The WordPress install on this site had gotten into a state. The wrong theme was active. Plugins were running that I didn’t recognize. Security updates had queued up while I was busy with other things. At some point I’d stopped caring, which is usually when something breaks.

I decided to move to Hugo. This is how I did it, and what broke along the way.

Why Hugo

Static HTML doesn’t need a database, PHP version upgrades, or plugin maintenance. Hugo generates a directory of HTML files from Markdown and templates. You deploy that directory to a web server. Done.

Just as the vibrant LEGO pieces come together to create magnificent structures, our life experiences, both significant and seemingly trivial, shape us, brick by brick. Each piece, each memory, each learning curve, intertwines to craft the intricate design of our character. Join me on this journey, as we draw parallels between the assembly of LEGO structures and our own personal growth.

Foundations – From Beginnings and Experiences

Like the foundation of any great LEGO structure, our character’s foundation is laid early in life. Our environment, the people we interact with, and the experiences we undergo, act as those foundational pieces, setting the stage for future growth.

In a world filled with diverse personalities, various opinions, and incessant external influences, navigating through life’s myriad challenges and crossroads can be a daunting endeavor. One of the most profound tools we possess as individuals, often overlooked, is our value system. It’s the compass that guides our choices, influencing not just what we do, but how we feel about it.

What is a Value System?

At its core, a value system comprises the principles, ethics, and moral standards we hold dear. Think of it as your internal GPS, consistently guiding you towards actions and choices that resonate with your soul’s deepest truths. While the world around you fluctuates, these values remain your steadfast companions, helping you make decisions that feel right at a fundamental level.

I subscribe to Chamath Palihapitiya’s Substack What I Read This Week, it’s a weekly dose of a dozen or so interesting links, often related, that he recommends. This week’s newsletter featured a paper published in the British Journal of Psychology titled The rich are different: Unravelling the perceived and self-reported personality profiles of high-net-worth individuals.

I’m fascinated with personal development as my personality used to be abhorrent. Over the decades I’ve become someone I actually like, as well as a high-net-worth individual, so I was curious to see if there was a scientific correlation between who I have become internally and what I have achieved externally.

Last year I bought a brand new, Rolex Starbucks.

i dont know if you guys have seen the meme of all the gurus saying everyone in america would make it if they just stopped buying starbucks coffee?

Moguls like Kevin O’Leary can be very judgemental about people’s coffee habits.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/04/kevin-oleary-wont-pay-2-point-50-for-coffee-instead-he-invests-it.html

Medical schools are advising students to save money by not buying Starbucks.

Spain’s starting to get cold and is losing it’s sunshine, also I want to get back to a never ending summer, so I decided to spend a month in Morocco to learn more about this beautiful country.

Surfing in Tamraght

Taghazout is the most famous surfing destination in Morocco, but it’s tiny, lost it’s hippy vibe and has more scammers than soul nowadays. Further down the coast is another town called Tamraght with more surf and yoga camps as well as proximity to the same beaches. I have stayed in a few places and recommend Maroc Surf Camp for basic accomodation, yoga and surf lessons or the Riu Palace if you want more of a luxury resort vibe. The Maroc Surf Camp guys were happy to collect me from the Riu and take me out for surf lessons when I was staying there.

I’m a massive advocate of personal responsibility and accountability, in all things, especially when it comes to health and finances. But I didn’t always use to be this way.

After graduating with 2 degrees I didn’t want to do and entering the job market out of necessity rather than choice, I ended up keeping up with the Joneses whilst drowning my misery in distractions. This lead to me maxing out my credit cards, and taking consolidation loans, multiple times whilst also permanently living out of my overdraft.

HodlBot is a self managed crypto index fund. Essentially it maintains a portfolio for you that tracks the top performing crypto projects based on your requirements.

In November 2020 I deposited $250 into a crypto exchange and configured HodlBot to manage it using a HODL 10 Index strategy and in the 4 months since the portfolio has grown to a value of $1,013.11.

What Is EthicHub?

EthicHub was formed in 2017 and is a crowdsourced lending platform, offering approximately 15% APR on investments of as little as €20.

EthicHub, for now, is focusing on the coffee growing communities near the city of Tapachula in the Chiapas state of Mexico.