diff --git a/src/tt/controller/generators.py b/src/tt/controller/generators.py
index 2bad8b3..e066567 100644
--- a/src/tt/controller/generators.py
+++ b/src/tt/controller/generators.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-from ..db import db, TaskGenerator, GeneratorType
 import json
+from datetime import date, timedelta
+from ..db import db, TaskGenerator, GeneratorType
+from .tasks import add_task
 
 
 def get_generator(item_id: int) -> TaskGenerator:
@@ -27,6 +29,28 @@ def add_generator(
     return task
 
 
+def generate_needed_tasks():
+    to_create = []
+    for g in get_generators():
+        next = g.next_at()
+        if not next:
+            continue
+        # TODO: make configurable
+        if date.today() - next > timedelta(days=14):
+            to_create.append(
+                {
+                    "text": g.template.format(next=next),
+                    "category": "recurring",
+                    "due": next,
+                }
+            )
+
+    for c in to_create:
+        add_task(**c)
+
+    return to_create
+
+
 def update_generator(
     item_id: int,
     **kwargs,
diff --git a/src/tt/db.py b/src/tt/db.py
index 9652700..514c454 100644
--- a/src/tt/db.py
+++ b/src/tt/db.py
@@ -96,12 +96,14 @@ class TaskGenerator(BaseModel):
             year, month, day = today.year, today.month, today.day
             day_of_month = val
 
+            # if we need to go forward a month
             if day_of_month < day:
                 month += 1
                 if month == 13:
                     month = 1
                     year += 1
 
+            # recurring tasks on 29-31 in Feb will just happen on 28th
             if day_of_month >= 29 and month == 2:
                 maybe_next = date(year, month, 28)
             else:
@@ -110,7 +112,8 @@ class TaskGenerator(BaseModel):
             if not self.last_generated_at or self.last_generated_at < maybe_next:
                 return maybe_next
 
-            # need to go forward one more month
+            # TODO: this doesn't handle if a month was missed somehow, just advances one
+            # same logic as above, if we're stepping another month forward
             month += 1
             if month == 13:
                 month = 1
@@ -121,12 +124,6 @@ class TaskGenerator(BaseModel):
                 maybe_next = date(year, month, day_of_month)
             return maybe_next
 
-    def should_generate(self) -> bool:
-        next = self.next_at()
-        if not next:
-            return False
-        return next <= date.today()
-
 
 def initialize_db():
     db.connect()
@@ -134,7 +131,3 @@ def initialize_db():
     if not Category.select().exists():
         Category.create(name="default")
     db.close()
-
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    initialize_db()
diff --git a/src/tt/tui/recurring.py b/src/tt/tui/recurring.py
index 0a9c6de..249df88 100644
--- a/src/tt/tui/recurring.py
+++ b/src/tt/tui/recurring.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from ..controller.generators import (
     get_generators,
     add_generator,
     update_generator,
+    generate_needed_tasks,
 )
 from ..db import GeneratorType
 from .editor import (
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@ class TaskGenEditor(TableEditor):
         self.get_item_callback = get_generator
 
     def refresh_items(self):
+        generated = generate_needed_tasks()
+        if num := len(generated):
+            self.notify(f"created {num} tasks")
         items = get_generators()
         for item in items:
             self.table.add_row(