I’m still plugging away at my coursework. After this semester ends, I’ll have 12 credits left!! The end is really in sight and I’m almost finished!

The class I’m taking currently, and the class I took over the summer have been pretty interesting and enjoyable. For starters, each course required us come up with different ideas for mobile apps, and then to present one of the ideas which we felt like we could develop into more than just an “idea.” Once we did this groundwork we had to sketch the idea, wireframe it, create a mockup, and finally a prototype. Some of the software we’ve been using for these processes have included Balsamiq, and Figma.

For me, being someone who can’t draw to save his life, this has showed me that you don’t need that particular skill, per se, when you have technology assisting you. The process of sketching, wireframing, create a mockup, and prototype has been a lot of fun and rewarding. I imagine it’s how programmers feel when their code works and gives them the desired output.

On another front I finally made it to the orthopedist after limping around for about two years. My hip had been bothering me, and thanks to the restrictions on doctor visits during the pandemic’s early days I was forced to deal with it until last month. I’ve known I’ve had a torn labrum for about ten years, but in the past, I was able to receive cortisone injections which took care of the pain. This time I went in hoping to hear something similar… “labrum issue, blah blah blah have another shot of cortisone…” Except the doctor threw me a slight curve ball, saying he would recommend and provide another shot, but that I need a new hip…That really caught me by surprise. We all would like to think we are invincible, but this time it was laid right out there, I am breaking down.

The doctor also mentioned that they would be hesitant to do this surgery anytime soon because my age would mean it wouldn’t last and I would have it replaced in a few years. I know hip surgery is relatively common, and has an excellent recovery rate, but it was still an eye opener for me, and a bit depressing if the truth be told. At 42 years old, I did not expect to hear that piece of news.