The Study

A tiny game. Walk my study; every object opens part of this site.

  • W A S D walk  ·  mouse look  ·  click interact
  • ⛶ fullscreen  ·  Esc stands you up  ·  mind the window
  • left thumb walk  ·  drag look  ·  tap interact

A playable map of this site · walk in, everything is a door

Everyone has dragons.

Not the kind you slay once, the kind that keep coming back. Mine have included a book I have circled for a decade, and whole seasons of weeks that were full yet added up to nothing. This site is twenty years of learning to face them: essays on work, knowledge, training, and living well.

Start facing yours The Dragon’s Eye

Explore

Latest

Garmin watch infront of a database
Get Your Garmin Data Off Their Servers

Get Your Garmin Data Off Their Servers

September 13, 2026
A workflow step with its AI prompt open, identifying details blacked out
AI Prompts Are Code. Treat Them Like It.

AI Prompts Are Code. Treat Them Like It.

September 13, 2026
A Chinese Ink Stick
Why I Still Grind Ink

Why I Still Grind Ink

September 13, 2026
Your Second Brain Has the Wrong Architecture (A Lesson from Chinese Brush Painting)

Your Second Brain Has the Wrong Architecture (A Lesson from Chinese Brush Painting)

September 13, 2026

What you’ll find here

Tools to Face Dragons

A.I.

Digital Nomadism

Purpose

PKM

Martial Arts

Monk Mode

Personal Development

GTD

Hobbies

Productivity

Getting things done, staying focused, and working well, increasingly with AI in the loop.

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Bullet Journal Ideas and Man Holding a Bullet Journal
Bullet Journal Ideas for Facing Dragons from a GTD Veteran

Bullet Journal Ideas for Facing Dragons from a GTD Veteran

Phone with Google Gemini
Is Google Gemini the AI Productivity Sidekick You’ve Been Waiting For?

Is Google Gemini the AI Productivity Sidekick You’ve Been Waiting For?

OKRs Title Page: Measure What Matters Most
Use OKRs to Achieve What Matters Most in Business & Life

Use OKRs to Achieve What Matters Most in Business & Life

image of Face Dragon's founder's Map of Content
Maps of Content (MOC) Bring Your Knowledge to Life

Maps of Content (MOC) Bring Your Knowledge to Life

Note Taking Templates, Pink Background
15 Note Taking Templates: Better Notes Today

15 Note Taking Templates: Better Notes Today

PKM

Note-taking, second brains, and systems for keeping hold of what you learn.

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image of Face Dragon's founder's Map of Content
Maps of Content (MOC) Bring Your Knowledge to Life

Maps of Content (MOC) Bring Your Knowledge to Life

You need to start using maps of content and become more engaged with your notes!…
Note Taking Templates, Pink Background
15 Note Taking Templates: Better Notes Today

15 Note Taking Templates: Better Notes Today

If you're not taking notes, every time you read a book, watch a YouTube video,…
The Best Anki Add-ons
The Best Anki Add-ons: for Med Students, Language Learners & More

The Best Anki Add-ons: for Med Students, Language Learners & More

This list has all the best Anki add-ons to improve your flashcard experience and help…
Obsidian Review
Obsidian.md Review: Is Obsidian the Note-Taking App for You?

Obsidian.md Review: Is Obsidian the Note-Taking App for You?

For students, creatives, researchers, writers, bloggers, or anyone who wants to organize their minds, their…
Logseq Markdown
Logseq Markdown: Cheat Sheet with Syntax Examples

Logseq Markdown: Cheat Sheet with Syntax Examples

This Mardown cheatsheet for Logseq has everything you can think of to format your notes…

Training

Martial arts, strength, and the long business of looking after a human body.

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Man training martial arts
The Best Martial Arts for MMA According to UFC Champions

The Best Martial Arts for MMA According to UFC Champions

Man in Kung Fu Stance
Kung Fu Stances You Must Know (with Chinese Names)

Kung Fu Stances You Must Know (with Chinese Names)

Man in Taekwondo Uniform Front Kick
Every Taekwondo Kick (with Korean Names)

Every Taekwondo Kick (with Korean Names)

Man Throwing Punch with Boxing Gloves
What You Need to Know About MMA Training

What You Need to Know About MMA Training

Fei Yue the best kung fu shoes
The Best Kung Fu Shoes I’ve Ever Worn

The Best Kung Fu Shoes I’ve Ever Worn

Living

Travel, language, and the practical work of a well-lived life.

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Digital Nomad Jobs
The Modern Nomad’s Toolkit: A Real-World Guide to Digital Nomad Jobs

The Modern Nomad’s Toolkit: A Real-World Guide to Digital Nomad Jobs

Title: The Art of Simple Living: Facing Fewer Dragons
The Art of Simple Living: Facing Fewer Dragons

The Art of Simple Living: Facing Fewer Dragons

Different Lifestyle Pictures
11 Lasting Lifestyles You Can Live Longterm

11 Lasting Lifestyles You Can Live Longterm

Expat Burnout: My Advice After 17 Years
Expat Burnout: Time to Go Home? My Advice After 17 Years

Expat Burnout: Time to Go Home? My Advice After 17 Years

Kung Fu Movies
20 Best Kung Fu Movies You Must Watch Before You Die

20 Best Kung Fu Movies You Must Watch Before You Die

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“Facing Dragons isn't always about gritting your teeth and grinding, more often it means taking a step back, rethinking your decisions and building stronger systems.”

Gregory J. GaynorFace Dragons Founder
“

“So I built Face Dragons, a place I share systems that work, productive ways of living and working, and ways to create meaning in the modern world.”

Gregory J. GaynorFace Dragons Founder
“

“I've lived and worked across Asia for two decades, built businesses, learned languages, and honed crafts and physical practices. Now I work as a Lead AI Developer in the Biotech sector.”

Gregory J. GaynorFace Dragons Founder