The second 13things article is now published. Zach Young gives a great explanation as to the uses and mis-uses of an often neglected html element. You should go check it out.
You can also follow @13things on twitter to get updates about new articles and new developments on the site.
Well where do I start?
I guess it started back in March of 2008 when I attended An Event Apart New Orleans. Jason Santa Maria gave an excellent talk about web design or rather a talk about how current web design all looks the same in the form of blogs and content management systems. The example he used that stuck in my head was that of Wired Magazine. In their print publication they have very captivating designs but when the article is taken online it loses its design and just becomes another article. This actually inspired me in two ways. The first was to learn more about design (as my background is in development) and the other was to create a website that was essentially what Wired was to print. With my lack of design skills and time, I filed it away almost to the point of being forgotten. Seeing as how 2008 was a very busy year for me it should come as no surprise.
In late October of 2008, after I had gotten settled here in Denver, I wanted to build a website. I played around with a few ideas and then remembered that 24ways would be starting up soon. 24ways is an awesome website run by Drew McLellan and Brian Suda that only publishes articles during advent. This gave me the idea to create a website that had a restricted publishing schedule.
In the end I settled on building a site that published articles in a very set fashion, highlighting various parts of website development each with a unique design reflecting the content. 13 articles a year once a month with a yearly review.
Well… after much work, it happened. The first article of 13things is now published.
In the past I’ve made resolution and never kept them. But then who really does keep them? They always seem to get forgotten or something happens and they get pushed aside. Well I don’t like them. I prefer goals. Goals have plans. I like plans. So here are a few of my goals for 2009.
I don’t think I’ve written much, if anything at all, about this project. 13things has roots in a talk given by Jason Santa Maria at An Event Apart in New Orleans. I won’t get into much detail but I hope to launch on the 13th of January 2009.
I don’t think I write enough and then I don’t think it is always at its best. There I go thinking again… While this is a goal I’m not entirely sure how to measure success for it. Feeling better about my writing? Maybe.
I like creating things. Recently I’ve made a few things to use twitter. But I want to create some more things. I don’t have any current ideas but I’m sure they will come to me.
When I lived in Norfolk, Virginia I knew a lot of people, since I have moved to Denver my professional network has changed. I have kept in touch with folks in Norfolk but it’s different now because I’m not a local. Refresh Denver looks like a great group and I plan on getting more involved with them soon.
