Built 10 Apps This Week... And I Still Don't Know What I'm Doing

It's 6:45 PM on Saturday, May 31st, and I'm just now getting my newsletter out.

SMH. I have no one to blame but myself.

Moving forward, newsletters will be out Saturday mornings before noon.

I apologize for the inconsistency - discipline is my current goal.

Anywho! What a week. I'm sitting here reflecting on some breakthrough moments that have me excited about the future and reminded me why being a dad sometimes means being the "bad guy" first.

Let me break it down for you.

The Coding Discovery That Changed Everything

Remember how I told you I started learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript? Well, that journey just took a massive turn.

I'll be honest - I had this idea that coding was only for computer geniuses with zero social skills. Turns out I was dead wrong. It's challenging, sure, but it's logical. Piece by piece, it actually makes sense.

But here's where it gets interesting. This week I discovered AI-powered coding - tools like bolt.new, lovable.com, and replit.com. People call it "vibe coding" because you can literally describe what you want and watch an app come to life.

Now, don't get me wrong - you still need to understand frameworks and languages. But the barrier to entry? Way lower than I thought.

From Zero to Ten Apps in One Week

This past week alone, I've created 10 different apps. Just messing around, thinking about problems that haven't been solved, markets that aren't saturated. And honestly? I enjoyed every single minute of it.

My wife works as a patient care coordinator in healthcare, and she asked me to solve a specific problem for her team. That got me thinking - everyone in my family works in healthcare. My mom, my aunt, my brother, my sister, my wife. There are real problems here that need real solutions.

That's where I'm headed next. Building something that actually adds value to the world, specifically in healthcare.

The Pattern I Finally Recognized

You know what hit me this week? I've always been a creator. I work with my hands - wood, fixing things around the house, being the family handyman. In my spare time, I'm usually on Canva or CapCut creating something (and never posting it, just creating to create).

This isn't new. I just found a new medium.

The difference is, now I can create apps that solve real problems instead of just entertaining myself. Apps that could put smiles on people's faces or genuinely make their lives easier.

The Follow-Up: When Being the "Bad Guy" Pays Off

Quick update on last week's situation with my 19-year-old son - you know, the paving stone incident where I had to lay down the law.

Well, it worked. He went to the DMV, got his ID, and actually started looking for a job instead of just talking about it. Yesterday he thanked me for pushing him to get his act together.

Sometimes you have to be the "mean dad" in the moment to be the "dad who cared enough to hold me accountable" in the long run.

Standing Firm on Principles

Update on the situation with my youngest daughter - still holding my ground. Not chasing, not playing games. Just staying consistent and available when she's ready.

Sometimes the hardest parenting decisions are the ones where you have to wait instead of act.

Going All In: The $100K Hackathon Challenge

Here's where it gets really interesting. I signed up for the bolt.new hackathon this week. 30 days to build an app. First place wins $100,000. Plus thousands of smaller prizes.

Am I completely out of my depth? Absolutely. I'm a fish out of water competing against people who've been coding for years.

But you know what? I find this whole process so damn interesting that I don't even care if I win. The learning, the challenge, the possibility of creating something that matters - that's what's driving me.

What's Next: Building in Public

I've found my obsession, and I'm going full speed ahead. I'm planning to start building live - showing my work, building my personal brand, and creating apps that solve real problems.

The healthcare space is calling my name, and I've got a family full of people who can tell me exactly what problems need solving. Perfect timing for a 30-day sprint to build something meaningful.

Three AI coding tools, a hackathon deadline, endless possibilities, and finally - finally - a clear direction for this online business I've been trying to build.

The Learning Never Stops

Whether it's learning to code, learning to parent a young adult who's testing boundaries, or learning to navigate toxic co-parenting situations - we never stop growing.

I used to think I wasn't smart enough to code. I just needed to start.

I used to think being a "good dad" meant avoiding conflict. Sometimes being a good dad means having the hard conversations, even if they start messy.

I used to think I had to play manipulative games to see my daughter. The most powerful thing I can do is refuse to play.

What About You?

What assumptions are you carrying that might be holding you back? What lines do you need to draw with your kids? What problems in your world are waiting for someone to solve them?

Hit reply and let me know. We're all figuring this out as we go.

Talk soon,

P.S. It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

P.P.S. If you're curious about this AI coding journey, I'll be documenting everything. Stay tuned.