Life happens. And… I’ve been much quieter than I originally planned.
In the wise words of Rihanna, circa 2012: “Where have you been?”
Well, I’ve been busy! But I’m back – and ready to share all the lessons, chaos, wins, and muddled messes of the past four months.
A Personal Update
First up – I turned 30 in March (shock! horror! prosecco?).
Since then, I’ve been galivanting around on holidays, eating too much, dancing in random kitchens, and just generally living my best life. But when I haven’t been on a plane, I’ve been elbows-deep in backend code, test-driven development, and wrangling APIs.
No pretty buttons or margin widths for me lately – just logic, bugs, and a lot of console logs.
Surprisingly? I’ve loved it.
So, what have I been up to, and what have I learned? Let me break it down:
💡 5 Things I’ve Learned Since February
1. Read the documentation.
Yes, it’s dry. Yes, it can be confusing. But hidden in the depths of those docs are golden nuggets—clever little hacks, clear explanations, and real insight. Give it a go before giving up.
2. Try first—then ask for help.
It’s so tempting to go straight to ChatGPT or Stack Overflow (and don’t get me wrong, I love both). But trying first teaches you more than you think. And if you’re still stuck? Ask a teammate. They’ve 100% been where you are, and they’ll usually be glad to help.
3. Build your support system.
Friends, partners, colleagues, your cat—whoever it is, lean on people who encourage you when things get tough (and they will get tough). We all need someone to remind us: it’s only code.
4. Step away from the screen.
Been staring at the same bug for an hour? Step away. Seriously. A walk, a snack, a five-minute gossip session—it resets your brain. You’ll come back with fresh eyes and possibly a working solution.
5. Keep learning.
I’ve learned so much over the past few months—and yet, I’ve barely scratched the surface. An hour here, a half-day there—it all adds up. Keep at it. Growth is messy, but it’s also magic.
So that’s where I’ve been – somewhere between airport gates, coffee cups, and JavaScript errors. I’m excited to share more of the journey again. Thanks for sticking around 💛
Going to listen to Rihanna’s back-catalog now!
Until next time,
[The Ditzy Developer]
The Ditzy Developer 
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