Cyberbrain
I believe thinking is a skill you can systematize without losing what makes it yours. For over a decade I've built and rebuilt my own external brain—note systems, AI workflows, habits—so I can hold more, forget less, and think more clearly. This is the record of what's actually worked.
Start here
CyberbrainBuilding a cyberbrain
The founding essay—what a cyberbrain is and why I'm building one.
CyberbrainHow to think outside your brain
The core practice: externalizing thought instead of hoarding it in your head.
CyberbrainThree note types that transform thinking
The note-taking system underneath everything else here.
CyberbrainDiscipline-free systems beat forced productivity
Why systems beat willpower, in practice.
CyberbrainNever start writing from scratch again
How the system pays off: writing without a blank page.
Full archive
Cyberbrain2025 year in review
2025 was a year of unexpected gifts.
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"China" is not a monolith
When headlines blame 'China,' they flatten 1.4 billion individuals into a cartoon villain.
CyberbrainThink of China as Europe not some exotic country
China's extraordinary diversity is more like a continent than a country.
CyberbrainYour note-taking system is sabotaging your creativity
Your carefully curated collection is killing your creativity instead of feeding it.
CyberbrainWord order matters in wuxia translation
Why word order is critical when building a coherent translation system.
CyberbrainGundam Wing 30th anniversary
Thoughts on Gundam Wing 30 years later
CyberbrainDecoding UTF-8 encoded file names
What to do when your downloads have UTF-encoded file names.
CyberbrainCreating baby names with AI
Blending ancient wisdom with AI to craft meaningful Chinese names.
CyberbrainTurbocharging self-learning with AI
From library books to AI mentors: learning's digital evolution.
CyberbrainMoving ComfyUI output folder
Manage your system disk space with this solution.
CyberbrainHow habits shape your life
Your habits are silently shaping your future.
CyberbrainTypography and Library
Expanding my digital garden with Typography notes and Library reflections.
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Meaningful work
Mindfulness in choosing work that matters.
CyberbrainPerfect is the enemy of done
Making peace with 80% being good enough.
CyberbrainMoving to Astro
Acccelerating the process with AI-assisted web development.
CyberbrainWhy owning your data and website matters even more in 2024
Retain your one source of truth
Cyberbrain10+ Best Stable Diffusion checkpoints (SD 1.5)
Comprehensive guide with examples and usage recommendations.
CyberbrainHow to use Stable Diffusion (Part 1)
Beginner-friendly guide to using Stable Diffusion Web UI.
CyberbrainEvangelion's Asuka Langley Soryu AI art
One of the most prominent heroines from Neon Genesis Evangelion and anime genre.
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Street Fighter's Chun-Li AI art
One of the first female fighters in gaming history, one of the most iconic game characters.
CyberbrainWhat is a Stable Diffusion checkpoint
Demystify Stable Diffusion checkpoints.
CyberbrainHow to boost Stable Diffusion Web UI speed
Some tricks to boost your image generation speed.
CyberbrainHow to install Stable Diffusion Web UI
A step-by-step guide getting started with Stable Diffusion Web UI.
CyberbrainStreet Fighter's Sakura Kasugano AI art
Sakura Kasugano from Street Fighter reimagined through AI.
CyberbrainWhat is Stable Diffusion
A technique that uses AI to create stunning and mesmerizing images.
CyberbrainHow I got started in generative AI art
My generative AI art journey & thoughts on the controversies.
CyberbrainMai Shiranui AI art
Mai Shiranui AI art made with Stable Diffusion and Photoshop Beta.
CyberbrainRekindling your natural self-confidence
Discover and nurture your innate self-confidence.
CyberbrainAdopting the Notion paradigm
Notion might be a little disorienting.
CyberbrainAdd Notion to your workflow to boost productivity
Understand how to fit Notion in your workflow to boost productivity.
CyberbrainFinding your ikigai
What is ikigai and how do you go about finding your ikigai?
CyberbrainHow my daily journal evolved into a daily log
I have a habit of making daily journal entries.
CyberbrainMoved to jenxi.com
Moving my blog to my domain after 20 years.
CyberbrainInspiring quotes from Japanese drama Beach Boys
Life lessons worth sharing.
CyberbrainHow Japanese drama Beach Boys changed my life completely
The Japanese drama Beach Boys changed my life completely.
CyberbrainIn loving memory of Chewy
Best place to attract eyeballs is in Orchard Road.
Cyberbrain8 unproductive habits
Identify and address our unproductive habits.
CyberbrainMindful wander
Understanding the world without distorted lens.
CyberbrainHow to be bold
Fortune favours the brave.
CyberbrainSecret of success
The secret of success is to do things that others dislike.
CyberbrainHow to read non-fiction
I wished I discovered how to read non-fiction earlier.
- Cyberbrain
Personal wiki with Bear app
Popularly known as personal knowledge management (PKM).
CyberbrainOn fear
Fear is our instinctive reaction to protect us from harm.
CyberbrainLiberty of time
Time is a unique currency.
CyberbrainUseful writing
We're taught to be persuasive when we write, but is that useful?
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Mindful memory
Being mindful makes our brain more receptive to creating memories.
CyberbrainHow to read
Consuming information doesn’t mean you're learning.
CyberbrainIllusion of transparency
The gap between what we experience and what others think we are.
CyberbrainOn silence
People often don’t say what they think.
CyberbrainHaving an opinion
We all have opinions, but are our opinions justified?
CyberbrainThe fallacy of efficiency
Being efficient doesn’t mean we are productive or performance well.
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Vulnerability
Being vulnerable is to be exposed to the possibility of being attacked.
CyberbrainCompartmentalising
My habit of compartmentalising routines helps me to focus better.
CyberbrainMac iCloud Drive
Some thoughts on having the Mac file system on iCloud Drive.
CyberbrainHanyu pinyin input on macOS
I discovered a quick way to key in Hànyǔ pīnyīn tones on a Mac.
CyberbrainFear
How do we face and overcome our daily fears?
CyberbrainStanding work desk
I have a habit of standing while I work so I use a standing work desk.
CyberbrainBeing positive
I'm often told that I have a very positive outlook in life.
CyberbrainHow I blog
My blogging workflow from initial ideas to final publishing.
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Shortness of time
We know time is limited, yet we're guilty of wasting it.
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Why I switched from Ulysses to Bear
Bear replaced Ulysses as my writing app. I’ve found true love.
CyberbrainWhy blog?
I write down my stream of thoughts. The more I blog, the more I think.
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Moving to Shenzhen
I took a crazy leap of faith and moved to Shenzhen, China.
CyberbrainTaking social risks
Many of us are social averse by nature, especially in the Asian society.
- Cyberbrain
10 habits to constantly improve yourself
Become a better person by applying these habits to your life.
CyberbrainPhotography Habits
Photography is a never ending journey of learning and growth.
CyberbrainThe most powerful motivations
We often procrastinate because of a lack of motivation.
CyberbrainSocial media
We expose ourselves to jealousy and envy many times daily on social media.
CyberbrainGetting Things Done
Everyone has their own ways of getting things done.
CyberbrainHabits in 2016
Reflecting on my journey in 2016.
CyberbrainJournal
I started an online journal inspired by Cheeming Boey.
CyberbrainBeing bold
Fortune favours the brave.
CyberbrainDeclutter
Have greater awareness and put in a little effort.
CyberbrainIllusion of having something to lose
When we die, we leave everything behind.
CyberbrainReading recap 2016
Less screen time, more reading time.
CyberbrainMail app
Moving from Mailbox.
CyberbrainOverprotective
We're overly protective of our devices, but is it really necessary?
CyberbrainApple Watch
Thoughts on the Apple Watch.
CyberbrainWabi-sabi
Acceptance of imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness.
CyberbrainNew habits
New habits instead of resolutions.
CyberbrainLearned helplessness
So numb to negative stimuli that you surrender to helplessness.
CyberbrainReducing distractions
Clarity with task lists.
CyberbrainOpportunity costs
The trade-offs in life.
CyberbrainImpermanence
The way of life. Nothing lasts forever
CyberbrainWriting longhand
A fountain pen and a notebook.
CyberbrainMeaning of life
What's the point of living?
CyberbrainAcquiring good taste
To be good at what you do, you need good taste.
CyberbrainAuthenticity
Being authentic. Be yourself.
CyberbrainMarkdown: The writer's Swiss Army Knife
Markdown has revolutionised the way I type.
CyberbrainMailbox app
A new way to manage your emails.
CyberbrainTeaching improves your photography
The more you teach, the more you learn.
Cyberbrain2012 in review
A look back at the year gone by.
CyberbrainNew Year resolutions for 2011
Some realistic goals for the new year.
CyberbrainEat, Pray, Love
Some thoughts after watching the movie.
CyberbrainList of wuxia terms
Proposed of wuxia terms to use as-is.
CyberbrainWhy do you photograph?
What compels you to take photo affects how your output.