Artie and Dennis walking the sidewalk
// artie_fitchel.exe — running

Artie
Fitchel. You found the page.
Good. I was starting to wonder.

There are apps here. Projects. Experiments. Things that started as ideas and turned into something real. That's sort of the whole point.

// heads up: bring a grown-up. seriously. the best stuff happens when two people figure it out together.

See What's Here Build Something
👋
Hey Parents — This One's for You Too
Everything on this site is designed to be explored together. The projects, the ideas, the tools — they work best when a kid and a grown-up are both in the room. No AI use without a parent or guardian in the loop. That's not a rule. That's just how the best stuff gets built.
// adults welcome here
Artie Fitchel Built With AI Bring a Grown-Up Dennis Approved Cube Crusher What Will You Build Lucid Mentality™ Artie Fitchel Built With AI Bring a Grown-Up Dennis Approved Cube Crusher What Will You Build Lucid Mentality™
// who_is_artie()

The Kid on
the Cover.
Sort of.

You've probably seen him before. Glasses. Hoodie. Taco in one hand, laptop open in the other. That's the cover of Eat Like a Programmer — and that's Artie.

But Artie is more than a book character. He shows up wherever kids and technology meet — in books, in tools, in things still being built. This site is one of those places.

He's not here to teach you anything. He's here because he's always in the middle of something and figured you might want to see.

"I didn't ask to be on a website. But here we are. Might as well make it useful." — Artie Fitchel, probably
artie_fitchel.py
# Hi. You're reading my code.
# That's a little weird but okay.
 
class Artie:
  name = "Artie Fitchel"
  dog = "Dennis"
  status = always_building
  fourth_wall: aware
 
  def what_comes_next(self):
    return "you'll see"
 
▶ Artie().what_comes_next()
# "you'll see"
Artie finds his own book in a bookstore
...huh.
Dennis reading How To Act Like A Normal Dog
Dennis.
// golden retriever. senior engineer. good boy.
Dennis wears glasses. Dennis has a laptop. Dennis has a food bowl that says "Good Boy Fuel." Dennis does not explain himself and he doesn't have to. He shows up in Book 4, he shows up in Book 5, and he'll keep showing up. He's part of the crew. He knows more than he lets on.
// apps_and_projects()

Things
That Got Built.

Real tools. Real code. Each one started as an idea and a conversation. More on the way.

Dennis at the power button
Dennis, no.
// made with AI
Cube Crusher
A Rubik's cube solver built in Python and Flask. You enter the current state of your cube. It gives you the solution. Built with AI from start to finish — the confusing parts and the easy parts both.
Python Flask Algorithm Made with AI
// being rebuilt — check back
🔧
Something is being built.
// status: in progress
Next Project
It doesn't have a name yet. It barely has a shape. But it's in progress — which means it'll be here before you know it.
In Progress
// stay tuned
💡
This slot is yours.
// seriously. scroll down.
Your Turn
Every project on this page started as one idea and one conversation. Scroll down. There are ideas waiting for you — and a grown-up to help you build them.
Your Move
Get a Spark ↓
// build_something()

Ideas for
What to Make.

// artie_note: "You don't need to know how to code. You need an idea and someone to figure it out with. Start there. The rest sorts itself out."
Artie and Dennis on the floor with crumpled code
bugs are just features you haven't understood yet.
🧑‍🤝‍🧑
Do this with a grown-up. These ideas use free AI tools that work best when a kid brings the idea and a parent helps steer. No account creation, no AI use, no building — without a parent or guardian in the room. That's the rule. It's also just more fun.
🎨
Design Your Logo
Got a dream business, a channel, or a brand living in your head? Build the logo. Today. Free tools exist and they're good.
// tool: any AI image generator
📖
Write & Illustrate a Story
Write the story. Have AI draw every chapter. You're the author and the art director at the same time.
// tool: ChatGPT + image AI
❓
Make a Quiz Game
Pick any subject you're obsessed with. Build a quiz. Share it. Watch people struggle with questions you already know.
// tool: Claude or ChatGPT
🍕
Design a Restaurant
If you had a restaurant — what's on the menu? What's the name? What's the vibe? Design the whole thing from scratch.
// tool: Canva + AI
🎵
Write a Song
Pick a feeling. Pick a style. Write the lyrics with AI help and build a beat. You're the producer now.
// tool: Suno + ChatGPT
🌐
Build Your First Website
About you. About something you care about. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to exist.
// tool: Claude or ChatGPT
🤖
Invent a Character
Give them a name, a world, a backstory. Have AI help write it and draw it. That character is yours.
// tool: Claude + image AI
🗺️
Plan a Dream Trip
Anywhere in the world. Build the full itinerary, the budget, the whole plan. Then show your parents and see what happens.
// tool: ChatGPT or Claude
// what_comes_next()

What's
Coming.

This place is still being built. Artie's still in the middle of something. Here's what's on the way.

🎥
Show What You Built
Built something with a grown-up using an idea from here? This is where it goes. No gatekeeping. No judging. Just builders showing their work.
Coming Soon
💬
Ask Artie
Got stuck on something? Ask. It's less like a support ticket and more like asking the kid who already figured some of it out. Parent must be present.
Coming Soon
🏆
The Builder Board
A running list of things kids and parents built together using ideas from this page. If you build something, it belongs on here.
Coming Soon
The missing panel
// the_universe()

Artie Is
Bigger Than
One Page.

This is one part of something that's still being assembled. Artie shows up in books. In software. In tools that don't have names yet. Something larger is being built — and this site is just one of the first places it lives.

Follow the links. See what's already here. Check back and watch what gets added.

// artie in print
Eat Like a Programmer™
eatlikeaprogrammer.com
// the company behind it all
Lucid Mentality™
lucidmentality.com
Artie and Dennis on the rooftop at sunset