Hello!
I’m Roger.
Taco eater, and website builder.
My journey of learning how to create websites and eventually using WordPress began around 2017. Or was it 2008? To be honest, I was so eager to dive into web development and design that the exact year is a bit blurry.
All I knew was that I had a strong desire to create websites, but I had no idea where to start or even the difference between web development and design.
Back in 2008, I had a strong desire to learn how to create websites, but I had no idea where to start or where to look for information. The only exposure I had to code was through some family and coworkers, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for, so I put my interest on the back burner.
I experimented with some basic coding using a code editor, but I barely scratched the surface before hitting a roadblock. Despite completing a few lessons, I couldn’t get a single page to load. I spent (what felt like) a long time attempting different solutions, but nothing seemed to work. Frustrated and defeated, I eventually gave up.
It wasn’t until about a year later that I decided to give web development another shot, this time with a focus on WordPress. I searched for tutorials and found what seemed like a great one on Team Treehouse, so I started there. However, I quickly realized that there were actually two different versions of WordPress! Talk about feeling lost and overwhelmed.
I realized that in order to better undersand WordPress and what was going on underneath the hood, I had to gain a better understanding of web development in general. I knew I needed more background information, so it kind of lead back full circle to web development. I felt like I was jumping blindly into the deep end of website building, so I sought out guidance to help me figure out the right path forward.
I took it upon myself to learn about web technoogies, mainly HTML, CSS, JavaScript. These helped me really learn how to design a page. Then I started learning more about the backend, with things like NodeJS, MongoDB, and Express. Basically, I was learning all I could about Web Design and Development. There was things I really liked and some not so much, but I tried my best to stick with it.
I eventually learned enough to make some websites, albeit not the best, but everyone has to start somewhere amirite?
Not only did I make somewebsites I decided to make myself a website and start to figure out this whole freelance thing. Talk about humble beginnings and not knowing what in the heck one was doing!
I knew I wanted to have a blog on my website, but I also didn’t want it to be a lot of maintenance. Initially, I created a simple blog on WordPress.com and linked it to my website for blogging purposes. While it served its purpose, I disliked the fact that it was clearly a WordPress site, especially after creating a nice website for myself. However, it was a good temporary solution until I could find something better.
After gaining more knowledge on design and development, I researched ways to combine my skills for more efficient website coding. This is when I discovered Divi, which allowed me to quickly and effectively code websites while still showcasing my design abilities.
At first, I didn’t fully understand how WordPress worked, but after learning more through trial and error, I realized just how powerful and useful it is. WordPress and Divi both have helpful communityies and resources that provide excellent customer service.
My background in learning about HTML/CSS/JavaScript etc…helped me understand the underlying portions of how WordPress worked. For example, the Box Model and Flexbox and responsive design are still things I have to think about as I create my websites. But what is great about WP and Divi is I am able to better visually see how those things are working in real time.
That was just a little about me. If you are interested in reading more about topics I am interested in please check out my blogs. I’m passionate about UX and web design, and I enjoy creating excellent websites and apps. Here at Reanimation Design I blog about website design and business, and at my personal website, I write about UX Design.