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  • Journal: Apr 2025

    • I still feel the tingling in my fingers to write more.
      • The inspiration from other makers led me to create this website and be part of the “Building in Public” movement for the first time. Butterflies!!! ཐི༏ཋྀ󠀮ʚїɞ
        • I’m still migrating all my content scattered across the web to this platform. I realized it’s really sad to see my work on platforms that will soon disappear or are owned by people I don’t resonate with.
        • This is my third “/now” update, and I’m absolutely in love with this concept. I can see this reducing a lot my need for publishing stuff on social media.
        • Big thanks to Rich Tabor for this WordPress template and inspiration.
    • Work
    • Volunteering
      • Sustainable Walnut Creek: Working on Earth Month Events (April)
      • AIDS LifeCycle: I’ll be a Roadie (Volunteer) in the last ALC ever. After 30 years, they decided to end this event.
    • Learning
      • I paused my Learning Korean initiatives for now. Hangul is so, so beautiful. And also quite hard. I’ll return soon. Thank you, Ryan Estrada for these mnemonic drawings.
    • Relaxing
      • Saturdays you can find me having a delicious Omega at Rooted Poets Corner, at the beautiful PH Library.
      • Trying to read less and less news. But reading more and more books.
      • I’m missing so bad my dog in Brazil, so we decided to pet sit around bay area using TrustedHouseSitters, this is so cool, we can meet amazing people, pets and also new cities.
    • Exercise
      • I’m doing more quick runnings than riding, quite sad to be honest, I’m missing riding with Peaceful Pedalers and as Training Ride Leader with Wildcats for ALC 2025

  • The Vibe Life: Building Smart Keys for Mac

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    I didn’t realize I was about to enter the “vibe” industry when I started building Smart Keys. All I really wanted was a way to sound fluent in languages without doing the hard work. Let’s be real: learning languages is tough. So, I built an app that lets me fake my english fluency until I make it. Besides hating this reference, the thing here is that I’ll probably never make it. I may not be as fluent as I sound using tools like this.

    Still, Smart Keys did the job for me on my phone. It solved my laziness problem and gave me a sense of accomplishment. Translate a message, change to a more casual tone, proofread an email, all with one tap. Suddenly, I was hooked. This tiny app had me feeling like a fluent native speaker.

    Bringing the Vibe to My Desktop

    Once Smart Keys worked its magic on my phone, I thought: why not bring this vibe to my desktop? I wanted to cut down on the constant back-and-forth between tabs, the endless browser windows, and that infuriating cycle of copy-pasting. Small tasks, like checking email, sending a reply, or fixing a bug, don’t require much brainpower, but they drain your energy nonetheless.

    So, I created Smart Keys for Mac.

    The goal was simple: stay in my flow, move through tasks without jumping between apps, and avoid losing focus on anything. I wanted to type, hit a shortcut, and keep moving. Proofread, translate, fix code, all without leaving the current task.

    Simple. Efficient. Minimal.

    The Perils of a One-Code Solution

    Now, if you’ve ever tried to port an app from iOS to macOS, you’ll know it’s not as simple as change deployment target and calling it a day. That’s what I thought, but nope. The idea of maintaining one codebase sounded genius: keep it efficient, keep it synced, keep the maintenance low. But here’s the thing: macOS and iOS are like distant cousins. They share some traits but are entirely different creatures.

    “If debugging is the process of removing software bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.”

    – Edsger Dijkstra

    “Two platforms, one codebase” sounds like a dream, but I quickly realized that you can’t just slap a mobile UI onto a desktop app and call it a day. The screen sizes, input methods, window management, all these small details had to be adjusted. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, but making it work without losing the essence of what you built.

    Conditions for macOS and iOS, but also for device resolution on iPhone and iPad.

    The Fine Line Between Efficiency and Overload

    Incorporating macOS-specific optimizations wasn’t as simple as resizing windows. The app had to manage multiple displays, adjust for different screen sizes, and still feel fluid while taking advantage of the desktop’s power. Every change, every tweak, led to a cascade of other adjustments. Maintaining a single codebase was efficient in theory, but it created a lot of headaches along the way.

    I spent more time testing than I care to admit, making sure one small change didn’t break something somewhere else. But that’s the process. There’s no such thing as an easy app transition (yet).

    Selling a Quiet Product That Does a Lot

    Now that Smart Keys mostly works, the challenge has shifted. I’m not wrestling with bugs as much as I’m wrestling with words. Building a product that blends into your day is one thing. Explaining it without making it sound like a blender full of features is another.

    It rewrites. It translates. It fixes weird grammar and polishes sloppy code. All in the background, with shortcuts you barely notice. That’s the magic. And also the problem.

    It’s hard to pitch a tool that isn’t trying to impress you. It just wants to help and then get out of the way. Try to summarize it in one sentence and you either oversimplify or overcomplicate. Try to be specific and it starts to sound like five tools in a trench coat.

    “First, write the press release. Then, build the product.”

    – Not me

    So now I’m figuring out how to talk about it without killing the simplicity. Selling a quiet product in a world that rewards loud ones. Making clarity feel exciting without dressing it up too much.

    Still, every time I’m stuck rewriting copy for the tenth time, it’s right there. I hit a shortcut, smooth things out, and move on.

    Sure, half the time I’m fixing the thing I just built, but hey, at least I’ve got good shortcuts for the apology emails.

  • Not Loud, Not Lost

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    At some point, someone decided a “strong personality” meant loud opinions, fast answers, and the kind of handshake that says I drink protein shakes with my eyes closed. And the rest of us, with our awkward silences and well-timed nods, just quietly slipped into the background.

    For a while, I bought into that. Thought maybe I was missing something. Maybe I needed to speak up more or say things like “let’s circle back” with a straight face. But then I started noticing the quiet people. The ones who listen more than they talk. The ones who sit through a meeting without posturing, then send one sentence afterward that rearranges the whole thing. They’re not weak. They’re just not peacocking.

    I wrote this on a Tuesday when I felt like a ghost in a room full of confident noise:

    If I am not a mountain’s cry,
    am I the breeze that passes by?
    If I don’t shout, or strike, or shine,
    can stillness be a strength of mine?

    Turns out, yes. Stillness sees things. It notices how people shift in their chairs when they lie. It remembers where the scissors were last week. It doesn’t rush to fill silence just to prove it’s there.

    I’ve learned to stop asking whether I have a strong personality. It’s the wrong question. The better one might be, am I honest? Am I curious? Can I sit with not knowing and not pretend otherwise?

    Strong is relative. Some of us are just the type to quietly move a chair so someone else doesn’t trip. No one claps, but no one falls. That counts.

    Anyway. That’s where I’m at. Probably still overthinking it. But at least I’m doing it quietly.

  • Earth Day, Big Dreams, and Small Beginnings

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    I recently had a conversation with the global team behind Earth Day, and I left that call completely blown away by the passion and meticulous organization behind the event. They are behind tens of thousands of Earth Day events worldwide, including one right here in my city. It got me thinking about how far I’ve come from those humble days of orchestrating little movie theater sessions for kids at a local fair in Brazil. Back then, I never imagined those early experiments would someday lead to coordinating large-scale Earth Day events with city partners (which always brings back memories of dealing with Brazilian politicians), churches (even though I’m agnostic), and sponsors (since I admittedly suck at pitching).

    Cine Ratones
    The biggest little cinema in town.
    Ratonarte, Florianópolis, Brazil (2014)

    I’ve always had this odd notion that I wasn’t cut out to be an event guy, the idea of organizing something only to see empty seats used to terrify me. Yet here I am, spearheading events run by 100% volunteer-based nonprofits, operating on shoestring budgets, or sometimes, virtually none. Every event is a leap of faith, and despite the occasional panic, there’s a thrill in watching it all come together, even if it means sometimes laughing off the worst-case scenarios over coffee.

    The volunteer spirit is at the heart of these events, but even passion comes with a price tag. Sponsorships enter the picture, each with its own mission and set of values. This year, for instance, we were approached by a wide array of organizations, from big sports clubs and banks to electric vehicle companies. It’s a constant balancing act, because while accepting sponsorships can boost our budget and extend our outreach, it can also tether us to partners whose values might not fully align with our environmental or ethical stances.

    Declining sponsorships feels like a double-edged sword; on one hand, it might mean fewer resources and a smaller reach, and on the other, it reinforces the pride I take in keeping our mission uncompromised by external interests that delve too deeply into environmental or political controversies.

    In the end, these Earth Day events are more than just a calendar date; they are a testament to the unpredictable, often messy journey of turning small beginnings into meaningful, community-driven celebrations. And while the challenges are many and the stakes sometimes feel higher than a teenager’s first crush, the shared commitment of everyone involved makes every moment worth it.

    Earth Day at Civic Park, Walnut Creek, CA (2024)

    Here’s to the unexpected paths, to volunteers who show up rain or shine, and to keeping our footprint light on the planet and heavy on authenticity.

  • When ginseng tea isn’t enough, figuring out my bandwidth.

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    Bandwidth sounds like a technical term, something to measure internet speed, but lately I’ve been using it to talk about my mental space. Not long ago, I started feeling this low, nagging anxiety, a weird distress that just wouldn’t quit. I blamed it on a temporary mood and went for a run to clear my head. The next day, the feeling was back, kind of like that annoying popup ad you can’t close. While updating my Now page, I realized I was juggling far more than I ever admitted, especially projects that needed my full attention.

    A “Now” page is my quick snapshot of what I’m focused on at the moment, a sort of last page of my journal. Inspired by Derek Sivers, it’s a way of sharing what’s driving my attention and energy right now. I try to keep it fresh, updating it as my focus shifts, even if it means sometimes admitting I overdid it.

    A few years back, I dove headfirst into a bunch of projects. I started volunteering, advising startups, and chasing new business ideas, some that worked and others that, well, ended up being my own little disasters I’m too embarrassed to share. I love diving deep into something, getting lost in the details, and burning the midnight oil until my brain begs for mercy. It feels like an endurance race sometimes, with no official finish line, just me chasing that moment when everything finally clicks.

    I reviewed my goals and initiatives and found that some were simply left behind. That neglect stirred up more stress, so I decided to slow down on a few fronts, pausing projects like learning Korean or switching from cycling (yes, cycling, my beloved sport) to running. These two activities require quite a lot of time. Cycling, for example, isn’t just a quick loop for me. I end up on half-day rides where my legs and schedule both pay the price, but I love the endurance high I get. That feeling of pushing a bit further when my body insists it’s done can be addictive. Even better when it’s a full day of riding, I feel like I’m on a day trip.

    The issue with pausing or reducing some projects is that they’re sometimes social events, and the downside of that is meeting less with those friends. To be honest, switching from cycling to running wasn’t my best idea. I miss the group rides, the banter, and the coffee stops that are half the reason we even ride. It’s a bittersweet trade-off, but for now, it’s helping me keep my stress in check.

    Talking about them, one of my cyclist friends said some people seem to have endless bandwidth, and it got me wondering: do they learn how to manage their energy, or were they just born with extra batteries?

    “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is while you are thinking about it,”

    – Daniel Kahneman

    Simple research tells us that our brains aren’t built to do everything at once. Every time we switch tasks, we lose a bit of focus. Experts like Daniel Kahneman (The guy from Thinking, Fast and Slow) remind us that our attention is limited and needs careful management. In other words, having more bandwidth isn’t about some secret magic power, it’s about making choices that protect what little mental space we have, something I’m still suck.

    So, I’ve tried a few tricks to keep my energy in check. I schedule downtime, set clear boundaries, gave meditation a shot and even switch coffee for ginseng (Ginseng helps rats handle stress, so I figured it might help me handle the rat race.)

    Well, none of these turned me into an ultra marathoner (thank goodness), but they did help me realize that trying to do too much just leaves me running on empty. One time, I promised a nonprofit I’d build their website in the same weekend I was juggling another project. By Sunday, I was microwaving my tea for the third time and realized I hadn’t eaten a real meal in 24 hours. That was my wake-up call.

    “Dieguito, I’ve done that before, you are a 3x burnout survivor, pay attention.”

    – Me

    Life shifts, and so does my capacity to handle it. Maybe bandwidth isn’t something we master once and for all, but something we renegotiate as we grow. Right now, I’m just glad I’m recognizing those signs of overload before they knock me out. If my future self is reading this, I hope you’ve learned a few more tricks. If not, at least you can smile at how far we’ve come.

    Will I ever fully figure out my bandwidth? Probably not. Knowing me, I’ll keep piling on random projects and then wonder why my schedule looks like an abstract painting. But at least now, I can laugh at the irony while sipping a cup of ginseng tea and secretly planning my next half-baked scheme.