So you want to be a web designer

You Want to Be…But You’re Not

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

Zig Ziglar

I Know What I Want To Be Now

If you want it, you must try it. If you try it, you might like it. If you like it, you will keep on doing it. If you keep on doing it, you will become an expert. The first step is to try it. Ever wanted to do something and started, hit a bump, and then stopped? Yeah, me too.

I remember when I first saw raw code. It freaked me out. Still does from time to time. And mind you, I love to code. At first glance it seemed like Greek to me. It was incomprehensible. It was English, but funky English – like Pig Latin. From my first interaction with a computer, I had a urge to see behind the screen. How does this work. I had to find out. The search for an answer brought me to raw code. My first attempt and Greek bumped my head – hard. It took almost 15 years before I got back to looking at, let alone understanding code. Chicken…

Turns out code is not Greek. It’s a lot of lines of text with a bunch of symbols. I comprehend it. In early 2012 I was in the middle of a job hunt. Then it hit me. I saw the contracting secretarial market. Being a secretary could no longer be my only source of employment. 70% of my job search time was allocated to searching for a job. While 30% was allotted to researching non-administrative jobs. Not just any job; only those I might like to do. I took a ton of online “job IQ test”. Not one of them ever being helpful. Turns out 30% was enough time. I discovered W3School. And the rest was history. Or history in the making at any rate.

I Know What I Want To Be Now

It took some trail and err to narrow down my career path. I tried a few things. Through trying I had found a vocation that stuck. First try was interior decorating. I liked it. Clients drove me mad. No fit there. Then I tried offering my administrative services virtually. I have to confess I dig being a secy. However, after ditching interior decorating, I started learning how to code. I learned so much, I built my own website and then some.

While building the site, I found I out what wanted to be. I am a web designer. A web designer who still works as an admin. Coding took over. Now I just want to be a web (and a UX) designer. Now a try is tame compared to the actual pursuant of a dream. Yet, you must start somewhere. My mother use to say, “nothing beats a blank but a try”. If you are at the crossroad of a career change. Try something.

Even if it’s not a dream, just a fancy; try it. No first bump and quit. Try it until you either lose or feed your desire to do it. Your first blush is an effort. Trust me on that. You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. We make choices based on what we like. Nonetheless, everything has a plus and minus. Do not let a minus be the deciding factor. Give it a good ole college try. Then dump it if it’s not a fit. Now go and beat a blank with a try.

Secy To Web Designer

Blog It With A Post

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Thomas Edison

The plan was to post regularly on this blog. I started back in June 2020. You do the math. Won’t be hard there are a total of 2 post. Good Lord, my first post is a bunch of mumbo jumbo. It’s still up and there are no plans to take it down. I’d like to save you from reading it with a quick summary.

“For over 20 years I’ve earned my living as a legal secretary. My new career path is web/UX designer. It’s a path I’ve been on since 2013 and will be blogging about.”

We Do Re-Do

Today is the re-start of the June start. Time to get back to blogging my career transition, even if it kills me. My first foray into blogging was a flop. This new attempt doesn’t have to be. I’ve come up with a few ground rules. Now I detest the 5 of this and 2 of that blog posts. You know the ones, where these are the 10 best or the 10 greatest or the top 10 don’t dos. It’s puzzling how one narrows a list of don’ts down to 10?

I guess I’ve lived so long, I can tell you, if your “don’t do list” is shorter than your ”do do list”, you’re doing it wrong. However, that’s a topic for a future post. Which winds me back to where I need to be – ground rules. Regardless of my aversion to list, the rules are being listed. However, this isn’t my opinion on the greatest, tops or best way to build a blog. This is my list. To keep me on track. I’m sharing it with you. Creating accountability for myself. Here goes it.

The Non-List List

  • Proof read, proof read again, read out loud – post.
  • Be concise.
  • Be consistent (2 post per week).
  • Stay on topic.
  • It’s my blog. I can make you cry if I want to.

It’s a short list. No need to write a handbook. Can I promise you 2 post every week? No. Will every post be mistake free. Don’t kid yourself. Will I post hurtful, mean spirited post to make folks cry? No. However, I plan on being honest and the truth hurts sometimes. If you get hurt, it’s not intentional. Besides, you are welcome to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you. Here’s to new beginnings.