feat: Initial commit

content/articles/2023-09-19-calculate-seer-degradation-by-age.md

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+---
+tags: formulas, HVAC, tech-tip
+---
+# Calculate SEER Degradation by Age
+
+This is a quick tech-tip to learn how to calculate the degradation of SEER based
+on age.
+
+The degradation of SEER is due to fouling of the evaporator coil with dirt and
+refrigerant charge losses. It should be noted that this is not true for all
+applications, but is used as an estimation based on research done by the `DOE`
+of the average degradation based on systems tested.
+
+## Formula
+
+This is the formula used to calculate the SEER based on age of the evaporator
+coil / air handler.
+
+$$ SEER_d = SEER_n \times (1 - M)^{age} $$
+
+| Where    |                                            |
+| -------- | ------------------------------------------ | --- |
+| $SEER_d$ | Degradated SEER rating                     |
+| $SEER_n$ | Nominal SEER rating when equipment was new |     |
+| M        | Maintenance factor, 0.01-0.03              |
+| age      | The age of the equipment, in years         |
+
+The maintenance factor of 0.01 is for expertly maintained equipment and 0.03 is
+for unmaintained. The maintenance factor in essence is based on 1%-3%
+degradation per year, however there are some
+[studies](https://publications.energyresearch.ucf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/FSEC-PF-474-18.pdf)
+that show that this can actually be as high as 5% or above depending on climate.
+We could use up to 0.05 as the maintenance factor, just to see what the "range"
+of degradation would be.
+
+Interestingly, the study linked also shows that the degradation is higher the
+higher the tonnage of the equipment. It also shows that the degradation is lower
+per year the higher the nominal SEER rating of the system (which is corelated to
+using TXV's and lower airflow rates because of the equipment having multiple
+stages).
+
+## Example
+
+Let's consider that we have a 13 SEER piece of equipment that was matched when
+installed and the system is 15 years old.
+
+Plugging those numbers into our formula.
+
+---
+
+#### Lowest Range (1% degradation / year)
+
+$$ SEER_d = 13 \times (1 - 0.01)^{15} = 11.2 $$
+
+---
+
+#### Highest Rage (5% degradation / year)
+
+$$ SEER_d = 13 \times (1 - 0.05)^{15} = 6 $$
+
+---
+
+An expertly maintained system may not have degraded that much, with an 11.2 SEER
+vs. a poorly maintained / dirty system that also suffers from refrigerant charge
+losses can be as low as 6 SEER.
+
+Thanks for learning how to estimate SEER degradation based on equipment age!

content/articles/2023-10-18-the-struggle.md

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+---
+public: true
+date: 2023-10-18
+tags: article, general
+banner: true
+---
+
+# The Struggle
+
+This is a get stuff of my chest article. Probably going to be a mixture of ranting and whining. If
+that is not your cup of tea then feel free to skip this article.
+
+## The struggle
+
+It has been one of those "when it rains, it pours" type of weeks. As write this, I feel like a baby
+/ complainer, which is not my intention, but here it goes.
+
+My aunt had a stroke and is likely not going to make it through the week. My aunt has always lived
+in Florida during my life / memory, but has always come to visit. She is my mom's oldest sister (9
+years apart), so she helped raise my mother growing up. They've always had a close relationship and
+are like two peas in a pod. They would always visit us, especially while my grand-parents were still
+alive. She is currently not really awake or expected to make it. She does not eat / drink and
+they've basically just been making her comfortable.
+
+One of my employees broke his neck over the weekend. I don't have a ton of details on this subject,
+but he had surgery to fuse some discs back together and should eventually be ok, however it will be
+a long recovery time.
+
+A few weeks ago, I commited one of the deadly sins of running a blower door test without checking /
+asking about the fireplaces, which caused lord knows how much damage from the soot that was spread
+throughout the living room(s).
+
+An online friend lost her mother.
+
+All of these things have just got me emotional.
+
+## My secrets
+
+I am an emotional person, sometimes to my detriment. I'm prone to fits of anger and depression. I
+spent many years masking things through alcohol abuse and many other idiotic tendencies. I still
+drink on occasion, but not as I once did.
+
+I often put my faith in folks, even if I haven't met them in person, this can often lead to being
+let down. I guess I struggle sometimes with the reality of online relationships. I think that people
+are genuine, because I'm that way (how I act online is the same as I act in person for the most
+part). I will happily show / share the good and the bad, in hopes that someone may learn. This is
+not at all something to be ashamed of, or anything that I'd like to change, however it does on
+occasion lead me into turmoil when I find out some true identity / personality of someone.
+
+I hold grudges, like forever grudges. It is very hard for me to get over somethings, even if I want
+to. I can sometimes put things out of my mind, but when I'm spinning, they will resurface. I want to
+forgive people, but it is just not the way it works for me often times. It takes a lot to get me
+beyond my breaking point, but once someone has gotten me there, there is likely no turning back for
+that person. Luckily, I can count on one hand the number of folks that I've had to cut out of my
+life for these reasons. I'd love to say that I'm a bigger / better person, that I forgive them, but
+truthfully I do not.
+
+My emotions sometimes make me say things publicly that I should keep to myself. I don't have a lot
+of regret around these things, because I generally mean what I say, and also feel we are entitled to
+opinions as well as entitled to change those opinions as often as we see fit. Although I don't
+regret them per-se, it does make me wonder what type of impression it leaves (something for future
+pondering, perhaps).
+
+I'm one of those that says "I don't care what they think about me", when I really do care what
+people think about me. This often leads to fear and anxiety, especially in social settings. I'm not
+the greatest at conversation, I'm better at writing or some interaction that gives me a bit of time
+to think before responding. Therefore, I'm quick to make a joke or something rather than having
+thoughtful / genuine responses.
+
+## Community
+
+All of these things have just got me thinking about community. Community is an aspect that seems
+distant nowadays, even though we have more opportunity than ever. We call ourselves part of
+communities, especially online, but I'm not convinced that it is really community (or at least not
+most of the time, not saying it can't be / in absolute terms).
+
+I have met a lot of folks online that I consider true friends. Friends that I would do anything for
+and feel they would do anything for me, just like my real life friends who have stuck with me for
+many years. These are people that challenge me and how I think on a regular basis. They do their
+best to lift me up when I'm down.
+
+It's easy to hide when so much of our interactions are not really in person, to feel like the
+relationships we do have are not genuine, but that's awfully cynical. I prefer to give people the
+benefit / trust they deserve until, at least until they don't then see my part about holding grudges
+;)
+
+Do you ever feel the same? Instead of being cynical and down, today, I'm trying to be positive. I'm
+trying to share a little bit of what I feel community should be. Although, I've never met HVAChicks
+Jennifer in real life, I read today about her mom and decided to take an hour or so to put together
+a website for the [HVAChicks Community](https://hvachicks.com), hoping it would bring a moment of
+happiness to her day. While I've deployed several websites in the past, this one for some reason was
+a total PITA, but I got through it. I could feel how grateful she was when I shared it with her (and
+it's basic AF), but that truly made me feel useful / great after being down in the dumps for a bit.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+I've probably rambled enough and am losing direction here, so I will end with a few things.
+
+1. Build the community around you that you want / deserve.
+1. Don't be so quick to pass judgment.
+1. Spend time with your loved ones, while you can.
+1. Tell someone you love them.
+
+Finally, I'd like to shout out some people that I'm grateful for. This is non-exhaustive list, if I
+left you off, I'm sorry and please do not take it personally.
+
+1. Bryan Orr
+   - Bryan has cultivated an awesome group / community that I'm proud to be a part of. His time and
+     commitment to the HVAC industry is something that I hope he himself is proud of. Without Bryan,
+     mostly all the following names would not even be in my vocabulary.
+1. Ty Branaman (forget exactly how to spell his last name).
+   - Ty has such a great personality during his videos / training and I'm sure it's a struggle to be
+     positive all the time, however it brings me hope and joy everytime!
+1. Dustin (mother f'n) Cole
+   - Dustin is like a brother that I never had, he's a true master of his craft and I know that I
+     can rely on him anytime I need it!
+1. Genry Garcia
+   - The cuban crusader who has taught me so much about home performance, and especially ZPD (baby,
+     baby)!
+1. Chris Hughes
+   - It's hard to put into words here, but I know that Chris is there to talk when I need it and
+     he's a great motivator because of his action items :)
+1. Eric Kaiser
+   - I think genuine when I think of Eric, I hear his voice in my head when I write reports because
+     of guidance he has given in the past. He truly wants to help teach people.
+1. Michael Cianfracco (??)
+   - Man does he make me laugh and we share a passion for the 4-Roses.
+1. HVAChicks Jennifer (I'll butcher her last name from memory)
+   - Jennifer is inspiring with her goals and everything she does to help anyone in the industry. I
+     can't wait to meet her in person one day soon!
+1. HVAC Overtime Crew
+   - I'm lumping these guys together because I truly enjoy when I'm able to make their live stream
+     on Friday's. And I interact with A-Team a lot and really appreciate him / them!
+1. Alicia Hollon
+   - Alicia is so awesome to me, I mean she just made my favorite pancakes and sausage for dinner,
+     love you babe!
+
+Lastly, I have to shout out to my mom. I know she's going through a rough time with my aunt
+currently. My mother is the kindest gentlest soul that I've ever met. I look up to all 5' of her!
+
+At any rate, thanks for sticking it out to the end through my ramblings. Be kind to someone today
+and tomorrow!

content/articles/2023-10-21-you-should-learn-markdown.md

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+---
+tags: HVAC, general, programming
+---
+
+# You Should Learn Markdown
+
+This is a quick article about why you should learn markdown.
+
+## What is markdown
+
+Markdown is a "mark-up" language. It allows you to write content in plain text that can be easily
+converted to other formats, such as **html, pdf, docx**, and many more. All the articles written on
+this website are written in markdown, here's an image of this article written in markdown.
+
+![markdown](/articles/images/2023-10-21-markdown.png)
+
+The reason you should learn markdown is that it allows you to focus on the content / text of your
+content with simple concepts for formatting. Markdown is used heavily in documenting software
+projects, which is how I got introduced to it, however it can scale all the way up to writing
+research papers or even books.
+
+I use markdown for probably 80% of all the text documents I need to write, from company documents,
+web / software documentation, and so on. It allows me to get content out quickly without having to
+click around with formatting options in a program like **Word** or **Pages**. To be clear, a lot of
+the reports and things I generate for my **Home Performance Assessments** are written using
+**Pages** (for now at least) because I have templates that make the documents look more
+professional, however I am working on solutions to migrate those to be markdown based.
+
+Markdown is supported in mostly all the **Google** tools, as well as the **Outlook** email client
+(which is one of my least favorite tools, BTW). It makes it simple to create tables, lists, and many
+common document related tasks.
+
+## Resources
+
+You can learn more about the syntax used for markdown at
+[markdownguide.org](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/).
+
+### A non-exhaustive list of where you can use Markdown and editors.
+
+| Platform     | Description                                                     |
+| ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Google       | Most goggle tools support markdown, docs, sheets, etc.          |
+| Outlook      | Although I hate outlook email client, it does support markdown. |
+| Dillinger.io | An online tool for writing / previewing markdown                |
+| MarkText     | A multi-platform editor for writing markdown                    |
+
+You can use tools such as [pandoc](https://pandoc.org/#) to convert Markdown files to other formats.
+
+![pandoc](/articles/images/2023-10-21-pandoc.gif)
+
+## Conclusion
+
+I hope that you take the time to research and see if Markdown is good fit for your document /
+content creation.
+
+Thanks for reading until the end!

content/articles/2023-10-27-heat-recovery-chiller.md

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+---
+tags: HVAC, hydronics, chiller
+---
+
+# Heat Recovery Chiller
+
+This is an article that I wrote back in 2020, but I don't believe that I published it anywhere, so
+I'm doing it now. I did discuss this on
+[this episode of the HVAC School Podcast.](https://hvacrschool.com/podcasts/is-the-future-of-air-conditioning-self-contained-propane-chillers/)
+
+## Heat Recovery Chillers
+
+I have always had a love and passion for hydronic systems, perhaps it's because they are not that
+common in most areas. The designs tend to be elegant and the flexibility is unparalleled by most
+equipment choices currently available in the U.S. I'm going to try to not get too far into the weeds
+in this article, but offer an overview of what I feel would be my dream system.
+
+## The Source
+
+A heat recovery chiller will do simultaneous heating and cooling, as opposed to a traditional
+heat-pump or reverse cycle chiller that can only operate in one mode at a time. This system would
+have a second refrigerant to water heat exchanger and utilize the air-source when we don't need to
+bank / store heat, or are running in heat only mode. There are several benefits to this style
+system, the main being that while operating simultaneous heating / cooling mode the COP of the
+system doubles. For example, the [Multi-Aqua MHRC2](https://multiaqua.com/mhrc2/) shows a COP of
+about 8, which is approximately equivalent to 30 EER or 34 SEER. This gives us geothermal level
+performance without the need of a field.
+
+## Indoor Portion
+
+The indoor portion of the system, we would utilize buffer tanks as thermal storage for the chiller.
+The buffer tanks give us several benefits, including longer run times for the chiller, load
+matching, and the ability to size for larger load (heating or cooling) without some of the problems
+that occur when over-sizing a traditional system. The buffer tanks also allow sizing more
+aggressively by having storage during peak load conditions.
+
+![buffer](/articles/images/2023-10-27-buffers2.png)
+
+This shows a cooling buffer tank as well as a heating buffer tank. The horizontal pumps are what
+circulate water through the chiller, while the vertical pumps are what distribute the water to the
+load / emitters. This configuration allows for water to be used for the loads first and extra
+capacity to go into the buffer tanks. The buffer tanks also offer hydraulic separation for the pumps
+(meaning that they won't interfere with each other if / when there are different flow rates).
+Another advantage of the buffer tanks is that you can connect multiple heating or cooling sources in
+parallel to the system. This is shown by the extra tees in the hot buffer tank where we could
+connect something such as solar water collectors, pellet or wood boiler, or a conventional boiler.
+You'll also notice on the right side of the hot buffer tank, that I am showing a brazed plate heat
+exchanger that would be used to supply domestic hot water.
+
+## Distribution System
+
+This could be a number of things, from radiant panels, in-floor, high-output baseboard radiators,
+however I'm going to model it as a 4-pipe hydronic air handler.
+
+![ah](/articles/images/2023-10-27-ah.png)
+
+The hydronic air handler is able to provide cooling, heating, and re-heat dehumidification, all in
+one package. With a hydronic system, it would be very easy to load match by controlling the fan
+speed and utilizing a Delta-T pump or outdoor reset controls. These air handlers are available from
+several manufacturers and come in different styles from traditional (as shown), small duct high
+velocity systems, and even ductless styles.
+
+## Disadvantages
+
+1. Not highly available in the U.S.
+1. When the chiller is down nothing works (not much different than traditional)
+1. Lack of understanding / technicians afraid to work on this style system.
+1. Potentially higher upfront costs.
+1. Lack of design or planning could cause unhappy clients (same with traditional)
+1. Distribution systems need to be designed around low water temperatures (not a drop in replacement
+   for traditional boiler systems)
+
+## Advantages
+
+1. Central plant for heating, cooling, and DHW (also a disadvantage)
+1. Flexible distribution options / methods.
+1. Self contained refrigerant circuit
+1. Ability to produce / store thermal energy during off peak electrical hours
+1. Ability to move BTU's more efficiently through water than air
+1. Long life for distribution system (50-100+ years)
+1. Easier transition to natural / flammable refrigerants
+
+## Conclusion
+
+In conclusion, there are many advantages to this style system, as well as disadvantages. One of the
+main points is to think of the system in 3 distinct components, the source(s), thermal storage, and
+distribution. As mentioned, this only one concept, but in reality, there are many ways to accomplish
+this, which is one of it's advantages. For example, perhaps in certain scenarios it makes sense to
+dump excess heat into a pool, create ice storage during off peak hours, cascade into another water
+-> water heat pump for higher temperature distribution, incorporate solar collectors, and so on.
+
+Thank you for reading all the way to the end!

content/articles/2023-10-30-hope.md

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+---
+tags: general
+---
+
+# Hope
+
+This is a piggy-back article off of
+[The Struggle](https://mhoush.com/posts/20231018224631-the-struggle/) article that I had recently.
+
+I was a bit of a "Debbie Downer" in that article, which is okay, I get that way sometimes. In this
+article I'd like to take a minute to layout some of the things that give me hope, things that I
+focus on to try and kick myself out of the rut I can get into sometimes.
+
+I believe it's important to have **hope**, to realize that feeling down is normal / part of being
+human. It's just as important to have hope. For some it is a harder thing to focus on, it may be
+easy for us to try and dwell in negative feelings, to some that may feel more comfortable. When
+we're feeling cynical, it's easy to feed the negativity, although it's rarely helpful.
+
+## Hope
+
+One of the things that I try to focus on is that I'm human, it brings me hope to realize that I'm
+not the only one who feels the way that I do. This was evident by the feedback on my previous
+article.
+
+> My problems are very much "first world problems".
+
+Make no mistake, I'm selfish, but it's the selfishness that makes me feel distant or disconnected.
+The times that I feel connected are without a doubt the times that I let go of my ego and focus on
+things outside of myself.
+
+It's the feeling I get from going to customers home and feeling truly appreciated. There's no push
+back on price, no one telling me how I should run my business, no "the part only costs $x on
+amazon", etc.
+
+The feeling of seeing your child smile. The safety you feel when getting a hug from your mother or
+father. When you're looking up at the stars and realize how small you actually are.
+
+When you're out with friends and trick the DJ into playing a Mr. Bungle song and no one else
+appreciates it, but you. The times when your guard is completely down and you laugh with abandon.
+
+The smell of your lover's hair when you're holding them close. The joy you receive from sitting with
+your pets. The songs of nature, insects, birds, etc. The sounds of waves / water in the distance.
+
+The feeling when you've helped someone learn a new skill, when something finally clicks and makes
+sense. When a complex topic is understood at a fundamental level. The breakthrough of a problem
+you've pondered for days / months / years.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+There are so many things to be grateful for. This does not mean that there will not be hard times,
+there surely will be. This does not mean that you are wrong for having negative feelings, for
+feeling depressed or anxious. There are many around you that likely feel similar (they may just not
+be able to express it in the same way). You never truly know what the person next to you is dealing
+with. Be compassionate (including showing yourself compassion).
+
+When you are feeling down, try to do something for someone else. Make your own list of things to be
+thankful for. Maybe my non-exhaustive list above will give you some ideas. Write those items down
+regularly so that you can look back on them when you feel out of balance.
+
+There is plenty of negative energy in this world, be true and genuine and you will receive rewards.
+When you focus on blessings then the negativity will fade.
+
+What impact are you going to leave with what little time we have?
+
+I hope that you enjoyed this short article. Know that you are _NOT_ alone, you are important, and
+that I appreciate _you!_

content/articles/2023-12-12-cancel-this.md

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+---
+tags: HVAC
+image: 2023-12-12-cancel-this.gif
+---
+
+# Cancel This
+
+This post is going to be hard to put into words, it's going to seem egotistical at points, but know
+that my actions / feelings online are the same as they are if you met me in person. The problem with
+online interactions is tone and other subtleties do not come across, so it's hard to tell when
+someone is joking or being serious.
+
+## The Meat
+
+It has been brought to my attention that someone out there thinks that I'm sexist and should not
+speak at the HVAC School symposium because of it. They are holding a curse word against me that I
+said two years ago, in the moment A) it was fitting and B) it was one of those times that my mouth
+was working faster than my brain (raise your hand if that's ever happened to you).
+
+I am an open book, I am not afraid of showing failures and strengths. I've never claimed to be
+perfect (well, actually I have but it's always a joke). I'm not at all condoning what I've said in
+the past, nor will I repeat it out of context now, but I communicate with people like adults and I
+look at people as piers. We do not always have to agree with one another, conflict helps us learn
+where to grow, but we also can not expect people to change to fit our wants / needs, that's just not
+how it works.
+
+I do not at all agree with the tactics used by whomever is behind this. I would happily discuss this
+in private or out in the open. You can find all my contact / social information in the sidebar of
+this website and I've offered up my cell phone number in private groups that we are all probably a
+part of.
+
+## The Potatoes
+
+I am a father of 3 girls, I have a sister, talk crap about my mom and you'll find out who I am! I
+love women, I have no problem with women in the trades, I encourage women who are in the trades. I
+try to help every person that I can, if I can. I have failed more times than you can imagine! I am
+self taught in about everything I do, so I give of it freely. I have all kinds of work to do to grow
+into the man that I should be, but at the same time, I am not afraid to be the man that I am today.
+I will greet you by whatever pronoun you want to be referred as.
+
+I would love to say that I don't judge people, but I do, just as I'm being judged! I am fine with
+someone judging me and having opinions about me, I mean that is our right. I will not say that
+person is wrong, because in their mind they're right. What I will not do is stop being myself. I
+know for a fact that I've helped more people than this person has gotten "cancelled". I will
+continue to help people in the trades, homeowners, or people in need. I also will not remain quiet!
+I will give my opinion like it or not. There are people in my corner that really know me and my
+intentions.
+
+## Final Words
+
+The trades are rough around the edges, just as am I. The trades are a slow turning ship (just look
+at how many still do not follow proper practices, etc. even with the capabilities and resources
+available today).
+
+If you are new / coming into the trades then I hope you are not overly sensitive to foul language
+and other inappropriate comments. Thick skin is valuable in the trades, but at the same time don't
+be afraid to speak up if something offends you. Remember we are adults, we can handle disagreements
+like adults (well, some of us can). Adults can learn from those of any age, they can reflect on
+their own behavior and make their own decisions.
+
+I personally think that being offended is not a bad thing, it causes us to reflect / repair our
+foundational beliefs. I hope that we can stop with this "cancel culture" of today, stop hiding
+behind a keyboard, and be a diverse community.
+
+To wrap things up, I just want to reiterate that I am not at all mad at whomever is behind this. To
+everyone out there who has shown me love and support, I greatly appreciate it.

content/articles/2023-12-14-most-important-job.md

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+---
+image: 2023-12-14-most-important-job.gif
+tags: HVAC, tech-tip
+---
+
+# Most Important Job
+
+This short tech tip is about something one of my good friends in the trade told me a long time ago,
+that has stuck with me through the years. It is a simple phrase / mindset.
+
+> "The current job you're on, is the most important job of your day".
+
+This mindset should be carried from the dispatcher, manager, and technician to make this successful.
+I'm not gonna lie and say this is always easy, or even always possible, but if you strive to use
+this mindset then you will gain lifelong customers and satisfaction of not having loose ends hanging
+out there.
+
+I do think it's also important to acknowledge that there are times that a technician has exhausted
+all their options, maybe they just don't have the mental capacity anymore to continue with a problem
+job, or need a break to come back another day with a fresh set of eyes, etc... This is also an
+important thing for a technician to realize, and hopefully those type of instances are much more few
+and far between, but I do want to acknowledge that scenario does also exist.
+
+If you are a business owner, then this is something to consider instilling in your operations.
+Empower your technicians and dispatchers to understand when things need to be shuffled around in
+order to accommodate taking care of the customer at hand. It costs a lot of money to get a
+technician to job, so minimizing truck rolls to the same job is important from a business
+standpoint.
+
+This was just a quick tech tip of something that has been rolling around in my mind lately. I hope
+you find it helpful and it sticks with you through your career as it has mine.

content/articles/2024-02-27-elevating-hvac.md

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+---
+tags: HVAC
+---
+
+# Elevating HVAC: A Skilled Trade Beyond Labor
+
+This is a guest post from my good friend, **Ty Branaman**.
+
+## Introduction:
+
+Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is often mistakenly categorized as a simple labor
+job, overshadowing the intricate skill set and technical expertise required in this field. Labor
+jobs are also very important positions needed to keep society running. HVAC, like other skilled
+trades, demands a high level of knowledge, precision, and adaptability. This article aims to shed
+light on the misconception surrounding HVAC, emphasizing its status as a skilled trade that plays a
+pivotal role in creating comfortable and efficient living and working environments.
+
+## Technical Proficiency:
+
+One of the defining features that distinguish HVAC as a skilled trade is the level of technical
+proficiency required. HVAC professionals must have a deep understanding of thermodynamics, fluid
+mechanics, electrical circuits, Psychrometrics and air properties. This knowledge is essential for
+designing, installing, and maintaining HVAC systems that operate seamlessly and efficiently.
+
+## System Design and Installation:
+
+HVAC professionals are involved in the intricate process of designing and installing heating,
+ventilation, and air conditioning systems. This task requires not only a thorough understanding of
+the physical principles governing HVAC but also the ability to tailor solutions to meet the unique
+needs of each space. Proper system design and installation are crucial for achieving optimal energy
+efficiency and performance.
+
+## Diagnostic Skills:
+
+Troubleshooting and diagnosing issues in HVAC systems require a keen analytical mind and
+problem-solving skills. Skilled HVAC technicians possess the ability to identify and rectify
+problems efficiently, ensuring minimal downtime and disruption to the comfort of occupants. This
+diagnostic acumen is a hallmark of a trade that goes beyond routine labor.
+
+## Adaptability to Advanced Technologies:
+
+The HVAC industry is in a constant state of evolution, with new technologies and innovations
+continuously being introduced. Skilled HVAC professionals are adaptable and stay abreast of these
+advancements. From smart thermostats to energy-efficient systems, they integrate cutting-edge
+technologies to provide state-of-the-art solutions for their clients.
+
+## Safety and Compliance:
+
+Safety is paramount in the HVAC trade. Professionals must adhere to strict safety protocols to
+protect both themselves and the occupants of the spaces they work in. Additionally, compliance with
+industry regulations and codes is a testament to the skilled nature of the trade, ensuring that HVAC
+systems meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
+
+## Continual Learning and Certification:
+
+Unlike a labor job, HVAC professionals engage in continual learning to stay current with industry
+trends and technological advancements. Many pursue certifications and attend training programs to
+enhance their skills and expand their knowledge base. This commitment to ongoing education is a
+hallmark of skilled trades.
+
+## Conclusion:
+
+Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning is undeniably a skilled trade that goes beyond the
+perception of a labor job. Labor jobs are also very important to the function of society and I have
+proudly done these jobs myself. The technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, adaptability,
+and commitment to safety make HVAC professionals essential contributors to the creation of
+comfortable and efficient indoor environments. It is crucial to recognize and appreciate the skill
+set inherent in the HVAC trade, as it plays a vital role in shaping the quality of life for
+individuals and the functionality of diverse spaces.
+
+- Ty Branaman

content/articles/2024-03-15-unvr-as-nas.md

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+---
+tags: programming, networking, nas, how-to
+---
+
+# UNVR as NAS
+
+In this post, I'm going to show how to setup a Samba server on a Ubiquity UNVR so that it can be
+used as NAS (network attached storage). Be aware that this should be done with caution and may void
+any warranty on your UNVR as we are using it for purposes beyond it's original intent. It's also
+possible that this setup will break when / if updating the UNVR software. With that said, let's jump
+in.
+
+This post follows along with
+[this reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/11o7v8l/how_to_use_the_unvr_as_a_nas_instructions/),
+with some adaptations to get it to work on the latest Unifi-OS release of `3.2.12`.
+
+## Step One - Setup SSH & Login
+
+In your unifi network console you need to enable the `SSH` login option and set a secure password
+for the root user to login to the UNVR.
+
+![ssh.png](/articles/images/2024-03-15-ssh.png)
+
+Once that is complete you can login to your UNVR using your terminal and the IP address of your UNVR
+on your network.
+
+`ssh root@192.168.1.10`
+
+## Step Two - Install Samba
+
+First, we'll update the package registry information.
+
+`apt-get update`
+
+Next, install samba.
+
+`apt-get install samba`
+
+## Step Three - Setup Samba
+
+In order to edit the configuration we are going to need to install your terminal based text editor
+of choice (generally nano or vim), for me I will install vim.
+
+`apt-get install vim`
+
+Create a backup of the default configuration.
+
+`cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.bak`
+
+Open the configuration file to be edited.
+
+`vim /etc/samba/smb.conf`
+
+Just above the `Share Definitions` section of the configuration, I added some global settings to
+make the samba server act better for time machine backups.
+
+```
+#======================= MacOS Client Optimizations  =======================
+vfs objects = fruit streams_xattr
+fruit:metadata = stream
+fruit:model = MacSamba
+fruit:posix_rename = yes
+fruit:veto_appledouble = no
+fruit:nfs_aces = no
+fruit:wipe_intentionally_left_blank_rfork = yes
+fruit:delete_empty_adfiles = yes
+
+```
+
+Also because we want users we create to be able to read and write to their home directories created
+on the samba server, we need to change the option under the `[homes]` share definition to be
+`read only = no`.
+
+That is our primary configuration. You can add more share definitions at the bottom of the file to
+suit your use case, there are decent examples of this in the original reddit post, linked in the
+beginning.
+
+Save and exit the file.
+
+`:wq`
+
+## Step Four - Start Samba
+
+Use the following command to start the samba server.
+
+`sudo service smbd start`
+
+You can check the status, by running the following command.
+
+`systemctl status smbd`
+
+![status](/articles/images/2024-03-15-status.png)
+
+Enable the samba server to start on boot.
+
+`systemctl enable smbd.service`
+
+## Step Five - Create Users
+
+Create a user with a home directory that they can use.
+
+`useradd --create-home michael`
+
+Give the user a password to login to the samba server.
+
+`smbpasswd michael`
+
+## Step Six - Login to Samba Server from Client
+
+In the `Finder` app on macOS you can type `⌘k` to connect to a server.
+
+In the text field enter `smb://<USER>@<UNVR_IP>` to connect to the samba server.
+
+![connect](/articles/images/2024-03-15-connect.png)
+
+You can also automatically connect to the server when you login to your client device, for this to
+work you need the credentials to be stored in your keychain (ticking the box in the step above when
+you first connect to the server).
+
+This is found in `System Settings -> General -> Login Items -> Open at Login`. Click the plus button
+and select the volume you would like to mount at login.
+
+![login](/articles/images/2024-03-15-login.png)
+
+Once you have it setup so that the server is connected on login, you can also set it up as location
+for Time Machine Backups. `System Settings -> General -> Time Machine`
+
+![time-machine](/articles/images/2024-03-15-time-machine.png)

content/articles/2024-04-04-pgp-encryption-introduction.md

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+---
+image: 2024-04-04-pgp-encryption-introduction.gif
+tags: programming, security, PGP, GnuPGP
+---
+
+# PGP Encryption Introduction
+
+In this article I introduce PGP and show a use case for me, which perhaps you can use as well.
+
+## What is PGP
+
+PGP stands for **Pretty Good Privacy**, it was first developed in 1991 by Phil Zimmermann. PGP uses
+cryptographic privacy and authentication and is generally used in data communication.
+
+According to [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Good_Privacy) it's name was inspired
+by a grocery store named, "Ralph's Pretty Goody Grocery" featured in radio host's Garrison Keillor's
+fictional town of Lake Wobegon.
+
+PGP is commonly used in software development to "sign" software commits or files to help ensure both
+who the commits were from as well as make sure they were not modified from the original versions.
+
+It should also be noted that when people say PGP they are often referring to OpenPGP or GnuPGP which
+are implementations of the PGP standard protocol.
+
+## What it does
+
+> Note: I am in no way a cyber-security expert, I am a layman and only describing things in terms
+> that I understand / make sense to me. Do what I do at your own risk!
+
+PGP offers both symmetrical encryption (uses a session key and password) or asymmetrical encryption
+(uses a session key and a private key). Asymmetrical encryption is more secure but is more resource
+intensive (which is generally not a problem with computers of today).
+
+Generally speaking PGP uses what are known as public and private key pairs. The public portion of
+the key par is meant to be shared with others freely, while the private portion needs to be secured
+/ not shared with anyone **EVER**. It is best practice to generate your keys on a computer that is
+"air gapped", meaning it is not connected to any network / internet, and does not save a history of
+commands performed on it.
+
+PGP encrypts data (files, messages, etc.) for one or more recipients, using the recipients public
+key. The recipients private key is required to decrypt the data once it's been encrypted.
+
+Your key pair is tied to your identity / person, generally by your name and email(s). The key can
+also have multiple "subkeys", meaning that if you have more than one public email, alias, etc. it
+can be tied to your same private key. This is useful for example for work vs. activism vs. software
+development.
+
+Once your key is generated and your private key secured, you can share your public portion of the
+key to a "keyserver" where other people can download it and verify messages were sent by you.
+
+## Web of Trust
+
+PGP also uses what is called the **"Web of Trust"**, which is used to validate that messages are
+encrypted by a trusted source. There are different levels of trust depending on where a key is
+retrieved from. For example, if somebody gave you their public key in person and you were able to
+inspect that the identity matches their government id, then you can give it a higher trust level
+than one that is sent / retrieved from a keyserver.
+
+My understanding of this portion is that over time your key is signed by other's with their level of
+certainty about you / your key, which over time increases the overall trust in your key.
+
+## Out of the weeds
+
+Now that we've got an understanding of some of the technical aspects, lets talk about some real use
+cases of PGP encryption.
+
+PGP encryption is used by some email clients / applications, such as
+[Canary](https://canarymail.io/),
+[Thunderbird](https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/115.0/holidayeoy/), or
+[GPGSuite](https://gpgtools.tenderapp.com/).
+
+In my understanding, it is also what is used in devices such as a
+[YubiKey](https://www.yubico.com/).
+
+Many of the mentioned applications allow for an easier interface / adoption, as one of the reasons
+it is not very popular is that it can be hard to use PGP for the average person.
+
+Aside from using my PGP key for signing software commits, my major use case is for encrypting files
+that I store in a "cloud" provider. Know that when someone says the "cloud", it is really just a
+computer (in reality a gang of computers in a data center). You are solely reliant that these cloud
+providers are not snooping on, inspecting, or even selling your data.
+
+Of course, some data may not be that sensitive, so maybe you don't care. However with a little bit
+of effort on your part you can at least make it very hard for anyone to know what is inside your
+documents. You can be in control of the way your items are encrypted and have confidence that nobody
+but you can access what is inside your documents.
+
+Heck, I even encrypt documents that are stored on my own network / computer so that if something
+get's stolen or someone breach's my network they will not be able to easily get to sensitive data.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+This article is just meant as an overview of PGP encryption. In future articles I will show you how
+to use it to encrypt your data and be in control of your privacy.
+
+### Resources
+
+- [GnuPG](https://gnupg.org/)
+- [OpenPGP](https://www.openpgp.org/)
+- [gpg.wtf](https://gpg.wtf/)
+- [RFC4880](https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc4880.html)

content/articles/2024-04-09-free-as-in-freedom.md

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+---
+tags: general, open-source, software
+summary: Salute to open-source software engineers
+---
+
+# Free As In Freedom
+
+This is a hot take kind of article, but here it goes the rant.
+
+## This applies to me and you.
+
+I'm writing this to remind myself somethings that I too often take for granted. I am going to
+preface this whole article by saying that everything I'm going to lay out / mention is something
+that I am personally guilty of. This is an open reminder and call out of things that I feel should
+change.
+
+# Our perspective is flawed
+
+Nobody can dispute that the advances in technology have greatly improved our lives. Like anything,
+though, there is a trade off.
+
+## What is FOSS
+
+FOSS is an acronym for "Free and Open Source Software". It is generally about how software is
+licensed, meaning that the source code is available in the public for review, allowing a broader
+spectrum of people than the originators of the code to have input, look for bugs, redistribute the
+software, contribute, etc. It does not however mean that the software should be no cost to the end
+user.
+
+This is where the word "freedom" comes into it. Overtime, as a society, we generally now think of
+FOSS as "free" software. This takes what was originally a noble / courageous idea and devalues it to
+the point that we now expect things to be free. It encourages corporate greed to take advantage of
+people who created something to solve a particular need, or as a hobby, expecting the creator to
+handle the burden of maintaining / patching bugs while they profit from it. Don't get me wrong,
+these corporations will also contribute back, sometimes even donate money to the creators. I am not
+at all opposed to capitalism, nor saying that these corporations are in the wrong. At the end of the
+day, **_we_** created this problem.
+
+## Current state and how we got here
+
+Software services / giants create applications that we come to rely on. They tempt / bait us with
+them being "free" or cheap, but that is because **_we_** are their target. They bloat the software
+with tracking and telemetry to capture data about us and sell us more products and services. Once
+again, if you're pro-capitalism, it's somewhat hard to blame them for this. We're the gullible sheep
+who will blindly eat out their grain bins.
+
+I can remember back in the day when there were music pirating services on the internet (napster is
+the one that comes to mind). As a giant music buff, I quickly jumped on board with services like
+these. Back in those days, I was young, didn't make very much money, so it was hard to afford the
+latest and greatest tunes. I also remember back in this time frame a lawsuit from the metal giants
+Metallica (other's words not mine ;)). At the time I remember thinking, like many others, that
+Metallica didn't need the money, but then a comment from Lars Ulrich the band's drummer struck a
+cord with me (pun intended). I'll will paraphrase here, but it was something along the lines of
+"We're not pursuing this for us, but for all of those (musicians) that come after us". After this
+and reflection, I decided that I would not pirate music anymore.
+
+Fast forward, now the majority do not purchases music / albums, we typically utilize streaming
+services (myself included), sure it may be more fair to the artists than pirating was, it can be
+argued that it's easier today for independent artists to become known / discovered, I'm also in no
+way saying the old school music industry wasn't a giant pile of dog poo, but I am saying that who is
+really winning(?), it's the Spotify's and Apple Music's of the world, that's who.
+
+I'm also reminded of the great "MeasureQuick is now charging for services" that happened in the HVAC
+industry. I have personally never complained and have always supported this decision, because it is
+not sustainable to run a software company and not charge for services, generally. Sure, you may not
+like their pricing model, etc. Where I think they went wrong was not charging from the beginning, as
+it sets the wrong expectation that is presumably hard to recover from. There are those who took some
+of Jim's words / opinions in a way different from how I do / did, which is fine, we're all entitled
+to our opinions. What is often forgotten is that we're all also entitled to change those opinions.
+Heck, I will probably be shouting a different story tomorrow, so be it!
+
+## Conclusion
+
+What I would like to encourage people to do is to support software development. If an application is
+free, but has a donate button consider giving a donation. If an application is free and they don't
+want to charge that's fine too, however I would say to be suspicous, meaning is it free because
+**_you_** are the product?!?
+
+I would also encourage you to be active in communities and organizations that foster community (HVAC
+School is a great example). Show appreciation and encouragement, but at the same time don't be
+afraid to be critical or speak up.
+
+At the end of the day, I hope to lift up my brothers and sisters, help to fight against the
+corporations who abuse the little guy's and hopefully feel good about my decisions.
+
+Over the last few weeks, I have been going through my software and services and looking for those
+donation buttons and giving back a little bit for the software that makes my life better. Help
+change the narrative and remember that it's about **_Freedom not Free_**.
+
+### Links
+
+- [Open-source Software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software)
+- [Free Software Fondation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Software_Foundation)
+- [Electronic Frontier Foundation](https://www.eff.org/)
+
+### Software used in this blog.
+
+- [Neovim](https://neovim.io/)
+- [Hugo](https://gohugo.io/)
+- [Hugo Theme](https://themes.gohugo.io/themes/poison/)
+
+> **Note:** I do not use any trackers or analytics on this site to respect your privacy. So feel
+> free to contact me directly to share feedback or let me know how I'm doing.

content/articles/2025-01-05-vapor-htmx-todo-app.md

@@ -0,0 +1,514 @@
+---
+tags: general, software, programming
+summary: Build an example application using Vapor and HTMX.
+---
+
+# Vapor + HTMX
+
+## Introduction
+
+This post is a quick example of creating a very basic todo web application using `Vapor` a swift web
+framework and `Htmx`, with no custom javascript required.
+
+[Vapor](https://docs.vapor.codes)
+
+[Htmx](https://htmx.org)
+
+## Getting Started
+
+To get started you must install the vapor command-line tool that will generate our project.
+
+```bash
+brew install vapor
+```
+
+Next, generate the project using the vapor command-line tool.
+
+![](/articles/images/2025-01-05-vapor.gif)
+
+```bash
+vapor new todo-htmx --fluent.db sqlite --leaf
+```
+
+The above command will generate a new project that uses an `SQLite` database along with vapor's
+`Leaf` templating engine. You can move into the project directory and browse around the files that
+are generated.
+
+```bash
+cd todo-htmx
+```
+
+## Update the Controller
+
+Open the `Sources/App/Controllers/TodoController.swift` file. This file handles the api routes for
+our `Todo` database model. Personally I like to prefix these routes with `api`.
+
+Update the first line in the `boot(routes: RoutesBuilder)` function to look like this.
+
+```swift
+let todos = routes.grouped("api", "todos")
+```
+
+Everything else can stay the same. This changes these routes to be exposed at
+`http://localhost:8080/api/todos`, which will allow our routes that return html views to be able to
+be exposed at `http://localhost:8080/todos`.
+
+## Update the Todo Model
+
+A todo is not very valuable without a way to tell if it needs to be completed or not. So, let's add
+a field to our database model (`Sources/App/Models/Todo.swift`).
+
+Update the file to include the following:
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+import struct Foundation.UUID
+
+/// Property wrappers interact poorly with `Sendable` checking, causing a warning for the `@ID` property
+/// It is recommended you write your model with sendability checking on and then suppress the warning
+/// afterwards with `@unchecked Sendable`.
+final class Todo: Model, @unchecked Sendable {
+  static let schema = "todos"
+
+  @ID(key: .id)
+  var id: UUID?
+
+  @Field(key: "title")
+  var title: String
+
+  @Field(key: "complete")
+  var complete: Bool
+
+  init() {}
+
+  init(id: UUID? = nil, title: String, complete: Bool) {
+    self.id = id
+    self.title = title
+    self.complete = complete
+  }
+
+  func toDTO() -> TodoDTO {
+    .init(
+      id: id,
+      title: $title.value,
+      complete: $complete.value
+    )
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Since we added a field to our database model, we also need to update the migration file
+(`Sources/App/Migrations/CreateTodo.swift`).
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+
+struct CreateTodo: AsyncMigration {
+  func prepare(on database: Database) async throws {
+    try await database.schema("todos")
+      .id()
+      .field("title", .string, .required)
+      .field("complete", .bool, .required)
+      .create()
+  }
+
+  func revert(on database: Database) async throws {
+    try await database.schema("todos").delete()
+  }
+}
+```
+
+This just adds our new field to the database schema when we run the migrations, which we will do
+later on in the tutorial.
+
+### Update the Data Transfer Object
+
+We also need to add the `complete` field to our data transfer object (`DTO`). This model is used as
+an intermediate between our database and the user.
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+import Vapor
+
+struct TodoDTO: Content {
+  var id: UUID?
+  var title: String?
+  var complete: Bool?
+
+  func toModel() -> Todo {
+    let model = Todo()
+
+    model.id = id
+    model.complete = complete ?? false
+    if let title = title {
+      model.title = title
+    }
+    return model
+  }
+}
+```
+
+## Generate the View Templates
+
+Our index template was already generated at `Resources/Views/index.leaf`, open the file and edit the
+contents to match the following.
+
+> Note: You can learn more about the
+> [leaf templating engine here.](https://docs.vapor.codes/leaf/getting-started/)
+
+```html
+<!doctype html>
+<html lang="en">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="utf-8" />
+    <title>#(title)</title>
+    <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/main.css" />
+    <script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org@2.0.4"></script>
+  </head>
+
+  <body>
+    <h1>#(title)</h1>
+    <div class="container">
+      <form hx-post="/todos" hx-target="#todos">
+        <label for="title">Todo</label>
+        <input type="text" name="title" placeholder="Title" />
+        <button type="submit">Submit</button>
+      </form>
+
+      <!-- Todos List -->
+      <table id="todos" class="todos" hx-get="/todos" hx-trigger="load"></table>
+    </div>
+  </body>
+</html>
+```
+
+The important parts here are the `<script>` tag in the head element which will include `Htmx` in our
+project.
+
+The head element also contains a link to a custom `css` stylesheet that we will create shortly.
+
+We add a `form` element that will be used to generate a new todo item in the database. This is a
+basic / standard html form, but we are using `Htmx` to post the form contents to the route
+`POST http://localhost:8080/todos`, which we will create shortly.
+
+Then there's the `table` element that will contain the contents of our todos. When the page is
+loaded it will use `Htmx` to fetch the todos from `GET http://localhost:8080/todos` route, which we
+will create shortly.
+
+### Todos Table Template
+
+Create a new view template that will return our populated table of todos.
+
+```bash
+touch Resources/Views/todos.leaf
+```
+
+The contents of this file should be the following:
+
+```html
+<!-- Template for a list of todo's -->
+<table id="todos"
+    class="todos">
+  <!-- The table header -->
+  <tr>
+    <th>Description</th>
+    <th>Completed</th>
+    <th></th>
+  </tr>
+
+  #for(todo in todos):
+  <tr>
+    <!-- Make the title column take up 90% of the width -->
+    <td style="width: 90%;">#(todo.title)</td>
+    <td>
+      <input type="checkbox"
+           id="todo_#(todo.id)"
+           hx-put="/todos/#(todo.id)"
+           hx-trigger="click"
+           hx-target="#todos"
+           #if(todo.complete): checked #endif>
+      </input>
+    </td>
+    <td>
+      <button hx-delete="/todos/#(todo.id)"
+              hx-trigger="click"
+              hx-target="#todos"
+              class="btn-delete-todo">
+        X
+      </button>
+    </td>
+  </tr>
+  #endfor
+</table>
+```
+
+Here, we just create a table that is 3 columns wide from a list of todos that we will pass in to the
+template. We use `Htmx` to handle updating a todo if a user clicks a checkbox to mark the todo as
+`complete`, we also add a button in the last column of the table that we use `Htmx` to handle
+deleting a todo from the database.
+
+## Controllers
+
+The controllers handle the routes that our website exposes. The project template creates a
+controller for us that handles `JSON` / `API` requests, but we do need to make a couple of changes
+to the file (`Sources/App/Controllers/TodoController.swift`).
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+import Vapor
+
+struct TodoController: RouteCollection {
+  func boot(routes: RoutesBuilder) throws {
+    let todos = routes.grouped("api", "todos")
+
+    todos.get(use: index)
+    todos.post(use: create)
+    todos.group(":todoID") { todo in
+      todo.delete(use: self.delete)
+      todo.put(use: self.update)
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func index(req: Request) async throws -> [TodoDTO] {
+    try await Todo.query(on: req.db).all().map { $0.toDTO() }
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func create(req: Request) async throws -> TodoDTO {
+    let todo = try req.content.decode(TodoDTO.self).toModel()
+
+    try await todo.save(on: req.db)
+    return todo.toDTO()
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func delete(req: Request) async throws -> HTTPStatus {
+    guard let todo = try await Todo.find(req.parameters.get("todoID"), on: req.db) else {
+      throw Abort(.notFound)
+    }
+
+    try await todo.delete(on: req.db)
+    return .noContent
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func update(req: Request) async throws -> TodoDTO {
+    // let todo = try req.content.decode(TodoDTO.self).toModel()
+    guard let todo = try await Todo.find(req.parameters.get("todoID"), on: req.db) else {
+      throw Abort(.notFound)
+    }
+    todo.complete.toggle()
+    try await todo.save(on: req.db)
+    return todo.toDTO()
+  }
+
+}
+```
+
+The primary changes here are to add the `update(req: Request)` function at the bottom, which handles
+updating a todo that has already been created. This will be used when a user clicks on the checkbox
+to mark a todo as complete or incomplete.
+
+We also change the route in the `boot(routes: RoutesBuilder)` method to make all these routes
+accessible at `/api/todos` instead of the original `/todos` as we will use the `/todos` routes for
+returning our views from our view controller.
+
+### Todo View Controller
+
+Next we need to create our view controller, it is what will be used to handle routes that should
+return `html` content for our website. This controller will actually use the api controller to do
+the majority of it's work.
+
+The easiest thing is to make a copy of the current api controller:
+
+```bash
+cp Sources/App/Controllers/TodoController.swift Sources/App/Controllers/TodoViewController.swift
+```
+
+Then update the file to the following:
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+import Vapor
+
+struct TodoViewController: RouteCollection {
+
+  private let api = TodoController()
+
+  func boot(routes: RoutesBuilder) throws {
+    let todos = routes.grouped("todos")
+
+    todos.get(use: index)
+    todos.post(use: create)
+    todos.group(":todoID") { todo in
+      todo.delete(use: self.delete)
+      todo.put(use: self.update)
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func index(req: Request) async throws -> View {
+    let todos = try await api.index(req: req)
+    return try await req.view.render("todos", ["todos": todos])
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func create(req: Request) async throws -> View {
+    _ = try await api.create(req: req)
+    return try await index(req: req)
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func delete(req: Request) async throws -> View {
+    _ = try await api.delete(req: req)
+    return try await index(req: req)
+  }
+
+  @Sendable
+  func update(req: Request) async throws -> View {
+    _ = try await api.update(req: req)
+    return try await index(req: req)
+  }
+}
+```
+
+Here we use the api controller to do the heavy lifting of communicating with the database, then we
+just always return / render the `todos.leaf` template that we created earlier, which will update our
+web page with the list of todos retreived from the database.
+
+> Note: There are better ways to handle this, however this is just a simple example.
+
+### Update our routes
+
+Next, we need to tell vapor to use our new view controller (`Sources/App/routes.swift`)
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+import Vapor
+
+func routes(_ app: Application) throws {
+  app.get { req async throws in
+    try await req.view.render("index", ["title": "Todos"])
+  }
+
+  app.get("hello") { _ async -> String in
+    "Hello, world!"
+  }
+
+  try app.register(collection: TodoController())
+  try app.register(collection: TodoViewController())
+}
+```
+
+Here, we just add the `TodoViewController` at the bottom so vapor will be able to handle those
+routes and also update the title to be `Todos` (in the first `app.get` near the top).
+
+## Build and Run
+
+At this point we should be able to build and run the application.
+
+First, let's make sure the project builds.
+
+```bash
+swift build
+```
+
+This may take a minute if it's the first time building the project as it has to fetch the
+dependencies. If you experience problems here then make sure you don't have typos in your files.
+
+Next, we need to run the database migrations.
+
+```bash
+swift run App migrate
+```
+
+Finally, we can run the application.
+
+```bash
+swift run App
+```
+
+You should be able to open your browser and type in the url: `http://localhost:8080` to view the
+application. You can experiment with adding a new todo using the form.
+
+> Note: To stop the application use `Ctrl-c`
+
+## Bonus Styles
+
+Hopefully you weren't blinded the first time you opened the application. You can add custom styles
+by creating a `css` file (`Public/css/main.css`).
+
+```bash
+mkdir Public/css
+touch Public/css/main.css
+```
+
+Update the file to the following:
+
+```css
+body {
+  background-color: #1e1e2e;
+  color: #ff66ff;
+}
+
+table {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+th,
+td {
+  border-bottom: 1px solid grey;
+  border-collapse: collapse;
+}
+
+td {
+  color: white;
+}
+
+.todos {
+  transition: all ease-in 1s;
+}
+
+.btn-delete-todo {
+  color: red;
+  margin-left: 20px;
+}
+```
+
+Currently vapor does not know to serve files from the `Public` directory, so we need to update the
+`Sources/App/configure.swift` file, by uncommenting the line near the top.
+
+```swift
+import Fluent
+import FluentSQLiteDriver
+import Leaf
+import NIOSSL
+import Vapor
+
+// configures your application
+public func configure(_ app: Application) async throws {
+  // uncomment to serve files from /Public folder
+  app.middleware.use(FileMiddleware(publicDirectory: app.directory.publicDirectory))
+
+  app.databases.use(DatabaseConfigurationFactory.sqlite(.file("db.sqlite")), as: .sqlite)
+
+  app.migrations.add(CreateTodo())
+
+  app.views.use(.leaf)
+
+  // register routes
+  try routes(app)
+}
+```
+
+Now you can stop and restart to see the styled website.
+
+```bash
+swift run App
+```
+
+## Conclusion
+
+I hope you enjoyed this quick example of using `Htmx` with `Vapor`. You can view the source files at
+[here](https://github.com/m-housh/todo-htmx).