Week 11: Shipping, Setbacks, and Finding Momentum Again

This past week was a reminder that progress doesn’t always feel good while it’s happening — but it still counts.

There were moments this week that felt heavy: family stress, loneliness creeping in at quiet hours, uncertainty around finances and job prospects, and the emotional toll of watching people I care about struggle. Some days started strong and faded by evening. Other days felt hard almost from the beginning.

But when I step back and look at the full picture, this was also one of the most productive and meaningful weeks I’ve had in a long time.

Shipping Something Real

The biggest milestone this week was finally submitting Did I Do That? for production on the Google Play Store — and getting approved to do so. That moment mattered more than I expected.

This app started as an idea during a rough stretch: a simple way to track infrequent but important tasks like maintenance, reminders, and “did I already do this?” moments. Getting it into testers, fixing real bugs, iterating based on feedback, and now pushing it toward public release feels like proof that I can still take something from concept to reality — even when life isn’t cooperating.

Next up will be navigating the iOS submission process, which looks… complicated. But that’s a problem for another day.

Building Toward Something Bigger

Late-night inspiration turned into a real plan this week with the creation of SideQuestDeals, a new web app aimed at helping gamers find great deals on video games. What started as ideas scribbled down in Notepad++ at 3am quickly became a functioning application with real infrastructure behind it.

I spent hours wrestling with Azure deployments, configuration issues, pipelines, and costs — including a brief panic when Azure warned me I was about to exceed my budget. That resulted in some hard resets, lessons learned, and a much more realistic plan for keeping costs under control while building toward launch.

And in a big step forward, I officially formed PennyHacker LLC to support this project and future ones. Paperwork filed. EIN obtained. Bank appointment scheduled. It feels strange — and encouraging — to be taking tangible steps toward building something of my own again.

The Job Search Reality

The job hunt continues to be frustrating. Hundreds of applicants per role. Hybrid positions that don’t make geographic sense. One interview I missed entirely because I was too deep in code — and another that ended once the “three days in office” requirement came up.

Still, I’m applying. I’m learning. I’m brushing up on JavaScript and TypeScript because the market demands it. And I’m trying not to take rejections (or silence) as a personal failure — even when it’s hard not to.

Mental Health Check-In

This week was a mix emotionally.

Some days were down days — especially after difficult family interactions or long stretches of isolation. Other days felt lighter, especially after the gym, therapy, or a burst of creative energy. I also had a stressful health scare that ultimately turned out to be nothing, which was a huge relief.

Therapy helped. The gym helped. Staying busy helped. Creating helped the most.

One thing I’m learning is that I don’t need every day to feel good — I just need enough days to feel meaningful. This week delivered on that.

Looking Ahead

Next week’s goals are simple and realistic:

• Continue preparing SideQuestDeals for launch without overspending

• Finalize business banking and financial setup

• Keep moving forward on the iOS release of Did I Do That?

• Stay consistent with the gym and routines that actually help

• Be patient with myself on the days that feel heavier

I’m not “there” yet — wherever there is. But I’m moving again. And for now, that’s enough.