UI/UX graduation was today.

UI/UX graduation was today. Our presentation went well.

If anyone is interested, here is the app prototype we made. You can click through; even the sign up has dummy info ready to go.

It's crazy how my teacher is neurodivergent and I got my Autism diagnosis during this project; I strongly feel that both things contributed majorly to making this into something special. My teacher had to reframe things for me so many times so I could grasp what I was supposed to be doing. Both she and my partner were so flexible with me.

Now I'm gonna go have a let-down migraine, because of course I am. 🫠 

But let me know what y'all think!

Link to Figma

I am tired to death.

I am tired to death.

Yesterday, I attended my online class, did some plant repotting, did my nails, and showered for the first time in at least a week. That was a lot.

Scar is still having diarrhea thanks to me accidentally giving him access to his dry food, but it's slowly getting better again. He still has a vet appointment for tomorrow. I'm anxious to find out what's going on.

Today is supposed to be my plant-watering day, but it's windy and dusty out. I'm not up for being exfoliated by the desert, so I'm just going to wait. Honestly, this is probably the worst weather we have here:  The dusty days. I'm not complaining. I'll take this over a tornado ANY time.

I decided that I needed another tray and another bucket to speed up my watering since I do bottom-watering. Shaun took me to Lowe's. I found a tray. I also got a pink bucket, which probably excited me more than it should have. 😂 I thought my only choice would be the standard Lowe's blue. I also found a Graptoveria on clearance that was on my wishlist, so yay for that $2.98 find.

I think I'm gonna try to nap now. If I do anything today, it'll probably be something indoors and low-key. I'm trying to do things I enjoy as well as self-care to get up some energy, but it's slow going. Burnout is really hard to come back from.

My battery has been low since last week.

My battery has been low since last week. No amount of rest feels like enough.

Scar (cat) is doing better regarding his IBD/diarrhea. No accidents in days. But he's so hungry that he wakes me up every few hours to eat.

Today, I didn't get out of bed until 3pm. And I'm about to go back.

All I managed to do today was repot some plants that weren't taking up water like they should. That's it.

I have UI/UX homework, but I'm too tired. Hopefully I can make it to class on time tomorrow, at least.

Hey friends! Happy Friday!

Hey friends!  Happy Friday!

Life Update:

I'm still sleeping a lot.  Like, 12-14 hours a day during the week.  I am so grateful that Shaun doesn't hate shopping/going to stores/doing the errands because I certainly do and they are such a drain.  Thankfully, it's not as big of a deal for him and he is handling all of that for us.  He's like "Since you're working..." and I'm like "Bruh, I am part-time at best at my official job, and barely even taking baby steps on getting my web design business off the ground or Polish ALL the Things! converted to a Native app."

Regardless, he says that I'm doing enough and I'm glad that he feels that way.  I've been a lot easier on myself since finding out that I have Autism, and I am grateful that Shaun understands and doesn't put any extra stress on me while I try to continue to recover from burnout.  He's never been anything but gentle and supportive of me, even before my diagnosis.  When I was pretty well incapacitated in 2014 he basically body-doubled my entire life to keep me going until I got help.  Part of that was depression, but looking back, it was probably partially due to a burnout phase, too.

I don't really have any idea what life will look like after May, when the UI/UX class I'm taking and the ServiceNow CSA class I'm teaching both end.  But I'm hoping that I will be more functional as a person and able to hold down more steady work, should I be so lucky to have it.

I do have a lot of items on my To Do list that I feel like have been holding me back from things I really want to do.  I feel like I've been stuck in "Waiting Mode", as in, "Waiting for things to be done before I can enjoy myself or take on more projects" for a few years, so that is unfortunate, especially since I was "shoulding" myself and putting pressure on myself to finish them, but since I've stopped with the pressure and just worked on things at a sustainable pace, they're finally (slowly but surely) getting done.  Nothing is checked off of my list yet, but there is progress, which is better than no progress, so I'm taking the win.

It's really not as satisfying to not binge and finish things super fast, but I've learned that that is dopamine seeking and I'm trying not to do that anymore (at least not in ways that end up being detrimental to my health).  So we'll see how that goes.  Maybe THIS will be the year that I finally get my shit together.  😂😂😂  (If you don't know:  I say this every year after I binge a project and make progress, only to burn out and accomplish nothing else.)

Anyway, Happy Weekend, friends!  ❤

I love my UI/UX teacher.

I love my UI/UX teacher. I had never tried so hard to quit a class in my life, but she's worked with me through burnout and the different way that my brain processes things. She gets it because she has autism, too, so she understands the struggles I'm having and is able to explain things to me in a way that I can understand. I really don't think I'd be making it through this class if I had any other teacher.

So I'm getting pretty comfortable in Figma, and we started on Illustrator tonight. I don't know if I'll ever be any sort of digital artist, but I can definitely make my own icons after tonight. That's pretty neat!

I have the nicest, most patient UI/UX teacher IN THE LAND...

I have the nicest, most patient UI/UX teacher IN THE LAND because I swear I'm out here MISunderstanding the assignments - repeatedly.

There is a process we're following, and the first step was deciding what to design, then to gather information. Got it, no problem, done. ✅ Now we're doing layouts.

Our homework was to do hand-drawn sketches of what the app might look like on a mobile phone. So I did the first sketch. They said it was a "rough" and it was fine if it was messy.

Tonight, they had me re-do it using a program and said I could type the words, so I did it. One of the instructors said the bottom was a little confusing, so I fixed it.  But you can tell it's hand-drawn because it's crooked. Second image - Done! ✅

My teacher met with me and did the third drawing in the same program. I thought I was supposed to keep it as hand-drawn as possible, so I didn't use the rectangles/squares tools. Okay, it definitely looks nice.

But... When we got off the chat, I was like "She just re-drew what I drew." And Shaun disagreed. And I'm like "THEY ARE THE SAME THING!" And Shaun was like "You don't literally mean that, do you?"

But like, yes?

And she did a few versions and was like "Maybe there's an image here or a video there." And I'm like "What image and what video? We didn't discuss that. We don't have that."

And it has been explained to me that I'm supposed to be making this stuff up out of my head. But literally, nobody told me that. And how do you know if the image will fit? Or the video? We don't have any of that already. I made the design based off the information I had.

I made the whole Polish ALL the Things! app without doing this process. I made the things I wanted and then arranged them like puzzle pieces. My navigation bar is alphabetized. Shaun said this class definitely isn't how I normally work (though my work turns out great), and also that it's weird that my navigation is alphabetical.

I know this is going to sound so crazy, but I don't think I've ever struggled so hard to understand what I was supposed to do. Shaun said that I'm thinking extremely literally, and my teacher agreed. She said she struggled with this before, too, so thankfully she is working with me. But I just feel like the biggest asshole, although I'm not being intentionally obstinate.

I had the 2nd part of my evaluation/assessment...

I had the 2nd part of my evaluation/assessment this morning. Now I'm waiting for my report, which I should have within 10 business days.

I immediately crashed after it was done. I'm just exhausted today. I don't know if it's because I'm eating like crap, fighting off crud, stress/overwhelm, or if that was a let-down/release to have it completed, or what. But I'm tired. And I'm about to have to attend a 3-hour class.

I am enjoying UI/UX, but I really hate the 4 hours on Saturday. It's from 9-1 and I have to wake up and that is just the biggest bummer. 😂

I am feeling rough right now.

I am feeling rough right now. I stayed through part of my UI/UX class, but I'm about to go to bed.

I feel feverish and tired. Blegh.

Check out this website...

Check out this website we took a look at in the UI/UX class I'm in.  It's, uh... it definitely makes a point.  😆🫠

Can you make it to the last screen?

I finished my first UI/UX class a few minutes ago.

I finished my first UI/UX class a few minutes ago.

I don't think I told y'all I signed up for another DeepDive, but I did. This one is 3 days/week until May.

I guess if I'm trying to have my own web design business, I will need to be good at design.

Today is a big day! I'm super excited!

Today is a big day! I'm super excited!

I had an interview for a position that I really want, and it seemed to go well.

I've been building a PWA that I've wanted to build for years - the DeepDive Bootcamp gave me the tools to make it happen. I'm so happy I could cry! If all goes as planned, I'll start beta testing on Friday.

And finally, I can't believe the support I've gotten from everyone at Central New Mexico Community College, CNM Ingenuity. I reached out to an advisor for help with registering a LLC, and he got on a call and walked me through it. I got this in my email today! BluPrint Designs is the name I'll be working under developing websites.

I can't believe the moves I'm making. I am so grateful for the support of everyone I've met at the CNM Web Development DeepDive Bootcamp. I'm doing things I've only ever dreamed of doing. I can't believe this is real life.

The support from CNM is unreal.

The support from CNM is unreal.

I just registered BluPrint Designs as a web/application development LLC.

I was so lost, but I reached out to one of the amazing advisors from the school, and we got on a call and he walked me through it.

I'm now just waiting to see if my business license is approved.

I'm planning to start beta testing my very first app on Friday. 🤞🏻

This all feels so unreal.

Cookies from yesterday.

Cookies from yesterday. Graduation was fun. 😊

I just woke up from a letdown migraine, because of course I did. 😂🫠

I just woke up from a letdown migraine, because of course I did. 😂🫠 I guess all of my great days have to find their balance. 😂😂😂

If anyone wants to see my Personal Website Project, here it is. I'm really proud how it turned out.  www.polishallthethings.com

I don't know if anyone is really interested in how it was built, but I used Flowbite components and styled it with Tailwind CSS. My Contact Form (for now) is made with EmailJS, but I do plan to switch over to React when I have time. There's also a lot I want to add, especially in regards to the Blog because I have years of nail content, but this is a great start.

I think it turned out pretty and fun. I love my semi-transparent menus and the gradient background. No, there is no store linked at this moment, but that's ok; everything is a work in progress. The last 10 weeks of the bootcamp were mainly focused on our capstone, so I wasn't able to prioritize this site.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

Tomorrow is my graduation...

Tomorrow is my graduation from the CNM Deep Dive Full-Stack Web Development program. It's been a fun 12 weeks and I've learned a ton.

If anyone wants to attend my presentation/graduation virtually, here is the Zoom link. I'll be presenting my personal website project, as well as our capstone web application.

Presentations start at 10; our team specifically will present at 11 Mountain Time/Noon Central.

https://cnm-edu.zoom.us/j/91677093789

I'm stressed. And sad. And tired.

I'm stressed. And sad. And tired.

I'm about to get some sleep.

This is the last week of the bootcamp. I think we're officially done coding on Wednesday, then we have Thursday to work on our presentations... which is kind of a big deal because there will be employers there.

I ate too much junk food because of my birthday and I've got the inflammation to prove it. Psoriasis on my face before this presentation? Sure, why not. I will try to eat clean this week and hope it helps.

I did some retail therapy at like, 3 this morning. We don't have extra money right now, but I bought myself two pairs of skates. I haven't skated in at least a year. 😬😭 I miss it and I dream about it all the time. But Bear doesn't like the sound, so doing it at home is out of the question. When I was working, I found it hard to get to the skate park. After I was laid off, it wasn't on my mind. But after I started this bootcamp, I really started craving an outlet and some alone time, so that's probably why I've been dreaming about it. I love to put on some earbuds and just ride my feet.

For what it's worth, I bought both pairs from ebay. They are barely used - seriously, the wheels aren't even dirty. 😳 I got them half off of retail, and one pair even comes with an extra set of wheels. 😳😳😳 They're both a larger size than my current outdoor Chaya Melrose skates, so hopefully they'll be more comfortable. One reason I stopped skating so much was because those skates made my feet go to sleep after a while, so that's probably not a good sign. 😂

I told Shaun today that I shopped, and he was like "Happy Birthday, I guess." 😂 He's so patient with me.

But also, I'm probably gonna sell my Chaya Melrose skates. They're in super great condition; I just feel strongly that they belong on smaller feet. I did measure my foot the way all of the videos said to before I bought them, but my feet are wide and the narrow toe box never loosened up enough. 🤷🏻

Anyway. I was just having a ramble to clear my mind so I can sleep.

Wish me luck. It's a big week.

❤️❤️❤️

We won 1st place at the App Contest!

We won 1st place at the App Contest! I'm so excited!

This is Denise's 2nd win this month - the first being the Hackathon!

I'm having a ramble. Don't mind me.

I'm having a ramble.  Don't mind me.

I had my appointment to check my hormones today.  The doctor is switching things up for me, so hopefully I'll feel more like myself soon.

This morning I was rushed between 2 appointments, and I am so embarrassed that I said this, but I did:  "I love you move out the way." as I was trying to leave the house.  I brushed past Shaun with that shit coming out in one breath and IMMEDIATELY felt awful.  He's such a good person and didn't deserve that and I feel so unlike myself lately that I can barely function.  I did apologize immediately, and he is not taking this personally (THANK GOODNESS), but DAMN.

I don't know how well I'm even hiding it outside of the house.  Last week, two guys were talking through a presentation I was trying to hear and after I gave them a couple of looks, I finally just turned around,  threw my arms open and said, "Seriously, guys.  There's a presentation right now."  I didn't say "Sorry", or "Excuse me", or anything to soften it.  (They did apologize and stop talking, and the presenter carried on.)  But anyone who knows me knows that was pretty out of character for me.  Normally, the most I'd have done is "Shhh!" without even looking at them and hope for the best.

There is also this that has been happening for a while:  I've lost about half of the thickness of my hair since August.  I'm not usually very bothered by cosmetic shit; I guess growing up as a teen with psoriasis on your face will break you from being too obsessed with looks.  I don't even think it looks super noticeable, but my freaking head is cold!  And I'm seriously so sick of finding hair in my butt crack.

I thought it might be from the weight loss / Semaglutide, but the doctor said that if my thyroid is low, that could be a cause, as well.  I'm having a lot of other symptoms of low thyroid again, so he's upping my meds, and my testosterone, as well.  I'm going off Estrogen and Progesterone for a month so we can do bloodwork and see what my cycle is up to, as well.  He wants to hear from me about how I'm feeling in a week or so, and I'm grateful for that.

I've lost 20 pounds since I started Semaglutide earlier this year.  I look and feel a lot better, but my body has changed in unexpected ways.  I really thought my boobs would deflate; I remember in high school wearing a Playtex "Nearly A" cup bra, which is a thing that existed.  I thought I'd return to flat; however, I have retained the boobage and I'm overflowing my 34DD bra.

At the same time, I still have a booty, but my jeggings were practically falling off me.  So while we don't have extra money and my unemployment has ended even though I don't have a job, I had to invest in some jeans.  It was getting ridiculous and I looked terrible.  I have found one pair of jeans that fit so far.  I have some Gap Curvy's on the way, so hopefully they'll fit, too.  I'm not trying to spend too much in case I lose a few more pounds, but I desperately needed something that fit, especially with me leaving the house for the Web Dev bootcamp.  It's one thing to work from home, but to be perceived knowing you look like crap... eh.  I didn't care for it.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now.  Class is keeping me busy and exhausted.  I'll talk more about that later.  For now, I'm gonna go eat and rest up.  ❤❤❤

It's been a big day!

It's been a big day!

I have my website published. Though it's not ready to be revealed publicly, it will be soon. I'm super excited and can't wait to show everyone. 😁

Another big win for the day is that the app we're building as our capstone project was submitted to a contest and we're one of the finalists! Gotta give a big shout out to Denise for doing all the work on the submission. She really went hard and hopefully it will pay off!

Also, SUPER CONGRATULATIONS 🎊 to Denise and Srilatha for winning the Hackathon over the weekend. I was supposed to be there and I hate that I wasn't able to show up, but they ended up on the winning team and I'm so proud of them! ❤️❤️❤️

My day got better.

My day got better.

I walked with a friend to a café and we talked about me possibly getting to help build a website. It was a super nerdy and fun chat.

When I headed home from the city, the radio was playing all the good songs (Pony by Ginuwine, Creep by TLC, Dear Mama by 2pac) and it was nice.

I almost made it home without using Maps.

I felt alive and connected this afternoon/evening.

Now I'm crashing out and going to bed. I'm so tired. But today was worth getting up for. I gotta remember that.

❤️