So, I picked up again on my path to improving myself and working on becoming a Software developer. In the intervening months, I have used a bunch of A.I. to attempt to help me along the path, such as giving me a nudge as to what I could improve on without giving me code. I really like Claude. It doesn’t seem as conciliatory as the other models, and without needing to be told to hold back on giving me code when explaining my goal of learning the skills to become a software dev. I am working through FreeCodeCamp.org’s Responsive Design module, and part of the HTML Section has you working with iframe elements. So when putting in the src attribute, I got to “https:” and noticed that the website's preview function seems to loop around and display the module and allow typing of code inside the preview. Makes me wonder if there is a chance for remote code execution. Other than that productive day, I actually had fun working on the video compilation page that I used for my website. I will push it tonight, I think.
Momentum
So, it is the third day back to working on learning and coding. I actually felt great working on the site. I wonder if it is the interest in what I am doing or just the success of completing something. I ran into a bump with Claude. I was rate-limited several times over the course of a day. Who would have guessed that a thread with several pictures and long code sections would take a large amount of processing? So I had the conversation, write a summary for the next conversation with my goals and its way of handling things. Today, the plan is to attempt to finish the HTML section of the FCC coursework. I recently made a rather large update to the live website. I added the work I did in the iframe lab. I also added a small section to the about section talking about myself. I changed all the mail:to links in the footers to SVGs of envelopes that I made myself. I might show Claude some of Greg’s prep that he had me do. I only dread the accessibility section of the HTML course, as it seems rather dated. We will see.
A Better Me
Improvement is a weird drug. If you better yourself, you feel good. I can see how this can very easily snowball into a better life. I wonder if I forced myself to work out, would it be the same? Would my life dramatically improve if I just put in the effort? Finished semantic HTML and updated the website to be in line with the guidelines and look more professional. Even though I feel it still looks like a child's project from 2004. Everyone needs to start somewhere. This has been a good week, barring my family issues. Next, we are on to forms and tables, and to implement that into my website…Wish me luck.
Obligations
Life is always pulling you in different directions. My sister is graduating from Law School on May 8th. I am happy for her, but there is a load of preparation that I guess breaks up the monotony of life. It is also a pull on my time for coding. I was able to keep up with the sections. Even though it was not as fast as I figured it should be. Though…What is the rush? I do notice that I am retaining the information from these courses a lot better than I did the first time I went through them. I am now preparing to begin the CSS, and most of this will be new territory. I have also heard from my Uber passengers that CSS is actually a very wanted skill. Since it is needed on websites, good, understandable CSS that doesn’t break sites is hard to come by.
Celebration
I am currently in Washington, D.C. It is actually rather nice out. Considering where I live now. The flight in wasn't that bad, and with my hotel discount, it was pretty convenient. I am very proud of her, but I also feel as if I am letting her down by not pushing myself further. I always imagined I would be further along in my life than I am, but now I feel in stasis. Working on that now. I will be what I want to be. I will create the life and world that I want. Starting Now.
Plague
The obvious travel sickness has hit me hard. I was fine for the graduation and the little amount of time I spent in D.C. to hang out with my sister. I was even fine for 2 days after, but I have been sick for a week now. I have a fever and I am coughing constantly. I guess I will treat this as the last gasp of my old life holding me back. I am going to get better.
The Great Time Sink
This update is more a telling of where I am as a person rather than any effort in coding. Last time in this story, I was sick after coming back from my sister’s graduation. So I am better. Yay! Lol. That being said. I have other issues. I have been in debt for the last few years, and while if I just worked my job I would be done with it in 10 years, I find that rather nonoptimal to say the least. The issue with this is the only way I currently have to make extra money is by doing Uber. Which I have been at for 3 years now just for odds and ends. Working for Uber is not a big deal, but driving for 8 to 12 hours after working an 8-hour shift is not exactly a great way to get in the mood for focusing on study. Not to mention the time crunch I feel with my life as I get older.
I am going to continue working on my journey to becoming a software dev and working off my debt. I think doing both in tandem is the best use of my time. I will begin working on a spreadsheet that I will probably put on this site to go along with these entries. I will also make one that will track my progress through FreeCodeCamp.org’s course that I am on and have completed. I think those are pretty relevant projects since they involve my life as it is and what I am doing. I have also had some ideas for a game or two and a story that I want to write, so as long as I can keep myself motivated, I can do a lot. On a more chipper note, I have been keeping up with my exercise. I am actually getting quite a bit stronger even if I haven’t lost any weight. Though I guess that may also be another project I work on.
One of the weirdest things that has happened is everyone using the internet to essentially scream what they are doing and who they are into the void. This was fine when I was growing up, but there was always a layer of keeping information about yourself hidden. Now everyone has gone mad, and hiding who you are on the internet is seen as weird. So I guess I need to get used to that. Until the next blog. Davel out.