Month: September 2015

Categories
Uncategorized

a work in progress

I wonder, is anyone as surprised as I am to find themselves an adult? I think in someways I’ve got it down: I pay my bills on time, I work a full-time job, I have learned how to cook and can keep myself alive, I have decorated apartments and not with posters or string lights or cheap sheets for my bed, and I appreciate NPR news radio in a way  my six year-old self would have never thought possible (ok my 18 year old self too).  But a lot of the time it’s a bit of a shock to find out that I am an adult and what’s more, people look at me like I am an adult.

In all the ways I have a half grasp on adulthood I also feel like I’m nothing but a kid. Let me count the ways: I’m supposed to pay my dad for my car insurance but he forgets and I don’t remind him (also hello 28 year-old, get the title from your dad and get Illinois plates on your car). I have laughable savings, and while I have an IRA and two mutual funds (also with laughable amounts) I could only tell you abstractly at best what the hell those things even are. I put off doctors and dentist appointments like I’m a scared little baby – and even when I read articles about how important it is for me to consider some radical choices for a gene marker I have? I prefer to put those appointments off too. Remember how I said I can cook and survive? I don’t cook for myself nearly as much as I should – thus a reason for my pathetic bank accounts. I think mainly what consistently makes it a shock to me that I am an adult is the struggle it is to keep close the people you love. When I was a kid it was so easy, they were all around me. It’s the adultness (yes that is not a word, you are correct) of living across states from my siblings and across the country from best friends and apart from the people who I feel know me best that shouts *YOU’RE AN ADULT!” The most.

Apparently this in between stage, though it seems to last a lot longer for this generation, will be a time we look back on fondly. I’ve never been a girl to like the unknowns, so I’m looking forward to feeling like I’ve got this adult thing under better control soon. Maybe I’ll start by making a couple appointments and writing my dad a check.

Categories
Fixing Stuff Laravel Samuel

combining css and js files into 1 http request

install gulp onto the server:

1.) upload the files (gulpfile.js) and (package.json) into the root directory of the site (make sure to update file paths to the correct css and js directory’s first)

2.) ssh into the server and run: npm install, do this in the same root directory you just uploaded both files to. (if this errors out just manually upload all needed node_modules files to the root directory)

3.) make sure the node_modules directory and all sub directory can execute files (chmod +x directory_name -R)

4.) execute the combining script to combine all the js and css files (./node_modules/gulp/bin/gulp.js) must be run from root directory of site or else will fail

5.) change out the javascript and css script files to the new combined file for each

If all went according to plan you now limited your css and js files down into 1 http request respectively and minifid them both.

general notes:

if you upload a new file or edit a file in the css or js directory you have to ssh into the server and run:

./node_modules/gulp/bin/gulp.js

*this generates the new combined file
*would be a good item to add to a deploy script

If the page errors out (or white screens of death) explcitly define the order of the js files in your gulpfile.js. What most

Categories
Samuel Thoughts

Reflecting

Lately I’ve had the itch to take more and more time off. Time off work work, and even time off from life. I’ve written about this some here and here but after reflecting more on it I realized a few things.

– I finally had a conversation with my business partner about the possibility of me moving on to do other work. This conversation went extremely well, much better than I anticipate. We went for a big jog in forest park and discussed all sorts of things and I finally articulated some of the feelings I’ve had lately. This conversation really helped me out and I felt like some weight was lifted off of me afterwards.

– I’m burned out. This year has been hard. I need to cut myself some slack and take time away from work. I have not decided 100% on where I would like to go but I have decided shortly I’m going to take some time off. I’m not sure how much time, I think I’ll just pick a date and leave with no exact end date in mind for the trip. I’ve always wanted to take a trip like that.

– I really like the person I’m currently dating. I’ve never had such a great relationship and I need to make sure that I’m fully present, enjoying all the aspects of it and appreciating how lucky I am not just floating along complacently.

– I’m too hard on myself and I’m doing much better than I was last month dealing with everything.

– Catching my family member drinking again was such a punch in the gut. I’m not exactly sure what I will do about it but I’m finally at peace with the fact that it will never change. I’m going to move forward permanently with the knowledge that this situation will not get better and I must decide what type of relationship I want with this person, if any.

– My sisters triplets scared me more than I thought and I’m not sure why. The night they were born and I went to visit I felt so claustrophobic. I realized that when I want alone time I’m not sure how to politely ask or tell people that need and I need to work on that.

Categories
Julia Twenty Somethings

We’ll Always Have Paris

My younger sister left for France today to study abroad. And it got me thinking about my time abroad, all though I rarely need an excuse to think about it or talk about it even thought I was there was way back in 2008. I can still remember a lot of really mundane details about how wonderful life in Paris felt. I think this is because I was consciously trying to be present for every moment. I knew how short and treasured my time there would be and so I took note of it. It’s an interesting thing, to notice your life every day for four months. I even still refer back to the daily journal I kept there to relive some of the memories and to pass on (in excruciating detail) suggestions for friends and family who go visit.

My sister leaving today reminded me how taken I was by the city, and by Europe in general. I consider that my love of that time had a lot to do with the culture and the language and the history – but I also think a lot of why I look back on those months as some of the best in my entire life is due to the presence I purposefully brought to my life and the attention and respect I paid each and every one of my experiences. No matter how small.

I think while my sister is there, learning that lesson, I will work on reminding myself of it here. On the days that seem routine and ordinary I am going to make myself be present and have respect for the life I am living.