DIY - Developing a better life

Left with triple figures of student debt, an itch to settle down, and uncertainty about my next freelance gig — I knew something needed to change.

I noticed my hobbies revolve around experiencing how things work:

Twisting the hair of a sheep into a sweater.
Coaxing water, flour, salt, yeast and time into steaming loaves.
Observing bees, legs heavy with pollen, turning dust into honey.

My interest in understanding how the web worked, how computers worked, was daunted by the vast resources online (and my dial-up internet connection), to create something on my own. During college, I was introduced to new media — combining technology, interactivity, and information to craft new experiences and ways of learning. As a documentary film student, it got my mind buzzing about apps and sites to create, but I didn’t have the skills to create them. I moved into nonprofit communications and film producing after graduation and my ideas faded away until a few of my friends got into tech.

I started hanging out with app developers, people who helped developers connect with companies, and software programmers. As they spoke about their work, it piqued my interest. Maybe I could learn about this too?

I decided to learn software development first to get under the hood of the apps, websites, and technology I use every day, and second, to try to develop a life that better supports my lifelong love of learning.