Writing my own damn HTML

> It's not as hard as you think it is

Agreed. I've been pushing SSR and vanilla HTML/JS/CSS aggressively for the last ~3 years. It really just works these days. MDN is an incredible resource if you want to go off into this jungle.

In my view, the #1 reason developers reach for frameworks is because they lack even the barest design sensibilities. I certainly remember the feeling. Where to put a button. How wide to make some column. What colors to use. Whether to do a modal or an inline element. This is what gets most looking for an easy out. Every developer in my org will say that UI is their least favorite thing. But, only if they have to design something from blank.

If you don't allow yourself the easy out and force yourself to create shitty paintings all day, you will eventually develop some sense for what the canvas & tooling are actually capable of relative to human aesthetics. I believe this is the only way you can gain confidence in operating without training wheels. Non-stop practice. Willingness to get your hands super messy with "dirty" code that otherwise works perfectly.