Uses
The hardware, software, and small habits behind the work.
People ask. So here's the list. None of this is a recommendation. All of it changes once a year or so.
Design
- FigmaThe home base. Components, prototypes, and most thinking out loud.
- FigJamWhiteboarding. The first hour of every project lives here.
- Adobe IllustratorWhen the work has to be drawn, not built. Posters, the subway map, anything that prints.
- ProcreateSketching on the iPad. Quick gesture studies before I open Figma.
Code
- VS CodeDefault editor. With Vim mode and the smallest possible chrome.
- Claude CodeAI pair-programmer in the terminal. This site was built with it.
- Next.js + TailwindMost of the personal projects. App router. CSS variables for tokens.
- VercelDeploy target for almost everything I run.
Writing & notes
- ObsidianLong-term note system. Daily notes, project files, the seed library for essays.
- iA WriterDrafting. Quiet typewriter mode for first passes.
- BearQuick captures from the phone.
Hardware
- MacBook Pro 16Main machine. M-series, mostly silent.
- Apple Studio DisplaySingle monitor. I don't multitask well across two.
- Keychron Q1Mechanical keyboard, brown switches, programmed for Vim shortcuts.
- iPad Pro 12.9Sketching, reading, the occasional second screen.
Habits
- One project at a timeMostly. I usually fail at this by Wednesday.
- Mornings for designCritique and code happen later. Synthesis happens first.
- Walks for stuck momentsMore productive than another browser tab.
- Notebook always nearbyPaper for the things that aren't ready to be typed yet.