Everything [is] happening now
AI, Honduras, Chelan, building apps, bookshelves, kitchens, and more
My hands are sore from a weekend spent pulling wires, making up splices, and tightening connectors to the proscribed torque. Our main breaker panel is becoming more orderly as I prepare to add six new circuits for the kitchen, which will soon resemble a job site. There are moments when I imagine doing work like this full time, but then I wake up like today, tired and sore—the work got done but my body pays a toll, more than in year’s past. I simply cannot do as much with my hands anymore.
But my mind is arguably more capable, when I can focus it towards an objective. Lately, that’s been learning everything I can about frontier AI tools. I am now fully sold on the Claude ecosystem. The time I’ve saved researching various decisions points for the remodel (“which Bosch dishwasher meets my needs and is the best value?”) , building out detailed budgets, scaffolding complete web apps and then creating them iteratively with the help of Claude code—it’s like having an always-on personal assistant who is also fluent in every software component that currently exists. The speed and precision with which a technically competent person can take an idea from prompt to working digital tool is simply astounding1. And while I have a strict red line when it comes to AI and creative writing, composing prompts, using description as instruction, feels a bit like art. It’s another occasion to write, to think textually, to build context and map ideas and objectives.
At work, we are behind the 8 ball on all of this, unsurprisingly, mired in conversations about how to prevent people from clicking the new buttons, instead of thinking imaginatively about how these new paradigms will radically change how we work. I’ve been pushing on the need for a comprehensive business AI strategy—whether that will yield any near-term results is another matter.
I stepped away from work and computers and house projects in March, to travel to Central America. My time in Honduras was lovely—sunshine and dusty roads, flights from a mountain site set against a wide valley. I challenged myself while in the air, made new connections, and stepped outside of the frenzied chaos of our country. I finished a book about the history of the modern dictionary and shared a few copies of my book with new friends, pilots who came from near and far to be in Honduras. I am eager to return next year.
I’ve mentioned before that the scope of the kitchen remodel is large—it’s an ambitious undertaking, one that will test my skills. Two smaller projects of late have boosted my confidence heading into the kitchen work, one planned and the other not. I built a set of custom bookshelves and replaced a defective solar inverter. With each effort, I can feel myself becoming more patient—this has been a struggle in the past, where my eagerness to do something results in mistakes or compromises. Often, doing nothing until all of the prep work is done is the best approach, which requires patience; seeing the materials waiting to be shaped but knowing that your shop is not yet ready and that must come first.
There are new developments in the volunteer work I do—planning for the paragliding competitions in Chelan is underway and I’ve been able to leverage my software savvy (with Claude’s help) to make this set of activities easier for everyone involved2. I’ve been reminded of my years as a Product Owner, working closely with my developers, with business folks, actively shaping the vision and direction of a new tool. It’s experimentation that’s play-like, where ideas and inputs come from all directions, and collaboration yields tangible value.
In parallel, I’ve stepped into a leadership role with a nonprofit I joined about two years ago. My focus is mapping out a strategic direction, stabilizing and improving core processes and platforms, and building out the board for future growth. The connections I’ve made and continue to make in the flying community will serve me well and I’m beyond excited to grow this organization and do more good around the world. I am feeling optimistic, and I know the sunshine helps.
If this interests you in any way, please reach out!
I participated in an AI workshop recently and gave my IT colleagues a demo of what I built: here’s the slide deck, in case you’re curious.