Hi, and welcome to The Useful Theory. This is a personal blog covering a wide range of everyday topics: small business, travel, family life, food, fitness, home, personal finance, and the occasional technical deep-dive.
Every article here is my own work. Some pieces began years ago as commissioned writing for publications that have since closed; I kept the rights, and each one has been rewritten, expanded, and fact-checked before being published here, so the version you’re reading exists only on this site. Consider this blog a continuously growing library of practical reference material written in plain English.
What you’ll find here
The Useful Theory is deliberately broad. On any given week you might find articles about how to open a child-friendly coffee shop, the cheapest ways to make long-distance calls, side effects of a particular diet approach, tips on choosing a hair dryer, vegan weight-loss strategies, or what small businesses should do during a flu outbreak. The unifying theme is useful writing on questions normal people ask.
How I write
- First-person and honest. If I recommend something, I’ve either used it or researched it carefully.
- Practical, not preachy. Each article tries to answer a real question with real steps.
- No clickbait. The titles describe what’s actually inside.
- Updated over time. Older articles are being revised, expanded, and corrected on a rolling basis.
About me
My day-to-day background is technical — software and systems — but my writing has always ranged wider than that. I think clear, careful writing about ordinary topics is genuinely valuable, and I try to produce the kind of article I wish I’d found when I first went looking.
Get in touch
Questions, corrections, topic suggestions, or collaboration inquiries are welcome. Please visit the Contact page.