Monthly Notes: August 2026
For the past several months, most of my attention has been focused somewhere other than my home lab, my website, or my camera. My fiancée and I are expecting a baby boy, and even writing those words still feels a little surreal.
Life has looked very different lately.
The evenings that used to disappear into Docker containers, networking projects, and writing stories have gradually been replaced by doctor appointments, nursery planning, and conversations about a future that suddenly feels much more real. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
— Black & white photo of you and your fiancée —
A Night at the Movies
One of my favorite evenings this month was surprisingly simple.
My fiancée and I went to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and it turned into one of those nights I’ll probably remember for a long time, not just because of the movie, but because of where we are in life.
Knowing that the next time we see a Spider-Man movie we’ll probably have a little one with us made the experience feel different. It’s funny how moments that would normally feel ordinary suddenly carry a little more meaning when you realize they’re some of the last you’ll experience as just the two of you.
I’m sure there will be plenty of family movie nights in our future, and I can’t wait for that chapter. But I’m also learning to appreciate these quieter moments while they’re still ours.
Dinner at The Capital Grille
We also made time this month for a dinner at The Capital Grille.
With so much of life lately revolving around appointments, planning, and preparing for the baby, it was nice to slow everything down for an evening and simply enjoy being together.
The food was amazing, but what I’ll probably remember most is the experience itself. We had a great dinner, talked about everything happening in our lives, and enjoyed one of those evenings where there was nowhere else we needed to be.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how important nights like this are. We’re both incredibly excited for what comes next, but I also want to make sure we appreciate this chapter while we’re still in it. Sometimes that means nothing more complicated than getting dressed up, going somewhere nice, ordering a great meal, and enjoying each other’s company.
As exciting as this year has been professionally, becoming a dad is easily the thing I’m looking forward to most. There are still plenty of projects ahead, more stories to write, more photographs to take, and more ideas I can’t wait to build. The difference is that there’s now a much bigger reason to step away from the keyboard every once in a while.
I’m incredibly grateful for everything that’s happening, and I’m excited to share this next chapter here as it unfolds.
Thanks for following along. I’ll see you in next month’s Monthly Notes.