The JayTray is back – and it’s getting a fresh coat of paint!

If you’ve been here before, you’ll know the site has been quiet for a while. Life has a way of filling up with work, family, and everything in between, and blogging had to take a back seat for a bit. But the itch to create, teach, and explore never really goes away — it just waits for the right moment.

And that moment is now.

Over the last few years, something big has changed in the world of Excel, automation, and everyday problem‑solving: AI is everywhere. Tasks that once needed long tutorials or clever formulas can now be handled with a single prompt. That’s brilliant… but it also means the old style of Excel posts isn’t as useful as it used to be.

So The JayTray is evolving.

Why Python?

Python has exploded in popularity — not just among developers, but among people who never thought they’d touch a programming language. It’s flexible, powerful, and surprisingly friendly once you get past the initial “oh no, code!” moment.

My goal is to remove that fear completely.

Starting with Games

To make Python feel approachable, the first posts will focus on building simple games — the same ones I’m teaching an 8‑year‑old right now. Don’t let that fool you: the tools, logic, and commands you’ll use in these games are the exact same ones you’ll use later for data analysis, automation, and real work tasks.

It’s learning without the stress. Coding without the intimidation. Python without the panic.

Where We’re Going

Once the game series is underway, we’ll shift into practical Python for work:

• data analysis
• automation
• cleaning messy spreadsheets
• building small tools
• connecting Python with Excel
• and eventually, AI‑powered workflows

The JayTray is becoming a place where coding feels fun, useful, and achievable — no matter your background.

Welcome back. Let’s build something great