Celebrating Two Years of Building a Personal Website: A Journey of Simplicity and Creativity
After a dedicated two-year effort, I am thrilled to unveil my personal website—a project born out of passion, perseverance, and a desire to create without compromise. This isn’t just about launching a site; it’s a testament to pushing boundaries and staying true to what matters most to me.
The Long Road to Launch
Building this site wasn’t a matter of technical hurdles; instead, it was a journey of personal growth and clarity. Throughout this process, I realized that what was missing wasn’t the skills or ideas, but the right mindset to see it through. Many attempts over the years, especially while working within corporate environments that tout innovation, fell short when faced with the need for focus and tough questions. That experience fueled my motivation to craft something entirely for myself.
A Platform Made for Self-Expression
This website is a handcrafted digital space—designed to give me a voice and presence online, exactly as I envision it. It’s modest in the tech ecosystem but rich in intention and dedication. The goal was to step outside my comfort zone and experiment with minimalism while maintaining functionality and personality.
Technical Overview
The technology behind this project is intentionally simple:
- Core Framework: React.js, used with Markdown for content rendering
- No Frills: No CSS frameworks, no analytic tools, trackers, or SEO optimizations. It’s a pure, unadulterated experience—completely decoupled from external influences or data harvesting.
Unique Features & Challenges
Here’s what I’ve integrated into this site:
- Custom Styled Markdown: Enhancing readability and aesthetics beyond default styles.
- Procedural Background Generation: A dynamic, CPU-driven background, with plans to leverage WebGPU for better performance.
- Theme Awareness: Switching themes affects multiple elements, though I’m still working to improve cross-browser consistency—especially with WebKit’s quirks.
- Embedded PDF Viewer: Powered by PDF.js, I’m exploring ways to style the viewer more cohesively across different platforms without breaking the vibe.
- Hidden Easter Egg: A playful surprise within the site—ironic or fun, depending on your perspective. Feedback or playful roasts welcome!
- Content as Commits: Blog posts are written as commit-like entries, with potential plans to evolve into a more robust content management system.
- Motion Effects: A lot of subtle animations, with considerations for a
