Alright, some explanation is needed first. Many years ago, I was listening to a podcast where the guest said something along the lines of
Version 1.0 does not want to be born.
I have tried looking for the original quote but I cannot find it. Which is driving me mildly insane. However, its sentiment can still be explained. It refers to the difficulty of turning an idea into a tangible product. One that may never leave your hands. It’s almost like it didn’t want to be born.
This “blog” is that baby. It was an idea for a long time, but only now have I gone through the difficult labour of birthing it.
Who am I?
My full name is Mitchell James Duncan. I am currently 29 years old and live in New Zealand. I work as a software developer / engineer / coder / programmer / employee for a SaaS company.
I started my software career in game development before switching to web development. The reason for this and my general career history I am saving for another article.
Outside of work, my time is generally divided between the following activities:
- crossfit
- photography
- videography
- drinking coffee
- developing apps with Unity
- watching any video I can on aliens
- playing the occasional video game
- being a good partner to my girlfriend
I also enjoy coming up with metaphors. It’s a way for me to make sense of the world. You may have noticed one already in this article.
Why am I starting a blog?
Umm, there are a few reasons. Some I’m still discovering (or making up?).
The initial reason was to make a site dedicated to software development. I would write articles about software architecture and solving specific programming issues. These articles would act as a form of cleaned up notes that I can refer back to later on. These are things I still wish to write about. But…
There is an opportunity to get other things out of my head. Ya’know, those things you keep to yourself but wish you could force every single person to stop, sit down and listen to you about. A chance to highlight things that are important to me and that MUST BECOME IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE ELSE (sarcasm).
My idea to start my own blog has not been without inspiration too. There have been two blogs that have really impacted me and my choice to start my own.
The first is ajatt.com. A site about alternative ways to learn other (human) languages, beyond the mainstream schooling approach. Besides the great informative content on the site, I really enjoy the conversation style of writing. I may have spent more hours reading articles on this site than actually studying another language. I hope to engage people in the same way that I was here.
The second is taniarascia.com. A site providing how-to articles on web development. How Tania can convey technical information within an easily readable format really impressed me. The clean and minimalist design of the site is something I aspire to as well. You may notice my site looks eerily similar. It’s not a mistake. It was by reading her articles I was able to build this site.
This is all a long way of saying, I’m starting this blog because I want to share my thoughts in an intelligible way. (and because I’m awkward as fuck on camera, yeah I tried…)
What will I write about?
Beyond software development, my plans do get a little loose. Some of the other things I am considering writing about are:
- learning (human) languages
- game development
- app development
- alien contact
- travel
- life
This concludes my first post. A short one to cut the umbilical cord and see what happens. If you got this far, I want to say thank you for giving me your attention! More will come of this site as my life continues.
Disclaimer: All mistakes in this blog are intended and are not subject to change. Maybe.