Field Notes

Everything I’ve built, and everything that broke.

A non-coder building real websites and tools by talking to AI. Every note here is a thing I actually made, with the parts that went wrong left in. Pick a subject, or start at the front door.

Start
here
How to Use Claude AI: A Beginner's Guide (From a Guy Who Can't Code)Claude is the one AI I use for everything, and I can't code. How to actually use it in plain English: what it is, free vs paid, and getting real results.
Guide
What Is "Vibe Coding," Really? (A Non-Coder's Honest Take)
You're not the bricklayer anymore. You're the architect.
27 Jun 2026
Guide
How to Build an App With Claude (No Code Needed)
For most of what people want, an app is the same trick as a website.
26 Jun 2026
Guide
How to Talk to Claude So It Builds What You Want
Stop hunting for the perfect prompt. A rough start plus a few rounds of refining wins every time.
25 Jun 2026
Guide
What Can You Actually Build With Claude? (Real Examples)
None of this required becoming a programmer. It required wanting the thing.
24 Jun 2026
Build
I Run Every Website I Own for About $230 a Month. Here's the Whole Bill.
The AI bill doesn't scale with the number of sites. Build one or build ten, it's the same monthly number. Each new site's real added cost is basically a domain.
01 Jul 2026
Build
I rebuilt my site without WordPress, by talking to AI
WordPress is what you reach for when you do not know you have a choice.
30 Jun 2026
Build
How I Built a Real Website Using Only Claude (Episode 1)
I never had to know the how. I just had to know what looked right and say so.
28 Jun 2026
Build
I built this whole site by talking to an AI
I can't code. What I can do is look at something and know when it's off, and that turned out to be most of the job.
28 Jun 2026
Guide
How to Build a Real Website With AI (When You Can't Code)
The skill isn't coding. It's knowing what good looks like and refusing to settle for less.
28 Jun 2026
Guide
No-Code vs AI: How to Build a Website Without Learning to Code
No-code has a ceiling. Building with AI doesn't.
26 Jun 2026
Guide
What It Actually Costs to Build a Website With AI (Real Numbers)
You can get a real, custom site live for about the price of a domain.
25 Jun 2026

When it breaks

01 notes
Build
Bringing Bandit to life (a running log)
A fake-looking thing that moves is worse than a real-looking thing that's still. That rule has driven every decision here.
30 Jun 2026
Review
The Best AI Tools I Actually Use (An Honest List)
A small stack you actually use beats a giant list you don't.
28 Jun 2026
Review
ElevenLabs Review: The AI Voice, Honestly
People don't clock that my narration is AI until I tell them.
27 Jun 2026
Review
vidIQ Review: Is It Worth It for Small YouTubers?
For a small channel, not wasting time on the wrong video beats any fancy feature.
26 Jun 2026
Review
Cloudways Review: When You Actually Need Real Hosting
Most sites don't need heavy managed hosting. They run fine on light hosting first.
25 Jun 2026
Review
Blotato Review: The No-Effort Way to Post Everywhere
Building your own is a dumb amount of work that almost nobody should do.
24 Jun 2026

AI receptionists

05 notes
Guide
AI Receptionist vs Answering Service: Which Is Right for Your Small Business?
One takes a message. The other takes the appointment. That is the whole difference.
11 Jul 2026
Guide
AI Receptionist for Small Business: Is It Worth It?
A live thing you can poke at is worth more than any sales page. Go break mine before you trust anyone else's.
11 Jul 2026
Guide
AI Receptionist for Medical and Dental Offices: Book Patients, Never Give Medical Advice
In a medical office, the wrong answer to a symptom question is not a convenience. It is a hazard.
11 Jul 2026
Guide
AI Receptionist for Law Firms: Answer Every Client Call Without Giving Legal Advice
In legal intake, the wrong answer is worse than no answer. The guardrails are the product.
11 Jul 2026
Guide
How Much Does an AI Receptionist Cost? (2026 Pricing)
The number on the pricing page is rarely the number on your card.
11 Jul 2026

I write down every build as it happens.

The wins and the stuff that broke, in your inbox when there’s something real to show. No schedule, no spam.

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