While I'm on my life high, I thought I should write about this profession that I love. I'm a bit disappointed though, there's not really any passion in this post...despite being a profession I love. I guess I'm not feeling it today....
I originally started out as a web designer. My skills were mostly focused around Photoshop and some Flash/Premiere. I had an artistic background and at the time of developing my Photoshop skill, I was (relatively speaking) one of the better digital artists that I knew of. Looking back at it now, it was probably because I had more exposure to Photoshop than everyone else...not because of my artistic skill (which I find pretty lacking - maybe because I haven't developed it in years).
I continued to be a web designer with minor development skills from high school, all the way until a few of years ago (2000-2007~). I would occasionally do development. I eventually started using <!Doctype> instead of <html>, <div> instead of <table>, css instead of default tag properties. I slowly learned vb syntax. I slowly learned about databases and SQL. I slowly learned c# syntax. All of these things were very gradual, picking up pieces of information here and there...but it was never really my focus. I loved my Photoshop. I thought I could spend all day using Photoshop.
Eventually...my tastes seemed to change. Even with my current eBusiness team, I was originally hired as a designer. A couple of months in and I turned into a hybrid, a designer/developer. I mostly focused on design but I also helped the developers. I was good at debugging, I understood code, logic, etc. Eventually, I made the decision to switch from designer to developer...and I haven't looked back.
I had two concerns regarding being a developer. First, I wasn't sure if my skill would be enough. Being surrounded by awesome developers all day, everyday in Waterloo made me question my skills. Relatively speaking to them, I was a bad developer. But relatively speaking to the general population, I'm average or slightly above average.
My other concern 3 years ago was that I couldn't see myself looking at code all day. I thought it would be boring....but I could see myself using Photoshop all day. This goes back to one of my lifelong goals of finding a profession I enjoy. I wanted to make sure that whatever I was doing, I was having fun. A few more months of Photoshop all day and I started to realize that it didn't quite stimulate my mind like development did. I could do either all day but...development challenged me in more of a traditional sense whereas I felt that design challenged me only if I actually challenged myself to look at things differently.
I started to slowly be drawn into the development world. I like that development focuses on many logical steps to create a seemingly illogical solution. I like that you can develop something, test it, and either feel a sense of accomplishment or reevaluate the problem, test again, and repeat to eventually feel that sense of accomplishment. I didn't really feel that with design. Design is subjective. I could do something that I felt was my best work, only to have some half wit tear it down. I doubt I could handle idiots telling me what they think is best. It would make me frustrated. That's rarely an issue as a developer - except that one recent time when other developers were analyzing/judging my code...that pissed me off >:(
Anyways, I'm a developer now. And I love it. I'm not the greatest developer (not talking web, talking about in general)...but web is seriously EZ MODE in comparison to what's out there. Which is why it's perfect for me. I'm not intelligent enough to be a great developer, I'm not a quick learner and I don't love development like I could/should. I rarely, if ever, look at tech blogs or read up on the latest technologies. But. I'm intelligent enough to do my job well. I'm quick enough to do my job well. I don't need to read about the latest technologies because I wouldn't touch that stuff anyways.
The fact is, I'm good at my job. And I've chosen it because it doesn't challenge me like some jobs could. I like being over qualified rather than being under qualified. I don't think my pride could take being frequently defeated. I know I didn't handle that lack of ASP.NET knowledge well...I freaked out. I was motivated to learn it but that sort of....wore off...I'd much rather watch House :)
There are more challenging jobs out there...and I admire those that want to try them, that reach for the stars, that always want to jump to the next, harder project. I'm a bit more realistic, judging the situation according to my abilities and myself. I don't want to make life too difficult for myself. I enjoy being challenged but I also enjoy being lazy. Working too hard leads to burnout. For me, the key to life is always about balance.
I realize that a younger me would call myself a coward...running away from my problems. But I look at life now and say that I'm happy. Not too difficult...not too easy. Balance works. I'd kick that little kid's ass anyways. Though he could probably outrun me. Little bastard.
I think I'll stop this post here.
Showing posts with label Web Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Web Development. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
tinyURL and bit.ly
ZOMG. I was going to save this post for tomorrow but something came up that made me really want to write this post today. So many posts today! I have no self control >_<
So, I had been using tinyURL for years, since at least 2006 apparently since I have tinyURL links on this page: http://www.horderockcafe.com/version_1/bwl.aspx?content=Links
I'd been using it until I started Twitter last month and noticed that everyone was using bit.ly. I thought "meh", I'll just use what I'm using now. Of course, my new resolve of "trying new things out" and "embracing change" made me look into bit.ly.
Note: New me is using/doing: Twitter, Blogging, had a Corona with dinner today, Jailbreaking iPhone, TwitPic, bit.ly + other things I'm sure I just can't remember atm).
Wow, I'm shocked at the data they keep for each bit.ly! I always didn't like that if you put the same link into tinyURL, you get 2 different tinyURLs. Obviously, they don't do a database check of the URL and just assign a new one. What a waste of space! bit.ly doesn't have this issue, the URL is checked in the database of URLs and if the URL has already been bit.ly'd, bit.ly just gives you the original bit.ly URL. When I looked at some of my recent bit.ly's
www.bit.ly/aBjCyq - Windows 7 Activation Post - bit.ly'd 1924 times
www.bit.ly/Hmuy1 - Heroes of Neworth Beta Account - bit.ly'd 917 times
The top one has been bit.ly'd almost 2000 times. That's 2000 saved URLs and rows in a database.
Note: tinyURL does the above now, I just checked. 4 years ago, they did not as I remember testing it out before and getting disappointing results
I was looking at the tinyURL combinations and thinking that they would/should probably remove the curse words so things like:
tinyurl.com/fuck
tinyurl.com/shit
don't work...much like they have to eliminate these types of words & acronyms on license plates.
Well, I actually gave tinyurl.com/fuck a shot and it redirects me to some random page, http://www.gfgfgf.com/
tinyurl.com/shit (and this is what made me LOL and HAVE to post this today), redirected me to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006GSNX
It's an Amazon page for Ratchet and Clank for the PS2. I LOL'd.
And then I wrote this post. and now I'm ridonculously tired. I will proofread this tomorrow....
So, I had been using tinyURL for years, since at least 2006 apparently since I have tinyURL links on this page: http://www.horderockcafe.com/version_1/bwl.aspx?content=Links
I'd been using it until I started Twitter last month and noticed that everyone was using bit.ly. I thought "meh", I'll just use what I'm using now. Of course, my new resolve of "trying new things out" and "embracing change" made me look into bit.ly.
Note: New me is using/doing: Twitter, Blogging, had a Corona with dinner today, Jailbreaking iPhone, TwitPic, bit.ly + other things I'm sure I just can't remember atm).
Wow, I'm shocked at the data they keep for each bit.ly! I always didn't like that if you put the same link into tinyURL, you get 2 different tinyURLs. Obviously, they don't do a database check of the URL and just assign a new one. What a waste of space! bit.ly doesn't have this issue, the URL is checked in the database of URLs and if the URL has already been bit.ly'd, bit.ly just gives you the original bit.ly URL. When I looked at some of my recent bit.ly's
www.bit.ly/aBjCyq - Windows 7 Activation Post - bit.ly'd 1924 times
www.bit.ly/Hmuy1 - Heroes of Neworth Beta Account - bit.ly'd 917 times
The top one has been bit.ly'd almost 2000 times. That's 2000 saved URLs and rows in a database.
Note: tinyURL does the above now, I just checked. 4 years ago, they did not as I remember testing it out before and getting disappointing results
I was looking at the tinyURL combinations and thinking that they would/should probably remove the curse words so things like:
tinyurl.com/fuck
tinyurl.com/shit
don't work...much like they have to eliminate these types of words & acronyms on license plates.
Well, I actually gave tinyurl.com/fuck a shot and it redirects me to some random page, http://www.gfgfgf.com/
tinyurl.com/shit (and this is what made me LOL and HAVE to post this today), redirected me to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006GSNX
It's an Amazon page for Ratchet and Clank for the PS2. I LOL'd.
And then I wrote this post. and now I'm ridonculously tired. I will proofread this tomorrow....
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Welcome to Earth Prime.
POSSIBLE JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS SPOILER. Not really part of the plot, more the philosophy behind the premise? Highlight to read.
"With the coming of man came the illusion of free will and with that illusion came chaos. With every choice we make we literally create a world. History branches in 2 creating 1 Earth where we made the choice and a second one where we didn't. That's the secret to the universe you know. Billions of people making billions of choices creating infinite Earths." - Owlman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
When I listened to this, all I could think about was the conference tool we're building.
Will you attend this event? - Yes? No?
Would you like to stay in a Hotel? - Yes? No?
Do you require a smoking room? - Yes? No?
ABSOLUTE CHAOS. AND WE HAVE TO BUILD IT. WE ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF CHAOS. WE ARE GODS. in our own little way.
Sorry, you're probably disappointed in this post :S
*I* found it interesting but I guess you had to be here, in my head :/
"With the coming of man came the illusion of free will and with that illusion came chaos. With every choice we make we literally create a world. History branches in 2 creating 1 Earth where we made the choice and a second one where we didn't. That's the secret to the universe you know. Billions of people making billions of choices creating infinite Earths." - Owlman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
When I listened to this, all I could think about was the conference tool we're building.
Will you attend this event? - Yes? No?
Would you like to stay in a Hotel? - Yes? No?
Do you require a smoking room? - Yes? No?
ABSOLUTE CHAOS. AND WE HAVE TO BUILD IT. WE ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF CHAOS. WE ARE GODS. in our own little way.
Sorry, you're probably disappointed in this post :S
*I* found it interesting but I guess you had to be here, in my head :/
Saturday, February 20, 2010
What to do this morning...another irrelevant post.
I've moved all my images to my current domain, a fairly unused webspace, horderockcafe.com
I think I prefer the images here rather than on blogger because they re-optimize/re-size images. Somewhat useful. Somewhat annoying.
Ugh, looking at http://www.horderockcafe.com/version_1/ really makes me feel the need to do a new site. I did the above in 2 days (design and dev) during exam time in 2006 because I was applying for a web job and only had 2 days notice before I had to show them something. In 2006, my 2003 site (azn_prometheus) was simply too old and sh!tty to send.
It's funny how at work, I can code an HTML mockup in like, 1/2 a day easy. I pride myself on my HTML page creation speed, browser compatibility, easy to read source, etc. I work fast, I'm accurate, I'm frakkin' good. However, it takes me forever to do/code my own site...I guess there are distractions at home and no deadline so it's easier to procrastinate. Also, despite having a general idea of the site I want, having to design it, while really fun, kills the developer in me. My design side and development side are always fighting.
Anyways, I think I'll write one more blog this morning. Something that's been on my mind recently. I find that I'm always either writing right when I wake up, or during my prime awake times (right before I sleep).
I think I prefer the images here rather than on blogger because they re-optimize/re-size images. Somewhat useful. Somewhat annoying.
Ugh, looking at http://www.horderockcafe.com/version_1/ really makes me feel the need to do a new site. I did the above in 2 days (design and dev) during exam time in 2006 because I was applying for a web job and only had 2 days notice before I had to show them something. In 2006, my 2003 site (azn_prometheus) was simply too old and sh!tty to send.
It's funny how at work, I can code an HTML mockup in like, 1/2 a day easy. I pride myself on my HTML page creation speed, browser compatibility, easy to read source, etc. I work fast, I'm accurate, I'm frakkin' good. However, it takes me forever to do/code my own site...I guess there are distractions at home and no deadline so it's easier to procrastinate. Also, despite having a general idea of the site I want, having to design it, while really fun, kills the developer in me. My design side and development side are always fighting.
Anyways, I think I'll write one more blog this morning. Something that's been on my mind recently. I find that I'm always either writing right when I wake up, or during my prime awake times (right before I sleep).
Thursday, February 11, 2010
I am so Visual Studio 2000 and late.
I was trying to make an update to a site at work today. It's currently built on the asp.NET 2.0 framework and created mostly with Visual Studio 2008's Design view. While spending more time than I should have on such a simple update, I realized that my skill level is simply too low. So low that I can't figure out the basics of how this site works. I dunno WTF I'm doing. And let's face it, web is EZ MODE.
I'm so frustrated. I like figuring things out. I'm a good debugger. But I'm so lost here...I haven't had this feeling in a while. I used to have it studying for exams at UWaterloo...not being able to figure stuff out. It's not something I've felt for a while...and not a feeling I want to reoccur. Argh! So frustrated. Frustrated with myself. I can't keep blaming WoW for everything but goddammit, what was I thinking for all those years. Life just passed me by.
This weekend is Visual Studio and asp.NET weekend. I've read enough manga and fan fiction (sorry Karol, still not caught up on Sky's). I've watched enough movies. I really need to refocus on my web development skill.
This feeling...will not come up again.
Well, it will, but not for the same thing. This I vow! MY PRIDE - YOU WILL BE AVENGED! FOR FREEDOM! FOR JUSTICE! FOR ODIN! FOR ASGARD! FOR THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM!
my posts always end in idiocy.
I'm so frustrated. I like figuring things out. I'm a good debugger. But I'm so lost here...I haven't had this feeling in a while. I used to have it studying for exams at UWaterloo...not being able to figure stuff out. It's not something I've felt for a while...and not a feeling I want to reoccur. Argh! So frustrated. Frustrated with myself. I can't keep blaming WoW for everything but goddammit, what was I thinking for all those years. Life just passed me by.
This weekend is Visual Studio and asp.NET weekend. I've read enough manga and fan fiction (sorry Karol, still not caught up on Sky's). I've watched enough movies. I really need to refocus on my web development skill.
This feeling...will not come up again.
Well, it will, but not for the same thing. This I vow! MY PRIDE - YOU WILL BE AVENGED! FOR FREEDOM! FOR JUSTICE! FOR ODIN! FOR ASGARD! FOR THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM!
my posts always end in idiocy.
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