diff --git a/css/screen.css b/css/screen.css
index b4d94f3..55b5c33 100644
--- a/css/screen.css
+++ b/css/screen.css
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
   /* Light Theme - Kami Warm Parchment Canvas & Ink Blue Accent */
   --bg-page: #f5f4ed;        /* Warm parchment canvas */
   --bg-card: #faf9f5;        /* Warm ivory container */
+  --bg-card-rgb: 250, 249, 245;
   --bg-subtle: #e8e6dc;      /* Warm sand interactive surface */
   --bg-code: #1c1c1a;        /* Deep warm charcoal for code */
   --border-color: #e8e6dc;   /* Primary warm border */
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@
   /* Dark Theme - Kami Dark Surface & Warm Charcoal */
   --bg-page: #141413;        /* Deep dark warm background */
   --bg-card: #242422;        /* Dark warm surface */
+  --bg-card-rgb: 36, 36, 34;
   --bg-subtle: #2e2e2a;      /* Dark warm sand */
   --bg-code: #0f0f0e;        /* Dark code background */
   --border-color: rgba(232, 230, 220, 0.12);
@@ -191,10 +193,26 @@ body {
 .hero-banner {
   position: relative;
   text-align: center;
-  padding: 5.5rem 0 5rem 0;
+  padding: 4rem 1rem;
   margin-bottom: 2.5rem;
   overflow: hidden;
   border-radius: var(--radius-lg);
+  background: var(--bg-card);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+}
+
+.hero-content {
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 2;
+  max-width: 680px;
+  margin: 0 auto;
+  padding: 1.25rem 1.75rem;
+  background: rgba(var(--bg-card-rgb, 250, 249, 245), 0.85);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-subtle);
+  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03);
 }
 
 .hero-pretext-canvas {
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 273ba83..b9e0e27 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 
 <section class="hero-banner">
   <canvas id="hero-pretext-canvas" class="hero-pretext-canvas"></canvas>
+  <div class="hero-content pretext-obstacle">
+    <h1 class="hero-title" style="margin-bottom: 0.75rem;">Infrastructure, Systems & Engineering</h1>
+    <p class="hero-subtitle" style="margin: 0 auto;">Notes on Kubernetes, DevOps, Cloud Infrastructure, and Software Architecture.</p>
+  </div>
 </section>
 <script src="/js/dragon.js?v={{ site.time | date: '%s' }}" defer></script>
 <script src="/js/hero-pretext.js?v={{ site.time | date: '%s' }}" defer></script>
diff --git a/js/hero-pretext.js b/js/hero-pretext.js
index 17e2e17..2fdc725 100644
--- a/js/hero-pretext.js
+++ b/js/hero-pretext.js
@@ -122,28 +122,44 @@
     const lineHeight = 22;
     let wordIdx = 0;
 
-    // Build list of obstacle circles from dragon segments
-    const obstacles = [];
+    // Build list of obstacles (dragon circles + DOM element rectangles)
+    const circularObstacles = [];
     if (dragon && dragon.segments) {
       // Head obstacle
       const head = dragon.segments[0];
-      obstacles.push({ x: head.x, y: head.y, r: 48 });
+      circularObstacles.push({ x: head.x, y: head.y, r: 48 });
 
       // Body segment obstacles (every 3rd segment)
       for (let i = 2; i < dragon.segments.length; i += 3) {
         const seg = dragon.segments[i];
-        obstacles.push({ x: seg.x, y: seg.y, r: Math.max(16, seg.width * 0.6) });
+        circularObstacles.push({ x: seg.x, y: seg.y, r: Math.max(16, seg.width * 0.6) });
       }
     }
 
+    // Query DOM obstacles inside container
+    const domObstacles = [];
+    const containerRect = container.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const obstacleElements = container.querySelectorAll('.pretext-obstacle, .hero-title, .hero-subtitle');
+    obstacleElements.forEach(el => {
+      const rect = el.getBoundingClientRect();
+      const pad = 12; // padding around UI elements
+      const top = rect.top - containerRect.top - pad;
+      const bottom = rect.bottom - containerRect.top + pad;
+      const left = rect.left - containerRect.left - pad;
+      const right = rect.right - containerRect.left + pad;
+      if (right > 0 && left < width && bottom > 0 && top < height) {
+        domObstacles.push({ left, right, top, bottom });
+      }
+    });
+
     for (let y = 18; y < height; y += lineHeight) {
       let x = 12;
 
       while (x < width - 12) {
         let availableSpan = width - 12 - x;
 
-        // Subtract dragon segment obstacles intersecting line at y
-        for (let obs of obstacles) {
+        // 1. Subtract dragon circular segment obstacles intersecting line at y
+        for (let obs of circularObstacles) {
           const dy = Math.abs(y - obs.y);
           if (dy < obs.r) {
             const dx = Math.sqrt(obs.r * obs.r - dy * dy);
@@ -161,6 +177,20 @@
           }
         }
 
+        // 2. Subtract DOM rectangular obstacles intersecting line at y
+        for (let obs of domObstacles) {
+          if (y >= obs.top && y <= obs.bottom) {
+            if (x < obs.right && x + availableSpan > obs.left) {
+              if (x < obs.left) {
+                availableSpan = obs.left - x;
+              } else {
+                x = obs.right;
+                availableSpan = width - 12 - x;
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+
         let count = 0;
         let currentSpan = 0;
         let checkIdx = wordIdx;
@@ -173,7 +203,26 @@
         }
 
         if (count === 0) {
-          x += 16;
+          // If phrase doesn't fit in gap, try CJK/character sub-chunk fitting
+          const phrase = phraseStream[wordIdx];
+          let subFit = "";
+          let subWidth = 0;
+          for (let char of phrase) {
+            const charWidth = ctx.measureText(char).width;
+            if (subWidth + charWidth <= availableSpan) {
+              subFit += char;
+              subWidth += charWidth;
+            } else {
+              break;
+            }
+          }
+
+          if (subFit.length > 0 && availableSpan > 20) {
+            ctx.fillText(subFit, x, y);
+            x += subWidth + 8;
+          } else {
+            x += 16;
+          }
           continue;
         }