Andrew Riefenstahl profile

Writing & Musings

Personal reflections on technology, life, music, philosophy, and the human experience. A mix of technical insights, creative pursuits, and honest thoughts on navigating this world.

10 Articles
Latest: June 2025
  • Photo from travels in Korea and Japan.

    A Journey Through Korea and Japan (And A Few Thoughts About Everything)

    Travel reflections on Korea and Japan, cultural insights, infrastructure envy, and thoughts on society, education, and the future.

    6/27/2025

  • A cute Shih Tzu dog next to the blog post title.

    Checking In: Life, Work, and Tech Updates

    An update after a few months of silence: health, work shifts, embracing new tech like Cursor and AI, music production, and recent reads.

    4/30/2025

  • Image of a laptop and code editor representing moonlighting web development projects.

    Moonlighter Tales: Building Websites, Monitoring Systems, and a Custom RAG Application

    An overview of recent moonlighting projects including building a restaurant website with Astro, a custom monitoring solution using Deno, and an agent RAG application to assist with revising a 90,000-word book.

    9/22/2024

  • Abstract image representing the transformation of the self and the death of the ego.

    Die Before Dying: The Death of My Ego

    A personal journey of spiritual awakening through the painful loss of identity, reshaping the self, and embracing a new perspective on life after a cochlear concussion.

    8/28/2024

  • Abstract representation of AI and software trends.

    Emergent Trends in Software

    An exploration of the current state and future aspirations of AI, custom agents, and the evolving landscape of technology. This piece delves into the practical applications of AI, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and the vision for creating AI agents that tackle everyday tasks and support communities.

    6/9/2024

  • An abstract representation of recovery and perseverance.

    My Repetitive Stress Injury Story: A Cautionary Tale

    An in-depth journey through the trials of enduring a repetitive stress injury, the invisible battle with chronic pain, and the eventual road to recovery through self-advocacy and innovative solutions like Talon speech software. This story aims to shed light on the often overlooked aspects of workplace injuries, mental health struggles, and the resilience required to navigate through them.

    3/25/2024

  • Conceptual image representing human civilization and its essential qualities.

    Essentials for Human Civilization Success

    Exploring the key qualities essential for the success of human civilization, focusing on education, stewardship, recycling, empathy, and the concept of universal basic income.

    1/17/2024

  • Illustration of a responsive horizontal slider in action.

    React Slick Horizontal Slider

    A practical guide on developing an efficient, responsive horizontal scroll slider using React Slick, tailored for modern web projects.

    1/9/2024

  • Dayzee the Shih-Tzu working in her studio.

    My Philosophies

    In the following passages, I delve into the core philosophies that have steered my life's journey: hard work, dreaming big, the importance of history, and the joy in the minutiae.

    12/31/2023

  • Dayzee the Shih Tzu editing my latest blog post.

    TBD Post 🛠️

    Working on another blog post! Under construction.

    12/31/2023