I guess I have some catching up to do here!

I was a little too busy to post here yesterday, so now it's time to do a little catching up.

First off, I didn't get to dive in to Chapter Four of Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML like I wanted to. I got a little tied up in some paperwork, and after that I did some serious thinking about where I really want to go with my life and career.

Someone once told me that there are three ways of looking at work. Work can either be a job, a career, or a calling. When I combine this view of work, with the concept of finding ones purpose as described in Jack Canfield's book "The Success Principles" (which I am reading on the side), I began to map out a strategy about find work that I will really enjoy doing.

I wrote down five things that I find I love doing and give me a sense of purpose, and they are:

1) I love learning and discovering, especially if science is involved.
2) I love organizing and presenting data.
3) I love communicating what I have found to people.
4) I love technology, and using technology to help others.
5) I enjoy helping other, and I feel lost when I am not allowed to help others.

Given these five things that I love doing, I truly belive my calling or purpose if you will, is writing or presenting scientific information to the public in a manner that will be both enjoyable and useful for them, and doing so via a technology such as the internet. Basically a science blogger or writer.

Now pursuing this calling will not imeadiately put food on the table or keep a roof over my head, so here my long term plan.

1) Find a job in software or systems testing that hopefully will involve working with web development to some degree. Something along the lines of testing web applications for embedded systems is my best bet.
2) Use the job to eventually move into a career in web development, quite possibly developing web based applications for embedded systems.
3) While pursuing the job and career, I will continue to learn evrything I can about the field of web development and hone my writing skills for the content side of things. If I follow this path I know I will reach my goal as a science writer (my purpose/calling).

Now from all my conversations with writers that I know, I know that I shouldn't give up my day job, and to be honest, my writing will most likely be something that I will do on the side for quite a long time. I may never get a chance to do it full time until I retire, but this is the path I feel is right for me, and I am going to follow it as best I can. There will be some detours, and delays, but in the end I am going to reach my goal.

So now I am done with the the philosophical rant for the day. I need to do some serious cleaning and organizing around the place, plus I have to dive into Chapter Four and keep the momentum going.

I will post later today if I have the time.

Cheers! ~ Jim