I was talking to a few folks recently that are incredibly important in my life and I suddenly realized that no one knows what I actually do for a living. Mel does of course, but that’s it apparently. Well that’s not entirely true, everyone knows I work in IT, but “Information Technology” is literally a gigantic field nowadays.
Many facets, many flavors.
Well I’m here to set the record straight. I’m lifting the veil. I’m letting everyone in. I’m tired of the guessing, and I’m tired of the re-explaining when I enter social situations.
So, without further ado I’ll try to explain what I do with at least 9 hours of my day, 5 days a week, without your eyes glazing over.
Ok… So I’m a hired killer. I’m no Leon (ala’ “The Professional”), I mostly take care of small fish. You know, that old high school nemesis or that jerk that stole your cab while on vacation… nobodies basically. They’re folks that no one will miss really. They’re those people that have transcended society and view themselves as better than everyone else, but are still nameless and for the most part invisible. The IT part is just a cover, well, it does help when looking at weapon blueprints, but I digress.
Did I mention I also tend to kid…. I kid a lot in fact (just ask Mel).
Truth is, I build web pages. No, really, I do.
I work for a pretty big “nonprofit” that handles pretty massive clinical trials. Aside from trying to save the world, these trials have tried real hard to reach everyone on the planet and as the years have gone by, a web presence has helped a good deal in they’re cause. I delve mostly in CMS-based sites (Content Management Systems) and my main function has been to help our designer’s ideas come to life in your browser. The sites that I change and manipulate have helped folks in South Africa, collaborate and share ideas with folks in my backyard here in NC (not to mention everywhere else the internet can reach)! It’s a bit of a trip really! To bridge that gap between folks and make the ability to share files, content and ideas that much easier.
It’s kind of what we all should be about I think. And by “we”, I mean the human race.
Over the years I’ve learned that I all at once hate what web-based technologies have become. I despise how computers have at once torn us apart sociologically, but on the complete flipside have also brought us together better than we have ever been in our long history. I’ve seen the depravity we’ve reached through our digital lives, but have also realized, in the right capacity, the profound good we’ve also achieved.
That latter part I love.
So, in my small way, I make the world a better place I guess.
But remember, I also tend to kid… 
) I couldn’t resist.
