Creative blocks and how to bust through them
This past week has been interesting. Not really because I changed my routine or landed a new client or anything really exciting, but I had trouble adhering to my day to day routine. I felt unmotivated and while I did a little bit of work, it was nice to feel like I could step away from my desk if I wasn't feeling creative.
Treehouse Learning: Paused + Review
All right! I have finished rewriting my notes and started up where I left off.
Uh oh.
I feel lost.
Help!
Treehouse Learning: Paused
It appears that I needed to take a few days off from learning. It wasn't because I was becoming overwhelmed, oh no... I love the material I am learning. I sincerely believe that my mind needed a break.
Treehouse Learning: Day 3
Momentum has slowed today due to being out of the house and not being home until well past 5pm or 6pm. I didn't get started on my daily learning until about 8pm. By this time having been up since early (for me!) this morning, I didn't get a full day of work in. I did do some and found myself struggling a little. Functions day, what can you do.
Treehouse learning: Days 1 + 2
Recently, I attended a code workshop through PDXWIT. It was really fun and I discovered how much I didn't know about code. The workshop was constructed on the premise of learning together using pair programming and getting a taste of different languages of code. Using Conway's game of life as a way to construct the code.
I was excited to learn more about JavaScript because of friends who have recently gone through code school and become full stack JavaScript developers.
Piano. Push. Play + CAS 280W
While working within FloCo's website (which is still in progress), one of my primary contacts lamented about not finding any worthy interns for another project. Learning how to speak up for myself, I quickly said, I'm on the hunt for an internship that is required for my degree at PCC.
Interestingly enough, this contact did work as an adjunct professor for PCC for a while and loved the ability to assist me in fulfilling the requirements needed to ensure I graduated on time and with high marks.
An interesting turn of events...
I'm still doing design work for PDXWIT, but things have changed for the better.
How, you may ask... well.
I went to a lunch meeting where we discussed the needs of the non-profit and what the board of directors wanted to see moving forward. Arriving early and securing a table, I was prepared to discuss what I needed to move forward with what I need as far as color, fonts, photo usage and the like for the brand guide. My preparation wasn't needed however.
New Client! So exciting!
ANOTHER VOLUNTEER GIG!
Recently, I responded to a post in a FaceBook group I belong to. Within this post, there was a call to action and I immediately responded for multiple reasons (which I will illustrate later.) The call to action was to create a brand guide for PDX Women In Tech. They are a meetup group that gets together to network and talk about technology within the Portland area. It's a fantastic group of empowering women who's goal is to celebrate and encourage like minded individuals in multiple different fields. I have attended a few of their events and have always walked away with a great feeling of camaraderie and excitement for being a techy sort of person.
An ongoing conversation: Favorite Fonts + Rebranding myself.
Fonts.
In relation to Brand Identity.
They can make you squeamish, the perfect typography can make or break a brand + identity system.
The entire enterprise of finding the perfect font to use in design is something that is quite daunting to me. It's a challenge, definitely.
Summit the Cascade
A talk about CSS hosted + Presented by developer Andrew Hedges
March 26th, 2016:
Recently, I attended a talk at the Epicodus code school by successful web developer, Andrew Hedges. He is most known for work at a certain "Cupertino based Fruit Company" and a company that specializes in Animation and Princesses.
His talk focused mainly on CSS and making it less of an enigma. I found it a wonderful refresher on why it does what it does and how it should be viewed instead as a wonderful tool and list of rules to enhance sites, not hinder them.
The title of the talk was "Summit the Cascade"
Beginning the talk with the question: "In Cascading Style Sheets, what is the 'cascade'?" He asked this of the audience to get a temperature of the room and to gain our understanding of what it is and what it does.
MM 130 + MM 140: Multimedia Again...
I must like stress. During my last go around at school, I took very demanding Multimedia courses at Bradley. I did it again during the last few terms at PCC.
While at Bradley, I created a portfolio using Macromedia Director. I understood some of the code, but had help from friends and colleagues.
Back in the Design Game!
Volunteer as a Designer for a Good Cause? Sure!
I recently accepted a Volunteer position doing design projects for the non-profit: Community Cycling Center. I had a wonderful conversation with them over the phone. I also noticed that my nervousness and excitement for the possibility didn't cause any concern on their part, which was good. I believe I came across as enthusiastic about developing a relationship with them and excited to work on design with them.