Three Kind Words

The Hardest Part of My Side Project Isn't the Code

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When I kicked off this project at the beginning of the year, I set a goal for myself: send 300 kind words by the end of 2025. I’m happy to report that I hit that milestone on December 2nd. The 100th order was for the words “Dreams come true,” which kinda feels like a testament to what I’m trying to do here. Seeing that made me smile.

Keeping Going

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 07:49:41 -0400

It’s been almost a month since the HackerNews spike, and what a wild ride that was! Traffic now comes in gentle waves instead of raging tides, but it’s still surprising and delightful to see those little notifications ping every week, whispering that I’ve made another $5. It’s really cool to see the automation I built work. I am encouraged by the progress but recognize there’s still a lot of work to do.

How Not to Launch on Hacker News

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

One of my blog posts was picked up on Hacker News, and overnight my humble postcard vending machine on the internet got a whole lot more traffic than I expected. And just when everything was set to take off, the machine got jammed, right at my big moment. Here’s a post-mortem of what went down and how I fixed it while still managing to be there for my kid’s birthday.

Privacy Policy

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

At Three Kind Words (“we”, “us”, “our”), we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled in a safe and responsible manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services, including but not limited to purchasing and sending postcards. It is important to us that you feel confident using our services, and we encourage you to read this Privacy Policy carefully.

Terms of Service

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

At Three Kind Words, we strive to create meaningful and heartfelt connections through our unique postcard service. Before using our services, we kindly ask that you review the following Terms of Service, which outline important information about how we operate and what you can expect as a customer. By continuing to browse our website or place an order, you agree to these terms, ensuring a transparent and trustworthy relationship between us and our customers. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the following terms to ensure the best possible experience.

A Vending Machine, on the Internet

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

These days, every new business seems to be a SaaS. I remember when software worked differently: you bought it, installed it, and used it without having to create an account, remember a password, or even connect to the internet. Your data lived on your C drive, and you were in control. Software was a tool, like a hammer or a chair. Buy a chair, and you could sit on it for life. No monthly fees required.

Building a Postcard Vending Machine

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This post is a continuation of my design story, an account of how I transformed my concept into a fully-autonomous, postcard-sending vending machine. It’s the tale of wrangling data, crafting interfaces, and orchestrating messages, all in the pursuit of delivering a little kindness by mail.

How I Came Up with Three Kind Words

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve always been fascinated by how small things can carry unexpected weight. Like a handwritten note or a kind word from a friend. Words have meaning, and sometimes, the right ones can change everything.

Suggestions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

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Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

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