page now - status update

src/data/now.md

@@ -1,25 +1,62 @@
-Living snapshot of what I am building, learning, and focusing on right now.
+*Last updated: 2026-03-22*
 
-Last updated: 2026-03-06
+I'm currently in a phase of rebuilding — both in life and in my systems.
+
+Slowing things down, creating more clarity, and focusing on building things that actually feel sustainable and mine.
+
+---
+
+## Current State
+
+- Simplified my setup (recently dropped my dedicated server)
+- Moving towards a calmer, more intentional homelab structure
+- Setting up a personal thinking system (Obsidian + Syncthing)
+- Trying to replace chaos with clarity, without overengineering it
+
+---
 
 ## Current Projects
 
-- **GuardDen** - tightening moderation and security workflows for community spaces.
+None right now.
-- **loyal_companion** - active work-in-progress with feature and stability passes.
+
-- **Cozy Den** - improving structure and adding pages that are easier to maintain over time.
+I'm in a phase of stepping back — simplifying, reorganizing, and creating space before starting something new.
+
+Ideas are there, but I'm choosing to build from clarity this time.
+
+---
+
+## Ideas (brewing)
+
+- A more intentional infrastructure setup (clean, understandable, calm)
+- Small tools that solve real problems without becoming complex
+- Expanding hiddenden.cafe into something more alive and personal
+
+---
 
 ## Learning Right Now
 
-- Better Astro content organization for small personal sites.
+- Better Astro structure for long-term maintainability  
-- Cleaner Docker + nginx deployment routines for self-hosted services.
+- Cleaner Docker + nginx patterns for self-hosted services  
-- Practical writing habits for short, regular project updates.
+- Writing more consistently, even if it's small updates  
+
+---
 
 ## Focus Areas
 
-- Privacy-first self-hosting with minimal external dependencies.
+- Privacy-first self-hosting with minimal external dependencies  
-- Building lightweight tools that stay understandable and maintainable.
+- Building things that stay understandable and maintainable  
-- Sustainable progress: consistent small steps instead of burnout sprints.
+- Sustainable progress — small steps instead of burnout cycles  
 
-## Next Check-In
+---
 
-I try to refresh this page every few weeks so it stays useful and current.
+## Outside of Tech
+
+Letting things settle after a meaningful chapter.
+
+Figuring out direction again, while rebuilding balance and a sense of grounding.
+
+---
+
+## Next Check-in
+
+I update this page every few weeks — or whenever something meaningfully shifts.