I’ve held off publishing a “12 months in assessment” submit till now as a result of, to be trustworthy, in the direction of the top of final 12 months I wasn’t feeling too optimistic concerning the state of the net. Usually I like to finish the 12 months with a (principally) upbeat reflection on my experiences, and on new developments in CSS. However for the primary time, I really feel a way of trepidation for my chosen occupation, and the business as a complete. It appears each week the headlines are full of new ways in which corporations are utilizing AI to take advantage of employees and fill the net with soulless advertising soup. Moreover, I’ve seen a number of buddies and acquaintances laid off this 12 months, and I’ve a sense that pattern would possibly proceed some time but. It’s taken a little bit of the shine of my enthusiasm for the net, even to the purpose of questioning whether or not my chosen occupation continues to be the place I wish to be.
Fortunately a number of weeks downtime and reflection (learn: parenting and clearing out a number of years value of junk from my home) has left with me with a renewed enthusiasm for creativity and coding, despite the fact that it comes with a wholesome dose of skepticism (or cynicism?) for the tech business. So let’s proceed with a belated 2023 in assessment, and slightly peek into 2024…
Private achievements
Let’s begin with some positives, lets? I’m proud to have met a number of private objectives this 12 months.
Studying to drive
I handed my driving check (on the primary try, when you’ll permit me to brag slightly 😊)! My objective was to study by the point I flip 40, so I’m nicely inside that window. I nonetheless don’t like driving, and begrudge the truth that I’ve to, however it means I can take my son locations with out counting on family and friends for lifts.
No new garments in 2023
I set myself the objective of shopping for no new garments (besides socks and underwear) for myself for a complete 12 months. That is primarily for environmental causes — the style business is extremely polluting and exploitative. Fortunately I achieved that objective, though I did purchase a number of issues from charity outlets and secondhand websites. I additionally allowed myself to purchase new garments for my son and husband. Subsequent 12 months I’ll attempt to maintain to the identical objective, but additionally purpose to supply extra of my son’s garments secondhand.
Studying as an alternative of doom scrolling
I made a acutely aware effort to learn extra books and be much less on-line this 12 months, partly as a result of I wished to mannequin optimistic behaviour for my son. It’s been tough at instances because the attract of the display screen is robust, and there have been loads of days once I’ve fallen prey to it. However I’m undoubtedly not off course. I’ve definitely learn extra books than the earlier 12 months, and really feel higher for it. One in all my favorite books I learn this 12 months was The Ship by Antonia Honeywell. I’m a sucker for dystopian sci-fi, and that is proper up my road.
Drums
I learnt to play Cherub Rock, certainly one of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins songs, on the drums! 🤘 I additionally joined a band! We principally play 90s grunge covers. It’s a reasonably informal affair, however very nice to play with others once more.
Conferences
I spoke at three occasions in 2023: Past Tellerand in Düsseldorf, All Day Hey in Leeds, and Smashing Meets Goes Inexperienced, a web based occasion. These had been all nice conferences. Past Tellerand had an superior, inspiring mixture of talks that went past code, into varied different realms of creativity. All Day Hey had a implausible ambiance, and actually nice talks for entrance finish builders and others working on the internet. It was my first time in Leeds, which looks like a really cool metropolis.
It was additionally the primary time I gave a full-length speak on net sustainability, and I actually loved getting ready that speak. My solely remorse was agreeing to provide two utterly completely different talks at two occasions inside such a brief house of time. It undoubtedly made the preparation slightly traumatic!
I gave an up to date model of that speak at Smashing Meets Goes Inexperienced, and was actually happy with the way it went. I usually discover on-line occasions a bit extra traumatic, however this one went and not using a hitch (from my perspective), and I believed the format of two talks adopted by a panel dialogue labored rather well. It was a really gratifying occasion.
In June I used to be again at CSS Day in Amsterdam, this time as an MC (alongside Adam Argyle). I’ve to say, it was nice to have the ability to get pleasure from all of the talks with out stressing about my very own! It’s bought to be certainly one of my favorite conferences, everybody there may be so obsessed with CSS. My form of individuals! It was nice to see a complete lot of acquainted faces, and meet some web buddies (particularly Miriam Suzanne and Stephanie Eckles) for the primary time.
I additionally bought to attend State of the Browser and FF Conf. They’d a few of my favorite convention talks of the 12 months:
- The Increasing Darkish Forest and Generative AI by Maggie Appleton
- It All Means Nothing within the Finish by Amy Hupe
- Exploring the Potential of the Internet Speech API in Karaoke by Ana Rodrigues
Conferences in 2024
In 2024 you’ll discover me talking at Middlesbrough Entrance Finish, and Pixel Pioneers in my (kind of) dwelling metropolis of Bristol. I’ll be talking about CSS, though I wouldn’t thoughts giving my net sustainability speak someplace. Give me a shout if in case you have an occasion you assume it might go well with!
Writing
I’m writing fewer long-form CSS articles on CSS { IRL } nowadays, however that doesn’t imply I’ve stopped writing about CSS. I wrote a number of articles for MDN in 2023, and hope to proceed with a number of extra this 12 months. I used to be significantly happy with Introduction to Internet Sustainability, as I really feel it’s actually vital to convey these concepts to a wider viewers.
NaBloPoMo
November was Nationwide Weblog Posting Month, and I managed to publish one thing each day! That is the primary time I’ve finished it, and I don’t know if I’d do it once more. Nevertheless it was surprisingly gratifying, and bought me out of a little bit of a rut by forcing myself to publish one thing each day. Typically the most effective creativity is compelled creativity 😆 I plan to channel a few of that power and be much less hesitant about publishing in 2024.
Work stuff
It’s been rewarding to work on the Windscope platform with the Ada Mode group, and at last see it being utilized by paying clients. Though it’s a small group, I’m having fun with the combination of design, planning and improvement work that the job permits me. I don’t have any grand work ambitions for 2024, apart from rising my knowledge viz arsenal.
Wanting forward
I’m not one to set out enormous objectives and resolutions — I choose to maintain it small and manageable. Past what we’ve already lined, I’ve a few goals for 2024:
Internet sustainability
I hope to proceed to be lively within the net sustainability neighborhood and additional educate myself on this space. There are a tonne of individuals doing implausible work right here. I’ll attempt to publish what I study on this weblog.
Disable the cookies
One small objective for 2024 is to disable cookies (if potential) on each website I go to. Like many individuals, I’ve turn out to be much more privacy-conscious and fewer trusting of tech corporations nowadays. It appears like a tiny strike within the conflict in opposition to the enshittification of the net.
