Sign in Subscribe

Ed Nite

Ed Nite

Software developer and lifelong IT nerd. Learns best by doing, breaking things, and occasionally finishing them. Writes about creativity, learning, and doing things before he's ready.

What Stays When Everything Else Goes: My 2025 Reflection

Three weeks into January 2025, I woke up and didn’t want to start the day. Not suicidal, just done. This is what stayed when everything else felt like it was slipping: small movement, honest words, gratitude without surrender, and the stubborn decision to keep going.

My 2025 Reading List: The Source Code Edition

In 2024 I optimized everything. In 2025 I started asking what I was optimizing for. Here are the books I kept orbiting as I debugged the source code.

Seasons of Life: Why You're Not Supposed to Have It All Figured Out

You’re not supposed to have life figured out by 25. Or 35. Or even 55. This piece explores the “seasons of life”, exploration, stability, disruption, reinvention, and why feeling lost doesn’t mean you’ve failed. You’re not late. You’re just in a season. The question is: what will you do with it?

“Hopefully Soon" Is Killing Your Dreams: How to Start When Life Feels Too Messy

We love to say “hopefully soon” about the projects that matter most. This piece is a gentle but honest push to start anyway, messy room, busy brain and all.

How I Built a Company AI Assistant in 4 Days (Without Being an AI Expert)

I accidentally became a company’s AI guru and built an on-premise AI assistant in just four days, without being an AI expert. Here’s the hilarious, painful, espresso-fueled story of how it happened, what broke, what worked, and why hard things don’t get easier… but definitely get doable.

5 Stoic Lessons from Marcus Aurelius That Actually Work

A modern look at five Stoic lessons from Marcus Aurelius that still work. From controlling the story in your head to accepting reality without surrendering to it, here’s how an ancient emperor can help you think clearer, live better, and stop spiraling over unread emails.

10 Classic Sci-Fi Audiobooks & Radio Dramas That Still Hit

Old radios, new earbuds. Here are 10 timeless sci-fi listens, vintage radio dramas and classic audiobooks that still hit hard, plus a modern bonus (Project Hail Mary). Expect links to Audible, BBC, LibriVox, and the Internet Archive.

Do Nothing

In a world obsessed with doing more, here’s a radical idea: do nothing. Not as avoidance, but as rebellion. This isn’t a guide to productivity, it’s a quiet permission slip to exist without optimizing.

Why I’m Learning Sumerian, and What It Taught Me About Hard Work, Burnout, and the Joy of Doing Useless Things

After burning out on a massive project, I started learning Sumerian, a language no one’s spoken in 4,000 years. What began as a useless obsession turned into a lesson on meaning, burnout, and the quiet joy of doing hard things that don’t need to matter.

Why You Do It: The Four Words That Changed How I Make Every Decision

A simple, four-word question my father used to ask changed how I make decisions. In this story, I explore how “Why you do it?” became the compass for living, and choosing, with intention.

Disclosure: Some links on MindTheNerd.com may be affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products, services, or resources that we personally use, trust, or believe will add value to our readers. Thank you for supporting MindTheNerd.com!