tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17479318931483432682024-03-19T00:08:50.861-04:00Jordan: From ScratchJordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-72413649855115323452016-09-25T22:13:00.001-04:002016-09-25T22:13:07.090-04:00I just scribbled off 'intern' from my name tag!Yes the title of this post is full of braggadocio, but come on! It's been a long year. It feels good to have made it this far. Before I started writing this post, I read back through all of the previous posts, and it's amazing.<br />
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I'd be lying if I said that I 100% believed that I could get hired as a developer within a year. A big part of me wanted to believe it, and that was a huge motivating factor during the countless late nights, and missed social and family events.<br />
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Was it worth it? Yes!<br />
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I get up every day, excited for the next challenge. I tell my daughter that I get to play on the computer all day which, to me, is pretty accurate. I mean seriously, I solve puzzles all day, and I get paid to do it. So what are we going to talk about now? I haven't figured that out yet. But I know that writing my thoughts out, and sharing my journey with those of you that took the time to read this blog, has been a revelation.<br />
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So I've got some ideas. Not sure yet where this is going to go. But I do know that I want it to be purposeful. If I write something that is of no use to anyone else, then I can just write it down in my Moleskine.<br />
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Even now, though, I am running out of words. I don't want this to be the end, and now that I have proven to myself that I am capable of the follow through, I know it doesn't have to be...Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-75771594932765578582016-04-29T22:44:00.001-04:002016-04-30T08:10:08.945-04:00Living Proof<div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am currently a full-stack, Ruby on Rails, intern. 10 whole months have passed since I started learning to program. Three years ago, I was jobless, friendless, dreamless, hopeless, and at times, even homeless.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I meandered through time and space well into my 20’s while all of the characteristics of becoming an adult completely eluded me. I could not figure out this thing called life. Growing up, I was afforded every opportunity imaginable. Classified as "Gifted" early on in grade school, the world was my oyster. The only thing sta</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nding in my way was, well, me.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Knowing I was my own damn kryptonite, and constantly being told by everyone I came across that I had "so much potential," I continued to stumble. I didn't know how to deal. I had not been given the secret book that people get when they are born that teaches them how to live in this world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having managed to make it out of high school alive, I figured that I would start to get it right. Now I was an adult. Not so. Things went downhill soon after graduation. I failed out of college within the first year. I made a few attempts to go back, but I never was able to give it a real chance.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, there I was: 25, nothing accomplished of note and no prospects. I remember sitting in my bed late at night thinking, "this is it, huh?" I was living alone in the house I grew up in. The rest of my family had moved on. This was perfectly ironic: I was unable to move on from my childhood, while everyone else had since gone. There I was, left to myself and my own thoughts.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I reached a point where I couldn't do it any more. I’d become the master of burning things to the ground. All within a few months time, I ruined a long term relationship with a woman who truly cared about me. I’d managed to get myself fired from a seemingly endless number of jobs. I lost the freedom of being legally able to drive, as well as the financial means to own a car. In a moment of desperation, I asked for help. I had absolutely zero options. So I called my mom and sister. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The details of what followed are too long to share here, but know that I have come from a dark place. Now surrounded by light, as the result of a lot of hard work, my outlook is vastly improved over those days. I started to put my life back together, piece by piece. Bit by bit. I stumbled along the way, many times, but I kept moving forward, regardless.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To say things are different now would be a gross understatement. Not only am I able to function as a member of society, but I am excelling in many areas of my life. After a couple of years finding my footing, the one thing I still hadn't found was a career. I have many interests, and I am constantly chasing knowledge, but I hadn't really focused on any one thing in order to progress enough make something of it.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Around this time last year, I sort of stumbled into computer programming and software development. It made sense, as I have always enjoyed problem solving and math. What started as a spark that peaked my interest, quickly became a raging inferno of desire and determination to become a professional software developer.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There have been countless late nights, some turning into early mornings, nose buried deep into a book or computer screen. Many sacrifices were made, with the hope that it would all pay off in the end. And it has started to pay off already. I have landed several freelance projects, getting paid to develop websites. I currently work as a developer at an internship, and have an interview coming up in a couple of weeks for a paid position.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I am not there yet, I can taste the finish line. I say this, knowing that if I truly want master this skill, then I must keep in mind that there is no finish line. This is the kind of trade that requires constant learning and continuing education.</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In many ways, the fact that I will never be "done" is what attracts me the most. It goes against everything I used to want, which is the absolute best thing for me. I am sharing this because I know now that I am not the only person that has struggled. I used to think that no one knew how I felt, no one could understand me. Now that I see how wrong I was, I hope that no one has to feel that way. It is never, ever, ever too late. </span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxPGivxs6yOCe2o7Yw2zxQLvgvFRxFdFPnpnRNl5zejBzqTZjjxIPXEn0nXrsLQgEwjPGUbAgmYSxkkyAQU_s5KPDEoxYVQQIVWf6Yu9GECUeeiNQmNVCbMuX-uaLIL1HCYn7P5hK-gbO/s1600/2016-02-06+11.57.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxPGivxs6yOCe2o7Yw2zxQLvgvFRxFdFPnpnRNl5zejBzqTZjjxIPXEn0nXrsLQgEwjPGUbAgmYSxkkyAQU_s5KPDEoxYVQQIVWf6Yu9GECUeeiNQmNVCbMuX-uaLIL1HCYn7P5hK-gbO/s320/2016-02-06+11.57.23.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am living proof.</span></span></div>
<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-53548859143605842862016-03-29T22:10:00.000-04:002016-03-30T11:54:36.540-04:00My two centsWe have all been there: new to a trade or starting to learn a skill with no prior knowledge. So what does it take to get from complete newbie to master of your craft?<br />
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I don't know much about being the master of any craft, but each day I separate myself from the version of me that had no idea how to write code. And 9 months in, the path to becoming a professional developer is clearer than ever. This post is going to explain some of the things I have learned along the way, with some examples of moves I have made that ended up being in my favor. While my interests and skill set have lead me into the world of computer programming, I believe that most of these methods can be applied to any new skill or trade. </div>
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The first, and most important, thing I did was start DOING. I started out by scouring the web for hours on end, trying to figure out the best way to become a software developer. With the massive amount of information available to us today, I found that it was easy to simply stay on this step forever. I could search up and down and never find two strategies that were exactly the same. This is where I got my first break, as my brother-in-law is a (successful) developer, so I asked him where start. I probably should have done this first, but anyway.</div>
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Once I got started, I quickly found that this overwhelming amount of information exists for almost any topic imaginable, and especially when it comes to programming. It was important for me to develop a rough outline of what I wanted to accomplish. By starting out with a goal, I could then fill in the means to that end with some clarity. Again, having someone in my life that had what I wanted, and had been through what I was about to go through was priceless.</div>
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So, now I have this course of action to follow, or at least a very rough outline. The next thing that I benefited from was figuring out how I would spend my time doing this. I have a family, work full time, participate in some social groups regularly, and so on. Time management. I have never been very organized, but since I was already about to start this radical new journey, I might as well throw in some basic life skills as well. Learning how to budget my time has completely changed my life. I essentially treat the hours in a day like money in the bank. It will forever be a work in progress, but working at it consistently has served me well. </div>
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Most of the time, learning a completely new skill involves much more than focusing on one thing. Learning to code is much more than simply learning a programming language. You have to know your way around a computer, familiarize yourself with the command line (that screen you see on a hacker's computer in the movies), learn more effective ways to search the web for answers, etc, etc. Also, learning to think like a computer scientist is crucial. What I am getting at is that there are all sorts of ancillary skills needed in order to do this. It's not good enough to just know a little bit, because these skills are the foundation for every project you will ever build, so to have a chance to excel as a developer, you have to pay attention to the little things -to be able to see the forest for the trees. (Side note: Ever since I learned what that idiom means, I have wanted to use it properly in a sentence. I believe I just have!) </div>
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Recently, I started getting involved in the programming community. If you know me well, you probably know why it took me so long to do this. But this is important. Having all the talent in the world means zilch if no one knows about it. I found local meet-ups, discussions, and events where like minded people get together to talk about their craft. I know this sort of thing happens in every industry, and its a great thing to be a part of. I went to a career fair the other day. I went around to every both asking employers what specialties they were looking for. So now, I know exactly what I need to be working on. My rough outline has now become a well-revised blueprint. </div>
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I like to save the best for last, so here it is. The most important advice I could give anyone would be to build relationships. Start early, and work at it often. Every single milestone I have reached was because of a relationship I had with another human being. Whether it was my brother-in-law, or a friend-who-know-a-guy. I would not be where I am today without the help of others.</div>
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A good friend shared an idea with me recently that I want to share now. </div>
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"We create <i>possibilities</i> for ourselves, but it is other's who create <i>opportunities</i> for us.</div>
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Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-74862015258578473462016-03-15T02:39:00.000-04:002016-03-15T02:41:24.138-04:00Working Title / Under Construction (So Many Puns!)It's now been two weeks since I started working on a real life application. I have been thinking about that first "hello world!" program I wrote 8 months ago. Now I am submitting code to a company's most prized possession. Extremely intimidating is the phrase that comes to mind.<br />
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So I show up to work the first day, not scared, but anxious. I spent the first day setting up my work environment and getting acquainted. Once all that was finished, it was time to get into the code. Turns out I know much less than I can even imagine.<br />
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I spent countless hours over many months learning to code by following along The Odin Project -as well as a few tutorials not on their curriculum- and I can tell you that nothing compares to a real project. There are no tutorials that I know of that cover all the information and sheer scope of a real world application. There are so many intricacies, personal styles of the people that have committed code to the repository, and variances in the overall "way we do things."<br />
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The first task I was given was to write up an email template. Sounds easy enough: use some HTML and inline styling to take the designer's mockup and turn into a usable product. It turns out that nothing is as easy as it sounds, and it took me a week to get it done (actually it still isn't 100%). I can tell you that in all my studying it was never suggested that I work on my email technique. But that's just the way it is, and there is absolutely no substitute for work experience.<br />
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With that said, I feel like an internship is the best situation for me. While I've definitely suffered from "imposter's syndrome" a few times already, I don't have the added stress of feeling the need to perform for a paycheck. Since I was upfront and honest about where I was at in my understanding of computer programming, I can take a step back and understand that while I may not have completely understood what I was signing up for, my mentor surely did.<br />
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This is not to say that I can just sit back and relax, or that I feel no pressure to level up quickly; I need to keep doing what I have been for the passed several months. Whatever task is sent my way, I will give it every ounce of energy I can, with the understanding that I will never know all there is to know about anything.<br />
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After two weeks of working here, I still believe 100% that I am exactly where I'm supposed to be, and that this path lies before me is the correct one to be traversing.<br />
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<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-80058012729434450472016-03-02T01:10:00.000-05:002016-03-02T01:12:33.266-05:00Will work for knowledge.Man, life is good! Through a series of extremely fortunate events, I landed an internship at a real company, working on real software. Not only will I be working on a legit application, but I get real world work experience, deadlines and all. It was only 8 months ago that I wrote my first 'Hello, world!' program, not knowing the first thing about computer programming. I think its worth explaining how this opportunity came about.<br />
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When I first started learning to code, I was constantly searching the web for things like "How to learn computer programming" or "Learn software development," and things like that. In addition to all the code bootcamps and online schools, tutorials, and curricula (did you know that is the plural form of curriculum? Neither did I!) I found a blog written by <a href="http://joshuakemp.blogspot.com/?m=1" target="_blank">Joshua Kemp</a>. This guy taught himself to code and laid out a clear cut path for wannabes like myself. His story is also very cool, and is worth checking out.<br />
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Well, I ended up reading every single post of his from beginning to end - over three years of posts. In his first post, he basically said that he was starting a blog to keep himself accountable. I thought that was a great idea and decided to do the same. I have not blogged anywhere near as consistent as he, but I did blog nonetheless.<br />
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In addition to putting myself out there and keeping me accountable, this tactic also made it known to my friends and family that I was pursuing this goal. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I had just finished an RoR app by following along <a href="https://www.railstutorial.org/" target="_blank">Michael Hartl's Rails Tutorial</a> and promptly posted a <a href="https://murmuring-eyrie-7563.herokuapp.com/" target="_blank">link to it</a> on Facebook. A friend of mine came across it around the same time that the CTO of his company mentioned that he was looking for an apprentice. He put us in touch and the rest is history.<br />
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I didn't even mention the best part: the guy I am working under is a bonafide computer scientist. I personally believe he is a genius. Not only is he knowledgable, but he is also patient and willing to help me out with whatever I don't understand (which quite frankly is a large amount). The company is established enough that there is tons of work to do, yet small enough that I will be able to have direct access to my mentor day in and day out. At this point in my coding career, I have to believe this is the absolute best thing that could have happened for me.<br />
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As the title of this post implies, this is an unpaid internship. I have to say, I still think I am getting the better end of the deal on this one. No amount of tutorials or books or videos can beat working on a real project with a willing and able teacher/mentor.<br />
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A lot of things had to happen for this scenario to take place, and I have worked very hard for the last several months. But that work is already starting to pay off. I have finally found a career I can honestly say I love. My wish is that everyone I know finds the same, as there is nothing like the feeling that you found your calling.<br />
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I will continue to write about this miraculous journey, with the hopes that someone, somewhere is inspired to chase down their dreams. So here is to the future, and especially to the now! Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-656607524167993932016-02-02T01:44:00.002-05:002016-02-02T01:45:20.620-05:00Finish line on the horizonIt's coming up on 7 months since my first post, which means its been almost 7 months since I started learning to code. I can feel the progress. My brain functions differently now. I can almost feel it processing things and I am more aware of every step I take.<br />
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While I didn't necessarily meet my goal of blogging consistently, I have kept up with the more important aspect of the goals I initially outlined by burning the midnight oil on the computer regularly.<br />
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Many adjustments have been made in order to keep up a fast pace. Recently I began training myself to function on 6 hours of sleep nightly. I figured that I could squeeze in at least 2 extra hours on the computer nightly by sleeping less. It's working so far.<br />
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This week Salem and I finished up the second set of problems for CS50. Man, I have a lot of respect for anyone that can succeed at Harvard. This is an entry level course and the second week's problem sets are already very intense. Luckily I have a bit of background knowledge, so the material isn't completely foreign to me. It is difficult though, and having someone to collaborate with helps tremendously.<br />
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In addition to CS50, I am finishing up a tutorial on Rails that has me building a Twitter-clone. It's my first Rails project from scratch, and the building blocks for the Craigslist-style website I will be making for a friend.<br />
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Having several projects underway at all times gives me plenty of things to do on any given night, as well as keep things interesting. Sometimes that's all it takes when I'm having one of those days and just want to lay around and watch TV.<br />
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This is an opportunity to drastically change my life for the better, and all I have to do is keep striving for the finish line... One late night at a time.<br />
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<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-83401957977559456302016-01-22T02:16:00.001-05:002016-01-22T02:16:59.660-05:00So close, yet so far away.Any time you take on a new hobby or start to learn a new subject, there comes a point where the shininess wears off, the allure starts to fade, and it becomes <b>work</b>.<div>
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That's how programming has been for me, honestly. At first everything was awesome. Each and every little "intro" tutorial would yield a small but huge success, and the vast amount of knowledge available was awe-inspiring. I wouldn't hesitate to show off my simple programs (Hello World, anyone?!?!) and revel in my awesomeness.</div>
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But after a few months of continuous study, fun time is over, and the real work begins. You get to the intermediate tutorials (good ones are relatively more difficult to find, I might add) and now you are looking at weeks of work. No more freshly finished programs every hour or so, we are talking days and weeks! This is where I start to lose interest. The instant gratification is waning, the results appear to be slowing; the <b>fun</b> is gone. So I stop. I find something new, or just do nothing new for a while. </div>
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If you know what I am talking about, then you know how it feels looking back on all the times this has happened, and seeing a bunch of unfinished dreams and ideas that were never realized. I started to believe that this was just the way things were, and the way they were gonna be for me. </div>
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All it takes is grit. </div>
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See, I have been learning how to code for almost 6 months now. I am well into the "work" stage, and I haven't given up. It's hard! Every day I make what feels like inches of progress. That tutorial I am working on: 8 days in, averaging 5 hours a day of work. Not even half-way finished. But I know that the end product is going to be exponentially more gratifying than those initial programs. </div>
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What's more, just the fact that I can say that I am still at it feels amazing. Knowing that I am pushing myself further than I can ever remember in the past, and that there is something waiting for me on the other side of all of this: a career.</div>
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This is about more than learning a skill to better myself, this is about bettering myself by doing things differently than I always have. </div>
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Back to <b>work</b>!</div>
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Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-56017686159418383852016-01-14T00:55:00.001-05:002016-01-14T00:57:21.009-05:00What are we going to do today, Brain?Things are getting real. I mean literally: I am building my first Ruby on Rails (RoR) app. Ok, it's just a sample app, made by following along <a href="https://www.railstutorial.org/" target="_blank">Michael Hartl's Rails Tutorial</a>. It is a simple Twitter clone, but it's a real app nonetheless.<br />
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This tutorial takes you from a blank slate, all the way to deploying a finished, working product. It teaches test-driven-development, version control with git, setting up a development environment, Ruby, Rails, etc, etc. Every section of every chapter subtly reminds me of the massive amount of information I still have yet to learn. There are links to almost every topic that is covered that he expects someone like me to not understand. At first, this was a bit annoying and seemed cumbersome. Turns out I truly appreciate the thoroughness and consideration.<br />
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Aside from the tutorial, I am working on a couple of projects using <a href="https://wordpress.org/" target="_blank">WordPress</a>. While these websites are relatively simple and I do not plan on mastering PHP, they are still great exercises in understanding file structure. Also, there is plenty of HMTL and CSS practice to be had. I am also making money while I learn to code, which is pretty sweet!<br />
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As if my plate was not overly full already, I finally found a fellow <i>programmer in training </i>who is willing to take <a href="https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-computer-science-harvardx-cs50x" target="_blank">Harvard's CS50</a> course on EDX with me. CS50 is an introduction to computer science course. I have to say this is extremely exciting because I believe that in order to ever be a great programmer, I need to learn the fundamentals of computer science. Ideally, I will get much further into this topic than just the fundamentals -but this is a good start, as far as I'm concerned.<br />
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I have been wanting to take this course for a while now, but after looking over the course syllabus and watching the first few lectures, I felt strongly (it is recommended) that two should play this game. Well, thank you <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sal.hamidi.1" target="_blank">Salem Hamidi</a>! Turns out I went to high school and played baseball with him, and he is also an aspiring programmer. I won't put his life story on here, but props are due. Thank you sir!<br />
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If it seems like I have a lot going on, that's because I do. I also have a life to live, believe it or not. But right now becoming a software engineer is a high priority, and sacrifices have to be made sometimes. Until this point in my life, my priorities were all out of whack. Sometimes I feel like I wasted a lot of time and didn't think about my future enough. But then I remember: I actually thought about my future quite a bit, I just didn't <i>do</i> anything about it.<br />
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Today, me and my brain are working on a better future for the both of us.Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-12680389923749402592016-01-06T23:57:00.001-05:002016-01-06T23:58:14.527-05:00This is my late New Year's post. I have a habit of getting things done late. Maybe I should make it one of my new year's resolutions to fix that. Maybe one should be to fix my grammar. <br />
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The truth is, there are so many things about me that I would like to "fix." There are so many, in fact, that to list them would turn this post into a sad diary entry. I have good news though: I am moving passed the HTML and CSS portion my programming adventure, and getting into the real stuff.<br />
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My next project is a Craigslist-type website, which I will be building using Ruby on Rails. Very Exciting! I also have a couple of smaller projects that I will be making using WordPress.<br />
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As I sit here, writing this post, I feel very determined. I sort of let myself slack off over the holidays. Even the short period of time away from the terminal has got me a little anxious. I know to never do that again. At least not for a while.<br />
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Time to set up my first RoR environment. Wish me luck...Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-88996414501680167202015-12-24T02:30:00.002-05:002015-12-24T02:30:51.434-05:00Squeeze every minute out of those 24 hoursLife is short, and days are shorter.<br />
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That's a good one. I may have come up with a proverb there. Maybe that will show up on one of those calendars with a daily motivational quote. Until then, how about I stop wasting time.<br />
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Currently I work full time, I have a family, I have certain social obligations, I am learning to code, and I need to eat and sleep daily. The thing that allows me to do all this is something I've never really had a good grasp on in the past: time management. It is quite simple when you put pen to paper. Just simply write out what you need to do. Next, prioritize those things. Finally, figure out an amount of time that is either required or that you hope to give to each thing.<br />
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I literally had to break everything down. I had to figure out how much of my time my job REALLY takes up. It isn't as simple as 40 hours a week. There is time spent getting ready, commuting, and so on. So when I applied this level of detail to everything on my list, I came up with a very clear plan. I also had to decide which of the things were not very important at this time in my life.<br />
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Now, my days have structure. I have a very good idea of where my time is being spent. Think of it like a budget, only the resource I am budgeting for is time instead of money. On a good day, I am about 90% in line with what I planned. But that's not all, as I've also definitively set priorities and distinguished the <i>needs </i>from the <i>wants</i>.<br />
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This is just one of the many changes I have made in my life these past few months. Ever since I decided that I wanted to learn how to code, each day has been a test. Each day that ends with a few more lines logged, is yet another day of proving to my self that I can and will do this. And yes, I had to actually prove it to myself. Any time I have had a new idea or found a new interest, it would just be a matter of time before I was on to the next. But not this time. This time I am for real.<br />
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One day I may be able to write well enough to get my thoughts and experiences down in a logical and entertaining format. One day I may be able to meditate for more than 45 seconds. One day I may even be able to run a full marathon. But one thing for sure is that one day I will be a paid software developer. Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-38055068513201762442015-11-19T23:46:00.001-05:002015-11-19T23:46:24.450-05:00Lift-off the Dock*It's been too long. I am so bad at keeping up with this. So much has happened since the last post. I don't even know where to begin. But I can type almost as fast as I can think now, so I'm just gonna go with it. Stream of consciousness blogging. Is that a thing?<br />
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So, I have built a website. Not just one from The Odin Project. I wanted to put my newfound skills to real world use. I posted on Facebook that I was willing to build a website for a lucky someone. I believe I wrote about this in the last blog.<br />
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Anyway, I built the site: <a href="http://www.coilbutter.com/">www.coilbutter.com</a>. This was a fun project because I really like the e-liquid they make, so helping them get their name out there was fulfilling in itself, let alone the fact that I actually made the website. I used Word Press to make the site, which helped out a lot. It still took every bit of my limited knowledge to set up and customize the site. Man, I am only 4 months removed from not knowing a lick of HTML and CSS.<br />
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The great thing about learning programming is the instant gratification it gives me: I have a problem, I come up with a solution, I make it, problem solved. There are many missteps in between, but the end result is that a problem was solved. And the crazy part is that I haven't even got to the real programming yet. I just made a website. Not software or something that actually does anything.<br />
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But that all changed tonight. I have had this idea for a new way to shop for a certain product (sorry about the ambiguity there) and I am now in the process making it happen. I am lucky that I have someone to guide me along in this process, and I definitely recommend that anyone trying to learn a new skill find a mentor. Tonight we set up a virtual machine through <a href="http://www.docker.com/" target="_blank">Docker</a>. It basically sets up a mini internet so that I can play around with the project I am building in real time. I wish I understood how it worked, and if you are curious, google it.<br />
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That brings me to something that has been on my mind all night. So many people have come before me and done some truly awesome things to make my life easier. I mean, aside from the fact that I don't have to hunt for my food or worry about dying from the water I drink. But these tools that are so freely available to me are remarkable. I hope that one day I can contribute something to this world that leaves a mark. It doesn't have to make me rich- it would be enough if it just made someone else's life easier.<br />
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I am sure there is plenty more that can be written to fill the gap between this post and the last, but for now, this will have to do.Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-82688925019313535922015-10-11T01:16:00.000-04:002015-10-11T01:16:07.974-04:00Finding a purposeI have always learned best by doing. In elementary school they told me I am a kinesthetic learner. Turns out, that is a highly recommended way to learn to code: Do, break, fix, repeat! Match made in heaven. <br />
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Right now my schooling has me working on HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Unfortunately, I am fresh out of ideas for websites to build. So I posted on Facebook that I am willing to do some work for someone in need, and I ended up with a couple of projects to work on. This is exciting! Now I can use my time and energy on the code instead of spending it thinking of an idea or my own project.<br />
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While HTML, CSS, and Javascript are not languages I plan on mastering, they are an integral part of anything built online. What good is a piece of software nowadays if you don't have a website up to show it off to the world? So I am doing what needs to be done. The Odin Project -the online school I am using to learn code, and henceforth referred to as TOP- wants me to learn these languages, so I will learn them. Simple as that.<br />
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One thing I definitely want to point out is that there is no substitute for real world practice. I have completed every tutorial and read every word of every page that TOP has lead me toward, yet it took me almost 8 hours to set up my website on a server and to get it up and running. Nothing I previously learned had prepared me for that. I was constantly running into issues and had to search for answers. I am told this is also how a lot of work gets done by actual developers.<br />
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Either way, the payoff was well worth it, as usual. My website is up and everything is coming along smoothly. I am still enjoying every second, and I am learning so many things every day. This is something I can see myself doing for a very long time.<br />
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When I started out a few months ago, I honestly believed that it was too late. I thought I was too old, too far behind everyone else, and just had too much going on to dedicate the time to this. Now I realize what a terrible way that is to look at it. It's a terrible way to look at anything. I am a human, and that means I can do anything I set my mind to. Wasn't it the Egyptians who built those big buildings in the desert without machines? Yeah, I think I can figure this thing out. I just have to keep at it. <br />
<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-86459861462869820642015-09-17T23:09:00.001-04:002016-03-31T11:38:46.672-04:00Still Going StrongI haven't posted in a while, which would usually mean that I have completely given up on whatever I was writing about. Nothing could be further from the truth!<br />
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Ever since I received that dreaded email from App Academy informing me that I did not get accepted into their program, I have been hard at work. I will admit that being rejected was a huge blow to the ego, however, I learned a few things about myself since then.<br />
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It turns out that I thoroughly enjoy programming. I actually love it. I love it so much that instead of drowning in my sorrows for weeks on end, I immediately sought out another learning tool to help me get to where I want to be. There are so many resources for aspiring developers, and each one has its own set of pros and cons.<br />
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For me, App Academy seemed like the best option given that I had little money to spend, and I wanted to be job ready as soon as possible. The thinking was that any sacrifices I would have to make during the bootcamp would be worth it in the end when I got a high paying developer job. This included a few assumptions of course. I would first have to actually finish the bootcamp. Then I would actually need to get a job, and quickly. Looking back on it now, I am relieved that I didn't get in.<br />
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So I did some research: first looking at other bootcamps. I checked out some online schools as well as open-source courses. Given my current situation in life, the best option for me ended up being a free, at-your-own-pace, online curriculum. It's call The Odin Project. You can get all the info you need about it at <a href="http://theodinproject.com/">theodinproject.com</a>.<br />
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I have been having a blast lately learning HTML and CSS, with Javascript coming up right around the corner. I must say that the tough application process for App Academy jump started my schooling, and I do not regret it one bit. It actually may be one of the best things I could have done early on. I got very deep into Ruby and learned about a lot of tools programmers use which has made life easier.<br />
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Still, this is some very challenging stuff, and sometimes it can be frustrating, but when I get the webpage or program to finally do what I want, the payoff is more than worth it. Experience has taught me that so many things in life are like that.<br />
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I plan on posting here once a week at the very minimum, so stay tuned! Whatever you are doing in life, do it with passion, or don't do it at all. I love my life, and I am excited to wake up every day to see what is coming next.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-76956007508849102322015-08-15T14:11:00.004-04:002015-09-18T00:14:01.433-04:00Rejected, but not DefeatedI did not get accepted to App Academy. After a month of long nights, learning concepts that made my head feel like it was going to explode, and constant trial and error, it would appear as if I am walking away empty handed. Turns out that is not the case at all!<br />
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This past month was amazing. I learned a lot about what it takes to become a developer. What's more, I learned a lot about myself. I am going to be a developer. Few things have been this clear to me in my lifetime. The constant challenges, with solutions to be found at the finish line. I love it.<br />
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Applying to App Academy jumpstarted my learning, and has only made me hungrier for more. So now I am taking a step back to find my own path, but I have been blessed with some clear direction as a result of this past month's work.<br />
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I don't know exactly what I want to specialize in, or what type of company I want to work for, but I have a strong belief that I am headed in the right direction to find all of that out. I am still learning the basics, trying to make things work together. My morning was spent learning how to use <i>git</i> and <i>Github </i>so that I can start a Ruby track from <a href="http://testfirst.org/">TestFirst.org</a>. It was very frustrating, especially since I was having a hard time finding the help I needed on Google.<br />
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But thats what this is: trial and error, getting failure messages when my code sucks, and figuring out how to fix it. And I love it!Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-15583121720005663492015-08-04T15:31:00.002-04:002015-08-04T15:31:28.046-04:00Reliance on othersRuby is kicking my ass right now. And so is App Academy. After completing the first coding challenge, I was invited to take a shot at the second one.<br />
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For the past week I have been going over the prep work for the second coding challenge. A lot of the material is complicated and I am having a hard time wrapping my head around it. I haven't given up, though. I thoroughly enjoy the challenge. There have been many nights that have ended up being much longer than the 3 hours I have committed to. Its fun!<br />
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One thing that has helped me tremendously is blogs written by others who have been where I am now, which finally brings me to the intended topic of this post: Reliance on other people's experiences helps markedly.<br />
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Luckily, this is an idea that I am very familiar with. So, when I get into a jam that seems too hard to ever understand or figure out, I find someone that has been there. Not only do they typically have a good answer for me, but the fact that they can say that this same topic or problem was an issue for them is reassuring. Thanks to the internet, and especially blogging, I don't even need to personally know someone to be able to relate to them. <br />
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So when I get stuck, and I feel like the stupidest person on the planet, I simply look to the people that have come before me. Not just for answers, but for common ground as well.<br />
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<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-16449813693250579282015-07-26T03:11:00.002-04:002015-07-26T03:11:18.715-04:00Intense week!What a week! I don't even know where to start.<br />
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I completed the first coding challenge for App Academy. When I looked that the three problems, I was amazed. I didn't immediately know what the answers were, but I could feel myself walking through the solutions. This is something I have struggled with early on.<br />
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When it comes to writing some code to solve a problem, you have to be aware of every single step that takes place in order to solve it. I have always excelled at math and all forms of problem solving, but I did a lot of the work in my head. In fact, does anyone remember when the teacher would give credit for showing your work? That was actually a problem for me. I could just look at a question, and for the most part, end up with the answer without putting too much down on paper. Well that doesn't work for computers. The computer needs you to tell it every single step to take. I had to learn how to be conscious of my thought process. It has taken a lot of practice, but its clearly paying off.<br />
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I will definitely post updates with regards to the App Academy admissions process.<br />
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Another fun project I worked on all week was installing a version of Linux called Ubuntu on my computer. I had been doing all my work from a Windows machine, which I understand is not the preferred way to go about things. Since I can't afford to buy a Mac at the moment, I installed Ubuntu so that I can work in a very similar environment as Mac. I'll let someone else's blog explain all of that.<br />
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This ended up taking up most of my time spent on the computer for the last few days, but I can already see that it was worth the hassle.<br />
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One last thing I want to put out there is that I am very grateful to have started learning programming. My entire outlook and perspective on life has improved drastically. It has to have something to do with believing that this is the right career choice for me. I know that the road ahead is a long one, but the path has been well paved and it's definitely the one I want to be on.<br />
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<br />Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-24468192403630882102015-07-17T02:44:00.001-04:002015-07-17T02:53:34.980-04:00So many variables!In the short amount of time that I have been at this, I have devised seemingly hundreds of "paths" to take to become a developer. There are so many languages, text editors, frameworks, etc. that it can be overwhelming to think about. So I took some advice, and focused more on the type of programs I'd like to make: the type of work I think I'd like to end up doing. From there, I worked my way back. <br />
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I ended up deciding to take on Ruby. Since I am working on a Windows laptop (for now) I went ahead and used <a href="http://railsinstaller.org/" target="_blank">RailsInstaller</a> to get everything up and running. It was quick and easy, with no hiccups whatsoever.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*Since I am new to all of this, I believe that doing as much from the command line as possible is best. However, I do not plan on working with Windows for much longer, and rather than spend a few hours trying to learn DOS and Powershell, I will do it the right way when I get that Mac</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>My immediate goal is to complete the application process for a web development boot camp called App Academy. I only know what I have read about them, so I won't turn this post into an advertisement. This would be the quickest, albeit absolutely toughest route to take to become a paid developer. Wednesday is my personal deadline for being fully prepared and taking the first coding challenge.<br />
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If I don't get accepted, it will not deter me one bit. I know deep down that this is what I want to do, and that with enough work I can get really really good at it. And I feel very fortunate to live in a time that all of the information I need is at my fingertips. There are countless stories of people who are self taught that now have rewarding careers as programmers. It's a beautiful thing.<br />
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It's getting late, and my brain is fried from 3 hours of studying. I have been working through Chris Pine's <i>Learn to Program. </i>Yes, I would definitely recommend it to a friend!<br />
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Until next time...Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1747931893148343268.post-70351492111033817332015-07-14T23:58:00.000-04:002015-07-14T23:58:18.095-04:00Hello World!I know, I know: very unoriginal title. Well, it fits. I am starting this blog to record and share my experience as a 28 year old starting from scratch on a journey to learn computer programming and ultimately secure a job - a paying job - as a developer.<br />
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My life has been a series of ups and downs, twists and turns. Everything that has happened has lead me to this very post. For the first time in a very long time, I feel 100% in my bones that I have found what has eluded me for my entire adult life: a career path.<br />
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I am whats called a "Jack of all trades, master of none." I have a history of diving head first into something, only to get tired of it, or realize I can't be the best in the world at it, and quit. I have been doing this since as far back as I can remember,<br />
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So, for the past few weeks, I have been looking into what it takes to become a computer programmer. It honestly started from pure curiosity. Sure, I know some people in the field, and I understand the money can be great, but what got me looking into it was an article I read online. I don't even remember the name of the article. I read a lot. My head is full of useless information.<br />
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I followed links from the article on down the rabbit hole, and next thing I knew I was signing up for an<i> MIT OCW Intro to Computer Science</i> class. After 2 lectures, I was in love. And now, almost a month later, I am still in love.<br />
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So, this is my journey to become a developer: Starting from scratch.Jordan Rhodeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01106332869263630572noreply@blogger.com0