It’s that time of year again; the time of the year when the year ends. Sure, I could reflect on it, like I did for 2014. But, ehh, I’ve done that in years-passed. This time, I’d like to rate it. You know, like a review. Like an Amazon review or something. And I like writing reviews.
Politically, it was terrible
America was given a choice between sticking its dick in a blender or a garbage disposal—and somehow people are so shocked that we’re screwed.
Personally, it was kinda ok
My wife and I have entered the third year of our adoption. The first year is fun an exciting, the second year is a little drawn out.
The third year has you looking at unattended children in the grocery store with felonious intent.
Blogging wise, it was slow
I wrote ten blog posts, and seven were about Tridion. I also answered about 100 questions on Quora, one of which directly about Tridion, and another that just looks like a shameless promotion for it.
I like to write, but writing is hard. The question-and-answer format of Quora makes it easy to write because it sets the topic for me. I think maybe I’ll try a Q & A format for writing in 2017. I don’t think the “list format” of 2016 worked out too well for me.
Professionally, it was fun
I’d like to think I levelled up my JavaScript skills a bit. I built a full-stack JavaScript app this year: MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js. Which means I managed to shove small parts of React into my brain, which was unpleasant.
I was honored to earn the SDL MVP award for a third time in 2016. It’s ridiculous that I got to spend a few days in a convent on the side of a mountain in Portugal for mostly just writing on some silly thoughts about code and a content management system. Really.
I can’t imagine wanting to work with any other CMS. The Tridion community is amazing.
If I’d ever get off of my butt, I’d get DXA properly running in Gulp and Sass. It’d just take me a few days, but man, those days are hard to run by.
Adventures were amazing
When SDL invited me out to Portugal, my wife and I decided to take advantage. So she flew out at the end of the retreat. And then we tore it up in the Iberrian Peninsula. Lisbon, Porto, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Madrid, Barcelona, Andorra, France…it was awesome. In three weeks we went to four countries, including a little-tiny-baby-country (Andorra).
Portugal is like a more ancient Texas. Portugal has the landscape of a more ancient homeland; one that I dream about late at night.
It has been a dream since I was 14 to visit Spain, and I finally got to. Spain was more than I ever could have anticipated. If we could ever get a family started, we just might move to Spain. Or maybe Portugal. it’s a tough call.
What about 2017?
- Maybe I’ll finish writing this damned book I’ve been working on for three years.
- Maybe I’ll develop another web app. Something cooler than an employee management app.
- Maybe I’ll go to a JavaScript conference
- Maybe, just maybe, this will be the year that my family grows
We’ll see.