Tech guy who drives a Tesla in Springfield, MO. Loves AI, and builds things on the internet.
I software engineer for a federal contractor by day. Off the clock I drive my Tesla and tinker with whatever caught my eye that week. The Tesla does the driving. About 92% of my miles are on Full Self Driving, so sit back. I will too, and enjoy the ride. On the side, I build IRL setups and chatbots for Twitch streamers who are more successful than me. I enjoy being a part of those communities.
We bought it when the EV Tax credit was available ($7500 signed over to dealer), also saved $5000 buying from instock. Came in around $30k. Today new Model Y's range from $40k to $60k.
It probably is driving itself right now. FSD is great, most people don't even notice. I've driven over 45k miles with FSD on. 0 accidents.
Same as gas. You plan ahead. There's a charger 6 minutes from here. The car plans charging stops on long trips.
A thousand miles may take an extra hour or two, but the car has more range than my bladder does.
Range drops maybe 20%. Heated seats are worth it.
I'm a nerd, and the vanity plate was available.
No maintenance, charging at home is like having a gas station in my garage. I think about charging less than I ever thought about getting gas.
Not a sponsored guide. Not a tourist brochure. Just a few Springfield-area spots I actually like, or would send someone to if they asked from the back seat.
One of my favorite Springfield oddities. It is exactly what it sounds like: a giant fork stuck into the ground in Chesterfield Village. Weird, free, quick photo stop, and much more fun than it has any right to be.
mapA reliable dinner pick when someone wants something nicer than fast food but not stiff or pretentious. Good casual meal, good atmosphere, and one of those places that works for a normal night out.
mapMy low-key Chinese food pick. Not flashy. Not trying to be trendy. Just one of those Springfield places that scratches the itch when you want takeout and do not want to overthink dinner.
mapIf someone asks for Chinese food and wants something more serious than the usual Springfield-style takeout lane, Corner 21 is the move. Good pick for people who actually care about the food.
mapCommercial Street has its own feel, and Cafe Cusco is one of the anchors. Good food, old Springfield texture, and a better answer than sending everybody to the same three tourist stops.
mapA Springfield breakfast classic. Good for mornings, brunch, or that “I need food before I make any more decisions” moment.
mapC-Street tavern energy, food, drinks, live music, and history. Feels like Springfield in a way that is hard to fake.
mapGood local brewery stop, especially when the weather is decent. Springfield has a stronger brewery scene than people expect, and Mother's is one of the easy recommendations.
mapRetro arcade, classic games, and a solid downtown side quest. Good recommendation when someone asks for something to do that is not just food or Bass Pro.
mapA quieter Springfield pick. Good for walking, decompressing, and getting away from traffic noise for a bit. Not every recommendation needs to involve fried food or neon.
mapMostly here so the right person knows it's an option. Director of Technology day job, federal contracting, security clearance. I take on the occasional outside engagement when it's a good fit.
Architecture, migrations, modules. The kind of fixes that pay for themselves in a quarter.
I build pipelines, and servers. I live in the world of YAML, and Kubernetes. If you know, you know.
Where to apply it, where not to. Claude in production. Internal tools that actually get used.
A few hours a month for teams that need a senior brain on call without a full hire.
You can book me directly for airport runs, events, and longer trips.
email to set it up