(More) About the Webmaster

(More) About the Webmaster

So I am guessing that if you're reading this post...

then that means you're looking for more information about me, the webmaster of this place, right?

Did you already look at the brief blurb that I posted earlier HERE?

That little bit pretty much tells the essentials about me (that are relevant to this website anyways), but since you're looking for MORE information, here goes:

As my blurb stated, I'm something of an all-around creative grease monkey. You name it and I probably have dabbled (or do dabble) in it at least a little.

I'm really bad about talking about myself so I'll just post a series of Q and A questions that I have fielded over the years.

• Q: Do you really do all the things you say you do?

  • A: Yes, I do.

• Q: What is your favorite profession-related activity?

  • A: It depends on what projects I am handling.

    Some projects require me to rein in my creativity more while other projects allow me greater artistic freedom and interpretation. I tend to enjoy the most the projects that allow me to match my work to the requirements in my own way. Oftentimes, this means utilizing not just one skillset - eg: coding - but many. Being able to combine multiple aspects of my creativity to make a vision become a realized project and product is what gives me the greatest sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

• Q: How do you do it all?

  • A: Well, there's either tab A and slot B or tab A and tab A or slot B and slot B and you - oh wait. Wrong 'it'. Sorry.

    For article writing (unless we're talking status updates like Twitter), I tend to do a lot of research - online, books, magazine articles, videos, etc - so I can either present and argue a point as accurately and multi-faceted as possible and with as much backing support as possible.

    For creative writing, I also tend to do a lot of research as well. Even my most fantastical imaginings have some seeds of reality in them and I have realized that for myself as a writer, I MUST have at least a modicum of realism.

    For my traditional artwork, I typically use pencil and paper and most frequently, my most commonly used tools of trade are mechanical pencil (or pencil lead in a lead holder), kneaded eraser, and eraser stick. For ANY sort of artwork I do, I refuse to copy/trace or heavily reference and so any discrepancies in my artwork (problem with poses and perspective) can at times be quite apparent. However, to counter that, I have studied traditional figure drawing and so where I am not perfect in my depictions, I have a fairly stable grasp.

    For digital artwork - eg: for-web graphics, I do what most people do - utilize graphics programs - and supplement my digital artwork with my traditional artwork.

    For web design, I utilize several years of trial-and-error experience and many many many hours worth of research to design and build websites and webpages that are as cross browser compatible and accessible as possible. I code by hand and take different approaches to web design depending on project requirements. For this site in particular, for example, I took a minimalist approach for the sake of accessibility (easy to read the content, easy to load and easy for more browsers to load with minimal graphics to get in the way) and created a site that features a skeletal XHTML 1.0 Strict design styled mostly with CSS and minimally draped and adorned with a few choice graphics.

• Q: Would you consider yourself a pro?

  • A: Heck no!

    Especially in the realm of front-end web development stuff, everything I have learned I have learned on my own and on my own time and through my own trial-and-error experiences that were/are supplemented with research.

    Additionally, much of my time spent learning was during my days of treating front-end web development as a hobby only and so despite the length of my time spent working with X/HTML, scripting, and CSS, my actual 'professional' level time spent is a lot less.

    For those reasons and simply because I am NOT a pure programmer or a pure designer, I am not one of those people who's going to pump out a site like Amazon.com or make some really fantastic Flash websites.

    Since most people consider such sites to be of rock star caliber, I definitely don't and won't fit the bill - sorry!

• Q: What are your greatest challenges in your profession?

  • A: Trying to explain to newbies and people who are not in the know in my field the challenges that people like me face when tackling certain projects.

    It sounds like I'm being sarcastic, but it's truly a case of 'you wouldn't really know unless you've been there'.

    Also, in this day and age of outsourcing, I frequently get bids for projects from people expecting me to do my work at a way-below acceptable wage because people from overseas or out-of-country are willing to do the same work for that price.

    These two issues combined makes for some very frustrating conversations and I can't tell you how often I have the 'let me explain to you why you can hire Krishna from India at ABC price, but not me' talks.

    I'm not looking to gouge people out of their money, but COME ON, people! I need to make a living, too, and I didn't spend all my money, time, and energy furthering my education and knowledge and skills JUST to be paid minimum wage!

• Q: What other things spark your interest besides what you do for a living?

  • A: People who are reasonable and make sense.

    Besides that, I enjoy working out and hitting the gym, eating well ('well' means good food that is healthy!), and enjoying lots of peace and quiet when I can actually get it.

• Q: Anything else you'd like to share?

  • A: Not particularly!

• Q: You're a geek!

  • A: Uhmmm. Yes I am. Do you have a problem with that?

~ EMG

PS: If you're looking for more information other than what I posted above, you can try poking through my blog. I won't promise anything, but there might be a thing or two extra in there. ;)

PPS: HA! My nested lists validate!