Updates & Notes
Blog Posts
Long-form updates, build notes, and project spotlights from recent work.
-
VehiclePull - One Button, Real Vehicle Models
For this app, I wanted a clean “one button” experience to call an API and deliver real vehicle makes and models. VehiclePull is a tiny Next.js front end backed by a Rails API that talks to the NHTSA vPIC dataset and does just that. The flow is intentionally boring: one button, category filter, a clean detail card, and a small recent-pulls history so the app doesn’t feel empty. The API does the heavy lifting (make + model + year) and the UI stays simple. Hosting is the same boring/stable combo: Heroku for the Rails API, Amplify for the UI. It’s small, predictable, and easy to deploy. Exactly the point.
-
BrickPull - Rails API + Amplify in One Afternoon
Built and hosted a Rails LEGO API on Heroku with a Next.js BrickPull UI on Amplify, including theme filters and a clean one-button UX.
-
PokéPull - The 1 Hour Next.js Implementation
Built and deployed PokéPull in about an hour. This is a tiny Next.js front end for the Pokémon API with a polished UI and Amplify hosting.
-
Templates Over Gems: Building My Own Rails Playbook
Created a reusable templates system to standardize repeatable Rails patterns, enabling faster development and AI-assisted implementation without relying heavily on external gems.
-
Baseline Testing Across Rails Apps: Stop Shipping Blind
Implemented a consistent baseline CI pipeline across all Rails apps including linting, security scans, system tests, and test suites to prevent regressions and improve deployment confidence.
-
AI Dev Agent: The Repo Janitor That Actually Gets Work Done
Implemented an AI dev agent that automatically handles repo hygiene tasks like README updates, documentation maintenance, and changelog cleanup using safe branch-based workflows.
-
Running an AI Agent on a Raspberry Pi Just Because I Could
I set up a disposable Raspberry Pi to experiment with an AI desktop-control agent. The Pi just acts as the controller while the model runs remotely, and yes, it immediately rate limited because billing was not enabled.
-
Beard Industries: Heroku Out, Amplify In
Moved the Beard Industries site off Heroku to a static AWS Amplify deployment, cleaned up the contact page, and simplified hosting.
-
Error Codes, Real Limits, and Why CORS Is Not Security
We added real error codes and docs in the Gameboy app, tightened CORS to known origins, and shipped basic rate limiting on the API. CORS isn’t security, but it’s now sane. Rate limiting is the real guardrail.
-
Beard Bros Dumpsters 1.0.7 - Calendar Overhaul & Mobile Cleanup
Ruby/Rails upgrades, a dumpster-emoji calendar, and a mobile-first UI refresh across the site.
-
RydersWorld Image Thumbnails - Signed AWS Image Handler
Secure, signed AWS image resizing via Serverless Image Handler for faster thumbnails.
-
RydersWorld 1.3.0 - The R Word (Rules, Report Cards, and Rewards)
A simple behavior system: clear rules, daily report cards, and rewards tied to points.
-
We Have Apps (Sort Of)
getawd.com and RydersWorld now install to the home screen as app-like experiences.
-
15 Minutes, One Letter, Unexpected Downtime lol
I replicated a full-day refactor in 15 minutes, immediately broke production with a single letter, then fixed and redeployed with a history rewrite that would make Terry Davis roll over in his grave. I know what I am doing guys.
-
RydersWorld - Hosting and DNS Setup
Updates to RydersWorld including hosting, deployment, and DNS configuration.
-
Unbloating the Rewards Controller
RewardsController dropped from 217 lines to 86.
-
The 15 Minute Feedback Section Implementation
A quick, practical feedback section added to capture ideas while the work happens, tie these to commits, and keep the changelog honest.
-
Daily Task and Rewards System Evolution
The daily task system evolved into a deterministic, level based model.
-
SMART Goals Without the Bloat
SMART goal tracking using JSON fields.
-
I Blew Up My Database After I Knew What I Was Doing, and It Still Sucked
A reminder that backups are not optional.
-
Pickled Pirates Racing
The Pickled Pirates Racing website is a Rails application serving as the hub for racing content, merch, and project documentation.
-
RydersWorld
Ryders World is a dynamic Rails application, tailored toward event management and sharing.
-
ChatGPT - Exploring the Power of AI
Experimenting with AI image generation using ChatGPT and applying it to real projects.
-
Project Spotlight - Beard Bros Dumpsters
This project demonstrated how easy it can be to implement Gems like Simple Calendar and Devise for user authentication and management, alongside calendar interaction!
-
PostgreSQL
Connecting the Rails app to PostgreSQL, and some basic information that was useful to me getting started.