A learning experience.

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I think this year I might spend a lot of time learning stuff.

I have way too much time on my hands and until I find someone who will hire me despite my seemingly undesirable circumstances¹, I need to do something to keep sane. Two of the main stuff I’m trying to learn are:

PHP: I’m decent when it comes to PHP. I understand bits and pieces. I am by no means a PHP Ninja, and nor do I plan to strive to be one. But I would like to become more versed in it because I’d like to learn how to create my own CMS eventually. I’d say by the end of the year, but it’s most likely going to take a little longer thanks to my attention span. But it’s been a bit of an interest of mine.

Crocheting: My mom actually got me into this when I was younger. She tried to teach me the stitches and the like. Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to teach something like crocheting to a lefty when you yourself is a righty, which is a huge problem. I recently got back into it last year. I know how to do the chain stitch left-handed, but while someone else tried to teach me a more advanced stitch, it failed due to the teacher being right-handed. So I kinda neglected it again. Then after seeing a few knitting pieces, I thought that I should pick crocheting up again. I even joined Ravelry, so I want to put that account to use by the middle of the year.

The book has right-handed and left-handed points of view, so it should be easier this time around. Once I get this down, I might move on to knitting.

There are more things that I already know, but I want to do further.

1. Writing: Obviously, since Crestfallen is a bit of a writing portfolio, I need to expand further. My main project right now is Mirrored Worlds. I have several ideas for plays and other novels floating around in my head, but I want to focus on one project before I move on to the next, which is my biggest issue. I have a couple of plays I need to finish as well, so if nothing more, my year will consist of finishing them.
2. Graphics: I think I want to make a new layout for this site, but I got a lot of love for this one that I noticed something–there is no possible way I can top this. There’s a part of me who wants to experiment and make a rainbow themed layout (haha), but there’s also the part of me who says “don’t play yourself, bitch”. But one other thing I need to learn is pixeling. I’ve done one piece of pixel before of Shadow the Hedgehog, I don’t know where the hell it is. But that was oh…I don’t know…4 years ago? Yeah, and since I recently joined The Quilting Bee, my desire to want to learn how to make a pixel that doesn’t suck balls has reignited. This should be a fun project.
3. Other Side Web Projects: I did the 365 Photo Project last year pretty late actually, and I wouldn’t have finished until early June of this year. But I lacked the motivation to finish it. This year, I want to at least get to day 100. On top of that, I started my own 365 project using one line. So far, so good. I’m pretty excited for that one. A couple of people asked if they can do it as well. By all means, go right ahead! If you decide to do this as well, leave your link and I’ll link you over at mine. When it comes to web projects, I’m pretty good at maintaining, provided it’s not too ambitious. One of my ideas was a message board designed for bloggers and those interested in blogging. The only possible way I’d do this is if I had plenty of help doing it. I have too many small ones anyway. I still need something to do with the main Antihero domain, although I might just turn it into a collective, seeing as it’s slowly becoming one.

So there are plenty of things that I’m going to learn, or enhance my knowledge on. It should keep my brain on its non-existent toes, and my mental health well enough, since seasonal depression isn’t going away until March.

What do you think you want to learn this year?