{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1", "title": "Chris Hunsanger", "icon": "https://avatars.micro.blog/avatars/2025/14/1414643.jpg", "home_page_url": "https://hunsanger.blog/", "feed_url": "https://hunsanger.blog/feed.json", "items": [ { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/04/01/rainbow-in-the-smokies.html", "content_html": "

#rainbow in the smokies

\n\"\"\n", "date_published": "2026-04-01T21:16:49-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/04/01/rainbow-in-the-smokies.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/02/21/experiment-bskyswift-a-bluesky-swift.html", "title": "Experiment 2 - BskySwift - A BlueSky Swift macOS app", "content_html": "

I’ve been spending time vibe-coding to stay close to where AI tooling is actually heading. Along the way, I’ve been running experiments, shipping small systems, and learning what works (and what doesn’t) in real use. This is another post in that series where I’m sharing one of those builds and what I’m learning from it.

\n

A few months ago I posted that I got bored and built a native macOS BlueSky app.

\n\"CleanShot\nI kept going.\n

This is still very much an experiment, but it’s turned into a legit daily driver for me in bursts.

\n

What’s working well now

\n\n\"CleanShot\n

Still rough (or not done)

\n\n

Why I’m still doing this\nThis project has become my sandbox for building an app the way I want to use one:

\n\n

I also like how quickly this app reveals where protocol-level details (OAuth scopes, token expiry, chat endpoints, moderation labels, etc.) collide with real product UX.

\n

Next up

\n\n

I still don’t know how far I’ll take this.

\n

But it continues to be one of the more fun things I’ve built lately.

\n", "date_published": "2026-02-21T21:36:06-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/02/21/experiment-bskyswift-a-bluesky-swift.html", "tags": ["experiments"] }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/02/19/experiment-honeybooks.html", "title": "Experiment 1 - Honeybooks", "content_html": "

I’ve been spending time vibe-coding to stay close to where AI tooling is actually heading. Along the way, I’ve been running experiments, shipping small systems, and learning what works (and what doesn’t) in real use. This is the first post in a series where I’ll share those builds and takeaways.

\n

Primary coding agent(s): Codex

\n

Honeybooks

\n\"CleanShot\nI built Honeybooks because audiobook requests in our house were getting messy. \nWe had requested titles in one place, library status in another, and no easy way to know what was actually done.\n

Honeybooks is the glue layer between requests and Audiobookshelf.

\n

What it does

\n\n

Audiobookshelf integration

\n

When I mark a book as available, Honeybooks can do an ABS lookup before finalizing.
\nIf the match is uncertain, I can confirm the correct ABS item from an overlay.
\nOnce confirmed, Honeybooks stores ABS linkage (abs_id) and metadata without clobbering fields I want to keep.

\n

So the workflow is:

\n\n

Notification pipeline (technical)

\n\"CleanShot\n

Honeybooks uses event-driven notifications, not just UI-side actions.

\n\n

This keeps notifications predictable, traceable, and easy to troubleshoot.

\n

Why We use it

\n

Honeybooks gives me one operational view of “what was requested” vs “what’s actually available,” with ABS verification and notification delivery built in. And my spouse is actually using it and enjoying having this all centralized (and notifications!) without needing to parse a never-ending list in Apple Notes.

\n", "date_published": "2026-02-19T22:29:23-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/02/19/experiment-honeybooks.html", "tags": ["experiments"] }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/02/12/app-defaults.html", "title": "App Defaults 2025", "content_html": "

Below is the list of apps I use in various categories. I have excluded my strict work-usage-only applications.

\n

• 📨 Mail Client: Mimestream (macOS/iOS) ✨

\n

• 📮 Mail Server: Gmail, Fastmail, and some iCloud hosting with a custom domain

\n

• 📝 Notes: Notes.app (ad-hoc/personal), Obsidian (work). ✨

\n

• ✅ To-Do: Obsidian/Todoist - Late shift to Obsidian full-time using a single page method.

\n

• 📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: iOS Camera / !Boring Camera

\n

• 🟦 Photo Management: Lightroom, Photos.app, Google Photos

\n

• 📆 Calendar: Calendar.app, Outlook (macOS/iOS) ✨

\n

• 📁 Cloud File Storage: iCloud Drive, Google Drive

\n

• 📖 RSS: feedly + Reeder Classic (macOS), and Lire (iOS/iPadOS) ✨

\n

• 🙍🏻‍♂️ Contacts: Contacts.app, Cardhop (for birthdays)

\n

• 🌐 Browser: Chrome / ChatGPT Atlas, Safari (iOS). I still bounce between these three evenly ✨

\n

• 💬 Chat: iMessage, Telegram, Discord, Slack

\n

• 🔖 Bookmarks: Raindrop.io, Plinky (end of year testing out). Capture. I’m still deciding what to use full time, but bounce between these options. I also have dabbled with Totmark… which will require a post to explain how that works. ✨

\n

• 📑 Read It Later: Matter but admittedly using RIL apps less and less.

\n

• 📜 Word Processing: Drafts ✨

\n

• 📈 Spreadsheets: Excel

\n

• 📊 Presentations: PowerPoint (occasionally dabble with Keynote)

\n

• 🛒 Shopping Lists: Instacart/Meijer app or Walmart direct

\n

• 🍴 Meal Planning: N/A (I use shopping apps to plan)

\n

• 💰 Budgeting and Personal Finance: Monarch Money

\n

• 📰 News: Apple News, RSS

\n

• 🎵 Music: Apple Music

\n

• 🎤 Podcasts: Apple Podcasts

\n

• 🔐 Password Management: Keychain/Passwords.app (1Password is only used for licenses and secured notes)

\n

• 👨‍💻 Code Editor: Nova and Antigravity to finish the year.

\n

• ✈️ VPN: Tailscale

\n

• ✨ AI Platform: Gemini (post 3-Pro), ChatGPT, and Claude, with some dabbling in local LLMs

\n

Other Apps I Rely On:

\n

• Search/Utility: Raycast\n• Screenshots: CleanShot X\n• Clipboard Manager: Raycast ✨

\n

Here is a link to my App Defaults 2024 post.

\n

For background, I was inspired by Hemispheric Views 097 - Duel of the Defaults! and this post by Robb Knight.

\n", "date_published": "2026-02-12T22:37:37-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/02/12/app-defaults.html", "tags": ["app-defaults"] }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/02/10/reading-crucial-conversations-tools-for.html", "content_html": "\n

Reading: Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson 📚

\n", "date_published": "2026-02-10T14:34:23-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/02/10/reading-crucial-conversations-tools-for.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/02/10/started-reading-dawnshard-by-brandon.html", "content_html": "\n

Started Reading: Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson 📚

\n", "date_published": "2026-02-10T13:50:16-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/02/10/started-reading-dawnshard-by-brandon.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2026/02/10/finished-reading-oathbringer-book-three.html", "content_html": "\n

Finished reading: Oathbringer: Book Three Of The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson 📚

\n", "date_published": "2026-02-10T13:49:38-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2026/02/10/finished-reading-oathbringer-book-three.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/11/03/got-bored-built-a-macos.html", "content_html": "

Got bored, built a macOS swift BlueSky app.

\n

Working:
\n- Posting to BlueSky
\n- Replying to posts
\n- Timeline
\n- Bookmarks
\n- Profile view

\n

Not Working (yet):
\n- Notifications
\n- Quality search

\n

I’m not sure how far I’ll take this at this point, but a fun exercise in creating a macOS app.

\n\"\"\n", "date_published": "2025-11-03T23:15:27-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/11/03/got-bored-built-a-macos.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/09/09/gut-feel-is-that-iphone.html", "content_html": "

Gut feel is that 🍊iPhone 17 Pro Max is calling my name, despite the obvious better looks of the 17 Air in all aspects but the color.

\n\"\"\n", "date_published": "2025-09-09T20:01:11-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/09/09/gut-feel-is-that-iphone.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/08/25/really-happy-with-how-things.html", "content_html": "

Really happy with how things have been improving in the Obsidian space of late. Bases feature looks to be a game-changer (at least for me personally, databases are fun!), and has pulled me back into Obsidian from the comfy confines of the still excellent NotePlan 3 app.

\n", "date_published": "2025-08-25T21:15:57-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/08/25/really-happy-with-how-things.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/08/13/pumped-to-finally-have-a.html", "content_html": "

Pumped to finally have a date for getting fiber internet in my home for the first time. 🌐

\n", "date_published": "2025-08-13T22:05:34-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/08/13/pumped-to-finally-have-a.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/05/12/finished-reading-edgedancer-from-the.html", "content_html": "\n

Finished reading: Edgedancer: From the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson 📚

\n", "date_published": "2025-05-12T19:24:00-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/05/12/finished-reading-edgedancer-from-the.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/04/21/finished-reading-words-of-radiance.html", "content_html": "\n

Finished reading: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson 📚

\n", "date_published": "2025-04-21T22:47:44-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/04/21/finished-reading-words-of-radiance.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/04/05/cabin-season-is-the-best.html", "content_html": "

Cabin season is the best season.

\n

\"\"

\n", "date_published": "2025-04-05T21:46:25-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/04/05/cabin-season-is-the-best.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/03/24/finished-reading-the-way-of.html", "content_html": "\n

Finished reading: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson 📚

\n", "date_published": "2025-03-24T22:58:20-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/03/24/finished-reading-the-way-of.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/03/23/macupdater-macupdater-has-become-an.html", "content_html": "

MacUpdater

\n

MacUpdater has become an essential part of my digital toolkit – a rare utility that solves a genuine problem without creating new ones. It scans your Mac for outdated applications (tracking over 100,000 apps) and updates them with a single click, eliminating the fragmented update experience across different apps. What impresses me most is its thoughtful design: a clean interface that clearly highlights outdated apps, a privacy-first approach that requires no account creation, and a refreshingly straightforward one-time purchase ($12.59 for Pro Edition) licensing model.

\n", "date_published": "2025-03-23T21:50:59-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/03/23/macupdater-macupdater-has-become-an.html", "tags": ["app"] }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/03/19/platform-investigation-eleventy-vs-microblog.html", "title": "Platform Investigation: Eleventy vs. Micro.blog vs. Weblog.lol ", "content_html": "

I have been interested in sharing more online, and decided to finally do a true deep-dive into the options out there to host a blog.

\n

Background and Evaluation

\n

I have been a happy Micro.blog subscriber but never really used it to the fullest for “blogging”. I am not a big writer by any means, but enjoy sharing interesting things I come across. Maybe it’s a link to an article, or an attempt to share a take on the latest tech thing in my life.

\n

This eventually led me to evaluate the services in my life and how I use them. Previously I had my “homepage” which was just a link to this blog hosted on Micro.blog. I decided I wanted to change that up, and found that “hunsanger.blog” was available, and decided to move my blog content to that dedicated site, while moving my new “webpage” (omg.lol terminology) to be my home-base for my socials at hunsanger.com.

\n

After seeing praises sung by Robb Knight, I decided to check out Eleventy which honestly I came very close to using. I liked that I could have a clean Obsidian → GitHub → Netlify workflow that would allow me to do most of my blogging in my current note-taking application of choice. The customization options were limitless, and there was certainly a level of freedom about it that did call to me. The #1 feature I loved was the ability to locally view and tweak my theme and then push changes to GitHub.

\n

I also evaluated Weblog.lol (service offered through my omg.lol subscription) and it really is a good balance of functionality and convenience all while natively supporting markdown. I found the handling of templates to be a bit fiddly for my taste and customization was especially tricky but I’m anxiously going to check out Neato offered by Neatnik (who is behind omg.lol) when it is released.

\n

How I landed on Micro.blog

\n\n

Plans

\n\n

For fun here are some blog screenshots I played around with during my evaluation period.

\n

Eleventy

\n\"CleanShot\n

Weblog.lol

\n\"\"\n", "date_published": "2025-03-19T17:43:12-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/03/19/platform-investigation-eleventy-vs-microblog.html", "tags": ["eleventy","micro.blog"] }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/03/19/the-future-of-search-isnt.html", "content_html": "

The Future of Search isn’t Google

\n

From David Pierce at The Verge:

\n
\n

I’m still using Kagi, and it’s hard to imagine switching back. It’s now _Google _that looks bizarre and unfamiliar every time I open it. As Google has become more visual, more chaotic, and consistently less good at simply finding the things I’m looking for, Kagi has stayed simple and straightforward. It is a page full of links, and they’re usually the right ones.

\n
\n

This has been my exact experience since switching to Kagi around a year ago, I’ve already made Kagi my go-to search engine on all of my devices.

\n", "summary": "David Pierce at The Verge shares my feelings on Kagi.", "date_published": "2025-03-19T08:37:35-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/03/19/the-future-of-search-isnt.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2025/03/12/app-defaults.html", "title": "App Defaults 2024", "content_html": "

Below is my updated list of apps I use in various categories updated from 2024. I have excluded my strict work-usage-only applications.

\n

Main Apps

\n

• 📨 Mail Client: Mimestream (macOS) / Mail.app (macOS/iOS), Mail.app, and Gmail (search only) (iOS)

\n

• 📮 Mail Server: Gmail, Fastmail, and some iCloud hosting with a custom domain

\n

• 📝 Notes: Notes.app (ad-hoc/personal), NotePlan, and a late shift back to Obsidian (work). I still bounce between these apps but lately enjoy using Obsidian more for most notes.

\n

• ✅ To-Do: OmniFocus, with some dabbling in Todoist

\n

• 📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: iOS Camera

\n

• 🟦 Photo Management: Lightroom, Photos.app, Google Photos

\n

• 📆 Calendar: Calendar.app, BusyCal (included with SetApp)

\n

• 📁 Cloud File Storage: iCloud Drive, Google Drive

\n

• 📖 RSS: Feedbin + Reeder (I use both the new Reeder and Reeder Classic)

\n

• 🙍🏻‍♂️ Contacts: Contacts.app, Cardhop (for birthdays)

\n

• 🌐 Browser: Safari and Vivaldi (when Chromium is required)

\n

• 💬 Chat: iMessage, Telegram, Discord, Slack

\n

• 🔖 Bookmarks: Raindrop.io

\n

• 📑 Read It Later: Matter, Obsidian (using the excellent web-clipper)

\n

• 📜 Word Processing: Paper (via SetApp)

\n

• 📈 Spreadsheets: Excel

\n

• 📊 Presentations: PowerPoint (occasionally dabble with Keynote)

\n

• 🛒 Shopping Lists: Instacart/Meijer app or Walmart direct

\n

• 🍴 Meal Planning: N/A (I use shopping apps to plan)

\n

• 💰 Budgeting and Personal Finance: Monarch Money

\n

• 📰 News: Apple News, RSS

\n

• 🎵 Music: Apple Music

\n

• 🎤 Podcasts: [[Apple Podcasts]]

\n

• 🔐 Password Management: Keychain/Passwords.app (1Password is only used for licenses and secured notes)

\n

• 👨‍💻 Code Editor: Nova

\n

• ✈️ VPN: Tailscale

\n

• ✨ AI Platform: ChatGPT (preferred model for API usage in other apps), with some dabbling in local LLMs

\n

Other Apps I Rely On:

\n

• Search/Utility: Raycast
\n• Screenshots: CleanShot X
\n• Clipboard Manager: Paste

\n

Here is a link to my App Defaults 2023 post.

\n

For background, I was inspired by Hemispheric Views 097 - Duel of the Defaults! and this post by Robb Knight.

\n", "date_published": "2025-03-12T22:01:35-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2025/03/12/app-defaults.html", "tags": ["app-defaults"] }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2023/11/26/app-defaults.html", "title": "App Defaults 2023", "content_html": "

I was inspired by Hemispheric Views 097 - Duel of the Defaults! and this post by Robb Knight.

\n

Below is the list I use in the various categories mentioned. I have excluded my strict work usage only applications.

\n

📨 Mail Client: Mimestream (macOS) / Mail.app (macOS/iOS), Gmail (search only) (iOS)
\n📮 Mail Server: Gmail, Fastmail
\n📝 Notes: Notes.app (ad-hoc), NotePlan. I do still occasionally dabble with Bear and Obsidian.
\n✅ To-Do: Reminders, Things 3
\n📷 iPhone Photo Shooting: iOS Camera
\n🟦 Photo Management: Lightroom, Photos.app, Google Photos
\n📆 Calendar: Calendar.app
\n📁 Cloud File Storage: iCloud Drive, Google Drive
\n📖 RSS: Feedbin + Reeder
\n🙍🏻‍♂️ Contacts: Contacts.app, Cardhop (for birthdays)
\n🌐 Browser: Safari, Arc (when Chromium required)
\n💬 Chat: iMessage, Telegram, Discord, Slack
\n🔖 Bookmarks: Raindrop.io
\n📑 Read It Later: Matter
\n📜 Word Processing: Ulysses
\n📈 Spreadsheets: Excel
\n📊 Presentations: PowerPoint, dabble with Keynote
\n🛒 Shopping Lists: Instacart/Meijer app direct or Reminders
\n🍴 Meal Planning: N/A (use Shopping apps to plan)
\n💰 Budgeting and Personal Finance: Copilot / Chronicle
\n📰 News: Apple News, RSS
\n🎵 Music: Apple Music, Tidal (via Vault subscription)
\n🎤 Podcasts: Apple Podcasts
\n🔐 Password Management: 1Password, but migrating slowly to Keychain
\n👨‍💻 Code Editor: Nova
\n✈️ VPN: Tailscale

\n

Other Apps I rely on:

\n\n", "date_published": "2023-11-26T21:43:00-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2023/11/26/app-defaults.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2023/10/27/iphone-pro-max.html", "title": "iPhone 15 Pro Max - Thoughts", "content_html": "\n

Overall, minus the heat issue, the iPhone 15 Pro max has been my favorite iPhone to date, bumped specs aside, it was nice to see Apple focus on the materials (titanium is fantastic), and find ways to reduce the weight/feel of the device in hand.

\n
\n
\n
    \n
  1. \n

    Of note, the titanium itself stayed 100% intact and scratch-less, but one corner of the phone glass has some minuscule chipping in the edge of the glass from where it hit the ground. ↩︎

    \n
    2. \n
  2. \n

    I think it is mostly a muscle memory change that I have not adjusted to yet, but I also have just not landed on that thing that will make it click for me. ↩︎

    \n
    3. \n
  3. \n

    I am holding out hope that Apple will be updating the AirPods Max, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse at the Oct. 30th event. ↩︎

    \n
    4. \n
\n
\n", "date_published": "2023-10-27T22:51:54-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2023/10/27/iphone-pro-max.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2023/07/26/ios-apple-podcast.html", "title": "iOS 17 Apple Podcast App", "content_html": "

I have been testing out the new iOS 17 Podcasts app, and for the most part it gets me 90% of what I want in a Podcast app.

\n

Biggest drawbacks:

\n\n

Favorite features:

\n\n

For now I am still bouncing between Overcast and the Apple Podcasts app, but I am happy to see Apple catching up in this space.

\n", "date_published": "2023-07-26T22:19:55-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2023/07/26/ios-apple-podcast.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2023/07/22/tried-a-spray.html", "content_html": "

Tried a spray painter for the first time today, and I am officially a believer. Worked perfectly for tackling a cabinetry paint job.

\n

Only downside is the lengthy (and messy) cleanup process.

\n", "date_published": "2023-07-22T21:36:16-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2023/07/22/tried-a-spray.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2023/07/01/working-on-getting.html", "content_html": "

Working on getting iOS Focus modes properly configured this weekend.

\n

I am feeling fairly confident that iOS 17 dev beta 2 has broken Focus modes a bit though, as Do Not Disturb keeps getting enabled without any intervention on my side.

\n", "date_published": "2023-07-01T12:49:03-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2023/07/01/working-on-getting.html" }, { "id": "http://hunsanger.micro.blog/2023/06/26/checking-out-microblog.html", "content_html": "

Checking out micro.blog and downloading the macOS Sonoma beta after returning from our camping trip early (due to thunderstorms), as one does.

\n", "date_published": "2023-06-26T11:49:49-04:00", "url": "https://hunsanger.blog/2023/06/26/checking-out-microblog.html" } ] }