it's been really strange and really fun figuring out how to get this site working! admittedly i didn't build it myself from the ground up - petrapixel's template generator was a lifesaver for getting the framework, but i have managed to put a lot of customization into it beyond her work.
i had tried in the past to learn how to code in python or java, but it was a few too many pieces that weren't quite clear enough for me to understand how to put them together. i've dabbled in bits of html over the years - like adding a href's or img src's to my tumblr themes or bios, changing the height/width of images and such, but getting elbow-deep in w3 and trying to learn all the bits and pieces of HTML and CSS is somehow... not as overwhelming.
it feels a bit more cut and dry; you can create your pieces and define how they function, and i'm immensely grateful to the amount of documentation that exists on the internet, but even moreso to the people who are far more experienced than me who take the time to help me out! from learning javascript tabs to wrapping my head around flexboxes, it's been a trip so far, and i'm honestly really excited to see what else i can accomplish here.
the most oddly delightful part of it, when i first started, was reading through NFS' documentation/FAQ and learning that you can use FTP to upload files to your server. i know that it's not secure (and i really need to look into learning the proper and secure methods of file transfer) but it was a term i recognized thanks to my years working with game server hosting! it was like a stars-align moment when i realized i could use a program i already had installed for multiple purposes.
and honestly... this is nice. it's really pleasing to have my own little corner of the internet, my own little apartment, a space to decorate and customize to every measure i want, to add what i want, when i want, how i want. it gets overwhelming at times, and i do give myself headaches! it took me three days trying to figure out how to get the click-toggle working on my recommendations page! but it's so rewarding, and i'm incredibly proud of myself for managing to make this real.
i just hope i can bring something interesting to the table; in my internet explorations, i came across mouseling's site, where they have an entry named Hyper Text Muck-up Language. there's a small section here where they mention a 'pet peeve' being a site full of endless information about the webmaster; as it stands, i feel like my website is kind of guilty of that! i've tried to mitigate it a bit by redacting the interests page and letting the recommendations substitute, both as a display of what i like and hopefully to bring something interesting to whoever comes to visit!
that aside, i am hoping to fill out their 100 questions for webmasters sometime soon! it's a very lengthy and indulgent questionnare, and admittedly, my favorite topic is myself...