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CSS { In Actual Life }


As is custom, it’s time to perform a little round-up of the previous yr!

Work

On the finish of 2021 I began a brand new job as Senior Entrance Finish Developer at Ada Mode, an information science and AI firm working within the renewable vitality sector. It’s been an incredible yr for the corporate, as we’ve taken on a bunch of thrilling initiatives and continued to make a reputation for ourselves. The yr has been stuffed with fascinating challenges and studying alternatives for me personally, working with Vue and D3.js specifically, (and AWS, which has been much less enjoyable 😅) and it’s been a pleasure to work with the pleasant and educated staff. I’m trying ahead to the corporate persevering with to develop in 2023 as we rent new builders and start initiatives spanning sustainable agriculture, wind vitality, nuclear decommissioning, solar energy and extra.

Writing

I’ve continued to dedicate at some point every week to writing, talking and private initiatives in 2022. This consists of writing a complete of seven articles for different publications (Smashing Journal, Codrops and Google’s Internet.dev), in addition to averaging two articles per thirty days on this weblog. Certainly one of my hottest articles this yr was Side Ratio is Nice, all concerning the CSS aspect-ratio property. It all the time surprises me that what I take into account the only articles usually find yourself being the preferred! aspect-ratio already appears like outdated information now, a sign of how far CSS format has are available 2022 (extra on that later).

I don’t really feel I’m writing fairly sufficient for purchasers in comparison with what I aimed for once I lowered my working hours at my “primary” job in 2021. Again then I optimistically thought I’d write a paid article per week. It positively hasn’t labored out that means, as in actuality the writing course of takes longer once I’m writing for another person. Additionally lots of that writing time has been taken up with different essential issues, similar to convention discuss prep, unpaid work (like this weblog) and childcare. On steadiness, I’m okay with that for now.

This yr I’ve begun to put in writing extra about local weather motion in tech. The local weather disaster is one thing we can’t afford to disregard, no matter trade we work in, and the way in which I see it, these of us working within the tech trade have extra energy than most to do one thing about it and be an affect for good. Whereas some would possibly see it as a departure from the unique focus of this weblog, I imagine it’s intrinsically linked, and there’s a lot that entrance finish builders can do to minimise our environmental impression and be a drive for good. So don’t count on me to dial down on it in 2023.

This weblog

Whereas I don’t have any main plans to vary the route of writing on this weblog, my fingers have been itching for a redesign for a short while. I’d wish to implement an improved system of categorisation, to assist with publishing fast notes in addition to longer articles. That is partly spurred on by the collapse of Twitter, the place I might usually share fast ideas and ideas. Like many others, I’m realising the advantage of proudly owning your personal content material, by yourself nook of the net.

I’m additionally contemplating utilizing Astro to construct the following iteration of this web site. I’ve managed to seek out time to mess around with it a bit of bit in 2022, and I’m critically impressed. As a lot as I get pleasure from utilizing Eleventy, Astro allows you to construct a weblog with completely minimal configuration, integrates properly with a complete host of various instruments, and the docs are nice too.

Talking

I spoke at three in-person occasions and one on-line occasion in 2022, which is just about essentially the most I’d need to do in any given yr. The spotlight was talking at CSS Day in Amsterdam, the place I acquired to fulfill and communicate alongside some extremely gifted individuals (and private heroes). It was most likely essentially the most nervous I’ve ever felt talking at a convention, however the organisers, audio system and attendees had been all fantastic and supportive, and it was an unimaginable expertise.

Later within the yr I had the privilege of travelling to Freiburg to talk at my first in-person Smashing Convention. Regardless of a reasonably traumatic journey (my practice acquired caught for 8 hours!), it was a pleasure to go to the town and be a part of the convention, run by a stunning staff. I might like to spend extra time in Freiburg on one other event.

I principally spoke about CSS format this yr, however in early 2022 I used to be invited to talk at Toronto Internet Efficiency Meetup (on-line) for his or her particular version specializing in low-carbon net improvement. This was my first time talking about one thing apart from CSS, and I acquired to talk alongside Fershad Irani and Jon Arne S, who’re each energetic members of the local weather motion tech neighborhood. Though I felt like a novice as compared, I needed to remind myself that talking a few matter as somebody comparatively new to the topic is simply as legitimate, and might convey a unique perspective in comparison with these with extra expertise. (In case you ever really feel such as you’re not certified to speak about one thing, remind your self of this!).

I have already got a few talking gigs lined up for 2023, together with Past Tellerand, which I’m tremendous enthusiastic about.

CSS

2022 was a bumper yr for CSS! I’ve been principally targeted on CSS format, the place we’ve seen long-awaited options like container queries and container items, each game-changers for CSS. The :has() pseudo-class is one other thrilling characteristic with big potential to vary how we write CSS. Cascade layers are one thing I began 2022 with out giving a lot thought to, however have ended up feeling very passionate about.

It stunned me that Chrome has completed the yr means behind on its subgrid implementation in comparison with different browsers, however hopefully we’ll see extra widespread assist in 2023.

It’s nice to see browsers working collectively to implement CSS options interoperably, with the launch of Interop 2022. Though 2022 has been an distinctive yr for CSS options, hopefully we’ll see this type of collaboration proceed.

Private targets and achievements

I ended final yr with the purpose of discovering time to be extra playful and artistic with CSS once more. This hasn’t precisely labored out persistently, however there have been alternatives right here and there to mess around with new CSS options and make demos whereas engaged on talks and articles. In December I additionally constructed a bit of software for making CSS pixel artwork, which is one in every of my extra artistic initiatives this yr. It’s good to finish the yr on a excessive with that.

One purpose for having much less time for artistic CSS initiatives was attributable to pivoting my focus considerably. By means of the ClimateAction.Tech neighborhood I’ve change into concerned with voluntary work round local weather motion and net sustainability. I’m a part of the W3C Sustainable Internet Design Neighborhood Group, the place we’re aiming to supply a set of tips and assets to help builders in constructing sustainable web sites. I additionally began performing some voluntary net improvement work for a local weather activist organisation. It’s been a pleasant solution to maintain my hand in constructing conventional web sites, as a substitute for the net apps I primarily construct for work.

I’m happy that I used to be profitable in my purpose of sustaining a wholesome work-life steadiness, and saying “no” to the issues I don’t have the vitality for, even when it meant making some robust selections. After working onerous for years (together with spending lots of my free time honing my expertise), this yr I felt like I might lastly take my foot off the fuel, go searching and respect the place my onerous work has acquired me. It’s the primary time I haven’t had a transparent thought of what the following profession purpose is, and I believe that’s okay. An important factor for me is proceed to do work that’s significant and has a optimistic impression, spend time with my household, and have time for my hobbies away from the display screen. I plan to do extra drumming, studying and train in 2023!

Glad New Yr to you and your family members, wherever you might be.



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