It was a pretty easy decision to drop the ASP.NET/C# class I was taking when I realized that open-source was the way to go. It’s been more difficult to think about dropping out of the web design certificate I’ve been pursuing at Sessions.edu. I began it over the summer once I realized that I wanted to return to tech. I never thought I’d put it on my resume but I wanted a systematic way of getting introduced to web design. I feel confident about my ability to pick up new programming languages and back-end technologies. I am less sanguine about my design sense.
The first few courses of the program were great. I am not naturally good with graphic design and its tools, so I found lots of value in working through PhotoShop or Design and Composition assignments then getting feedback from an instructor. But now that I’m enrolled in Information Design and Web Design… well, it just seems like I can learn better working on my own. The Web Design class, for instance, spent a whole lesson focusing on slicing images and lining them up with spacer gifs in HTML tables. The Information Design class is just boring. I figure with a degree in philosophy and my professional data modeling experience I’m just wasting my time.
Still, a persistent voice in my head is saying, “don’t quit; you don’t have that much more to do!”
And, more persuasively: “you never finish anything! If you don’t finish this you won’t finish the next thing either!”
Or, just this: “Quitter!”
In answer to my critic, it’s not true that I never finish anything. But it is true that I’m not averse to refreshing my life and my activities on a regular basis. A week and a half ago, Merlin Mann of 43 Folders suggested replacing one project. He calls it a “fresh start.” I like that. What really resonates is when he said “Excise something stupid, and undertake something cool.” The stuff I’ve been doing on my own—messing around with Les Orchard’s Hacking RSS and Atom code, learning Python, designing a front-end for a web site I’m thinking about, getting WAMP installed and running, helping my Dad with his new medblog—that’s cool. Continuing to take online classes that are not covering subjects in the way I want to approach them… I don’t want to say that’s stupid, but it’s not exactly smart. I’ve only got so much time in my day when I’m not surrounded by demanding and very loud people. I need to use my quiet time wisely.
My biggest fear is that I won’t finish these projects I’m working on. But if my top priority is learning and my second priority is connecting with the tech community, just by putting in the time and effort I’m making progress towards these goals. Even when I spend entire days blogging and marveling at the linkalicious ways of tech bloggers, I am learning and connecting. I think I will quit that certificate program.
Ahhhhhh. I feel refreshed.
4 Comments
“Excise something stupid, and undertake something cool.” It is hard to quit something that has been part of my life for a long time — even if it is hard, grunt work and not financially rewarding. We are all taught not to be quitters. It really does take more courage to move on.
It takes courage, especially when it’s a decision as big as the one you’re facing. Makes my own look pretty minor!
I’m glad stuff from my book falls into the cool category for ya.
Also, I meant to say ‘hi’ and thank you for your comments and visiting my neck of the blog woods, but that’s about when I got waylaid by a nasty stretch of long work nights…
Hi there Les, thanks for stopping by to say hi… I’ve been keeping up with you and hoping you’ll post some more of your great ideas about attention and news feed aggregation.