we talk about our problems. As men, we are human and we should talk about what's happening to our lives. This is 2025.
A good friend will always make an effort to stay in touch especially when you live far away from each other. This is a two way streak. One person can't solely be the one actively reaching out. It's okay if you go a little while without talking, just don't let your friendship die out. Life gets busy but we can't forget who our friends are.
What makes a good friend?
This post was written at Ikea Restaurant in San Francisco.
/* Global styles come from external css https://codepen.io/GreenSock/pen/gOWxmWG.css*/ body { display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content:…
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/* Global styles come from external css https://codepen.io/GreenSock/pen/gOWxmWG.css*/
body {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: space-around;
min-height: 100vh;
flex-direction: column;
}
// target the element with a class of "green" - rotate and move TO 100px to the left over the course of 1 second.
gsap.to(".green", {rotation: 360, x: 100, duration: 1});
// target the element with a class of "purple" - rotate and move FROM 100px to the left over the course of 1 second.
gsap.from(".purple", {rotation: -360, x: -100, duration: 1});
// target the element with a class of "blue" - rotate and move FROM 100px to the left, TO 100px to the right over the course of 1 second.
gsap.fromTo(".blue", {x: -100},{rotation: 360, x: 100, duration: 1});
Some Background For a few weeks, I've been thinking about using another reverse-proxy service just to try something new. Since I launched my docker…
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Some Background
For a few weeks, I've been thinking about using another reverse-proxy service just to try something new.
Since I launched my docker mono-repository that hosts my entire infrastructure, I've used nginx as my primary reverse-proxy. I was using Jason WIlder's nginx proxy to expose my applications to the web from the virtual machine.
Now I have transitioned to using traefik. It was very easy to add labels specific to traefik to my services in my docker compose file.
In my docker compose setup, I used Let's Encrypt for SSL certificates in both nginx and traefik.
Just like with any major change, I was worried about downtime but I took the risk and I tested out *lifeofpablo.com * and some other subdomains. Once I labeled the items with traefik specific items, and redeployed, it worked great! Once I looked around for anything out of place, I went back and added traefik labels to the rest of my containers.
nginx
Within the docker file, nginx-proxy would use environmental variables to route outside of the machine to the domain or subdomain that the DNS will point to.
Instead of using environmental variables explicitly, traefik uses labels to route. In this example, I'm using my the service korea.lifeofpablo.com (korea) as the service being proxied.
I simply matched the service name, korea as this is the name of the container in Docker and for the host, I used korea.lifeofpablo.com.
What I have in mind for the future of my infrastructure with traefik is to control authentication. I want to use Zitadel to add authentication to services I have to simply experiment. This experimentation will be key as I continue planning the rebuild of my website. I want my future version of my website to be the center of my internet presence and be able to connect easily with my services.
A fun weekend in San Francisco with the people I love the most.
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My Friends came to visit me in San Francisco. We had four full days packed full of adventures, memories, deep conversation and just being in the moment with each other. I enjoyed going all over the San Francisco Bay area.
I'm very happy to have spend with my best friends. I love them. ❤
This month's IndieWeb Carnival focuses on self-expression. Everyone and anyone is welcome to participate! I love reading posts in different…
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This month's IndieWeb Carnival focuses on self-expression. Everyone and anyone is welcome to participate! I love reading posts in different languages!
Send me a webmention or email me at pablo[at]lifeofpablo.com to submit your posts. I will create a round up post and i will update this blog post with the replies I receive!
What is self-expression?
That depends
self-expression (noun)
self-ex·pres·sion ˌself-ik-ˈspre-shən
The expression of one's personality : assertion of one's individual traits
Self-expression comes in various forms. It manifests differently in every person. There is no single route to how people develop how they become. People express themselves loudly, quietly, non-verbally, or in any other way. Many things influence us in our lives. The environment we grew up in influences how we present to the world. Our cultural backgrounds, the countries we've lived in, the languages we speak, or the type of supportive friends we have in our lives are all the ingredients that build the recipe for who we become and how we share our personalities with the world.
For me, I love speaking languages! I love playing games in French and being super duper competitive. I love reading in Spanish!
I grew up in a Mexican household which has greatly influenced my ways of self-expression. I love speaking with more emotion at home and being surrounded by people with my cultural background. An example of this is when I am angry, I will cuss in Spanish like no other. I feel so much better after letting it all out. This Instagram reel in Spanish will tell you what I mean.
The Mexican culture influences my American side and vice versa. I would consider myself very expressive in English. Ever since I was a kid, I loved saying, "That's so cute" or "That flower is so pretty." Sharing your emotions is very beautiful. Don't be afraid of saying things out loud like this. Fuck that toxic masculinity garbage!
I love blogging and journaling. I love having a journal - getting lost in my thoughts while jotting them down on beautiful lined or dotted paper on a park bench or sitting crisscross applesauce on the top of a building in San Francisco. I love sharing my thoughts publicly blogging or quietly on paper. Not all forms of expression have to be public. Self-expression also includes time when it's you and only you involved. This includes recording audio notes, coding your new blog engine, or building an arcade cabinet. Alone time is self-expression.
As I've become older, I've stopped caring as much about what people perceive of me (or what I thought people perceived of me) in the things that interest me. Self-expression is about how comfortable you can be with yourself. It comes down to loving yourself more every day. I love dressing in bright colors, especially on a nice sunny day. It makes me feel great and brightens my mood. Heck, find me wearing the brightest pink shirt out in public in the streets of San Francisco.
How you view self-expression is open to interpretation. How do you self-express?
Here are some questions to get you started to get the juices flowing:
How do you present yourself to the world?
What does self-expression do for you?
Do you use self-expression as a coping mechanism?
What has been your journey to becoming a more expressive version of yourself?
If your family culture is different from the country that you live in, how do you balance your self-expression? Are they intertwined?
This Sunday 23 February 2025, I am hosting IndieWeb SF Brunch #3 with Tantek! If you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area, come join us at the Pork Store Cafe to talk IndieWeb, websites and more!
Today at the Faight Collective there was a poetry workshop tonight. The presenter talked about how he got into poetry. I wrote a poem (or something) while listening to Never Catch Me by Flying Lotus.
After 2+ years since the pandemic started, I was part of a University Nebraska - Lincoln Fulbright-Hayes group that traveled to South Korea. I along with 11 other teachers, went to South Korea on an experience of a lifetime.
France & Europe - Spring 2017
I studied abroad in 2017 to help complete the requirements of one of my degrees: French Education.
I'm trying to read more books to help me be more focuse
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This past month has been hard for many reasons. I've been trying to find better outlets to not take away my attention from what's happening in the world but a way to find a bit of peace and focus on thing that do matter. It's important to not ignore things but to find a balance. We need a break from the direct and indirect stressors of life.
I've been trying to do more learning and enjoying myself.
One of the things I've been working on has been reading more books. I'm trying to learn on fixing my attention span from the over usage of cell phone usage.
Here are some of the books I am currently reading:
These 15 books have made an impact on me some way or another.
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Tracy nominated me a while ago (more like July) to share my list(s) of books that have impacted me. Reiterating what Tracy wrote, many of these books had their moment with me and others still hold strong to me.
I won't go too in-depth for some of these for various reasons. I also don't wan't to give too many spoilers.
Books:
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
Maus / Maus II - Art Spiegelman
A graphic novel where Spiegelman interviews his father about his experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor.
*I really enjoyed the various themes in the book.
This is a must read
1984 - George Orwell
This taught me many lessons and how eerie this period of time is currently. I'm pretty scared for what's to come.
The Odyssey - Homer
Many of the themes taught me some important lessons.
In The Hot Zone - Kevin Sites
This wasn't my favorite book but it made me aware of various wars and situations happening beyond Iraq.
Lady of the Lake - Sir Walter Scott
Yeruldelgger - Ian Manook (French)
This book me realize I can actually read French.
Ryan White My Own Story - Ryan White
Ryan White has always been an inspiration to me as I have in various periods of my life been involved with bringing awareness about HIV/AIDS. It fascinated me how well-versed Ryan was and his outlook on life as he was very unlucky getting the virus from tainted blood products.
Le Gone du Chaâba - Azouz Begag (French)
Le Gone du Chaâba (The Kid of the Chaaba), translated into English as Shantytown Kid by Naima Wolf.
I love this book as it shows the struggles of balancing two different cultures - the country you live in and the culture at home. This book understood me in various ways as I struggled to balance US life and my Mexican culture.
My French Professor gave me this book as a graduation gift.
Remaking Manhood: Stories From the Front Lines of Change - Mark Greene
I read this book right before I graduated college. Being a male teacher is very important as many students don't have a good male role model at home. I made it a goal in my teaching to help my students not fall for certain behaviors.
This book also helped me reevaluate my relationships and look deep inside of me.
I minored in International Studies and this book really opened me up to deeper issues that continue to exist.
Constructive Living - David K. Reynolds
Although this book wasn't the solution to many of my problems during some very dark times, it has helped me address them and find the right direction. It has helped me get out of the rut.
Journey To The Future: A Roadmap for Success for Youth - Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch (Author)
This book has helped me in various ways to get where I am today. Consuela is a great presenter!
The New Koreans: The Story of a Nation - Michael Breen
This book opened my eyes and helped me tremendously before my Korea Trip.
What motivates me to work hard? Now that's a good question!
What motivates me is trying to reach an end goal. In order to reach happiness, to reach financial stability, to find a direction for some sort of purpose. What motivates me to work hard is how I put in the energy to give it my all so the result feels that I accomplished something.
I work hard due to my work ethic and the values I learned while growing up. How can I become equal to those around me and not be seen as less? Certain factors oblige me that I have to work harder for the things I aspire to reach. I am more than capable as those around me. Growing up, I knew things weren't going to be easy.
I work hard so I can provide my parents with a better life. They did their best and I want to be able to help them as they are aging. I want to work hard to help them also enjoy life.
This post is a response to my blog post. I am answering question #1: What is your definition of success? For me, success comes in various parts. One…
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This post is a response to my blog post. I am answering question #1: What is your definition of success?
For me, success comes in various parts.
One of the greatest ways to find success is to first love yourself and being happy with where you are in life but always looking to grow. It comes down to whether you feel comfortable with yourself. Not feeling comfortable under your skin is truly the worst feeling ever. I've felt this for a long time and it takes so long to feel better. Feeling better about yourself helps your outlook on life.
Then everything else will fall into place. Remember you have been successful.
Success is something that continues to evolve. You evolve.
It's currently 1 am in Nebraska. I got bored, so I asked ChatGPT the following question.
Hello! Can you provide me 100 questions to learn more about people? Deeper level questions.
I've been thinking about asking people different questions. These can be random people, family members, friends, colleagues, etc. I'm more of a listener.
I also thought why not ask myself (or others) these questions and write about it. So instead of waiting for the New Year to start a new habit. Why not start now? I haven't blogged as much lately so this will incentivize me!
I will find a way to answer these questions. I will do my best to do it in order but I'm okay with jumping around!
100 Questions in 100 Days! Let's begin!
Would you like to help me answer some of these questions? Please email me at pablo [at] lifeofpablo.com or send me a webmention! Make sure to tell me which question you'd like to discuss!
Key:
Unanswered 🔴: The question has not been addressed yet.
Answered ✅: The question has been answered.
Link to Response 🔗: A link to the detailed response is available. (Hover or click the link for details.)
What’s one way you’ve supported a friend in need? 🔴✅ 🔗
How do you celebrate your friends’ successes? 🔴✅ 🔗
What’s the best advice a friend has given you? 🔴✅ 🔗
How do you know when it’s time to let go of a friendship? 🔴✅ 🔗
/* Hide the answered content by default */
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display: none;
}
/* Show the unanswered status by default */
.status.unanswered {
display: inline;
}
/* Hide unanswered status when answered */
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display: none;
}
/* When the status has 'answered', show the answered content */
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display: inline;
}
Join Tantek and me for an informal IndieWeb brunch in person in San Francisco. We'll meet outside the venue right before noon on Sunday, and get a table or two as needed. Space is limited capacity, first 8 RSVPs.
I went ice skating for the first time in years. The last time I ice skated was back in Omaha. It's something I don't do often but I've been having an itch the last few years. Living in Downtown San Francisco, there's an Ice skating rink at Union Square that I pass by all the time. It's been one of those activities that I tell myself, "I need to do this before they tear it down!" I keep pondering everytime I pass it, then I forget because I have to get to my destination.
This weekend, I finally did it! I went with my friend Tim, who was visiting for the weekend. Why not do something interesting with a friend? I was very happy that I went with my friend!
My biggest achievement is I didn't fall on my face! I kept my balance.
The lesson I learned from this is to simply do something and not ponder it too late! I need to get into the habit of doing activities on my own (and make them into artist dates). I just got to do things and enjoy time with myself.
Well it happened, I got sick right before Thanksgiving!
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I'm lying on my couch in my San Francisco apartment trying to recover from the sickness I acquired. The last few days have been rough! Being sick is something I don't like to experience but here we are.
Since I couldn't return to Nebraska this year for the holiday, I had plans to do a Friendsgiving.
Everyone is enjoying themselves and having a grand old time.
It would be selfish of me to show up sick, and miserable, and risk getting people sick. I know people understand, but I don't like to disappoint others.
I am grateful for a few things:
My Parents
Even though I couldn't return to Nebraska, I am very grateful for them. They have been very supportive in various aspects of life. I know they miss me and they wish I could move back. They love how I've branched off to live in a different place. I miss them a lot but I will see them soon!
My Friend Evan
My friend Evan was so kind enough for me to bring me crackers as I was struggling yesterday. He's a keeper! Those crackers brought me back to life. I'm so appreciative to have Evan in my life.
Evan even walked me to McDonald's this morning making sure I got a light meal. McDonald's was closed. :( I just wanted two burritos.
My Friends Sarah and Mike
My friend Sarah has been amazing over the years especially when I moved to Sacramento. She has helped me so much in getting used to California living and of course, having to put up with my shenanigans.
Mike is a great friend as well. He helped me guide my career to where it is now! He is a great person to have an amazing conversation with. I love talking about ethics with him and anything related to tech.
I miss them both!
Alone Time
Being sick allowed me to do nothing, which is not bad. I ordered some soup in hopes of making me feel better sooner. I probably should watch a movie instead of doom-scrolling. I deserve to enjoy myself a little. Maybe I will code and work on my website and working on an API.
Homebrew Website Club
I am grateful I hung out remotely at Homebrew Website Club yesterday! I didn't participate as much as I wanted but I still made the effort to attend. There was some great conversation happening! Shoutout to Tracy and Angelo for hanging out and tucking me in virtually when I finally crashed.
Multilingualism is very important on the global web
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It’s been a while since I’ve participated in the IndieWeb Carnival. I’m late writing this post. I saw October was on the topic of multilingualism in a global Web *. I’m very excited to write about this topic for various reasons. Exciting might be an understatement. I’m fucking stoked to write a post about languages!
I grew up as a bilingual in Spanish and English. Then, I learned French in school and the whole travel abroad situation. I consider myself fluent in all three languages. I use them often. As someone who speaks multiple languages, I see the world through different lenses. One could argue that the internet itself is another world. This has allowed me to access different parts of the internet that someone who is a monolingual may not ever get to experience much.
When I was growing up and started to learn French: I was very happy to find content so easily. One of the shows, * Code Lyoko * was vital in my learning French. I was able to watch able to watch it in all three languages I speak. It helped make connections and differentiate how the characters expressed themselves in their respective language. Being born and raised in the United States, I have to admit that the multilingual has kept me connected with my roots, and my family and has taught me things. It allows my language skills to evolve as time goes on.
I often use the Mexican version of Google to find the news and look up various things about Latin America. I get more direct to the source. I do this to find more accurate reporting on things happening. When things about Mexico get reported in American media, I often question various aspects of the reporting. American media tends to picture Mexico as this scary place as a whole.
When I was a kid, It was hard to find information about my parents’ hometown in Mexico. Trying to find detailed information in English was next to impossible. Wikipedia in Spanish is always a great place to start! It’s so much more satisfying as the page has more information and a lot more footnotes. What better place than to look at a website by the Mexican government to give me the census data of my parent’s hometown? You can’t find this information in English!
The web shouldn’t be dominated by the English language. I’m aware it’s the lingua franca. The internet is becoming homogenized. A world being homogenized is a terrifying thing to think about. We’re losing so much culture. So much perspective. Think of it this way: the internet is losing its spice. It’s becoming bland. We should be proud of the languages we can present ourselves in. That’s what makes the internet fun! Does everything need to be in English? Absolutely N-O-T!
I must admit that I am guilty of not writing as often in different languages. I do write the occasional post in Spanish or French. At the same time, I feel as if I’m contributing to the situation. This month’s topic has motivated me to continue to write in Spanish and French more. I want to continue to express myself. It’s important to write in different languages other than English. When I write in different languages, I express myself as me but at the same time, it’s a different me. French Pablo presents himself differently from Spanish or English Pablo.
Happy Day of the Dead! Feliz Día de Los Muertos 2024!
This is an important holiday for me and my fellow Mexicans. This is a day (spills over into the weekend) we use to celebrate and reconnect with our loved ones. This is the time of year where we are closer to our loved ones. I think about my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins and, other loved ones.
I hope to see you soon.
This post was written in my apartment in San Francisco.
This past week I returned to my hometown in Nebraska. It was nice to experience all things Nebraska.
In addition to seeing my parents, I did attend my 10-year graduation. It's weird that high school was 10 years ago. I've changed a lot as a person. Being around people you spent so much time around for most of your adolescence is humbling and remember your roots. It was great to reconnect with so many people. Many of my classmates are married, have kids, and enjoy life. Many stayed close to home while a handful of us moved on to other places outside of Nebraska.
RSVP <span class="p-rsvp green b">yes</span>
to <a href="https://events.indieweb.org/2024/10/homebrew-website-club-pacific-VZJQwWYXD9Ks">Homebrew Website Club - Pacific Oct 9, 2024</a>
This is culture surveillance. No one notices, no one consents. But it's not about catching criminals. It's about catching vibes. A constant feed of what’s popping off in real-time.
This is some writing I wrote in French while visiting my grandparents in 2015
Jour 1
Je suis arrivé en Mexique.
Jour 2
Le second jour de mes vacances était ennuyeux. Je me lève tôt. Je me suis levé en retard. Je prends une douche. Le jour commence. La dernière fois que je suis venu c'était il y a cinq jours avec ma mère et mes deux sœurs. Nous étions ici partout en été.
Je n'ai vraiment pas fait beaucoup, juste aider ma grand-mère à cause de sa santé. Elle est très malade.
Jour 3
Je crois que j'ai une nouvelle routine quand je me lève. Ceci est à cause du fait que je suis dans un nouvel endroit géographique. Je dois recommencer le forme d'habitude que les gens font tous les jours.
Pour le petit-déjeuner, je mange beaucoup de pain. A côté de ça je bois du café. C' est un repas traditionnel. Il est vite mangé. Après ça nous avons tué une dinde pour manger un autre plat traditionnel.
J'ai un nouvel ami. Il s'appelle Bryan. Ouais c'est un nom américain. Il va à l'école. Il est maintenant en vacances. C' est un garçon aimable. Les parents de Bryan sont vendeurs de glaces délicieuses. Ils vendent aussi du bois de beaucoup parfums. Je passe du temps avec lui. Je vais à sa maison. Nous regardons la télévision. Chez mes grands-parents n'ont pas de télé. Nous regardons les programmes américain en espagnol. J'aime aussi le programme mexicaine aussi. C' est un cool type!
Jour 4
Je me suis encore levé. La même routine comme toujours. Ma routine ici est presque la même comme celle- là, aux États-Unis. J'ai fait la cuisine pour le déjeuner. J'ai préparé un repas italien. C'était "chicken Alfredo" avec pasta. J'ai enseigné mes tantes à faire. C'était délicieux. Mon grand-père et mes tantes l'aiment. Mais ma grand-mère ne l'aime pas. Elle est plus traditionnelle. Elle n'aime pas le change. Oh la la! Elle est compliquée. Vous n'avez pas idée. :'( . Après ça je suis sorti au centre du village. Je fais du shopping. Je rachète dès nourriture. Oh la la il faisait chaud. Je transpire beaucoup. Les tortas sont la version mexicaine d'un sandwich en comparaison entre les américain. Ils sont délicieux. Comme j'aime la nourriture mexicaine.
San Francisco transportation officials want to replace the "antiquated" infrastructure that uses floppy disks to run the Muni Metro light-rail system and awarded the first contract Tuesday for the roughly decadelong project.
The $700 million project to replace Muni Metro's train control system with a modern one would be its first upgrade in almost three decades. The city installed the current train control system in 1998, which requires loading three-and-a-half inch floppy disks each morning to operate the light-rail network.
I'm a bit late to Send a Friend a Webmention Day . A month late. I wanted to say hello and check in since it's been a busy summer! I hope you're…
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I'm a bit late to Send a Friend a Webmention Day . A month late. I wanted to say hello and check in since it's been a busy summer! I hope you're having a great start to the fall.