My Website Design Portfolio
As I’ve been trying to set up my freelancing business, I’ve had a difficult time getting work. And much of that revolved around my experience. After going through all the sites I’ve worked on, I realized that I only finished a few sites. And several of those were internal company sites that I could no […]
True Narcissism vs. Reality
‘Twas talking with my Mom this weekend about a friend of ours; we’ll call her “Betty.” Betty has issues with certain members of her family, who are making some very difficult decisions that go against the grain of Betty’s upbringing. These family members are doing what’s best for them—what will keep them safe and sane […]
Media Fast Reflections
I’ve finished my Media Fast, and have caught up on email, blogs, etc. After reflecting on the experience, I’ve come to several conclusions: I consume a lot of media. DVDs, blog posts, music, movies. Hours per day. Even without a TV. There’s a cultural expectation that everyone consumes a lot of media. People are genuinely […]
How Can I Draw Better?
I love to draw. I can’t draw well, but I love doing it and coming up with something that satisfies my (very low) standards. Tonight, I spent a couple hours drawing hair, using Mark Crilley’s YouTube videos. And I’m very happy with some of the results. Of course, they have plenty of flaws. But I’m […]
Media Fasting: No Media for a Week
Today begins my week-long Media Fast, my twice-a-year vacation from all media. I avoid anything that was produced for an audience. No books, magazines, newspapers, movies, DVDs, TV, music, or blogs. I stay reasonable about all this. If I walk into a coffee shop in which a TV sits in one corner, blaring CNN, then […]
I Turn My Back On a Job Offer
So I did something that might appear crazy today. I turned down a nice job offer. I got a phone call two weeks ago from a recruiter, who put me in touch with a local company who does ASP development. I had a phone interview with one of the founders, then went in for a face-to-face interview with the other founder and a few people there at the office. I’m trying to keep these people as anonymous […]
Freelancing Focus
Freelancing has challenged me far more than anything else I’ve attempted in my life. I have to be disciplined, and focused, in new ways. At work, there’s always someone giving you work to do. And there’s always work to do. Work is structured and busy. While that carries its own challenges, I’ve figured out the […]
Freelancing Ain’t As Easy As I’d Hoped
I’m 5 months into freelancing. Hasn’t gone as well as I’d hoped. I’m currently making $0. I’ve made a fair bit from a good friend, for whom I developed his corporate website. I’ve also done a little tutoring. But that’s dried up. I advertise my web development tutoring, through CraigsList, but despite a few emails from interested locals, nobody’s come through. I’ve submitted short stories […]
What Is Wow?
Am I capable of “Wow”? Can I conceive of a breathtaking project, and then see it through? This is important. I can think of “Wow!” projects, sure…creating an animation from scratch, writing a series of kids’ books, building a robot…but can I think of projects and see them through? What projects can I see through […]
This Has Been On My Mind A Lot Lately
Life is “won” by the persistent.