I spent the last two weeks at the theater every evening - 'devising' a new show (working title "Clockwork Utopia") with a really lovely ensemble of writers, performers, and musicians. It was an excellent two weeks of play with no clear result.

(sadly we will eventually make a show - i'm sorry if it ends up "productive" - but that show will be so much better for our wild lack of efficiency)

@mia this. All of it.

I think about this all the time, especially on weekends. Saturday is the only time when I feel like I have the psychological space to be genuinely creative, because that's the only time when I'm not thinking about deadlines and getting things done.

I think the really good work can only come from having that kind of internal space. A fixation on speed and efficiency is so cramping.

@mia I've been told I've got to start utilizing gen ai tools in coding because... productivity.

I feel I need to play ball because I have mouths to feed.

It's like having something held hostage, I just don't know what.

"Do what's best for the company" always.

Screw the mental state of the people who oppose gen ai on every one of its levels.

@mia Yeah, this “tyranny of the quantifiable” is what led me to write this:

https://stegrainer.com/journal/2026/the-immeasurable-value-of-the-unmeasurables

@mia Welcome to my world.

For some time now I like to call myself a front-end craftsman.