Here are my resolutions for the new year. It isn't a long list so I have some chance of achieving my goals but I reserve the right to pretend like I never wrote this post approximately five minutes after posting it.
- Be a Better Dad and Husband. To be clear, I don't think I'm a bad dad or husband. I think I'm pretty good. But I also think reminding myself what my number one priority is can't hurt. Everything else below is secondary to this.
- Write Three Stories. Like most avid readers, I took a stab at creative writing in high school and college. What I produced wasn't worth discussing. But for over a year now I've been kicking around a few ideas and I'd like to make some time this year to put them down to paper. I've got two ideas now so I figure setting my resolution to three gives me some incentive to really give this a shot. I'll probably produce crap but I'll be happy to get the stories written down and out of my already too noisy head.
- Give Hangouts on Air a Chance. Last year I did multiple presentations online with Adobe Connect. Connect is really good for presentations. A buddy of mine has suggested, multiple times, that I try Google's Hangouts on Air feature. I like Hangouts, but I'm not convinced they are appropriate for presentations. The biggest issue I see is handling questions. I've had folks say that you can use the comments on YouTube or Twitter, but that seems pretty lame to me. As a presenter, I don't want to be reloading YouTube or watching a Twitter search column. Despite that - I want to give it a shot. In general, I think online presentations can work very well. They aren't as good as being there in person, but I probably interacted with as many people online as I did in person last year. If I can run an hour long session at lunch on Friday for 50 people and no cost, I think that is a big win.
- Kiss and Make Up with Angular. I really liked Angular when it first came out. But then it hit 1.0 and it just pissed me off. I didn't like any of the changes. I decided Backbone was my thing and I was happy with it (although I didn't get many opportunities to use it), but after seeing my coworkers have success with Angular and PhoneGap, I think it is time to bite the bullet and really give it a shot again.
I think that's it. As I said, not a long list, but hopefully one I can actually achieve. I hope everyone has a great 2014!
Photo Credit: Chris Phutully
Archived Comments
Scrivener. Give it a try and you can find coupons (especially around November). My goal this year is to kick out a fan fiction story.
And hangouts - I find it extremely confusing, especially with the constant zooming in and out to switch between those talking (not to mention that this makes me seasick as well). Its hard when I'm trying to lipread someone and then the camera shifts over while the person I'm trying to understand is still talking.
Lola, I never even though about the deaf. Of course, I don't display my face in these things so I assume you probably do *not* attend my normal online presos (although I've done some that are mostly text).
"If I can run an hour long session at lunch on Friday..."
That would be great! I've become a lone wolf in my programming.