Member-only story
Reflecting on life, code, and growth
How I Finally Was Able To Measure My Growth As A Self-Taught Developer
Sometimes we have to look back to see forward.
Background
I have always done things differently, and my career in Software Development is no different. I hope you will bear with me for a moment while I lay out my backstory and just how much of a beginner I actually was.
I first started working with computers and programming when I was a sophomore in high school, way back in the olden days of 1998–99 in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Back then, I was a freelance web developer and hobbyist with a full-ride scholarship to a university, where I planned to pursue my computer science degree. Life happened, and I decided not to get my degree at that time. I continued to do freelance web work here and there over the next ten years and never really lost my passion for computer science.
Finally, after a decade of hobby work, my dreams to work in the software industry became a reality when, in 2010, while playing World of Warcraft, I met someone who would change my life forever if you’ve never heard…
