oh, hello there.

intro

tl;dr - i'm a #queer, #pagan, #autistic programmer from my beloved NJ. i write #fiction & #essays, play #videogames & #read. i like #tea, #comicbooks, #oldtech & #music. i'm older than most of you.

most of my posts are self-indulgent ramblings about stuff that passes through my head and grumblings about technology. ymmv.

my alt is https://icosahedron.website/@pixelpaperyarn which i use for various writing talk and announcements.

my hub for finding me and my projects is https://paladin.space/

i enjoy showing my learning process, hopefully demystifying how the tech industry works. i chat about the ideas i have that i don't have time to manifest.

i'm a neutral good paladin and i am friends with chaos. systems have their uses, but my moral code will always take precedence.

i believe in kindness and do my best to help when i can.

#introductions #reintroductions

projects

i do a LOT of things, many of which are meant to be helpful to others and some just because i love doing them.

i run http://lunastationquarterly.com, a speculative lit mag for women-identified authors.

i run https://selfcare.tech & its bots for those that need self care resources.

i've designed 2 different card decks, have a newsletter i send out semi-monthly, and keep various trello boards full of curricula i design for myself.

details on all this stuff (and honestly much more!) are here:

http://pixelpaperyarn.rocks/projects/

support

and you can support all that work here:
• ko_fi: https://ko-fi.com/pixelpaperyarn
• buymeacoffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pixelpaperyarn
• patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jenniferparsons
• github: https://github.com/sponsors/jenniferlynparsons

you can also find my books and card decks here:
• itch.io: https://pixelpaperyarn.itch.io/
• gumroad: https://gumroad.com/lunastationpress?sort=page_layout&tags=jennifer%20lyn%20parsons
• amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Lyn-Parsons/e/B008A5Z8YA

I’m unabashedly proud of something I’ve made. “Take On Me” is the best thing I’ve ever written.

It’s a story about love, grief, food, music, and the people who accept you exactly as you are.

And now it’s not just mine anymore, it’s yours, too.

https://takeonme.xyz/

👋 hey all.

i'm quiet lately. just trying to get work done and job search and all that.

my brain wants to work on side projects and do some writing. resisting that during work hours is difficult so i've started using an app blocker to keep myself in check.

which means i'm not around as much. sorry!

i'm hoping to carve some time out to work on side project things soon and i'll be updating about that. i really wanted to do Hacktoberfest again (this would be my 5th year!) but it looks like it's just not happening unless i make a bunch of personal project PRs and that just feels disingenuous even though my projects help other devs.

anyway! hope you all are well. :D

wow. the project i worked on for the last year went live apparently. it's nice to know it's being used.

today i got my JS testing resource board ready for you all. i hope it helps you better understand software testing in general, too.

https://trello.com/b/mMIFKy3A/testing

this job search has been interesting so far. mostly just your normal search, but the last couple interviews i've ended up chatting with people about the pandemic and how it's effecting everyone personally and at the company level.

it's this whole other layer that's been added to the process. in some ways, it's humanized things more, which is a positive.

also, i might be wrong, but it feels like i can see how tired everyone is.

i'm starting to poke around at coffee alternatives. i love my tea, but sometimes i like something a little deeper/richer.

i mostly drink decaf when it comes to coffee, but that changes it. so i'm trying stuff that's just completely other.

it's led me to Teeccino, which is great. and i just heard about Crio Bru, which is cacao that brews like coffee. of course there's old-fashion Postum, too.

this kinda reminds me of when i went vegetarian all those years ago and suddenly realized there was a whole world of food out there i had never considered before.

question i'm asking myself today:

is this difficult in a way that i'm enjoying being challenged or difficult in a way that is out of step with what i want to do with my life?

woke up this morning thinking about my place in the tech world. i realized i've been trying to shoehorn myself into roles that don't play to my strengths and passions.

i do some specialized work in my side projects. focusing on things like accessibility, good user experiences, and the lean web principles puts me in a position that doesn't align with a lot of jobs out there.

i can choose between trying to do all the Project Euler exercises or i can be really damn good at flexbox and aria, etc. there aren't enough hours in the day to do both.

i just have to keep looking for a job that challenges me to be better at what i'm passionate about.

pairing with my manager in a moment but at some point i'll come back here and do some public woolgathering about the Lean Web and modern frameworks and what one developer can actually do about the mess that is the web platform.

job search update:

because the universe decided to send me on a roller coaster today, i had an AWESOME interview just an hour after a big rejection.

and so the cycle begins again.

got a biiiig rejection this morning and i’m gutted. somehow have to pull myself together for an interview in less than an hour.

my brain is being a drama queen right now and there’s part of me that’s considering downplaying my experience and lying about how long i’ve been in the industry (10+ yrs) because it seems to be hurting me more than helping.

i’ve not had a traditional career path and i’ve not had a traditional education and i feel like people are expecting something from me that i’m not.

i’m not sure where the mismatch is happening, but of course i’m blaming myself. whether that’s right or wrong i have no idea. hello imposter syndrome my old friend.

right now curling into a ball and watching GBBO all day sounds about right but i CAN’T. i have to be strong for the two interviews i have today. and i’m grateful for them. i just feel emotionally unprepared.

this is your occasional reminder that Medium has eroded the publicly available knowledge base of modern programming information and perspectives.

devs don't know that dev.to exists and google killed RSS and so this is the wreckage we're left with.

i've got a migraine and it's meeting day except i've had excedrin and half my meetings were cancelled or moved. which means:

I'M OPEN TO QUESTIONS ABOUT WEB DEV TODAY!

anyone out there have questions about how the frontend works and what i do as a senior-ish engineer? ask and i'll try to answer them or at least point you at VERY good resources to learn more!

#webdev #programming

you know... i've been researching rpgs, especially stuff that can be played solo.

there are a LOT of games based on "The Wretched", forming a whole "Wretched & Alone" genre on Itch.

what i really want to do is develop something similar, but COZY. "Peace & Solitude" or something like that.

i'm all over the place today. work, interview, errands, now work again.

with a laundry list of stuff i want/need to do. it's just too much.

on my walk this morning i realized that even more than having paid vacation time, i'm really looking forward to being salaried again.

like, vacation is cool and all but it will significantly improve my day to day life to not have to watch my hours like a hawk.