In my initial interview to participate in Tech Talent South – New Orleans, I was asked what I wanted to get out of the session.  I believe I said something along the lines of, “a basic understanding of programming, an introduction to a couple of languages…” and I’m sure I mentioned that I would like to make the transition from a project manager at a dev shop to a developer.  This was the first time that I said, “I want to be a software developer,” out loud, not only with confidence, but with intention.  And this particular intention was inciting action–which excited me.

I accepted my current job in 2013, just a day after I graduated from Tulane, without really knowing my position in the company.  If you told me then that I would be enrolling in an intensive programming class two years later, I would have laughed in your face.  I had no idea what those dudes with three monitors were doing besides creating memes and gifs in the dark.  Now, I want to be them!  The ability to create something by using universal languages is incredibly empowering and, well, just plain powerful, and I’m not referencing the ‘Business Cat’ memes.  Every day, I see how excited, frustrated, annoyed, ecstatic, and interested our developers are.  They are constantly learning and discussing new technology; they are sharing knowledge, arguing about SQL, or Docker, and teaching each other.  There is not another field that I am interested in where this constant education and swing of emotions in your work is not only welcome, but also necessary and invigorating.

I felt an ounce of this the first time I was using the command line to pull repositories.  I was speaking in a language to a machine, and I was controlling it–making things happen.  Such a small task sent a jolt of energy up my spine and into my fingertips to type the next command, but this time with more confidence.  Each class, we are adding skills to our toolbelt, and becoming better developers.  Each class, we are asking questions, arguing with each other, and helping each other.  Each class, we are all at some time frustrated, excited, annoyed, and always interested.  We are halfway through the course, and although I do not foresee myself transitioning into a full time developer for my company by the end, I have tasted the forbidden fruit, and there is no turning back now–so I will get there.