My Dharma

For the first time in my life, I’m at my very own place; a place where I can look back and actually remember where I was before. I can see two steps ahead of where I’m going. I’m no longer blinded – crippled – by the survival game anymore… I knew what I was fighting for was worth it, and it continues to be.

I kept telling myself you existed, even when the idea of you seemed hopeless. I would dream about you – about what you would be like. I dreamed of all the conversations you’d share, the obstacles you’d shake, of all the babies you’d bear, and all the breaths you would take. I’d lay there inside of myself and think of all the people you’d love, the flowers you’d show, of all the granite you’d polish, and the silver hairs you’d grow… and all of the stories you could leave behind. I sure talked up a big story about you to myself, and I believed that one day you would be mine. One day, when I was finally too sick of losing hope to lose hope again, I surrounded myself with all of my favorite things about you and I focused my intentions like never before on drawing you near.

I did a lot of looking around, and I didn’t give up, maybe because I heard you were close… And you didn’t let me down. I’ve finally met you, and.. you feel so good all around me. Just like I imagined you, dancing and singing and polishing your granite. You’re real! There’s some things about you that I didn’t imagine… and I love you just the way you are. I’m allowed to play all the messy games with you, the ones that are hard to play. I know you’re sticking around for the long haul, because, well, I suppose you were never all that far away…

If I’m not to walk this Earth for another day, I know I did what I came here to do because I found you. It is surely the most difficult path I could have chosen. A path that has taken the most sacrifices and has demanded my highest ability to let go… But I wouldn’t give you up for anything, so I continue on this wonderfully fucked up, heart opening, colorful, and most fulfilling path.

Everywhere I look I see you now, even yesterday and all the days before – I see you then. You are so many things, what will you be tomorrow? After all, you are just lil’ ol’ me.

Keep Learning or Get Out of the Way!

Recently I was presented with a situation that caused me to step back and look at my approach as a web developer. While conducting my research for a personal side project* I was accused (by a friend) of being a novice because of my exploratory nature and honesty about time constraints in the beginning stages. After taking this opinion into consideration (and after being well pissed off for about 30 seconds!) I decided to re-evaluate my current approach for a quick moment. Could it be that I’m still an amoeba? Honestly, I don’t think so. My approach continues to serve me and all of my endeavors very well. The great thing about the above mentioned situation is that it caused me to explore what makes me successful in this industry. It’s really one basic quality.

I’m a constant learner.

There is No Excuse for Not Learning HTML5!

So I’ve been wondering what all this talk about “we don’t have to learn HTML5 for another 10 years” is really all about, and upon finding out that it won’t be ‘finalized’ until 2022 (chuckle) my question was answered. FACT: HTML5 is ready; it’s just not finalized yet. When has this ever been an excuse to not learn a new markup?

Check out these two exemplary HTML5 sites to the left… Nice, huh? Remember that these sites are making use of other techniques, such as CSS3 and Jquery. HTML5 is just a new markup, not a bunch of scripting you need to learn, making is simple and easy. Heck, it even makes a ton more sense than it used to!