Network
All machines connected via **Tailscale** mesh.
|Machine|Tailscale IP|
|---|---|
|Bastion|100.82.253.59|
|SSH-FTR|100.118.2.103|
|USMC|100.119.115.96|
|iPhone|100.96.128.26|
network
2026-03-19
Machines
|Machine|Hardware|OS|Role|
|---|---|---|---|
|Bastion|Dell Latitude 7490|Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS HWE, LUKS encrypted|Primary Docker host|
|SSH-FTR|Bazzite, GTX 1650|Bazzite (immutable)|Gaming + Ollama inference|
|USMC|Latitude 7490|Aurora Linux|Travel machine|
|iPhone 14 Pro|—|iOS|Mobile, on Tailscale|
**Planned upgrade:** Bastion → Minisforum UM790 Pro (Ryzen 9 7940HS / Radeon 780M iGPU, barebones). Will reuse salvaged 32GB DDR5 + 1TB NVMe from broken Beelink SER6. Motivation: better LLM inference via iGPU ROCm.
machines
2026-03-19
Core Values & Decision Framework
Every tool, platform, and service runs through this filter, in order:
1. **Sovereignty first** — own/control it, or don't use it
2. **Minimal KYC** — minimize identity exposure
3. **Jurisdiction** — EU/Iceland > US for privacy
4. **Funding** — who owns it, what are their incentives
5. **Censorship trajectory** — more or less restrictive over time
6. **Exit cost** — how hard to leave
7. **Payment privacy** — crypto/cash preferred
Guiding phrase: _"Deliberately boring in the visible layer, sovereign in the invisible layer."_
Audience philosophy: _"Build for the remnant."_ 90%+ won't engage. Target the 5-10% awake or waking up. Small audience, high resonance, premium positioning, deep trust.
---
core_values_&_decision_framework
2026-03-19
Identity & Background
**Kyle** — Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P), Precision Nutrition Master Health Coach, veteran (USMC 1991–1995, Somalia deployment), 30-year pattern recognition/conspiracy realist, digital minimalist, sovereignty advocate. Based in Marion, Iowa.
Personal history that informs everything: spent 24 years being dismissed by the VA after Somalia. Dropped to 170 lbs at 6'5" before correct diagnosis in 2020: Celiac disease and liver damage. This is not a marketing story — it's the actual methodology origin.
**Partner:** Heather — uses shared infrastructure (Immich, Vaultwarden).
---
identity_&_background
2026-03-19
Open Brain Seed Document — Kyle
_Generated from project files: ghost-project-brief.md, ghost-technical-spec.md, ghost-content-strategy.md, ssh-ghost-copy.md, ssh-voice-reference.md, bastion-context.md_
---
open_brain_seed_document_—_kyle
2026-03-19
⚑ FLAGS: INCOMPLETE OR INFERRED
**Inferred (reading intent, not explicit statement):**
- The "Mercury period" reference in memory suggests Jyotish timing is actively influencing business decisions, not just self-understanding — but how much weight it carries operationally isn't stated
- The Warrior → Sage transition is described as "underway" — it's unclear whether existing published content has been audited and revised, or whether the policy applies only to new content going forward
- "Results-based satisfaction guarantee" is mentioned but never defined — what constitutes results, what triggers it, and whether it's client-facing language is not documented
- The dual Obsidian vault structure (blog vs. MasterBrain) is noted but the relationship between them — how content moves from MasterBrain to publishable blog content — is not documented as a formal workflow
---
This covers everything extractable from the three source documents plus the memory context attached to this project. The flags section is where I'd push you hardest to fill gaps before treating this as a reliable seed — particularly pricing, the audit status of existing content, and the satisfaction guarantee definition.
⚑_flags:_incomplete_or_inferred
2026-03-19
ACTIVE STATUS (as of documents dated Feb 6, 2026)
- Website live at sovereignselfhealth.com
- Content creation system established, execution phase beginning
- 90-day milestones set: Month 1 targets = 4 articles, 100 email subscribers, 4 discovery calls, 1–2 Full Protocol clients
- Identity transition (Warrior → Sage) underway, not complete — content should be reviewed for residual warrior language
- Pricing for Full Protocol and Maintenance not publicly documented in these files (marked as $X,XXX and $XXX/month placeholders)
- Specific publishing day not set (marked TBD)
- YouTube/TikTok listed as optional, no decision made
---
active_status_(as_of_documents_dated_feb_6,_2026)
2026-03-19
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
- "Action is antidote" — bias toward doing over planning
- Cut complexity rather than manage it
- Environmental design over willpower
- Volume over perfection early (build momentum, then refine)
- Parkinson's Law applied to creative work
- Solitude and stillness are strengths, not deficits
- Teach from centeredness, not reactive urgency
- "Marine Corps meets anatomy and physiology" — discipline + clinical rigor
---
operating_principles
2026-03-19
TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE — DECISIONS MADE
**Stack:**
- Hugo (static site generator)
- Cloudflare Pages (hosting, free tier, auto-deploy from Git)
- Git + GitHub (version control)
- Obsidian (content authoring — markdown)
- ProtonMail Unlimited (kyle@sovereignselfhealth.com, ~$10/month)
- Loops.so (email capture + nurture, free to 1k contacts)
- Cal.com (discovery call booking, free)
- Porkbun (domain, ~$12/year)
**Total monthly cost:** ~$10
**Deployment:** git push → Cloudflare Pages auto-rebuilds in ~60 seconds
**Hardware:** Dual Aurora Linux laptops (named USMC and FIRE). File sync via Syncthing (peer-to-peer, no cloud).
**Privacy posture:** De-Googled. Self-hosted or privacy-focused alternatives preferred throughout. Sovereignty over convenience.
**Knowledge management:** Dual Obsidian vault structure — blog content vault and MasterBrain vault.
**Booking URL:** cal.com/ssh-fdnp/discovery **Loops form ID:** cmjv1dixy03dd0izse45bdaov
---
technical_infrastructure_—_decisions_made
2026-03-19
CONTENT STRATEGY — DECISIONS MADE
**Publishing commitment:** 1 article/week minimum (stretch: 2/week)
**Session structure:** 3 × 45-minute deep work sessions per article (Parkinson's Law constraint to prevent perfectionism)
- Session 1: Outline + research
- Session 2: First draft (no editing during writing)
- Session 3: Edit, SEO, publish
**Blog format:** 800–2,000 words. Hook → Context → Deep Dive → Action Steps (3–5) → CTA
**Four content pillars:**
1. Functional Lab Testing ("normal" ≠ optimal)
2. D.R.E.S.S. Protocol components
3. Hidden Stressors (root causes of chronic fatigue/dysfunction)
4. Terrain Model & Biological Sovereignty
**Distribution channels:**
- Blog: 1x/week (primary SEO engine)
- Email newsletter: 1x/week (blog summary + personal note)
- LinkedIn: 2–3x/week (professional, data-focused)
- Instagram: 3–4x/week (educational + personal)
- Twitter/X: daily (thread breakdowns)
**SEO approach:** Long-tail, high-intent, low-competition. Local SEO for Marion, IA + virtual nationwide positioning. Avoiding Google properties where possible.
---
content_strategy_—_decisions_made
2026-03-19
VOICE & TONE — DECISIONS MADE
**In three words:** Direct. Data-driven. Calm.
**Active archetype:** Teacher/Sage from stillpoint. Calm, centered authority. Teaching from embodied knowledge.
**Retired archetype:** Warrior/KālaVīra. Combat language, external enemies, aggressive intensity. Actively being phased out.
**How it sounds:** An experienced practitioner explaining complex health to an intelligent client who deserves real answers.
**Hard prohibitions:**
- No warrior/battle/fight/war language about the body
- No "wellness journey," "self-care," "holistic," "detox," "cleanse"
- No fear-mongering or catastrophizing
- No "revolutionary," "breakthrough," "quick fix"
- No motivational pump-up energy
- No excessive bullet points or lists in body content — prose default
- No corporate or salesy language
- No creating external enemies (big pharma, medical establishment)
**Required vocabulary:** hidden stressors, terrain, optimal vs. normal, biological intelligence, sovereignty, D.R.E.S.S. protocol, functional lab testing, healing opportunities, reclaim, restore, optimize, data-driven, root cause
**Content litmus test (apply before publishing):**
1. Direct and clear? No fluff?
2. Sounds like a calm expert teaching?
3. Evidence-based?
4. Empowers the reader?
5. Resonates with exhausted professional?
6. Actionable?
7. Maintains sovereignty — no enemies, no combat?
---
voice_&_tone_—_decisions_made
2026-03-19
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Age 30–55, often women (not exclusively)
- Exhausted professionals
- Have seen doctors, been told labs are normal, still feel terrible
- Have tried multiple diets, supplements, approaches
- Value evidence, self-reliance, data over trends
- Frustrated with mainstream medicine but not conspiracy-minded
- Want to understand their own biology
- Ready to invest if given real information
---
target_audience
2026-03-19
BUSINESS MODEL
**What he does:** Helps exhausted professionals (told their labs are "normal") identify hidden stressors through functional lab testing. Data-driven, not symptom-chasing.
**Core framework:** D.R.E.S.S. Protocol — Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress Reduction, Supplementation
**Philosophy:** Terrain model (body responds intelligently to its environment) over single root cause or disease model thinking.
**Service tiers:**
- Discovery Call — free, 30 min, converts to Full Protocol
- Full Protocol — ~90 days, comprehensive labs + 6x sessions + messaging + supplement protocol (primary revenue)
- Maintenance — monthly, for protocol graduates (retention revenue)
**Pricing posture:** Premium, no discounts. Results-based satisfaction, not money-back guarantee.
**Lead magnet:** Hidden Stressors Checklist → email capture → 5-email welcome sequence → discovery call booking
**Funnel:** Blog/Social → Checklist download → Email nurture → Discovery call → Full Protocol → Maintenance
---
business_model
2026-03-19
IDENTITY & CREDENTIALS
**Name:** Kyle McDonough **Location:** Marion, IA (practice is virtual, nationwide) **Certifications:** FDN-P (Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner), PN Master Coach, PN-SSR **Business:** Sovereign Self Health — sovereignselfhealth.com **Email:** kyle@sovereignselfhealth.com **Tagline:** "Stop Guessing. Start Healing."
**Background:** Former Marine. Programming experience since 1997. Deep Linux expertise. Car-free 25 years. Daily Transcendental Meditation + Siddha practice. Jyotish/Vedic astrology for timing and self-understanding. Values sovereignty, privacy, and control across all systems.
---
identity_&_credentials
2026-03-19
INCOMPLETE / NEEDS CLARIFICATION
4. **Content calendar status:** Described as planned; actual completion level unclear
5. **"Myths That Matter" series:** Mentioned as a content concept; no examples or outlines present in project files
---
*Seed document compiled March 2026 from project files: fdn-philosophy.md, WalktheTalkDocumentationModule.pdf, HowandWhyofFDNCaseNotes.pdf, IntakeForms.pdf, and memory context.*
incomplete_/_needs_clarification
2026-03-19
CONSTRAINTS & BOUNDARIES
- Strict scope-of-practice compliance is non-negotiable — affects both ethics and legal standing
- Does not create dependent clients; education toward self-governance is the exit condition
- Supplement recommendations are targeted, not shotgun; only what's needed
- Healing should not feel like an assault — sequencing and pacing matter clinically
---
constraints_&_boundaries
2026-03-19
KEY PEOPLE / ORGANIZATIONS
- **Reed Davis** — Founder of FDN; his course materials and philosophy are the authoritative source
- **Brandy Buskow, FDN-P** — Instructor, Walk the Talk module
- **FDN / AFDNP** — Certifying organization; support contact: support@afdnp.com
- **Anthropic / Claude** — Primary AI tool for knowledge management and clinical reasoning support
---
key_people_/_organizations
2026-03-19
SYSTEMS & TOOLS (ACTIVE AS OF EARLY 2026)
**Knowledge management:**
- Claude Projects (multiple workspaces): FDN Resources (official coursework), personalized methodology docs, individual client management
- Obsidian ("second brain"): Research on Motivational Interviewing, ACT, Rapid Rewire, other methodologies
- LM Studio: Local LLM integration for Obsidian-based content generation
**Content strategy (in development):**
- Structured content calendar
- "Myths That Matter" series
- Content repurposing framework: blog posts → social media, newsletters, lead magnets
**Client management:**
- Structured templates: health history tracking, lab timelines, current protocols, progress monitoring
- Plan to use himself as first case study before scaling to other clients
⚠️ *Inference flag: The content calendar and repurposing framework are described as "in development" — it's unclear how much has been built vs. planned.*
---
systems_&_tools_(active_as_of_early_2026)
2026-03-19
BACKGROUND & CLINICAL LENS
Previous career: Licensed massage therapist. Observed clients having emotional releases from bodywork that led to broader health improvements — body holds what the mind won't process. This directly informs his layered approach combining human connection with FDN mechanics.
**Coaching philosophy:** The mechanics of biology are available everywhere. His differentiation is in the human connection — using allegory and metaphor to make complex concepts land. "FDN gives me the framework. Coaching gives me the relationship. Both are required."
---
background_&_clinical_lens
2026-03-19
PERSONAL HEALTH CONTEXT ("WALK THE TALK")
Kyle uses his own health journey as educational content and credibility-building. Known conditions:
- Celiac disease
- Liver issues (specifics not documented here)
He has run his own labs and uses his actual values in content. This is a deliberate transparency strategy, not incidental disclosure.
**Walk the Talk philosophy (sourced from FDN course materials):** Running labs on yourself is the best way to learn FDN. You cannot expect of clients what you don't expect of yourself. Imperfection is acceptable; progress and willingness to do the work are required.
---