This is my story . . .

{PIPA}

January 16, 2012 | You'll notice that I added one of the PIPA awareness bars to the top of my page because as a journalist and as a visual storyteller I consider censorship one of the worst sins that government can commit on its people. I encourage everyone to help stop PIPA. PIPA threatens to stop free speech on the web by letting the government block any and all sites that are accused of copyright infringement without a trial. The last part of which should be against the Sixth Amendment.

As a journalist and "web person" I find it extremely insulting that Congress wouldn't take us seriously. I think it is great that hellobar.com is helping to stop PIPA. It is time for all of the interactive junkies out there to take a stand against a bill that wants to take our voice. I beg all those out there who value their internet privileges to find out more about PIPA and post a hello bar as well.

{The Home Stretch}

Today my life consisted of sending out invoices, talking about child delivery and trying on bridesmaid dresses. Needless to say it was a very grown-up day for me. Every day I get closer and closer to the realization that Commencement is a mere 162 days away. Which means that I am really not that far from having to have a real job, a real home, and real responsible.

{On the Edge}

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next." ~Gilda Radner

September 22, 2012 | Being a senior is a little weird. I'm still in college as witnessed by my never-ending amount of homework and late nights spent doing readings about sedimentary dating. But, at the same time, while my friends are trolling up and down campus looking for a place to live next year I am finishing my portfolio, updating my LinkedIn and printing business cards.

It's exciting and completely terrifying. I have no idea where I'll be a year from now (although a do have hopes of where I would like to be) and even after that I have no idea what will happen. All my life I knew what high school I would go to, what I would study in college. Although, things were always different than what my plans had in perfect mind, never before this year have I been headed toward uncharted territory. It's exhilarating. It just makes me wonder, what happens if it isn't everything I'm expecting?

Then again. What if it is? What next?

{Life with the OodleBoys}

June 16, 2011 | I recently started an internship at OodleTech, a local multimedia firm in the Cincinnati area with a focus on Wordpress design and development. So far I’m having an amazing time. (Of course it is Day 2, so you would hope that I’m still loveing it.)

I’ve been working on coding a client site in basic XHTML and CSS. Its a great refresher and reminder why I really do enjoy all of this nonsense. Understanding how you can design you own Wordpress site has been insanely enlightening. Its showing me how much you can really do with a Wordpress and that the spectrum is more than just blog or static site. I’m interested to delve into Drupal in the future so that I can truely understand the pros and cons to Drupal versus Wordpress.

I’m learning a lot about the network and tools that are open to people as developers. I had to download the Developer Toolbar for Firefox plugin and I have to say that it is one of my new BFFs. I really enjoyed the resolution tester and being able to validate HTML and CSS locally. I think its great. The other tool that I recently discovered was Colloguy which is like an open chat room that you can ask questions. I have been keeping all PHP Wordpress HTML and CSS chat rooms open on Colloguy and whenever I get stopped I can just type the question and people are generally pretty quick to respond.

In addition to learning more about Wordpress coding and PHP I’ve been doing some basic design work that they would usually have contracted. I threw together a quick splash page for Brad Wenstrup to announce his run for Congress.

Altogether I’m learning a lot and having a great time. Can’t wait for the rest of the summer.