AI and Indiana Trip

I’m really excited! This might be one of the last blog entries I make using the system I’ve been using for the past 2 1/4 years. I’ve been working on the replacement system this week. I still have a little bit of work left to do with it, though. So there is still a chance I’ll make another entry using this old system…hehehe As much pain as it has been lately, I think I’ll miss this way of doing it. I know I’m not really explaining the issues I’m having. I may save that for a vlog. I’m not sure I can explain it well in text. I’m sure explaining it in a video may not be all that clear either, actually. But it will be fun…LOL

I’m using Claude Code and Claude AI to build the new system. I’ve put on my Product Manager hat instead of my Lead Software Engineer hat. I’m a Lead Software Engineer by day, by the way. For this, I’ve defined the project as a product I’m going to use to focus on my content instead of spending so much time making the software work. I’m using Claude AI as sort of a Project Manager to help me as a Product Manager. After we are finished discussing key things, the AI gives me prompts I can use to supply Claude Code the instructions to actually build the software and make iterative changes and enhancements. It’s a pretty sweet workflow. And so far it is producing a really good Content Management System that I’ll soon be able to use here on my website.

Once the software is ready for prime time, I’ll use one of the Claude tools to migrate my blog entries to the new system so I won’t need to manually do that. I’ll be able to merge my 2024 entries into this as well. All of the blog entries I’ve written these 2 1/4 years will finally be in one place. It will include a tagging system to help group related content. And the photography, artwork, and writing sections will have a collections concept to group related works within their respective sections. I’ll be able to author the content more conveniently through a web browser. And I think I might be able to do so from my phone while on the go as well. When I need to work on website features beyond this initial implementation, I can easily do that through Claude AI and Claude Code. I’ll no longer need to do the grunt work. I’ve already spent 7 and a half hours working with AI on this. In that time, it has done the work of what would have taken me months in my free time. Or weeks, if I was doing it the way I would for work.

I’m glad I’ll finally be able to focus on content. And I’m glad to be lowering the friction I’m currently experiencing when trying to publish this site today. I’m also considering what else these AI tools can help me with. I have ideas for building other apps and things where AI can help streamline my workflow and bring things to fruition more quickly. The hope is that I can finally land some of my technology ideas so that I can focus on my creativity. I do use AI sometimes to help with my creativity. But my works themselves are all me. Giving the non-creative stuff over to these tools is a breath of fresh air for me. Plus, it is preparing me for when we get these tools at work…whenever that happens…and it will happen…LOL AI is “taking over” so many things these days…LOL

I’m fascinated by all of this. And I enjoy listening to everyone’s thoughts on it. Some are all in with AI. Some are anti-AI everything. And then there are people like me who dabble. I’m not sure I’ll ever by “all in” with it. But I’m far from against it. So long as it is being used for good, I’m okay with it. And as long as it isn’t getting in the way, too. Sometimes AI gets things so wrong that it shouldn’t be used for certain tasks…LOL I also don’t like the idea of companies using it to save a buck and putting that buck into the pockets of the already rich. I listen to a lot of different viewpoints. Most are valid, even when they contradict each other. Potato, potato. Tomato, tomato. Word, cranberry.

I didn’t think I’d say so much about AI today. I thought I would make a blurb about how I started a project for a new Content Management System I’m working on…LOL And then I would talk about other things. Well, AI is on my mind this week. So I suppose this entry makes sense. I do have many more thoughts on this. But I’ll save that for another day. And I do think I should make a vlog about this old way of doing my website and why I wanted to replace it.

Tomorrow, I’ll be hitting the road again. I’ll be driving half way to Indiana and staying in Montgomery, AL. Once again, I’m staying at the Drury there. I’ll finish the drive on Sunday and arrive sometime in the late afternoon or early evening. It’s smart to split the drive in general. But it also means I only drive in the daytime. I can drive at night. But I prefer to drive during the day for these trips.

It’ll be good to visit Indiana again. I think the last time I was up was in December. They had a rough Winter up there. Traveling wasn’t a good idea until now. I’m looking forward to seeing my family. I’ll be working a little while I’m there too. I’m glad I’m driving so I can take more of my stuff with me. There are a lot of things I like to have around that I can’t really take when I fly…LOL

Well, I’m going to end this and get back to work with my AI pals. That new CMS won’t build itself, you know…LOL Someone (AI) has to build it. And someone (me) needs to tell the other someone what it needs to do…LOL