Then and now.

I have grown in these past few months. Everything I see and everything I do has a whole new meaning. I find myself talking to strangers about the unique characteristics of letters and how important they are. A lot of times I just get a blank look on someones face when I try to explain the difference between a serif and a sans-serif font, but they still politely pretend to listen to me go on and on about the subject. I had no idea that type would be some much fun. Funny thing is we never stop to think about the time and effort people put into making sure we all have an enjoyable reading experience. For the better part of my life I dreamed of becoming a professional musician, but now it would be just as rewarding to me to start a career at a local newspaper.

I also enjoy on-line PC MMO's. I never understood until recently what I was typing when creating specific macros for the program. All along I had been writing a form of HTML code. I started chatting about it to fellow guildies on-line. I received a great response from several of them wanting to know more about code and how to write it. It sparked a weekly discussion on Saturday evenings where we all meet up and talk about the different ways to create add-ons for the MMO.

This past weekend my wife and I decided to go out to dinner. We ended up at a Japanese Steak House in Lakeland due to our normal spot was closed for remodeling in Winter Haven. I sparked a conversation with our waiter about Graphic Design. He wanted to know exactly what I was learning in school. We talked about everything I have learned so far from photo editing to SEO. He seemed more interested than most, so this really got me going on the subject. Before we left the restaurant our waiter Ron stopped me and gave me a flyer. He then begins to tell me of the company he and his twin brother Rob started and they were looking for someone to create an Identity for the company and help optimize their website. This was a chance meeting with a total stranger that led me to my first "freelance" job. We are meeting later this week to discuss what needs to be done.

The point to my ramblings is this. I have found something very important. I have found happiness and the light at the end of the tunnel. I have found a way to incorporate all of my loves and hobbies into something productive, meaningful and useful. All the time I spent obsessing over technology, music, and art has actually paid off.