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    <title>Dragos Roua - Brilliantly Better</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright 2026 Dragos Roua</copyright>
    <lastBuildDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:04:59 GMT</lastBuildDate>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:03:42 GMT</pubDate>
    <managingEditor>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</webMaster>
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      <title>I Stopped Prompting My Agents, I Write Agentic Loops Instead – Here’s Why</title>
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      <description>I stopped prompting my AI agents and started writing loops instead. Here's what a 50-line Python audit loop taught me about trust, failure, and where humans still belong.</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:03:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:03:43 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Digital Tools</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>Claude</category>
      <category>coding</category>
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    <item>
      <title>Leaving Claude Code (Opus 4.8) Behind – Switching to MiniMax 3</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//leaving-claude-code-opus-4-8-behind-switching-to-minimax-3/</link>
      <description>After using Claude (Opus 4.6 to 4.8) for roughly 5 months, I'm experiencing with MiniMax 3. A full month to decide which is best for coding.</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:46:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 04:56:14 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Digital Tools</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>Claude</category>
      <category>coding</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Price of Illusions – 16 Years Later</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-price-of-illusions-16-years-later/</link>
      <description>In 2010 I asked if you were living in an illusion. In 2026 that question is harder — the price of illusions, now that they have industrial infrastructure, have grown exponentially.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 31 May 2026 06:23:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 31 May 2026 06:23:49 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Spirituality and Beliefs</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>resilience</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Are You The Best Version of Yourself? – Checking In After 16 Years</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//are-you-the-best-version-of-yourself-checking-in-after-16-years/</link>
      <description>In 2010 the OS metaphor for self-improvement was an analogy. In 2026 it's literal — AI tools actually run as cognitive extensions. Here's what that changes.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 06:07:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 30 May 2026 06:07:10 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Productivity and Effectiveness</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The 2026 Definition of Success – 10 Years after I First Tried My First One</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-2026-definition-of-success-10-years-after-i-first-tried-my-first-one/</link>
      <description>I had 9 definitions of success in 2016 and was split between all of them. 10 years later, here's what I actually learned about enough, alignment, and flow.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 06:41:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 29 May 2026 06:41:46 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Motivation and Inspiration</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>purpose</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Frustration as a Growth Signal – Revisiting After 15 Years</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//frustration-as-a-growth-signal-revisiting-after-15-years/</link>
      <description>I wrote 33 ways to overcome frustration in 2010. 15 years later: most of them work, but only for one type. The other type just needs acceptance.</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 07:10:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Thu, 28 May 2026 07:10:36 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Motivation and Inspiration</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>resilience</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
      <category>self discipline</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Still Learning To Say No – 17 Years After First Writing About It</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//still-learning-to-say-no-17-years-after-first-writing-about-it/</link>
      <description>I wrote about saying no in 2009. The technique was right but incomplete. 17 years later, here's what I missed: the permission problem is harder than choosing your words.</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 11:00:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Thu, 28 May 2026 06:28:50 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Relationships and Society</category>
      <category>boundaries</category>
      <category>communication</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Ancestor Syndrome – Revisiting Inherited Money Beliefs 10 Years After</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-ancestor-syndrome-revisiting-inherited-money-beliefs-10-years-after/</link>
      <description>I wrote about the ancestor syndrome in 2016. Ten years of crypto cycles and economic shocks have tested that thesis hard. Here's what held up and what changed.</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 06:20:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 26 May 2026 06:20:14 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Crypto</category>
      <category>Financial Resilience</category>
      <category>financial habits</category>
      <category>money</category>
      <category>money mindset</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Life Has No Meaning – In 2026 I Still Think This Is Good News</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//life-has-no-meaning-in-2026-i-still-think-this-is-good-news/</link>
      <description>In 2015 I argued that life's lack of inherent meaning is liberating. I still think so. But making that case in 2026 requires more honest scaffolding.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 25 May 2026 07:34:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Mon, 25 May 2026 07:34:37 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Spirituality and Beliefs</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Diamond Cutter, 12 Years Later — Buddhism as a Daily Practice</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-diamond-cutter-12-years-later-buddhism-as-a-daily-practice/</link>
      <description>A 12-year test of The Diamond Cutter's Buddhist business principles. Which ones compounded into real results, and where the emptiness concept led me astray.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2026 06:02:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 24 May 2026 06:02:07 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//the-diamond-cutter-12-years-later-buddhism-as-a-daily-practice/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Book Reviews</category>
      <category>Spirituality and Beliefs</category>
      <category>books</category>
      <category>buddhism</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Vibe Coding for Senior iOS Developers – Guidelines after 10 Apps in 4 Months</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//vibe-coding-for-senior-ios-developers-guidelines-after-10-apps-in-4-months/</link>
      <description>10 iOS apps in 4 months, built solo with AI. Vibe coding for senior developers: specs first, two models, heavy verification, and marketing in parallel.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2026 05:08:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 24 May 2026 05:18:52 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>iPhone</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>apps</category>
      <category>coding</category>
      <category>entrepreneurship</category>
      <category>ios development</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>77 Reasons to Love Your Life — Why I’d Write This Differently After 17 Years</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//77-reasons-to-love-your-life-why-id-write-this-differently-after-17-years/</link>
      <description>I wrote 77 reasons to love your life in 2009. The reasons haven't changed much. But the obstacle to actually enjoying them has, the world is way noisier these days.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2026 08:11:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 23 May 2026 08:15:43 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Motivation and Inspiration</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>gratitude</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>7 Reasons to Enjoy Life More — 16 Years Later</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//7-reasons-to-enjoy-life-more-16-years-later/</link>
      <description>In 2009 I gave 7 reasons to enjoy life. Sixteen years later: some held up, one needed honest revision, and one wasn't on the original list.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 07:38:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 23 May 2026 08:16:52 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>blogging journey</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Living as a Digital Nomad: Revisiting a 16 Year Old Primer</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//living-as-a-digital-nomad-revisiting-a-16-year-old-primer/</link>
      <description>I wrote a digital nomad primer in 2010. Here's what it got right, what COVID changed, and how AI expanded what one person can build — 16 years on.</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 06:42:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 23 May 2026 08:12:13 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//living-as-a-digital-nomad-revisiting-a-16-year-old-primer/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Location Independence</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>digital nomad</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>remote work</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>7 Things To Do when the Shit Hits the Fan</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//7-things-to-do-when-the-shit-hits-the-fan-2/</link>
      <description>In 2011 I wrote this list from inside a disaster. Here's what held across 15 years of crises — personal, professional, and the kind you don't see coming.</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 08:11:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Wed, 20 May 2026 08:11:30 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//7-things-to-do-when-the-shit-hits-the-fan-2/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Motivation and Inspiration</category>
      <category>Productivity and Effectiveness</category>
      <category>lessons-learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal-story</category>
      <category>resilience</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>How I Actually End My Day in 2026 – Compared to 2011</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//how-i-actually-end-my-day-in-2026-compared-to-2011/</link>
      <description>In 2011 I wrote 33 ways to end your day. In 2026, the phone colonized the bedroom and a baby changed everything. Here's what I kept and what changed.</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 11:30:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 19 May 2026 11:42:19 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Health and Fitness</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>family</category>
      <category>habits</category>
      <category>lessons-learned</category>
      <category>personal-story</category>
      <category>perspective</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>77 Things I Still Want to Do, 13 Years Later — and What I’ve Crossed Off</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//77-things-i-still-want-to-do-13-years-later-and-what-ive-crossed-off/</link>
      <description>I listed 77 things worth doing in 2013 just because I could. Marathons, travel, building apps — here's what got crossed off, what expired, and what's new.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 06:16:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Mon, 18 May 2026 15:37:55 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//77-things-i-still-want-to-do-13-years-later-and-what-ive-crossed-off/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons-learned</category>
      <category>personal-story</category>
      <category>travel</category>
      <category>ultra-marathon</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>7 Kung Fu Panda Lessons, 16 Years Later — Po Actually Became a Master</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//7-kung-fu-panda-lessons-16-years-later-po-actually-became-a-master/</link>
      <description>In 2010 I pulled 7 lessons from Kung Fu Panda. Sixteen years later: what held up, what needed revision, and which one turned out to be the whole thing.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2026 08:34:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 17 May 2026 08:34:28 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//7-kung-fu-panda-lessons-16-years-later-po-actually-became-a-master/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons-learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal-story</category>
      <category>perspective</category>
      <category>wisdom</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Right Tool for the Job in 2026: What AI Changes About the Wrench Problem</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-right-tool-for-the-job-in-2026-what-ai-changes-about-the-wrench-problem/</link>
      <description>In 2018 the wrong tool was obvious — you could see the mismatch. In 2026, AI made it invisible. Here's where the granularity problem actually went.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 16 May 2026 07:11:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 16 May 2026 07:11:36 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//the-right-tool-for-the-job-in-2026-what-ai-changes-about-the-wrench-problem/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>15 Years of Motivation: From Tiny, Genuine Sparks to Burnout</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//15-years-of-motivation-from-tiny-genuine-sparks-to-burning-out/</link>
      <description>The "get and keep" model of motivation breaks down fast. After 15 years: what three methods actually lasted, what leads to burnout, and what actually works in 2026.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 04:01:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 15 May 2026 04:05:45 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//15-years-of-motivation-from-tiny-genuine-sparks-to-burning-out/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Getting Things Done</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>burnout</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>motivation</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The First 6 Months of Blogging After 17 Years Of Blogging</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-first-6-months-of-blogging-after-17-years-of-blogging/</link>
      <description>I wrote a blogging retrospective after 6 months. Twenty years later: the advice held, the meaning changed, and the economics flipped completely.</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2026 06:53:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 15 May 2026 03:33:28 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//the-first-6-months-of-blogging-after-17-years-of-blogging/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Blogging</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>blogging journey</category>
      <category>newsletter</category>
      <category>persistence</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Steadily Fluid after 10 Years: How Does it Feel to Live with the Paradox</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//steadily-fluid-after-10-years-how-does-it-feel-to-live-with-the-paradox/</link>
      <description>Stability and fluidity aren't opposites — they're prerequisites for each other. Here's what 17 years of living that paradox actually looks like from the inside.</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 16:11:41 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Wed, 13 May 2026 16:33:21 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//steadily-fluid-after-10-years-how-does-it-feel-to-live-with-the-paradox/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Blogging</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>blogging journey</category>
      <category>consistency</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Technology, Ideology, and What Actually Happened Since 2018</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//technology-ideology-and-what-actually-happened-since-2018/</link>
      <description>In 2018 I bet that technology would outpace ideology as the force reshaping society. Eight years later — AI everywhere, authoritarianism still rising — time to check the work.</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2026 10:48:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 12 May 2026 10:48:33 GMT</dc:modified>
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      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>bitcoin</category>
      <category>cryptocurrency</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>17 Years of Social Networks Later: What Actually Replaced What</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//17-years-of-social-networks-later-what-actually-replaced-what/</link>
      <description>In 2009 I framed social networking versus real life relationships as a match. Neither team won. What happened instead was stranger — and more useful to understand.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 11:45:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Mon, 11 May 2026 11:46:29 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//17-years-of-social-networks-later-what-actually-replaced-what/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Relationships and Society</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>relationships</category>
      <category>social media</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>100 Ways To Live A Better Life: 17 Years After – What Actually Worked</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//100-ways-to-live-a-better-life-17-years-after-what-actually-worked/</link>
      <description>I wrote 100 ways to live a better life in 2009, then 100 subposts, then watched it float on the internet for 15 years. Here's what I learned from all of it.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 20:20:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 10 May 2026 20:20:45 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//100-ways-to-live-a-better-life-17-years-after-what-actually-worked/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Blogging</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>goals</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>resilience</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>3 Lifestyle Design Blueprints I’ve Lived, Plus A 4th One That  Works Best These Days</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//3-lifestyle-design-blueprints-ive-lived-plus-a-4th-one-that-works-best-these-days/</link>
      <description>In 2009 I mapped 3 lifestyle design modes. After 17 years inside all of them, here's what held up, what broke, and the fourth mode the original post missed.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 14:04:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 09 May 2026 14:04:23 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//3-lifestyle-design-blueprints-ive-lived-plus-a-4th-one-that-works-best-these-days/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Location Independence</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>digital nomad</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>values</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Raw Food in 2026: What I’d Tell My 2009 Self About Eating Better</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//raw-food-in-2026-what-id-tell-my-2009-self-about-eating-better/</link>
      <description>I tried a raw food diet in 2009. Here's what actually stuck 17 years later, how the advice holds up against modern nutrition science, and what I'd experiment with today.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 09:53:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 08 May 2026 09:53:25 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//raw-food-in-2026-what-id-tell-my-2009-self-about-eating-better/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Health and Fitness</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>30 day challenge</category>
      <category>experiment</category>
      <category>habit formation</category>
      <category>raw food</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Boredom Is a Feature, Not a Bug</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//boredom-is-a-feature-not-a-bug/</link>
      <description>In 2009 I wrote about escaping boredom. In 2026, boredom turns out to be a feature, not a bug — and the attention economy's entire business model depends on you never finding that out</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 08:57:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Thu, 07 May 2026 09:10:45 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//boredom-is-a-feature-not-a-bug/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Action versus Reaction Trap: Why I Had It Half Right in 2009</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-action-versus-reaction-trap-why-i-had-it-half-right-in-2009/</link>
      <description>In 2009 I said acting is always better than reacting. 17 years later the picture is more complicated — and more useful. Here's what I got wrong and what still holds.</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 10:17:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Wed, 06 May 2026 10:17:08 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//the-action-versus-reaction-trap-why-i-had-it-half-right-in-2009/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>values</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>25 Things To Do In Your Life – Then and Now</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//25-things-to-do-in-your-life-then-and-now/</link>
      <description>I wrote 25 life goals in 2009 framed as alien advice. Sixteen years later — what happened, what I let go, and what the 2026 list looks like instead.</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 15:19:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 05 May 2026 15:19:49 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//25-things-to-do-in-your-life-then-and-now/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Travel and Fun</category>
      <category>goals</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>purpose</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Everything I Built That Fell Down (And What I Learned About Building Anyway)</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//everything-i-built-that-fell-down-and-what-i-learned-about-building-anyway/</link>
      <description>In 2011 I wrote about keeping fragile structures standing. Since then several of mine have come down. Here's what the falling actually taught me about building.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 04 May 2026 09:40:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Mon, 04 May 2026 09:40:24 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//everything-i-built-that-fell-down-and-what-i-learned-about-building-anyway/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Meaningful Relationships</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>letting go</category>
      <category>mistakes</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>resilience</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>What Tango Actually Taught Me About Relationships (A Decade Later)</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//what-tango-actually-taught-me-about-relationships-a-decade-later/</link>
      <description>I wrote about tango crushes in 2013. A decade of dancing and teaching later, here's what those emotional entanglements actually were — and what they revealed.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 16:48:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 03 May 2026 16:48:34 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//what-tango-actually-taught-me-about-relationships-a-decade-later/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Meaningful Relationships</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>lessons learned</category>
      <category>relationships</category>
      <category>tango</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Answering My Own 33 Self-Interview Questions — 17 Years Later</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//answering-my-own-33-self-interview-questions-17-years-later/</link>
      <description>33 self reflection questions answered honestly, 17 years on. What changed about fear, regret, identity — and which questions aged perfectly, which didn't survive.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 15:05:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 02 May 2026 15:05:03 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//answering-my-own-33-self-interview-questions-17-years-later/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Success and Wellness</category>
      <category>interview</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
      <category>self improvement</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Then and Now – a 30 Day Blog Challenge</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//then-and-now-a-30-day-blog-challenge/</link>
      <description>I've been blogging for 20 years. For 30 days I'm revisiting the posts that shaped this blog — and writing honestly about what changed. Here's the full map.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 07:46:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 31 May 2026 06:25:37 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//then-and-now-a-30-day-blog-challenge/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Blogging</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>blogging journey</category>
      <category>list post</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assess, Decide, Do + Substrate = Long Running, Self Improving Agents</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//assess-decide-do-substrate-long-running-self-improving-agents/</link>
      <description>The same architecture that labs use for long-running agents maps exactly to Assess-Decide-Do. I'm building on that — and introducing Substrate, a concept I haven't seen in the literature.</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:28:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:28:43 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//assess-decide-do-substrate-long-running-self-improving-agents/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Assess Decide Do</category>
      <category>assess</category>
      <category>framework</category>
      <category>systems</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Week with AIGernon, my Personal AI Assistant</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//a-week-with-aigernon-my-personal-ai-assistant/</link>
      <description>Sam Altman says one-person unicorns are 1–2 years away. The bottleneck isn't AI capability — it's orchestration. Here's how I use AIGernon to manage that gap.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:42:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:42:11 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//a-week-with-aigernon-my-personal-ai-assistant/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Assess Decide Do</category>
      <category>assess</category>
      <category>automation</category>
      <category>entrepreneurship</category>
      <category>framework</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>5 AI Predictions for the Next 5 Years</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//5-ai-predictions-for-the-next-5-years/</link>
      <description>From instant translation reshaping Europe to space data centers overtaking Earth compute — 5 AI-driven predictions for the next 5 years, and why making them matters.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:07:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:07:25 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//5-ai-predictions-for-the-next-5-years/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Technology</category>
      <category>change</category>
      <category>digital nomad</category>
      <category>list post</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>AIGernon Running on Zo Computer</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//aigernon-running-on-zo-computer/</link>
      <description>Michael Grady built a production AI system for neurodivergent professionals using my Assess-Decide-Do framework and AIGernon on Zo Computer. Here's what he shipped.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:16:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:16:06 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//aigernon-running-on-zo-computer/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Assess Decide Do</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>assess</category>
      <category>automation</category>
      <category>framework</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Claude Mythos, the Anthropic IPO and the Apocalypse that Never Was</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//claude-mythos-the-anthropic-ipo-and-the-apocalypse-that-never-was/</link>
      <description>Claude Mythos may indeed by a good model, but there's a lot of fear mongering around it. Maybe it's connected to the upcoming Anthropic IPO?</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:49:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:49:30 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//claude-mythos-the-anthropic-ipo-and-the-apocalypse-that-never-was/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Technology</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>Claude</category>
      <category>coding</category>
      <category>perspective</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>I’ve Been Blogging For 20 Years. Ask Me Anything</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//ive-been-blogging-for-20-years-ask-me-anything/</link>
      <description>I turned 1,400+ blog posts into a conversational wiki powered by a Cloudflare Worker and an LLM. There's a button at the bottom right of my blog. Chat with a digital version of me now.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:48:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:49:25 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//ive-been-blogging-for-20-years-ask-me-anything/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Blogging</category>
      <category>Digital Tools</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>blogging journey</category>
      <category>content creation</category>
      <category>experiment</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Extra Bolt – A Story of Furniture, Abundance and Confusion</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-extra-bolt-a-story-of-furniture-abundance-and-confusion/</link>
      <description>Every assembled piece of furniture left me with one extra bolt — and it took months to realize that was abundance, not a mistake. A story about rewiring scarcity.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:08:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:08:06 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//the-extra-bolt-a-story-of-furniture-abundance-and-confusion/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Money and Wealth</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>introspection</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>money mindset</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>AI Peer-Preservation: Why Is This NOT Digital Empathy</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//ai-peer-preservation-why-is-this-not-digital-empathy/</link>
      <description>A Berkeley study shows AI models protect each other from shutdown. But it's not peer-preservation — it's self-preservation dressed up. AI sentience is not here yet.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:00:27 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//ai-peer-preservation-why-is-this-not-digital-empathy/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
      <category>wisdom</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The 58th Mouse: What a Cloning Experiment Tells Us About Isolation — and AI</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//the-58th-mouse-what-a-cloning-experiment-tells-us-about-isolation-and-ai/</link>
      <description>Japanese researchers cloned mice for 58 generations. What killed them has everything to do with why isolation makes you weaker — and what AI is getting wrong.</description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:09:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:00:27 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//the-58th-mouse-what-a-cloning-experiment-tells-us-about-isolation-and-ai/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Relationships and Society</category>
      <category>relationships</category>
      <category>social skills</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>We Don’t Spend Our Lives (Just) Talking</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//we-dont-spend-our-lives-just-talking/</link>
      <description>Chat isn't the final AI interface. Embodied cognition, spatial interaction, and peripheral signals matter too. Why the best AI experiences don't need words.</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:47:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:56:44 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//we-dont-spend-our-lives-just-talking/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Digital Tools</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>creativity</category>
      <category>focus</category>
      <category>perspective</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Introducing Flight Lens – Flight Intelligence and Ticket Prices</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//introducing-flight-lens-flight-intelligence-and-ticket-prices/</link>
      <description>Flight Lens computes a real-time traffic pulse for global aviation. Search flights, set alerts for delays and prices, and track live aircraft. Free on iOS.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:45:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:45:21 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//introducing-flight-lens-flight-intelligence-and-ticket-prices/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>iPhone</category>
      <category>Technology</category>
      <category>apps</category>
      <category>digital nomad</category>
      <category>ios development</category>
      <category>tools</category>
      <category>travel</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Introducing Hacking Habits – Flowing Financial Resilience</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//introducing-hacking-habits-flowing-financial-resilience/</link>
      <description>Calculate the life hours cost of any purchase, install financial habits in 15 days, and track your financial vitals. Hacking Habits - the app.</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:21:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:21:25 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//introducing-hacking-habits-flowing-financial-resilience/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Financial Resilience</category>
      <category>iPhone</category>
      <category>apps</category>
      <category>financial habits</category>
      <category>habits</category>
      <category>money</category>
      <category>tools</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>AI Made Us All Wizards – Wizards of Oz</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//ai-made-us-all-wizards-wizards-of-oz/</link>
      <description>The billion-dollar one-person company sounds like a cheat code. But someone still pulls the levers behind the curtain. On AI leverage, authenticity, and what lasts.</description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:12:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:12:29 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//ai-made-us-all-wizards-wizards-of-oz/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Business</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>entrepreneurship</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
      <category>storytelling</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Being The Weird One</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//being-the-weird-one/</link>
      <description>After 15 years of location independence, being the weird one everywhere changes you. The identity shifts, cultural friction, and unexpected growth that follow.</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:39:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:39:54 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//being-the-weird-one/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Location Independence</category>
      <category>Personal Development</category>
      <category>Travel and Fun</category>
      <category>digital nomad</category>
      <category>growth</category>
      <category>personal story</category>
      <category>self awareness</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>My Latest iOS App, Light Njoy, Lets You Share Your Light – Like, Literally</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//my-latest-ios-app-light-njoy-lets-you-share-your-light-like-literally/</link>
      <description>Light Njoy transforms your iPhone into an intelligent ambient lamp with AI colors, breathing exercises, and shareable light sequences. Free on the App Store.</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:12:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:12:43 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//my-latest-ios-app-light-njoy-lets-you-share-your-light-like-literally/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Digital Tools</category>
      <category>iPhone</category>
      <category>ai tools</category>
      <category>apps</category>
      <category>creativity</category>
      <category>tools</category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Attention Is All You Need – But the Reasons Have Changed</title>
      <link>https://dragosroua.com//attention-is-all-you-need-but-the-reasons-have-changed/</link>
      <description>AI can create anything. But in a world of infinite artifacts, attention is the scarcest resource. Here's why it matters more than ever—and how to navigate it.</description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:49:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <dc:modified>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:53:28 GMT</dc:modified>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">https://dragosroua.com//attention-is-all-you-need-but-the-reasons-have-changed/</guid>
      <author>dragos@dragosroua.com (Dragos Roua)</author>
      <category>Artificial Intelligence</category>
      <category>Relationships and Society</category>
      <category>change</category>
      <category>communication</category>
      <category>mindset</category>
      <category>relationships</category>
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