I have spent over a decade working at the intersection of digital marketing, frontend architecture, and engineering. When you operate in that hybrid space, it can be pretty easy to get comfortable with the core tools you rely on every day. For me, that usually means staying close to React, Next.js, TypeScript, and modern web infrastructure.
Recently, I decided to lean heavily into a personal rule I try to live by: never let your technical foundation get static.
Over the foreseeable future, I am dedicating a big chunk of my time to raw learning. I want to expand my baseline, push past my current edges, and build things purely for the craft and joy of it.
There are three main technologies at the top of my list right now: Python, Shopify, and C#. Here is a look at why I chose them and what I am aiming to get out of each one.
Python: Moving from Reading to Building from Scratch
My relationship with Python so far has mostly been about tactical problem solving.
In the past, I used it to tweak and refactor backend APIs at Cutera. More recently, I have been using it while working on early tech for VybeOS, an early-stage startup where we are currently building out V1. Up to this point, Python has been a tool I jump into when I need to inspect logic, adjust API integrations, or fix an automated flow.
If you put a Python codebase in front of me today, I can read it easily. I understand what the code is doing, I can follow the flow, and I can debug issues. But there is a distinct difference between reading a language fluently and sitting down at a blank editor to architect a system from scratch without constantly referencing documentation for basic syntax.
My goal now is to bridge that gap. I want to get my Python skills to a point where I can comfortably build backend services, scripts, and tooling completely from the ground up.
Shopify: Going All In on the Backend and APIs
From a pure frontend perspective, picking up Shopify was straightforward. Having worked with templating setups like Nunchucks in the past, picking up Liquid and custom theme development felt very natural.
However, simple theme tweaks only touch a small part of what makes Shopify compelling. In my opinion, it is still one of the best e-commerce platforms available today. To really get the most out of it, I want to master the full system.
Right now, I am focusing on the entire backend layer and API ecosystem. That includes diving deep into custom attributes, checkout logic, the Storefront API, GraphQL endpoints, and custom app integration. I want to build a complete, end-to-end understanding of how data flows through the platform so I can build custom, highly performant e-commerce setups from scratch.
C#: Building for the Pure Joy of Game Dev
While Python and Shopify tie directly into modern web engineering and commerce systems, C# is the one I am tackling purely for fun.
C# is obviously a powerhouse in the enterprise world and across .NET environments, even if it is not the primary language used on the bleeding edge of everyday frontend web work. But more importantly for me, it is the language behind some of the best real-time game development tools available.
Learning C# is my gateway to a personal project I have wanted to build for years: my own game.
I have been workshopping a concept for a 2.5D game that features real-time combat in a free-roaming arena. It takes heavy inspiration from one of my absolute favorite games of all time, Star Ocean: The Second Story. I've logged far more hours then I would like to admit in the game, even after my first run got recked because I unknowingly removed the limiter for the final boss IYKYK.