My brain? Is fried. But in a happy, yummy fried way. Like french fried.
I spent the weekend learning about new web development technologies and platforms at a free course that was offered here in Seattle. I loved it. I absolutely loved it. I am sooo far behind on where technology is today. It’s humbling. When I came out of college, I knew everything, and I scoffed at the old-timers at my work who had trouble catching up. Now I’m that old-timer, without even the advantage of having spent the last three years in a job where I developed software. But you know what? I’m loving it. I got addicted to coding because I love the logic puzzle of it all, I love tinkering with code, I love it when it works. I felt somehow more alive after this weekend. Just loved it.
I think I’m going to do more of this. I’ve spent the past year or so trying to figure out what the next step is in my life, and how to work toward it. I still don’t have the first part figured out, but I think it begins here, with getting my hands dirty in the nitty-gritty of what’s going on behind-the-scenes in web dev. With getting back to coding. Because everyone in this city can talk a big game about “Web 2.0″ and “cloud computing” and “social media” and where it’s all headed, but when it comes down to it, the power is with the people who can produce code that does cool, useful shit. I want to be one of those people again.
In business school, I took a Business and Technology course taught by a guy whose name I can’t even remember today, but he changed my life. The course involved very little actual work. It was a 3-hour lecture, twice a week. We just settled into our seats and listened to this man lecture. And he was brilliant. He knew everything that had every happened in the history of technology, and his analysis skills were phenomenal. I loved that class so much. I really learned how to analyze the value of a hi-tech business objectively. That teacher said something that changed the way I approached everything tech. He told the class that hi-tech was probably the worst space ever to start a business. Why? Because all the most brilliant people in the world are starting hi-tech businesses. Because even if you’re brilliant and informed and hard-working, you’re up against the tiny fraction of people in this world who are even more brilliant and informed and hard-working than you are. “Take those qualities elsewhere, to a less visible industry,” he said, “and make a million dollars. Unless you have something really unique to add to this process. Being very, very smart is not enough in this space.”
I have things unique to add to this process. And I’m plenty smart. Now I have to built on that and get the knowledge portion of it. I have to learn these languages inside and outside and figure out what I can do with them that no one else can do with them. So that’s my goal now: Learn, learn and learn some more. Then practice, practice, practice. I used to be a top-notch software developer, and I can be one again. And I’m excited about the possibilities, about the kick-ass websites I can create with what I know now. For the first time in awhile, I’m excited about the directions my career can take. It’s a huge relief after feeling stagnant for several years.
