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-# my profile
+# Jordan Wages
 
-My git profile page.
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+I build software that I expect to actually get used.
+
+Most of what I work on sits somewhere between practical tooling and things that are a little more experimental or creative. Sometimes it’s a small utility, sometimes it’s a larger system, sometimes it’s something that exists mostly because I thought it would be interesting to see if it could exist at all.
+
+I care about whether something works, how it fits into a real workflow, and whether it holds up once you start leaning on it a bit.
+
+---
+
+## What I Care About
+
+**Function over polish (most of the time)**
+
+I’m not especially interested in making software foolproof. Some friction is fine if it means the system stays flexible, understandable, or just more capable. I’d rather something be honest than over-sanitized.
+
+**Owning the stack**
+
+I tend to favor self-hosted and open systems. Partly for control, partly for longevity, partly because I don’t like being surprised by someone else’s roadmap.
+
+**Clarity over cleverness**
+
+There are a lot of valid ways to build the same thing. I usually lean toward whatever is easiest to reason about later, especially when I’m the one who has to come back to it.
+
+**Systems thinking**
+
+I spend a lot of time thinking about how pieces connect; not just technically, but how they behave when people actually use them.
+
+---
+
+## What I Build
+
+- Personal infrastructure; self-hosted services, automation, glue between systems  
+- Open-source libraries and utilities (usually C#)  
+- Experimental and creative projects; games, media, interactive ideas  
+- Systems that connect things in ways that feel obvious *after* they exist  
+
+---
+
+## A Bit About Me
+
+I’m a software engineer by background, but I tend to approach problems as systems problems. I’m usually less interested in the individual component and more interested in how it behaves as part of a whole.
+
+I’ve worked across backend systems, real-time setups, and creative/media projects. That mix tends to show up in what I build; things that are functional, but occasionally a little opinionated or unconventional.
+
+I also spend a fair amount of time thinking and writing about software, AI, and how people interact with both. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
+
+---
+
+## Find Me
+
+- https://jordanwages.com  
+- https://git.jordanwages.com  
+- https://github.com/wagesj45  
+
+---
+
+## Current Focus
+
+- Personal infrastructure and self-hosted ecosystems  
+- Local-first and privacy-respecting software  
+- AI-assisted systems that fit into real workflows  
+- Creative tooling and interactive systems  
+
+---
+
+If something here is useful to you, feel free to use it.
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