The Quintessential "Hello World"

April 15, 2009 by mpare

I've talked about having a blog for many years. Some how something always happens that prevents me from actually doing so. Sometimes I would get caught up in the design while other times I spent all my time working on features that I thought my site "must have." Regardless, I've never really completed or maintained a place to dump my thoughts and ideas.

PareTech.com use to be the home of "Pare Technologies." Over time, Pare Technologie's services varied and usually by my current interests. Just like my blog, Pare Technologies fell to a similar demise. It never really took off, I never put enough time into it even when I took time off from school with the intent to do so. Pare Tech's most recent venture served to offer Drupal related services. At that time I worked closely with my good friend Ryan Oles. Since I've returned to school in the fall of 2007, Ryan has moved on. And is now a successful full time Drupal developer in Austin, Texas. We learned a lot about Drupal and business in general. And we drank more than our fair share of beer. I've learned that I don't really like owning my own business. I would much rather spend my time working rather than managing. Though time and time again I find myself in a managing position.

Perhaps the most valuable thing I've learned over the years is to start simple. I guess I've learned that over the years but I didn't realize how essential that idea is until recently. I have a tendency to talk big but to do very little about my dreams and ideas. Perhaps I get overwhelmed and distracted by what it would take to actually achieve those ideas. My late great grandfather, Lewis Ritchey, use to tell a story about when he was going to Sunset School of Preaching. And each time the story would end with a saying that apparently really helped him achieve his goals. It went something like this...

"Yard By Yard It's Too Hard, Inch By Inch It's A Cinch."

I'm in my Junior year now in Texas Tech's Electrical Engineering program and I'm about to complete my first project lab. I've learned a lot of things about engineering, communication, people and particularly about myself this semester. I've particularly noticed that I'm a weak communicator and organizer. I don't know if it's because I've fallen out of practice or if there is some other issue. Either way, I plan on using this site as a place to exercise my communication and organization skills. I'm also hoping that by posting my thought, ideas and projects in a public forum will give me some motivation to complete what I start by public accountability. I also hope to receive feedback from others in various fields and perspectives about my thoughts and ideas.

While you still know relatively little about me at this time you at least know my primary motivations and goals of this site. Counter to my selfish motivations I hope that someday this site will hold information that you find useful and relevant to your personal endeavors.

Peace,
-Matt

Permalink