Back to basics
So since my last post, I have begun working as a volunteer. The Arduino project is on hiatus.
As it happens, it is considerably difficult to acquire paid work when you are but a meagre, inexperienced web developer. And by inexperienced, I mean I don't have any idea how to build websites. I get the concepts and the word JavaScript doesn't leave me thinking about some kind of dialogue for a coffee cup but as I am rapidly learning, this is not enough.
I have been graciously afforded an opportunity to get some hands-on experience, even after I admitted I was slowly drowning in alien code. The website I am working on is not being built from the ground up, but my understanding of it is. I am forced to study everything: from where every bit bounces about to what the CSS colour code for deep cyan is. This way I learn its function.
Luckily for me, when it comes to problem solving, I can't sleep until I get it. Seriously, I've been known to avoid eating'nearly dying as a consequence'in order to just fix that one little problem' But I suppose that's a common attribute for coders. We love the punishment. I am a precious little snowflake though. I like to stare at these riddles for so long that the symbols that represent math and logic slowly become stripped of their meaning. Some people like football, I like brain melting. What of it?
Anyway, I learn this way. As a wise man (aka Turk from the hit television series Scrubs) once said: learn by doing. I find it works best for me. So, while I may be at school, have no experience, thirty years old and currently exchanging precious hours of my life for money carving up deceased beasts, I have this tenacious drive on my side.
If you are a potential employer reading this, please don't be deterred. I am actually quite professional.
So today I blew up my arduino. I have been working on a project that involves regulating the temperature inside
a refridgerater using the built in compressor and a small heater. You guys will hear all about it in the portfolio section
when it is finished. Seriously, I've been recording the whole thing.
Anyway, today I was trying to wire in these new relays I got from the job and ended up absent mindedly letting the
end of a wire bridge a component on the Ardunio board and it started smoking at me.
So that's a thing that happened, I'll soon have another one so never fear!
G'day! So, this is my first blog post. My name is Justin, as I am sure you have deduced from the domain name, and I am a web developer/guitarist/butcher. Actually, I dare say I am perhaps the only one you know.
So I am currently studying at the Queensland University of Technology to get my degree in Computer Science which seems to be going quite swimmingly. That is the main project at the moment. I am also working part-time as a supermarket butcher and singing in a rock 'n' roll band. I don't know if that sounds like a lot to you, whoever you are, but let me just give you a red hot tip and tell you it is quite a bit of work.
That being said, I haven't currently a lot of room for other projects and the ones I do find time to work on progress quite slowly. Nevermind that though, I have a few cracking ideas to show you all so stay tuned!