Even while trying to minimize premature optimization I find myself climbing a mountain that seems to grow above me with every step I take. I can’t even call this scope creep because I couldn’t scope something without understanding its depth first.

Yeah ... i know the feeling. Agile though does not really work with a single person but in the early stages sometimes you need to add things.

The riptide is often the strongest right as you get towards the waves.

If you work at it long enough you might just catch one.