Morning Journal Oct 15, 2026

It's morning, which is a slightly unusual time for me to be writing any kind of journal.

Usually I write these when I'm feeling some sort of way in particular about something. But I figured this morning it might be useful to summarize my circumstances, and something else struck me as particularly melancholy. Also, writing is a nice break from all the work I've been putting in.

Not to say that I'm not working on something while writing this, of course.

Lately, I've been working on my app company for hours every day. I understand the app market is extremely competitive right now, which is why I'm working so hard. There's a lot to do. You can't rely on people naturally finding your app anymore, even if it's a superior product. It's all about marketing. This post isn't really about my qualms with the current vibe-coded market, though.

I have a full time job alongside all the work I've been putting in, which means I've been routinely working (including my shifts at work) pulling 12+ hour days, sometimes 16 hours, for the past couple weeks. This is something I'm dedicating my life to in the extreme faith that it works. Some people think it won't, or they don't believe success here is inevitable like I do, which is fine.

I genuinely have been quite sick of working my 9-5, and I find working on my company far more fulfilling work, even if it is also hard intellectual work. Same for my other hobbies like writing. Writing is honestly the only hobby I might actively try to stick with for now aside from working out. Everything is on the backburner for me. Family, the company, and the 9-5 come first in my life in that order. The 9-5 has no choice but to be a priority.

If I had to apply advice to anyone in a similar position to me, is it's to not give up your hobbies. I thoroughly enjoy writing, even when I don't want to "have to" put myself in front of my computer to begin. Even something as simple as journaling provides me with some satisfaction, though I do want to finish my short story. Exploring a whole new world through reading and writing is the most magical experience to me. Music is often the inspiration for my stories and the emotions I put into my writing. Though I'm not very good at creating music.

The point is, do something you love. 30 minutes of something you love every day will damn near balance out 16 hours of straight work, even if you regret you don't get to spend more time on it at the end of the 30 minutes. At least this is what I'm trying to do to balance out the exhausting work I've been putting in. I don't hate my 9-5, but I don't like it. I just want something more in my life. Like I was destined for something greater. To me it's like a stepping stone I want to get off of.

Still, on moments like these, even before I have to be at work to work all the afternoon doing something I don't like, I find a way to enjoy life like this. I find solace and comfort in the fact that right now I'm sitting on my back deck, shielded from the rain and exposed to the outside air. Watching the droplets fall while listening to this playlist and writing this very sentence is what brings me a joy that's truly hard to replace. There will be more moments like this one. I am actively working toward it.

Above all, I think people should create. Not everyone is suited for it, but most people are surprisingly apt. I honestly think it's just human nature. With the prevalence of AI and its abilities to create, it shouldn't be relied on for that ability. I'm quite pro-AI and technology in general, but I think that there should be more of an emphasis on good AI-detection algorithms for all types of media it can generate. Not that creating with AI is inherently bad, because it isn't, but that being able to distinguish something wholly computer generated from human-made or AI-assisted. Writing, photos, videos, and programming are all valuable to distinguish as we move forward. There are plenty of higher use cases for this new technology anyway.

I also place quite an emphasis on the importance of family in life, probably due to my traditional upbringing. This will be expanded upon in another post.