Blog, Twitter, Drupal, Reading and Writing ...

It is over a year - October 2019 - since I updated on the above. 

First, let's get the elephant sorted. The elephant is the 'new website'. A non-trivial task in so many ways, not just physically, but psychologically, giving rise to frustration, embarrassment but still an exciting and promising 'project'.

The IT literacy I do possess allied with conference and media engagement suggests I should give up trying to build this myself and pass the 'requirement' and 'specification' to real software developers - and stop acting the goat (is that elephant smiling?). 

Lockdown has been a great opportunity to crack-on with the website, so no excuses. Hopefully the posts over the past year can still represent learning, growth and progress.

At the start of 2020 I was hoping to do some p/t tutoring. COVID-19 upset that plan and with it planning for a pilot study and engaging with prospective partners. I am ready to pick this up, but in terms of Drupal I have to refer back to 2019...

Learning Drupal 8

At DrupalCamp London 2019 I won 'Learning Drupal 8' in a raffle. I replied to Dora who emailed the news, but don't think I thanked the company here So thank you to Inviqa and the many other sponsors who make these events possible.

Drupalcamp London: And all that jazz

I attended this year 13-15 March, pre-lockdown (obviously) and the tone was somewhat muted. Many people were unable/unwilling to travel. I felt ridiculous myself being in London (in February too) and a nurse. That feeling was magnified when pre-booked I found myself in the basement again for jazz. Like everyone at present, I miss London and so many other places. Human nature being what it is, during lockdown 1 & 2 on reflection there was a sense of relief in having run the gauntlet in February and early March.

Next year, DrupalCamp London will be online. 

Last week and last minute, I signed up for DrupalCon Europe, not in Barcelona but online. Still sorting (reducing) papers, I can see how through Drupal versions 7 to 8, the platform is focused upon 'enterprise solutions'. While I'm not an Enterprise (but would love to be a crew member), the project that is Hodges' model warrants the potential to scale.

DrupalCon Europe was a confusing experience - in a  positive sense. I missed the journey, the Basilica Santa Maria del Pi, the Guitar concerts and much more. As many of us have discovered, I was pleased to avoid the additional costs of travel and accommodation. Given this, my saying that the 250 Euros was worth it, has a less hollow ring. I missed even more the buzz of the community, which was still very much evident online. I'm looking forward to the NWDUG online meeting on the 22nd.

I know (!!) I've said this before: but I really, really need to stop blogging, tweeting and exercise this itch to the exhaustion of possibility. I've a co-authored draft to complete for submission and (two) books to read for review. So that will be an ongoing thread. Finally I will also make use of the text above.

With each abandoned (messed-up) Drupal 'dev' site, I've carried forward the legacy HTML pages that are Brian Hodges' original lecture notes. Following DrupalCon it would be progress to have more tangible outputs to carry forward, apart from being able to get to were I was much quicker. Having a content strategy is one take-away c/o the sessions that I plan to secure.

Noting the two most recent additions to the bibliography, if I can help you use Hodges' model, please let me know (I may need the distraction).

Wherever you are - take care; and for me if this is the journey - that's great too. I'd like to think there is some learning to be had here - even if not in the form of a reflective workbench.