My first program was a Perl script when I was 12. I was a webmaster for a Heaven Gaming Site. This was years before Facebook ever existed. Before Gmail. Before Google was a household name.
Over the years, I’ve taken a meandering route around programming, web development, academics, and dharma study/practice. I remember entering college thinking that all the programming jobs would get outsourced to China or India. Web Development was considered amateur and not taught in schools. I graduated with a Computer Science degree yet didn’t think there would be a web developer job out there unless I was also a good web designer.
Over the years, I’ve done a lot of things. I got a Masters in Philosophy, traveled cross country in a RV, tried several times to start an online business, and worked for 9+ years at a small tech company wearing many hats from helpdesk technician, lead developer, and online marketing manager. I understand networks, email, DNS, HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, and so on.
In the end, I’ve realized that I do want a full time programming job, a web developer position. I’m excited by the prospect that everything, every physical object will be connected in the future and the opportunities that presents. I want to be a master coder. I want to be a project manager one day to combine my skill in coding along with my passion for leading, helping, and managing people.
I’ve thought a lot over the past year about finding a new job. I dug deep into Ruby on Rails. But, other projects cropped up. Starting a Dharma House. Leading a meditation retreat. Traveling & Living abroad.
Now, my focus will primarily be devoted to becoming a great coder again.
This is my public declaration. This is my social contract.