A candid weekly look at navigating burnout, rebuilding, and finding my next role.
This past week reminded me of something important:
Recovery isn’t linear — but progress is still progress, even when emotions swing wildly.
Some days felt genuinely good. Some days felt heavy. And some days held both at the same time. But unlike earlier weeks, there’s been a noticeable shift: I’m building again. I’m shipping again. And I’m starting to feel like a creator instead of just someone waiting for the next thing to happen.
Shipping Under Pressure: Did I Do That?
One of the biggest milestones this week was finally submitting Did I Do That? to the Google Play Store for production review.
That moment mattered more than I expected.
This app started as a quick idea — something to scratch a creative itch during a difficult transition. But over time, it became something real: tested, iterated on, and now officially in the hands of Google for approval.
Submitting it felt like crossing a finish line while simultaneously starting a new race. There’s anxiety in waiting for approval, especially with account deadlines looming, but there’s also pride. I built something useful. I followed it through. And I didn’t abandon it when things got stressful.
Whatever happens next with the app, I shipped — and that counts.
A New Build Spark: SideQuestDeals
In the middle of all this, inspiration struck at a very inconvenient hour: the middle of the night.
Instead of sleeping, my brain decided it was time to outline a new SaaS idea — a membership site for gamers to discover great video game deals. By the time morning came, I had pages of notes, a clear direction, and eventually a name:
SideQuestDeals
It felt fitting. Optional. Rewarding. Something you don’t have to do, but always feels good when you do.
Over the next couple of days, I turned that inspiration into structure:
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a product requirements document
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setup instructions
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an initial codebase generated with Copilot
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fixes, features, and documentation
What surprised me most wasn’t how fast things came together — it was how right it felt to be building again without pressure. No deadlines. No manager. No expectations beyond curiosity and momentum.
This isn’t “the thing that has to work.”
It’s an experiment. And right now, that’s exactly what I need.
The Emotional Undercurrent
At the same time, life hasn’t paused.
There were difficult moments this week:
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seeing the effects of dementia up close with my grandmother
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dealing with bureaucratic stress around health insurance and benefits
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dates falling through without closure
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reminders of relationships and routines that no longer exist
Those moments still hit. Sometimes hard.
But the difference now is how I respond. Instead of freezing or spiraling, I’m learning to step back, rest when needed, and re-engage when the fog lifts. Some evenings end early. Some afternoons require naps. Some days are light on productivity.
That’s not failure — that’s listening.
Rediscovering Old Selves
This week also brought me back into spaces I hadn’t visited in years — literally and emotionally.
I reconnected with communities I once led. I wrote multiple posts for Global Geek News, something I haven’t done consistently in a long time. Writing about technology again — not myself — felt grounding. Familiar. Like reclaiming a version of me that existed before burnout took over.
It reminded me that I’m not starting from scratch. I’m reconnecting threads.
Where I’m At Right Now
This week wasn’t about “fixing” everything.
It was about:
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shipping something real
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starting something new
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honoring energy levels
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letting emotions exist without letting them derail progress
I still don’t have all the answers. I’m still unemployed. I’m still navigating grief, uncertainty, and rebuilding routines.
But I’m also building. And that matters.
Looking Ahead
Next week will likely bring:
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updates on Did I Do That? approval
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continued work on SideQuestDeals (at a healthy pace)
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more learning (JavaScript and TypeScript are officially back on my radar)
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and continued focus on balance — not speed
For now, I’m learning to trust this process.
One shipped app at a time.
One side quest at a time.
One steady step forward.
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