Project: Presentation, Date: 2025-09-14 16:22:58
🛡️ New Personal Project: Safe Hosts
I want to share a new personal project that I plan to put online soon (maybe in about a week I’ll come with an update). The project is called "Safe Hosts".
You can find the project here and even improve it if you want: 👉 Safe Hosts on GitHub
💭 Why did I create this project?
To be honest, I have the same online dependencies as many of you. We often end up wasting a lot of time on the internet, reaching websites that disturb our mind and soul — sometimes without even wanting to. This project was born as a solution for myself.
⚙️ What does this project do?
I use it locally (on Ubuntu, but it should also work on Windows). It blocks domains based on a large list (mostly adult websites), and I can also add my own custom blocklist.
🔬 How does it work technically?
The base principle is simple but very effective.
In Ubuntu (and also in Windows or iOS), there is a file at
/etc/hosts/hosts.txt that controls local domain traffic.
I configured it so that unwanted domains are redirected to 0.0.0.0.
After generating a new hosts file, you can even add restrictions like a strong password —
making it harder to bypass when impulses try to take over.
🙏 Why do I want to share this?
I am an Orthodox Christian. Maybe on this Earth I won’t earn anything from this, but I know that in the afterlife I will gain because I helped others (like myself) to protect their eyes from what is “dirty” on the internet.
I don’t care about money. Maybe someone else will take this idea and make millions from such a protection software — I actually encourage it! Because I want a cleaner internet.
Remember: websites for adult content or gambling would not even exist if we did not consume them. The internet becomes what we feed it with. 🌍
I also added a like/dislike section at the end of each blog post, because I want to hear your feedback as much as possible.
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-09-06 19:50:38
📚 3-Day Online Challenge with US Institute of Business and International Development
Recently, I participated in a 3-day online course organized by the US Institute of Business and International Development, led by Manuel Oancia and George Nedelcu. Their main purpose was to sell services that help entrepreneurs, but also to educate them.
💡 My Plan & Vision
During the course, I shared my vision: I want to create ERP applications (Enterprise Resource Planning) designed for small and medium-sized companies. I realized that an ERP is very technical, so the big challenge will be to present it in a way that is easy to understand for everyone.
🔑 Key Lessons Learned
Manuel Oancia emphasized something very important: “There is no other path to true prosperity except being an entrepreneur.” I agree with him completely.
George Nedelcu also spoke about the two big fears that stop people from making this step: fear of failure and fear of success.
Personally, I believe I have more of a fear of success. If I make this step, my life will change completely: I won’t go to a normal job anymore, I won’t see my dear colleagues every day, and I will be perceived differently by people. Success means a new life, and what is new often scares us as humans.
📝 Homework from the Course
- Create a detailed 6-month action plan for my business.
- Write a sales message following the model they presented.
These are valuable lessons, and I’ll do my best to apply them step by step in building the company I dream of.
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-08-30 19:29:46
📊 My Experience at the "ALTSEASON FINALE PART 2" Conference
👤 About Cristian Chifoi
At the beginning, Cristian made a recap of who he is. He even started with the craziest things he did in his life, like burning his college diploma. I really liked that he also spoke openly about his failures: during the pandemic, most of his coffee shops closed and he even moved back to his mom’s place to save money on rent.
📉 Secular Cycles & Economy
Then he talked about “secular cycles” and when he thinks the next big reset could come — similar to the 2008 crisis. He sees it happening around 2032–2034. Until then, he is optimistic that the market will keep growing well overall.
📉 Shorter-Term View
He also mentioned smaller timeframes: around the middle of next year, he expects the S&P index to fall, and with it the crypto market, especially since Bitcoin is the main leader. He told us that at that point, the market will try to scare people with stories like:
- “Bitcoin is no longer good”
- “Quantum computers will destroy it”
- “A better cryptocurrency appeared”
💡 Key Insights
🙌 Personal Takeaway
I really enjoyed this experience and the fact that I could shake hands with a millionaire who is still making money in this space 🙂
All the best,
David 🤍
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-08-23 18:01:54
🚀 My Passion for Cryptocurrencies
📌 One Year of Investment
Today I want to talk about something I’ve already invested time and money into for one year (about $2,500 this year): the crypto market.
💰 What I Invested In
I focused on projects that I consider quite safe:
- ETH vs BTC
- Render (RNDR)
- Artificial Superintelligence Alliance(FET)
- Filecoin (FIL)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Optimism (OP)
- Cardano (ADA)
📈 Lessons Learned
🎤 Next Steps
I also decided to learn more from successful people and I will look to attend events during the year related to investing/entrepreneurship.
Tomorrow I will participate in a conference held by Cristian Chifoi (one of the best in crypto in Romania) about investing in crypto and the future plan — how to allocate money and when to exit.
All the best,
— David 🤍
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-08-16 14:39:08
📘 The Billion Dollar Secret – By Rafael Badziag
About the Book
The Billion Dollar Secret is written by Rafael Badziag, an entrepreneur and author who interviewed more than 20 self-made billionaires around the world. His goal was to uncover the patterns, habits, and principles that allowed them to build companies worth billions.
Main Ideas
The book is structured around 20 principles of billionaire wealth and success. Here are some of the most important:
- Think Long-Term: Billionaires don’t chase quick wins. They build visions that last decades.
- Be Obsessed: They dedicate their lives to their mission with intensity and persistence.
- Take Care of Your Health: Physical and mental health are seen as the foundation of performance.
- Calculated Risk-Taking: They embrace risk but make informed, strategic decisions.
- Constant Learning: Never stop improving knowledge, skills, and understanding of people.
- Networking & Relationships: Surrounding themselves with the right people is a key part of their growth.
- High Standards: They expect excellence from themselves and from the people around them.
- Resilience: Failure is part of the process; they see it as a lesson, not an end.
My Reflections
What impressed me most is that many billionaires were not born rich. They worked hard, pushed themselves, and believed in their vision until it became real. That gives me hope for my own dreams.
I want to think like a billionaire as well: to become smarter, take care of my health, be a better leader, take risks, communicate effectively, and build stronger relationships. I know it will take time and sacrifice, but I’m willing to put in the work.
I believe in my dream of building my own company. Just like the billionaires in this book, I don’t want to regret not trying. Success is not only about money—it’s about mindset, persistence, and courage.
Project: The biggest fish, Date: 2025-08-09 15:21:16
📚 When Breath Becomes Air – By Paul Kalanithi
I want to share with you a book I read over the past few weeks that really impressed me and, I believe, changed how I look at life and how I relate to time.
This is the true story of a neurosurgeon who discovers he has lung cancer and suddenly sees life not only from a doctor’s perspective, but also from a patient’s. I was deeply impressed by how he calculated how much time he had left and came to the conclusion that it might be just a few years (and that’s about how it turned out). Yet, in his short time, he accomplished so much — he had a child, returned to the operating room despite pain and illness, and in his final months, wrote this book.
Sometimes I wonder why we humans live with the impression that we have a very long life ahead (maybe 100 years), when the reality is unknown. Maybe it’s better to live as if I only had 30 days left.
As a programmer, I have big dreams — I want my own company where all employees are happy and everything is well organized. In recent months, I’ve also been thinking that I want to become a dollar millionaire… but that means taking risks. I have everything I need — I just need to work every day and keep a good lifestyle. I don’t know exactly how much time I have left, like in this book — maybe one month, maybe ten years — but if it’s just a few months, will I regret not even trying to make my dreams come true?
Project: Presentation, Date: 2025-08-02 14:26:14
📩 New Contact Form Is Now Live
I’ve just finished updating the contact page of my presentation website — and now it includes a form where anyone can send me a message directly. Whether you want to ask something about my work, give feedback, or simply get to know me better, feel free to use it!
I truly want to grow a community around what I do — to meet more people and share experiences. Maybe, with some of you, I’ll even get to build the dream company I’ve talked about in previous posts. Everything starts with connection. 🙌
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-07-26 16:11:06
📘 "A Fly from the Holy Mountain" — "O muscă din Sfântul Munte" by Vasilis G. Frangopulus
I couldn’t find this book in English.
This book is mostly about life in Mount Athos. The story is about a sculptor who was an atheist and ended up working at Mount Athos. There he saw and truly understood that God exists, and that all those people who sacrificed their lives for faith had felt or seen something real.
Right now I feel like I’ve gone a bit downhill with my "dependencies" like always being on my phone... thinking about nonsense. I feel the need to rebalance myself, to pray more. Maybe I’ll even go and confess to a priest again.
For my mind, the Orthodox faith helps me. It even helps me evolve in my career and keeps me mentally strong. Some may see prayer as a waste of time, but I see it as a time when you develop your brain and grow much more.
I often think about life after death—what it will be like, what happens to our soul, and that our Creator will judge us. From my perspective as a programmer, I also see God as the Supreme Programmer.
Project: Presentation, Date: 2025-07-19 19:37:45
📄New Page Added: “About Me”
I’ve just added a brand-new section to the site menu — the “ABOUT ME” page! This is more than just a biography. It's a reflection of my belief in transparency — something I value deeply both personally and professionally.
I want people to know not just what I do, but who I am and what I stand for. Being as open and transparent as possible is how I choose to build trust — and one day, my dream company will follow the same principle.
I hope this page helps others connect more with my journey, my mindset, and the bigger picture I’m working toward.
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-07-13 15:51:17
Reading: “The Brain and the Mysteries of the Soul” by Leon Dănăilă
This week I’ve been reading a powerful book in Romanian: “Creierul și Misterele Sufletului” by Leon Dănăilă, a world-renowned Romanian neurosurgeon, scientist, and a deeply faithful Orthodox Christian.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find this book in English — it seems to exist only in Romanian. But it touched me deeply because, just like me, the author tried to combine science with faith. I believe in God, and in life after death. I believe there will be some kind of judgment for the way we live here on Earth.
In the book, he explores the mystery of the soul and the mind, tracing how humans have questioned their existence for thousands of years. Some ancient beliefs placed the soul in the heart, others in the brain. Dănăilă approaches this subject from both a scientific and spiritual angle.
One thing that stood out to me is how he emphasized that what we now call "the mind" was often used interchangeably with "the soul" throughout history. And maybe that’s not far from the truth.
My own interpretation? I see the soul as a kind of software. The body is like a computer, and the soul is the invisible code that gives it purpose and functionality. It moves silently, has no weight, yet powers everything. But just like you can’t see software with your bare eyes, you can’t “see” the soul without the right tools. I believe one day science will get close to proving it .
Some key points explored in the book include:
- The search for the soul across ancient civilizations
- Mind-body dualism and the theories of Plato and Descartes
- The relationship between the brain, consciousness, and immortality
- The impact of faith and prayer on brain activity
- Modern neuroscience and its limits in explaining human spirituality
This book inspired me to keep asking questions, keep learning, and never stop believing — both in knowledge, and in something greater than ourselves.
– David
Project: Presentation, Date: 2025-07-05 16:38:24
Site Update: A Step Closer to Transparency
This week, I made great progress on updating my presentation website. One of the biggest changes is the new design of the header menu — now with a much cleaner and white look.
For me, white isn’t just a color — it represents transparency . That’s exactly what I want this website to stand for: honesty, clarity, and being true to who I am.
- A new, brighter header navigation with a minimalist and transparent feel.
- More focus on simplicity and ease of use.
What’s next? I still need to build the “About Me” page , where I plan to share more about my story, how I started as a developer, and the values that shape my journey.
This site isn’t just a showcase of my work — it’s a growing space that reflects who I am and who I want to become.
See you again next week with more updates!
David
Project: Presentation, Date: 2025-06-28 14:40:52
Upcoming Updates for My Presentation Site
In the following week, I’ll be working on refreshing my personal website with a cleaner and more modern design. It’s important for me that the website reflects who I am and the direction I’m heading toward.
- A brand-new theme for a more elegant and user-friendly experience.
- Adding a brand new “About Me” page to share more of my journey and values.
- Creating a “Contact Me” page so people can easily reach out to me.
- Revamping the footer area with more useful links and resources.
- Improving the menu layout and navigation structure.
I believe my presentation site can grow and become a place where people really get to know me, what I stand for, and the goals I’m working toward. This is not just a website—it's part of my dream.
I won’t forget my long-term vision: to help as many people as possible, to build my dream company, and to bring to life the projects I believe in.
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-06-22 13:11:04
The First Steps Towards My Dream Company
I'm excited to share that I'm starting to take concrete steps toward building the company I've always dreamed of. Right now, my focus is on developing myself as a better freelancer, sharpening my skills and understanding the market.
One of the platforms I've been exploring is UpWork, which seems like a great place to begin. Here’s the plan I’m setting for myself:
- Step 1: Complete at least 3 small tasks and earn 3 positive reviews to build credibility.
- Step 2: After that, aim for bigger projects to challenge myself and grow my portfolio.
- Step 3: Achieve a steady and good income from these projects.
- Step 4: Register a sole proprietorship (PFA) so I can legally manage my income and grow further.
Alongside UpWork, I’m also looking for other clients on different platforms to diversify my opportunities and build a sustainable freelance career.
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-06-16 18:01:55
My Dream Company
🔭 The Vision ▼
I've been thinking a lot about the kind of company I want to build in the future. A company unlike most others – one where people matter more than machines, where human principles are just as important as productivity.
I know I’ll start small – maybe just me at the beginning. But I imagine a structure that blends German-style organization with deeply human values.
🧑🤝🧑 A Human Workplace ▼
Many companies, especially large ones, forget that we're human – not robots. We have feelings, families, and dreams. In my dream company, teammates can bring their children or family members to the office. Some could even sleep there if needed.
The workplace should feel like a second home – a place you look forward to being in, not just a job.
🏛️ Company Structure ▼
The hierarchy would be simple: just two levels – myself and team leads. There will be three main departments:
- Development Team – focused on building features and writing the core code.
- Testing Team – ensuring stability, quality, and user experience.
- Clean Code Team – a unique team responsible for refactoring and optimizing code after it has passed development and testing.
🌱 Ownership & Growth ▼
Key team members will own shares in the company, but I’ll always hold over 50% to protect the vision. If someone makes a mistake while trying something new, they won’t be punished.
On the contrary – those who try harder and search for better ways will grow in the company and earn greater respect and opportunity.
💡 Transparent Finances and Open Salaries▼
In my dream company, financial transparency is essential. Every employee will know how the money flows — from operational costs to salaries to profit. Salaries will be fully public within the team. I strongly believe that when a leader earns more by delivering results and inspiring others, that shouldn’t be hidden — it should be respected.
Trust grows when there are no secrets. Every member will have access to financial overviews, and big spending decisions will be made together. Everyone will feel like a stakeholder — not just an employee.
📖 The Bigger Picture ▼
These ideas were inspired by books and my own experience. I want to create a better system where work is meaningful, enjoyable, and something to be proud of.
When people feel safe and respected, they do better work – and that’s the company I want to build.
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-06-08 13:25:33
How ‘The Dose Effect’ Changed My Behavior as a Programmer
In the book “The Dose Effect,” the author explores the four pleasure-related chemicals in the brain: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. What I found most helpful is the practical examples of how to live a happier life and actually change your behavior.
One key change I made was paying more attention to my phone usage. The book talks about how important it is to reduce the time spent on apps like Facebook that waste your time and focus. I started putting my phone in “Focus” mode so I wouldn’t be tempted to open distracting apps.
The book also mentions the “Wim Hof method” which I’d read about in another book – this is all about cold showers and breathing techniques that can instantly change your state of mind. I’ve tried cold showers in the past and am trying to make them a habit again!
Another area I’m working on is being more organized at home. The book explains how even simple things like making your bed in the morning can boost your mood – and I’m guilty of skipping that and just grabbing my phone first thing in the morning (like most of us!).
Overall, I really recommend this book! It’s full of actionable tips and relatable stories that inspired me to be more mindful and proactive in my daily life. I’ll keep sharing updates here about my progress and any other insights I discover! 😀
Take care and see you soon,
David
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-05-31 14:32:49
Why Your Greatest Enemy is Yourself
Hello everyone,
Why do I believe that mental health is crucial, especially as a programmer? Because in my experience, the greatest enemy on the path to success can often be yourself. In today’s digital world, we’re surrounded by constant distractions, attention traps, and things that lower our stress tolerance and motivation. As a programmer, I realized that I need to create tools that protect me from myself and help me stay focused on what matters.
I’ll present two small but useful applications I built recently, and based on these ideas, I plan to make even more.
🔧 1. Chrome Extension to Block YouTube Ads
One day, I asked myself: why should I waste my time with YouTube ads that distract me and bring no value? So, I created a Chrome plugin that mutes YouTube ads and plays a motivational quote in the background: “David, don’t waste your time!”. It helps me snap back to reality and appreciate my time more.
View on GitHub🛡️ 2. SafeHosts – Block Distracting Websites
My second project is called “SafeHosts”. Often, like many other internet users, I’d end up on explicit content sites, gambling platforms, or other pages that mislead and distract me.
With this project, I have thousands of domains already blocked. I can also add custom lists, which I write into the /etc/hosts file (if you use Linux) to block these sites locally on my machine.
That’s all for now! I’ll see you next week with more updates and new ideas. Take care and stay focused! 😊
Best wishes,
David
Project: Myself Ascending, Date: 2025-05-25 15:19:54
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A New Chapter – Who I Am and What I Want to Do
Welcome to the first post on my personal and professional vlog page. I'm excited to start sharing my journey with you!
My name is David, and I’m a web developer with solid experience in PHP, particularly the Laravel framework. This vlog will be a place where I document both personal growth and career achievements.
🌱 Personal Growth Goals
On a personal level, I’m focusing on becoming a better, healthier version of myself. Here are a few goals I’ve set:
- Living a healthier lifestyle: eating clean, staying hydrated, and improving my daily habits.
- Doing regular physical activity: working out, running, or simply staying active.
- Reading more books: I might also share the books I'm currently reading in future posts.
- Learning beyond coding: diving into subjects like cryptocurrency, financial markets, and investments.
💻 Professional Journey
Professionally, I aim to continue building my programming career. I want to keep learning and pushing myself through personal projects and real-world experience.
One of the projects I’m currently working on is a tool related to sports betting arbitrage. It's still in the early stages, but I’ll definitely be sharing updates here as it evolves.
🗓️ Weekly Updates
My goal is to post here at least once a week. Whether it’s a new project, a book review, or personal reflection, I want this to be a space where you can get to know the full me — not just the developer, but the human behind the code. 😊
Thank you for reading, and I’m looking forward to sharing more with you on this journey!