![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Someone pointed out to me a couple of days ago that I should post here because he's not the only one who reads here and people might be wondering what happened to me. Of course for all I know he might actually be the only one reading here, but I guess I should be posting here once in a while anyway, just in case;). Besides, if I ever want to get back to writing I have to start somewhere.
Things have been ridiculously busy here. Besides working full time, in January I started taking classes at UCLA Extension half-time (so I can get my student loans deferred which really helps my financial situation) going for a certificate in Applications Programming, and working on my next career change;).
Yes, it's happening again, but at least it's not as drastic as the change from editing to multimedia/web production. But in 5 years I don't think what I'm doing will exist anymore. HTML will be gone and everything will be WYSIWYG or Flash (hell, they're trying to go all Flash at work although chances are it won't happen now at least). Besides, I'm REALLY sick of HTML. The challenge has been gone for a long time. It's the programming I really like, but even cool Javascript/ASP/etc. is few and far between at my job. DHTML is more beating your head against the brick wall that is Netscape than programming, so it's more frustrating than anything else, and I tend to avoid it. I've done it but for things like that you're better off using Flash. I did go to training for Flash/Actionscript. That was fun, but unless you're doing games or something it's all graphics/animation and not much programming either.
I used to want to move from the web into Java and get into programming that way, but lately I'm thinking Java isn't the way to go anymore. There are WAY too many out of work Java developers out there. And besides, if Microsoft have their way it won't be the language to know for long anyway! So right now I'm learning C++. I took C++ and now I'm taking Microsoft Windows programming in C++.
The plan was to go for Java later but my teacher at this class had another suggestion: go back and finally get that 4 year computer science degree I SHOULD have gotten 10 years ago;). I'm still sorry I didn't stick to that at Stonybrook! Well, unfortunately UCLA doesn't allow people to go for a second bachelors so right now I'm looking at possibly going for an associates in Computer Science, which should hopefully get me enough to take the Computer Science GRE and go for masters #3 in Computer Science at UCLA (they seem to have a GREAT program). How things will all turn out I have no idea, especially since needing to work full time to pay the bills and not make my student loan debt even worse will complicate things. But I'm going to do as much as I can until I can finally get in the door doing what I want to do. Meanwhile half.com and amazon.com are probably very happy with me for all the computer and math books I've been ordering so I can learn as much as I can on my own;).
So where is this all taking me? Ironically enough at this point there's only one field I think would be fun and about the only field that would be a challenge and that I wouldn't be bored out of my skull with in 5 years (that's why back-end database programming for the web is out. I can definitely see myself getting bored eventually;).) Game Programming. It's incredibly ironic, and I should probably know better, but this is what I want to do. I know I'm not ready yet and have a lot to learn, but I see that as a challenge:). I'll get there eventually! I even have to go back and make up for avoiding any math higher than pre-calculus, but I'll do it (I did well in math in HS, I just hated it;).) I really should know better since a good friend of mine does it and I know the hours can be really nasty, but I know enough to watch out for the really bad places. And besides, doing what you love has to make the overtime a lot easier! I know I don't mind overtime as much when I get to do something fun like some actual programming.
Well, it's probably going to be a while before I post here again. I have a nasty Week From Hell at work coming up (with lots of overtime) followed by E3 and Baycon. At least a good friend of mine is going to be down here from the Seattle area (he'll be here tomorrow) so I'm really looking forward to that, and we'll both be at Baycon. So if I can just get through work this week without too much overtime it should be a good week:). Busy but good.
BTW, you can see why I haven't written any fiction in 4 years;). And to think I just picked up a VERY cool purple heart shaped bass guitar (Yes, for REAL. See http://www.daisyrock.com/.) for my nonexistent free time. I'll get to that eventually too.:) Of course right now I can't even keep up with answering my e-mail much less do any of that:(. Someday...
Things have been ridiculously busy here. Besides working full time, in January I started taking classes at UCLA Extension half-time (so I can get my student loans deferred which really helps my financial situation) going for a certificate in Applications Programming, and working on my next career change;).
Yes, it's happening again, but at least it's not as drastic as the change from editing to multimedia/web production. But in 5 years I don't think what I'm doing will exist anymore. HTML will be gone and everything will be WYSIWYG or Flash (hell, they're trying to go all Flash at work although chances are it won't happen now at least). Besides, I'm REALLY sick of HTML. The challenge has been gone for a long time. It's the programming I really like, but even cool Javascript/ASP/etc. is few and far between at my job. DHTML is more beating your head against the brick wall that is Netscape than programming, so it's more frustrating than anything else, and I tend to avoid it. I've done it but for things like that you're better off using Flash. I did go to training for Flash/Actionscript. That was fun, but unless you're doing games or something it's all graphics/animation and not much programming either.
I used to want to move from the web into Java and get into programming that way, but lately I'm thinking Java isn't the way to go anymore. There are WAY too many out of work Java developers out there. And besides, if Microsoft have their way it won't be the language to know for long anyway! So right now I'm learning C++. I took C++ and now I'm taking Microsoft Windows programming in C++.
The plan was to go for Java later but my teacher at this class had another suggestion: go back and finally get that 4 year computer science degree I SHOULD have gotten 10 years ago;). I'm still sorry I didn't stick to that at Stonybrook! Well, unfortunately UCLA doesn't allow people to go for a second bachelors so right now I'm looking at possibly going for an associates in Computer Science, which should hopefully get me enough to take the Computer Science GRE and go for masters #3 in Computer Science at UCLA (they seem to have a GREAT program). How things will all turn out I have no idea, especially since needing to work full time to pay the bills and not make my student loan debt even worse will complicate things. But I'm going to do as much as I can until I can finally get in the door doing what I want to do. Meanwhile half.com and amazon.com are probably very happy with me for all the computer and math books I've been ordering so I can learn as much as I can on my own;).
So where is this all taking me? Ironically enough at this point there's only one field I think would be fun and about the only field that would be a challenge and that I wouldn't be bored out of my skull with in 5 years (that's why back-end database programming for the web is out. I can definitely see myself getting bored eventually;).) Game Programming. It's incredibly ironic, and I should probably know better, but this is what I want to do. I know I'm not ready yet and have a lot to learn, but I see that as a challenge:). I'll get there eventually! I even have to go back and make up for avoiding any math higher than pre-calculus, but I'll do it (I did well in math in HS, I just hated it;).) I really should know better since a good friend of mine does it and I know the hours can be really nasty, but I know enough to watch out for the really bad places. And besides, doing what you love has to make the overtime a lot easier! I know I don't mind overtime as much when I get to do something fun like some actual programming.
Well, it's probably going to be a while before I post here again. I have a nasty Week From Hell at work coming up (with lots of overtime) followed by E3 and Baycon. At least a good friend of mine is going to be down here from the Seattle area (he'll be here tomorrow) so I'm really looking forward to that, and we'll both be at Baycon. So if I can just get through work this week without too much overtime it should be a good week:). Busy but good.
BTW, you can see why I haven't written any fiction in 4 years;). And to think I just picked up a VERY cool purple heart shaped bass guitar (Yes, for REAL. See http://www.daisyrock.com/.) for my nonexistent free time. I'll get to that eventually too.:) Of course right now I can't even keep up with answering my e-mail much less do any of that:(. Someday...
