Plutonic Rainbows

Second and final phase of the 2025 improvements is now done.

I worked through the 18 improvements identified in my blog’s health check report, turning it into a more efficient and reliable static site generator. This included performance enhancements such as chunked file reading with 8KB chunks to prevent memory issues, concurrent processing with a ThreadPoolExecutor using 4 workers, and a markdown caching system that stores 604 posts for faster rebuilds. I also reduced storage needs by converting images to WebP and using batch processing, bringing the size down from 8.5MB to 2.14MB. Other updates included retry logic and connection pooling for network stability, progress bars for user feedback, and additional logging options with verbose and debug modes.

These changes brought the build times down by 41%, from 11.53 seconds to 6.82 seconds, while keeping everything compatible with existing workflows. I also improved the codebase by adding type hints, removing duplicate code, and creating utility scripts for image handling and progress tracking. The deployment system now has retry mechanisms for temporary failures and more efficient CloudFront configurations with specific path invalidations.

Overall, the updates make the blog faster, more efficient, and easier to maintain, while keeping the original functionality intact. Each change was implemented with the goal of making the system more dependable and user-friendly for long-term use.

I thought I would experiment with a Whitney variant for the body text to see how the overall layout performs in practice. I’ve been using the same typeface for several years now, and while it has served me well, I’m curious whether switching to something closer to Whitney might improve readability in a noticeable way. Typography plays such a critical role in user experience, and even subtle changes can influence how comfortably text is read over longer sessions.

To properly evaluate this, I plan to test not only the aesthetic feel of the new font but also its technical performance. Specifically, I need to compare the latency and rendering speed of two fonts across different environments. This will help determine whether the change is purely cosmetic or if it has a measurable impact on responsiveness and user interaction. Ultimately, the goal is to find the right balance between visual clarity, reading comfort, and performance efficiency.

I refined the blog's typography after realizing the headings were too large and overwhelming the content. By implementing fluid CSS scaling with clamp() functions, I was able to create a more balanced visual hierarchy where headings guide rather than dominate the reading experience. The changes also improved mobile readability by increasing the minimum font size and eliminated the jarring jumps that occurred at the old 600px breakpoint. While these are relatively small adjustments, they should make the blog more comfortable to read across all devices and create a more professional, proportioned layout that better serves the content.

I was a great admirer of Superleggera, a limited-edition Allure that is now sadly discontinued — a short-lived gem that has since taken on almost mythic status among collectors. Bleu de Chanel has probably been my least favourite from their range, lacking the distinctive character I’ve come to expect from the house. I’ve been purchasing from Chanel’s men’s line for over thirty years, during which time I’ve witnessed the evolution of their fragrance portfolio from the classic post-war elegance of Pour Monsieur to the bold, leathered chypre of Antaeus in the 1980s, and the daring, unconventional Égoïste of the early 1990s. These three form what I consider an untouchable trinity — each one a benchmark of its era, yet all timeless in their appeal.

When Allure arrived in the late 1990s, it marked another shift in Chanel’s olfactory direction, offering a smoother, more modern sophistication that still retained depth and character. I was instantly captivated, and I’ve enjoyed many of its variations over the years. By contrast, Bleu de Chanel felt — and still feels — generic, a scent that could have been from almost any brand. That said, I remain hopeful that the new L’Exclusif will embody the heritage, daring, and artistry that have defined Chanel’s greatest men’s fragrances, delivering the masterpiece they truly should have created all along.