LatestSelf-Hosting on a $5 Server: A Practical Weekend Guide
You don't need a homelab or a cloud bill to run your own tools. Here's how I set up a tiny, secure server for side projects — and the mistakes I made so you don't have to.
Read the postCurrently writing from somewhere with good coffee
Notes from a curious builder on the move.
Hi, I'm Stalin. I experiment with AI tools, build small things for the web, and write honestly about what works, what breaks, and what I learn along the way — all from a laptop and a backpack.
10
essays & experiments
LatestRecent writing
Projects, ideas, and lessons learned.
Internet3 min read
I Tracked Every Website I Visited for 30 Days
A month of browsing history, analyzed. Where my time actually went, the surprising number of sites I visit only once, and the three changes I made afterward.
Digital Nomad3 min read
A Month of Coworking Across Three Cities: What Actually Matters
I worked from coworking spaces in three very different cities over a month. Forget the rooftop pools — here's what genuinely made me productive, and what was just marketing.
AI3 min read
Prompting Is Just Writing (and That's Good News)
The best prompts I've written don't use tricks or magic phrases. They're just clear writing: context, intent, constraints, and an example. Here's the framework I actually use.
Internet3 min read
The Small Web: Why I'm Bookmarking Personal Websites Again
Social feeds made the internet feel smaller and louder. Personal websites feel like the opposite. A love letter to the indie web, and how to find the good parts of it.
Projects4 min read
Lessons From Shipping 12 Side Projects in 12 Months
One small project a month, shipped no matter what. Most flopped, two found real users, and all of them taught me something. Here's the scorecard.
AI3 min read
My AI Toolkit After a Year of Experiments: What Stuck and What I Dropped
I've tried dozens of AI tools in the past twelve months. Most didn't survive a month. Here's the short list that earned a permanent spot, and the pattern behind what lasts.
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