diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e43b0f9..e8d5699 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 .DS_Store
+.venv
+node_modules
diff --git a/backend/data/blooms.py b/backend/data/blooms.py
index 7e280cf..b5f4a61 100644
--- a/backend/data/blooms.py
+++ b/backend/data/blooms.py
@@ -16,27 +16,38 @@ class Bloom:
 
 
 def add_bloom(*, sender: User, content: str) -> Bloom:
+    # Enforce 280-character limit
+    content = content.strip()
+    if len(content) > 280:
+        content = content[:280]  # truncate to 280 characters
+
     hashtags = [word[1:] for word in content.split(" ") if word.startswith("#")]
 
     now = datetime.datetime.now(tz=datetime.UTC)
     bloom_id = int(now.timestamp() * 1000000)
+
     with db_cursor() as cur:
         cur.execute(
-            "INSERT INTO blooms (id, sender_id, content, send_timestamp) VALUES (%(bloom_id)s, %(sender_id)s, %(content)s, %(timestamp)s)",
+            """
+            INSERT INTO blooms (id, sender_id, content, send_timestamp)
+            VALUES (%(bloom_id)s, %(sender_id)s, %(content)s, %(timestamp)s)
+            """,
             dict(
                 bloom_id=bloom_id,
                 sender_id=sender.id,
                 content=content,
-                timestamp=datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC),
+                timestamp=now,
             ),
         )
         for hashtag in hashtags:
             cur.execute(
-                "INSERT INTO hashtags (hashtag, bloom_id) VALUES (%(hashtag)s, %(bloom_id)s)",
+                """
+                INSERT INTO hashtags (hashtag, bloom_id)
+                VALUES (%(hashtag)s, %(bloom_id)s)
+                """,
                 dict(hashtag=hashtag, bloom_id=bloom_id),
             )
 
-
 def get_blooms_for_user(
     username: str, *, before: Optional[int] = None, limit: Optional[int] = None
 ) -> List[Bloom]:
diff --git a/backend/endpoints.py b/backend/endpoints.py
index 0e177a0..fccf288 100644
--- a/backend/endpoints.py
+++ b/backend/endpoints.py
@@ -152,19 +152,35 @@ def do_follow():
 
 @jwt_required()
 def send_bloom():
-    type_check_error = verify_request_fields({"content": str})
-    if type_check_error is not None:
-        return type_check_error
-
+    """Handles POST requests to create a new bloom (post)."""
+    
+    # 1. Input Validation: Check for required fields and types
+    validation_error = verify_request_fields({"content": str})
+    if validation_error:
+        return validation_error
+
+    # 2. Data Extraction and Cleaning
+    content = request.json.get("content", "").strip()
+        
+    # 3. Application-Specific Validation (Length and Empty Check)
+    if not content:
+        return jsonify({
+            "success": False,
+            "error": "Content cannot be empty."
+        }), 400
+
+    if len(content) > 280:
+        return jsonify({
+            "success": False,
+            "error": f"Content too long. Maximum 280 characters (current: {len(content)})."
+        }), 400
+
+    # 4. Processing: Get user and save the resource
     user = get_current_user()
-
-    blooms.add_bloom(sender=user, content=request.json["content"])
-
-    return jsonify(
-        {
-            "success": True,
-        }
-    )
+    blooms.add_bloom(sender=user, content=content)
+    
+    # 5. Success Response
+    return jsonify({"success": True}), 201
 
 
 def get_bloom(id_str):