What Kat Did
For years I worked in accounting. I enjoyed it immensely from my first position to the last. I always viewed my work as a giant puzzle, where I make all the pieces fit. Not to toot my own horn, but I have been told by a few bosses, that I’m good at it. I solve problems they didn’t even know they had. I fixed things before they became a problem. The books neat, timely, and my actions documented.
It started so Innocently
The “internet” became a “hobby” around Y2K. WebTV at first, it was like being in a giant 24/7 library with a coffee lounge and a mall inside. In the evenings, after my kid went to bed, I would surf, chat, learning new things, meeting new people*. I learned to make a simple webpage, and I wanted to learn more, it was like Pandoras Box… Only filled with creative energy and sparkly backgrounds…
Soon, WebTV wasn’t enough, and I got my very first personal computer. 2bit screen. Dial Up. Under the mentorship of a friend*, I learned how to build and manage a website using “Xoops”. We had a lot of fun figuring out how to make it do what we wanted it to do, look like we wanted it to. Before I knew it, I had installed an ftp program, bought a domain, and started playing with the databases.
Eventually, I moved on to the harder stuff. Integrating phpBB plugins, spending my nights perusing php.net, and developer message boards, trying out bootleg scripts from anonymous websites.
I thought I could control it. A HTML page here, a PHPbb message board there. Some Xoops sites. Zen-Cart? Sure. Just a couple of Drupal sites. OK maybe it was more than just a couple.
There I was,Taking online courses in java script, OOP. Reading about SEO, Building webpages, websites for money, as well as for free. Installing XAMPP. Using SSH… Instead of haunting the dev forums, I was hitting up ELance, UpWork, Volunteering. I didn’t care, I just wanted to make websites.
Sure, I still loved accounting, but when the economy tanked, especially after 2009, it was hard. So while, that was happening it only pushed me deeper into it.
The Move
While I enjoyed the development and designing of the sites as a freelancer, the marketing and administrative side that is necessary part of being on your own, I did not enjoy so much. Then, I moved to a new state in 2018. When that turned out more expensive than I had anticipated, I decided to return to accounting and a steady paycheck, with benefits.
I guess I’m Old now
I retired from accounting, last year, and frankly, I’m a bit bored. I’ve been thinking that I would like to return to doing something part time, as a part of a team, rather than as an individual endeavor.
Current Events
I have kept my toes in the development wading pool by taking courses. Last year, I decided to enroll in a Google Data Analyst Certificate course because, well it caught my eye, and I wanted to learn R. And soon my Capstone Project will be a part of my portfolio, just as soon as I get the bikes out of the lake.
And that brings you up to date.
