6 weeks and counting

I swear it was just yesterday I was filling out paperwork to enroll in the Conestoga College Web Design/Development program. The wait and anticipation of going back to school has long since gone. Many nights studying and completing projects will soon be a distant memory.

Here I sit for a moment to reflect on time well spent on the journey of enriching my skill set. The final push is now in full swing - the summit visible - I look back at the path traveled to reach this point - I'm high,  much has been achieved on my assent to complete my goal. My belief is with hard work and determination all is possible.

Dear friends and associates can you please help me find a work placement.

Work Placement starts November 21st, 2011
Require: 150 hours to receive my Web Design/Development certificate
This is an unpaid work placement - yep you get me for FREE.

Need: a mentor - some one to coach me - in any ONE of the following:

Adobe Dreamweaver, Flash, Flash Action Script, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign,
After Effects, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, Java SDK, Database design,
MySQL, PHP, Apache Web server, Microsoft: Visual Studio C#.NET, ASP.NET, Silverlight


Hard to believe I've learned all that eh!

CHEERS !!

I escaped the C# ninja's !!

It's okay people -- I found my way back to this blogging site.
I was captured by the C# ninja's (from a previous blogs)

I woke to find myself coming out of a coding haze
to realize it was my "Job Search" class this week.

Looking back I think those Ninja's grab me around the end of Flash Animation only to toss me into a deep pit of Flash ActionScript, along with JavaScript -- Advanced C# was toss down into the pit too. I was hopeful with the smell of Java SDK in the air I might be rescued !! I did see a Silverlight "cloud" in the sky one day but alas it was SQL and LINQ playing tricks on me.

I just wanted to let everyone know I'm okay, been working hard
and enjoying all my days spent at school.

** Flash **

I love this software, it's very dynamic in nature.
I've felt more at home in this software than any other we have learned thus far.
The integration between the code and the visual graphic is what I like best.
It sits nicely between the right and left hemisphere of my brain.
I can honestly say programming purely in C# hurt my poor old cranium.
I'm used to creating and using various workflow solutions that were a part of my previous work experiences but....
FLASH - allows the creative artisty side to play, all the while sprinkling code snipits here and there to intensify the web experience.

The creativity is outstanding -- sky's the limit!

Web Design

I thoroughly enjoyed learning Dreamweaver. It's a relatively easy application for web page creation. The vast amount of templates makes a great starting point for any one new to web design. I like the fact it works well with other Adobe products.

There were a couple of things I did miss though. With using an out of the box program your held hostage to "their" way of working with the html and css files. When things go sideways or completely wrong your not sure if its you or the software? You can spend hours trying to debug your website and time is of the essence.

When working with NotePad++ your in 100% control of all actions made, making it easy to try and figure out what failed or needs adjusting. I'm curious to see as this course progresses how Dreamweaver will interact with the other web development software. This is where my vote for web layout applications is simply NotePad++.

I love data and the base where it lives

My first exposure to a database was back in 2000.

Allprint was in the process of installing a workflow and database system when they hired me. It was my responsibility to migrate the data from 4 servers to a much larger one. Data input, administration training, and educating the work associates became my focus during the first few months. Over the years many expansions took place on this database. I became passionate about the data, how it was stored, how my work associates could access it.

I liked helping the associates I worked with, they would come to me if they needed help doing searches/queries. The database became an intricate part of my work life, I cared and nurtured it just like you would a child, often referring to it as my baby.

Ten years later here I sit in school learning the very thing I worked so intimately with day after day until the company closed. I had always wondered how the intricate workings of a database came to be. I knew there was a coding language involved. I had a chance once to see the "inside". It was a little scary but I was intrigued, wanting to know more!

Database design during the month of April was a refreshing change from the C# challenges. I understood the logic of database design. Found it to be less of a struggle in comprehending the syntax and code requirements. In the future I would like to continue creating, working and implementing databases.

 

They say be careful for what you wish for....  

design VS coding in C#

The month of March proved to be very challenging for me! WOW
I've never been exposed to the world of computer programming, and now have a new found respect for people who work in this field.  C# programming required the use of the other side of my brain, many a night I went to bed with a thick fog in my head.
My plan is to conquer this demon called C# .... I will learn and understand this code even if the C# ninja's come to fight me and try and bring me down. I will summon the warrior and wizard to raise their mighty dice and play a game of "craps" against them.

I shall "WIN"!! - ninja's will have "EPIC failure" - hahaha

Matt has great patients working with the mentally challenged newbie C# programmers.
I've found him to be excellent at teaching this module.

I miss the days of web design. There is a familiar feel, comfort, like coming home.
Why you ask? I've been around the design environment for over 20 years.
Before this course I used to eat, breathing, sleep thinking of the offset print design world.

The remainder of this year will bring new adventures. More programming languages to learn and ultimately conquer! I will prevail, succeed to show my designing friends there's a place in web development for MaryJane!

Guys & Gals start your CPU's

Can you hear that?
                             That noise?
                                              clickity - click clack...... clickity click click click clack!
It's ME pounding out code on my keyboard.
The excitement is building within me, I can hardly wait to start learning C# programming.
I was told today the remaining 9mths will be about web development!! Woohoo!!
Last year I worked hard on my 2nd Careers application and got accepted into the Conestoga College Web design and development program.
Now I'm just days away from a life changing event.
I couldn't be happier having reached this milestone on this journey to a new career.