Eternal Sunshine

An educational journey through the Web Design world.

It is official. As of May 1st (technically May 8th when my classes are completed) I am a graduate!!

Woot! Woot!

It’s been a long time coming. Feels like an eternity coming actually but I’ve done it, and I’m quite proud.

Yay me!

Now comes the Bachelor’s in Web Development and yet more nerdery!!

Inevitably the closer a semester draws to a close the more stress my life seems to bring to it. It’s likely all unnecessary or blown somewhat out of proportion by my own wormy brain but so it is. There’s something about the mix of work, homework, life, daily bullshit that never blends pure this time of year. Everything wants it’s own portion of the plate and that plate gets smaller and smaller by the minute.

The added aggravations are nearing chaotic points. 3 more weeks. Just 3 more weeks.

I can do this, I’ve worked hard for this. I’m ready. Let’s do it!

Despite that I read my design blogs every morning amidst e-mail at work, I’ve been a bad bad little blogger.

I’m reaching the end of my time at LCC, which is both exciting and terrifying all at once. I have a good plan in mind for my remaining education (getting a bachelors in web development), but it still seems a bit frightening to be ending this now.

Part of my second to last ssmester is taking the portfolio course which is requiring me to do that which I’ve been telling myself to do for about 5 years – get a portfolio and portfolio website put together.

The unfortunate side effect is that extra time is not built into taking this course. It seems the closer I get to completed school the less time I actually have for school.

So it goes, so it goes.

On to more important ventures, there seems to be a trend on all the design blogs I read right now regarding going back to the basics – starting fresh and designing correctly straight out of the gate. Considering all of the important factors often overlooked at that first moment of aha! I’ve got the perfect design.

Usability, Accessibility, Color, Validation, these are the things everyone is writing about…and the things I’m always thinking about while trying to make something ‘cool’.

It’s good to see that shift from Web 2.0 thinking a bit.

Alas, that will have to do for today – work to be done in all realms of the world and not eneough hours in a day to do it.

After I re-wrote my resume it hit me that I actually have some decent accomplishments under my belt for someone who techincally isn’t ‘degreed’ yet.

Considering that a huge number of people see some of the graphic work I have done on a daily basis through my state’s vacancy posting system (government jobs). Not too shabby. Being 2 out of 3 finalists for a departments logo contest. That’s pretty good too.

Building web applications several departments use, dealing with those people day to day. I guess I’m not doing too bad after all.

However that does not take away any of the frustration I feel here from time to time regarding the lack of a real ‘full-time’ job and benefits and what not. It’s a good thing I like my customers and my co-workers most of the time or I would go crazy.

Though I can’t think of anyone’s job that isn’t the same in that respect.

Classes are in full swing again, I’m working on a full blown site for a portfolio piece and feeling beneath myself re-taking a programming course I took when I first started this and didn’t do so well in. Now it seems like child’s play in a sad sad way. I do more complicated things at work than I am being asked to do for homework. That’s ok, it’s giving me a chance to learn a new language, new ways of doing things so I shouldn’t complain.

Ah, the daily contradiction that is me.

That’s enough for now, until next time I actually get around to posting, ta!

Who decides to quit smoking right before the most stressful time of the year (for her)?

Me…

3 days down…hopefully the rest of my life to go…