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Uses

This is my uses page, a list of hardware, software, and tools I use on a regular. I'm indecisive and change what I use often, so this may also change frequently.

General Hardware

  • Apple Magic Keyboard with NumPad - Work keyboard, I've found Mac hardware plays nicest with Macs. Not my favorite, but not terrible. Numpad is a must have.

  • Apple Trackpad - Thought I'd try this instead of a mouse when I joined Temporal. I like it better in some regards, less in others. Right click is harder. Long drags across multiple large monitors is harder. The gestures are easier and nice

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  • 3 Monitors - 2 Dells and an LG. I don't know the specs. They're all 27 inches or larger. I didn't buy them. I collect monitors as I traverse remote jobs. No one ever wants them back. They're my little trophies. But 3 is a must for full productivity. One for the IDE, one for my terminal to test, one for a browser for research

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Development Tools

I write code daily in many languages, usually Python and Java, but also Go, TypeScript, lately Ruby, and the occasional C#. These are the tools I use on the daily.

  • VSCode - Tried and true. Only IDE I use.

  • Claude Code - Over the past month, I have gone from casual user to power user

    . The more I ask my friends how they are using it, the more I've realized I'm the power user in the group.

  • iTerm2 and Windows Terminal- Different terminals for different OSes. Trying Ghostty is on my list of things to do.

  • tmux - Terminal multiplexer. Vital for running multiple Claude Code sessions at once.

Productivity

  • Obsidian - Knowledge base and note-taking application, daily journal

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  • Todoist - Keeping track of all my tasks across work, community, and home.

  • 6ft Undated Reusable Whiteboard Calendar - This thing has been a game changer. I've had it for 3 years now, and I love it. I often tell people on meetings about it. "I'm not looking away, I'm checking my year calendar." For someone who travels for work a lot, a year at a glance has saved me so many potential double bookings. I also enjoy taking a picture of it at the end of every year and saving it. I can see all the work I did before I wipe it clean and start again.
  • Desktop Whiteboard Computer Buddy - Another amazing tool. Great for quick notes in a meeting, doubles as a phone stand and little drawer. I get this as Christmas presents for people now.

  • A REAL Whiteboard - Can you tell I like whiteboards? I've had cheap ones you can get online or from local stores, but I finally decided to get a good one

    . Totally worth it.

Content Creation

Writing

I spend the majority of my time writing. Over the years, I've tried many tools and continue to try more. These are what I'm currently using, but check back often as this list may change.

  • VSCode - I write exclusively in Markdown. When I have to write in another format, I write Markdown and convert it later. VSCode has such a rich plugin ecosystem I can switch between coding and writing seamlessly.
  • vale - A command-line tool that allows you to define a style guide and lint your content against it.

  • lychee A command-line tool that checks for broken links. This is part of my CI and keeps my various sites up to date, makes sure I don't forget to add links

    , and finds link rot.

  • Claude Code - Oh no! He uses AI tools to write? Burn him!

    Claude is a great editor. I don't use Claude to write content, but paired with vale, I have one hell of an editor.

Video

I don't create professional video content as often anymore, but I do have a setup for when I need to.