01A short defence of slow systemsOn why I distrust the word real-time, and what twenty milliseconds of patience can buy you.
02A proof, badly drawnWorking through Gauss–Bonnet on the back of an electricity bill. The mistakes are kept on purpose.
03On retry stormsThundering herds, jitter, and the small mercy of exponential backoff. Mostly an apology to a database.
04One thing I got wrong in 2025A short list, edited down for your sake and mine. Seven made it past the editor.
05The shape of a good TuesdayA compiler, a roll of film, and nowhere in particular to be. Not every entry needs a thesis.
06Notes on naming thingsThe second hard problem, approached with rather more humility than the first.