About Suwal

Who I Am

I'm Suwal — a cloud engineer by trade, and a part-time CS lecturer on the side. Most of my work is remote; the last time I was physically in the same room as my coworkers, they were in winter clothes. I'm in short sleeves now. That's just how distributed infrastructure work goes in 2026.

Working independently across engineering contracts and teaching means I think a lot about things that salaried employees can take for granted: income variability, contract negotiation, how to stay focused without a team around you, and how to invest when your cash flow isn't predictable. I started writing about these things because I kept finding that the mainstream advice — aimed at someone with a stable salary and a 401(k) match — didn't quite apply to my situation.

This site is where those notes live. You can find my code on GitHub.

What I Write About

The topics here come from what I actually deal with: professional skills (negotiation, remote work, leadership without proximity), financial independence (ETF strategy, income planning, investing on variable income), cognitive performance (focus, habit design, morning structure), and health fundamentals (sleep, nutrition, the basics that compound over time). These aren't arbitrary — they're the areas where I've found the gap between common advice and what actually works is biggest.

How I Approach It

I write the way I'd explain something to a technically literate colleague — specific enough to be actionable, honest about what's uncertain, and short on filler. I include implementation steps because theory without practice doesn't help anyone. I also say when I've tried something myself and what actually happened, which is different from what the research predicts.

No newsletter, no course, no sponsors. Writing forces clearer thinking. If it's useful to someone else, that's a bonus.

Disclaimer

Everything here is for informational purposes only. I'm a cloud engineer and lecturer, not a doctor, financial advisor, or licensed professional of any kind. Do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making significant changes to your health routines or financial plans.