Add new tech article: brewing up the stack (LLM proxies, Caddy migration, Grok-bot)

- New post: brewing up the stack covering GopherGate LLM proxy, Grok-bot, Dissertation Path updates, pi.dev migration, Caddy reverse-proxy switch, and Gemma4 experiments
- Add author tone & voice profile for consistent writing reference
- Add .gitignore for Pi-lens cache and build artifacts

author-tone-profile.md

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+# Author Tone & Voice Profile
+**Subject:** Dustin Newkirk (d@n tech)  
+**Date Analyzed:** 2026-04-09  
+**Sample Articles:** 6 posts across life, tech, news categories (2023-2026)
+
+## Overall Tone
+- **Conversational & Approachable:** Feels like talking to a knowledgeable friend over coffee.
+- **Enthusiastic & Passionate:** Shows genuine excitement about technology, learning, and projects.
+- **Personal & Reflective:** Willing to share career challenges, educational journeys, and personal milestones.
+- **Encouraging & Inclusive:** Often uses “we,” “us,” and invites readers to join the conversation.
+- **Humble & Relatable:** Acknowledges plateaus, seeks support, and values community input.
+
+## Voice Characteristics
+- **First-person narrative:** “I,” “my,” “me” – the author’s experiences are central.
+- **Direct address:** Frequently uses “you” to speak to the reader.
+- **Casual contractions:** I’m, it’s, let’s, don’t, can’t – maintains an informal flow.
+- **Warm sign‑offs:** “Thank you for being a part of my journey,” “Stay tuned,” “Thanks for reading.”
+- **Invitations to engage:** Asks questions, encourages comments, and welcomes feedback.
+
+## Sentence Structure
+- **Mix of lengths:** Short, punchy sentences for impact; longer, explanatory sentences for detail.
+- **Bulleted lists:** Common for breaking down technical details or career milestones.
+- **Headings & subheadings:** Clear hierarchy using Markdown `##` and `###`.
+- **Hook openings:** Often starts with a greeting or a vivid metaphor (“the kettle’s whistling”).
+- **Call‑to‑action endings:** Closes with a forward‑looking statement or an invitation.
+
+## Vocabulary & Diction
+- **Tech‑forward but accessible:** Uses technical terms (DNS, VPS, LXC) but pairs them with everyday analogies.
+- **Coffee‑themed lexicon:** brew, beans, grind, pour a cup, steeping, fresh brew, kettle, espresso shot, etc.
+- **Positive modifiers:** exciting, thrilling, valuable, crucial, enriching, enlightening.
+- **Action‑oriented verbs:** share, explore, manage, host, build, launch, support, grow.
+- **Community‑focused words:** together, share, support, contribute, connect.
+
+## Metaphors & Analogies
+- **Coffee‑related:** The dominant thematic metaphor. Examples:
+  - “Think of DNS management like a coffee shop’s menu.”
+  - “It’s like having a supercharged auto‑tamper and grinder.”
+  - “the kettle’s whistling, and the code is fresh.”
+- **Everyday objects:** Storage units, post‑office sorting, classic cars, security systems, filing cabinets.
+- **Purpose:** Makes complex technical concepts tangible and memorable.
+
+## Formatting & Visual Style
+- **Markdown‑heavy:** Headings, bullet points, bold text for emphasis.
+- **Images & logos:** Includes relevant graphics (logos, diagrams) to break up text.
+- **Code snippets:** Not heavily used in the sampled articles, but likely in technical tutorials.
+- **Links:** Frequently links to external resources, projects, and donation platforms (Ko‑fi).
+- **Friendly metadata:** Post titles often lower‑cased, casual (“a fresh brew of code”).
+
+## Persona & Values
+- **Lifelong learner:** Pursuing higher education, experimenting with homelabs, exploring new APIs.
+- **Hands‑on tinkerer:** Homelab enthusiast, self‑hosts many services, loves practical projects.
+- **Community‑minded:** Shares knowledge, supports students, offers resources, welcomes collaboration.
+- **Transparent about support:** Openly discusses Ko‑fi initiatives, server‑upgrade funding, and merchandise.
+- **Work‑life balance advocate:** Mentions Pathfinder gaming, family time, and personal passions.
+
+## Consistency Over Time
+- **2023‑2024:** Slightly more formal but still conversational; coffee metaphors appear but are less pervasive.
+- **2025‑2026:** Coffee metaphor becomes a defining stylistic signature; tone becomes even more playful and metaphorical.
+- **Core voice remains stable:** Personal, enthusiastic, explanatory, and inclusive across all categories (life, tech, news).
+
+## Recommendations for Future Content
+1. **Lean into the coffee metaphor** – it’s a unique and recognizable brand element.
+2. **Maintain the balance of technical depth and accessible explanation** – assume readers have mixed backgrounds.
+3. **Continue using bullet points and headings** for scannability, especially in technical posts.
+4. **Keep openings warm and engaging** – a greeting or a vivid image sets the tone.
+5. **End with a forward‑looking note** – a next step, a question, or an invitation to connect.
+6. **Use analogies liberally** – they’re a strength and help demystify complex topics.
+7. **Stay personal** – share both successes and challenges; it builds trust and relatability.
+
+## Example Phrases That Capture the Voice
+- “Hello everyone! Today, I want to share some exciting personal updates…”
+- “Sit back and grab a coffee.”
+- “The kettle’s whistling, and the code is fresh.”
+- “Let’s pour a cup and catch up on the latest from the terminal.”
+- “It’s not just about writing code, but about crafting understandable, maintainable systems.”
+- “Your support… will play a crucial role in my journey.”
+- “Thanks for reading. What’s brewing in your terminal lately?”
+
+---
+
+**Profile compiled by pi agent**  
+For use in maintaining consistent author voice across new articles, editing existing content, and onboarding contributors.