I started a new project yesterday, because I definitely have enough spare time and energy for that (maybe). I was just tootling around the internet checking out available domain names, and I found out that palo.bar was available and on SALE for $2!

So now I'm diving back into Rails to make a dynamic, online bar menu for our home bar! Here are the major use-cases.

1. People come over to our house (eventually, stupid virus). I ask if they want a drink. They say, "Sure, what do you have?" Instead of pausing awkwardly, trying to figure out how to succinctly list everything I have or guess what they'll like, I hand them a QR code for palo.bar. They go there, browse through the mobile-friendly, helpful, and intuitive UI, and select a cocktail based on the ingredients I have in stock and the things I know how to make.

2. I learn a new cocktail, so I add it to the list with some metadata that help people discover it.

3. I head to the store, and I'm not sure what I have and what I'm out of. My helpful palo.bar bartender's assistant alerts me to the fact that I'm out of limes again. And, if I was to get a bottle of Campari, I could add 4 new cocktails to the menu! Thanks, Automated Bartender's E-ssistant (or, ABE)!

I know that there are mobile apps out there that provide some of this functionality for me. But I want to build it the way I like it. And, come on! palo.bar? It makes me so happy.

Necessary? No. Cool? I hope so. :) So here's where I'm at after Day 1.

Progress

1. Project created.
2. Critical functions and domain-specific objects identified.
3. Ingredient model created.
4. Views and controller for Ingredients underway in a very rough form.

Next steps

• Get a rough home page in place.
• Deploy to Heroku as soon as I can.
• Finish up views and controller for Ingredients. Make sure everything works as expected.
• Start on the Recipe stuff.
• Create the home page based on a quick and smooth user interaction.
• Styles. Mobile-first. After everything works on the back end.
• Take a look at next features, including more intelligence for ABE, user profiles, etc.

But most importantly:

Stay on track. Do not drop this side project. Find the energy to push on and keep going after the baby goes to sleep. Resist Netflix and Libby and the Switch. They are the enemies of total seamless web-driven bar victory!

Anyways, I think these journals should help keep me going and knowing what I need to do next. Stay tuned! And I'm always open to friendly advice!