I took a class in which one project required I create an example of simple, image-guided documentation. I chose to make an HTML site, and learned CSS to a minute degree to go with. I just wanted to make this post to illustrate the differences between this WordPress site and that HTML site, and how one day, maybe I can get to the skill level of making a site like this, but bit-by-bit, like my instruction page.

Here’s a link to the code for the site- I obviously didn’t host it

download, unzip, and double click the HTML file. It should open in your default browser.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5PGN3fILKp7S2FYcm1vQk1lekU

If I boil down all of my interests relevant to design and writing, I can come up with three huge, important influences. Primarily is the influence of nature. I can only really feel comfortable writing creatively when it’s about nature- there will never be a day in my life where I can’t stop and marvel at natural beauty. If you stop to look at nature a little more closely, you start to notice the deliberate minimalism of nature. Stemming from this introduction, I began to explore that second pillar of my personality- the concept of minimalism, of doing more with less. To me, minimalism isn’t blank canvases and hipster sensibilities. It’s about the beauty in the wholly fulfillment of purpose that minimal things -whether it be writing, art, nature, whatever- exude. The third influence is what I think is a pretty capable ability to criticize myself. Introspection has always been a useful tool in finding who you are, and I think I can use that tool fairly effectively. Because I’m always afraid of thinking I’m better than I am, I tend to be critical of myself. Even when I’m not writing or designing with myself in mind, being able to pare something down to its parts helps me understand difficult concepts, ameliorate my designs, and most importantly, be honest with myself and my audience. Put the three together- ceaseless love of nature, intense appreciation for minimalistic design, and a critical internal monologue, and you “get” me. I’m more likely to enjoy being by myself and / or in nature, than in a crowd, and I’m okay with that, because it defines how I design, and I like the way I design.

I can say I’m influence by Emerson, and in more than just a creative way. Emerson was a figurehead of Transcendentalism– and while I wouldn’t call myself a transcendentalist, I would say I identify strongly with many of the messages of that movement. Emerson’s philosophy is so influential to me that I’ve been touting a quote of his- “Trust thyself, every heart vibrates to that iron string” as a motto of sorts.

The language side of things is a little more complicated. I grew up speaking French and English concurrently. I cannot overstate the immense benefit of knowing multiple languages- fluently. I grew up paying a lot more attention to the grammatical structure of English as compared to French, as well as the etymology of words. I think I owe my editing ability (though I’ve not mastered it) entirely to my bilingualism. Fast forward ten or so years, to my freshman year of high school. My English teacher was a huge fan of diagramming sentences, and that’s where my technical knowledge of English progressed from casual observances, to a much deeper understanding of how sentences are structured.

All of this falls into the technical writing side of things. I’ve been interested in math, science, and technology for a long time, and finding a way to couple my skills in English and my knowledge and capability in technology and other related fields has brought me to the Professional and Technical Writing major at Virginia Tech.

About me specifically: I’m twenty-one years old, and I attend Virginia Tech. I’m a Junior majoring in Professional and Technical Writing (but you already knew that) and minoring in 3D Art. I’m an avid swimmer, and have been swimming competitively for 15 consecutive years. I’m a huge technophile, and built my first computer (with parental supervision) at age 8. If I were to describe my personality, I’d choose to use the Meyers – Briggs archetypes. Even though today they’re basically disproved, I’ve found that by and large I fall into the INTP category every time I take the test. That is- Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving.