Jeff Thompson

Hey, I'm Jeff.

I'm an architectural lighting designer. I work at a large international architecture and engineering firm, mostly on commercial buildings, sometimes transportation and infrastructure. I live in Las Vegas. I'm 30. I'm about to be a dad.

About a year ago, I started experimenting with building software.

Not in the traditional sense — I can't really write code. But with the help of AI tools that keep getting better, I've been able to build things that would've been completely out of reach for someone like me not long ago.

The first real thing I made was a web-based tool for luminance analysis on photography and physics-based renders — something actually useful in my day job. I didn't write a single line of code, myself.

"Vibe-coding," as they say.

It wasn't smooth. But it was magic.

Since then, the tools have gotten much better, and I've kept building and experimenting. At first, it was mostly just small tools, internal workflows, automation for tedious steps — nothing revolutionary. A lot of unglamorous glue that saves time and lets me focus on the parts of my work that require taste and judgment.

This website is just one of many experiments.

Now, some experiments are growing into larger endeavors. I will post works in progress when possible.

It's strange how uneven it all feels. Individually, I can prototype something in a weekend. Institutionally, that same idea takes months to review with the relevant middle managers.

The gap between what I can do on my own and what my role allows is wide, and I don't know what to do about that yet.

These experiments and prototypes have completely changed the way I think. I approach everything differently, now.

I question the friction in processes that I used to accept. I think in terms of systems, larger than the building engineering systems that I typically work on.

I'm learning a lot about software development. But I feel like I know less than ever before.

So why this site?

A few reasons, I guess.

This feels like a strange and consequential moment. The tools and capabilities are moving faster than roles, rules, and shared understanding. I can feel an era ending and a new one starting, and I don't trust my memory to hold onto what this transition actually feels like.

I'm also about to have a kid, and I thought it might be cool to leave behind some notes about who I was before I was his dad.

And maybe it's just because I can. A year ago, I couldn't have imagined building a website. Now, I tear this one down and rebuild it regularly.

I'll be writing about the things I'm building, the things I'm learning, and whatever else is on my mind. No rigid schedule.

I'd like to post occasionally and honestly, not schedule-based and performative. I am not an influencer.

I don't have a clue where this all goes. The tools will outrun me. The tech will evolve. Some things will get easier while others get harder to grasp.

What I do know is that this moment feels worth documenting. Not to explain the past, present, or future — just to share what it feels like while we watch it all change.

These are just my notes.