https://joshuablount.com/ '' en https://joshuablount.com/posts/05-melissas-strike-article/ <blockquote> <p>&quot;The crowd finally reached the apex, where together we sat and occupied the six-lane Burnside Bridge, at the peak of morning rush hour, for several minutes of silence. We wanted to send a message to our school leaders that their refusal to budge at the bargaining table not only affects us. It harms our students and our whole city. Looking at the determined faces surrounding us, it was clear that despite doubts, we were not giving up our fight for the schools our students deserve.&quot;</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/how-portland-teachers-led-the-longest-k-12-strike-in-decades/">How Portland Teachers Led the Longest K–12 Strike in Decades</a> by Melissa Blount and Matt Reed, Illustrations by Joe Brusky</p> <p>I'll let my partner and her collegues speak for themselves here, but I'm grateful they spent the time to try and document the strike at this comprehensive level.</p> Tue Mar 26 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Joshua Blount https://joshuablount.com/posts/05-melissas-strike-article/ https://joshuablount.com/posts/04-watching-the-news/ <p>I've been thinking a lot about news and publishing lately, so I built <a href="https://umbrellareport.netlify.app/">a little page of some of the local news feeds in town</a>.<br /> <a href="https://umbrellareport.netlify.app/"><br /> <img src="https://joshuablount.com/img/urss.png" alt="Screenshot of Umbrella Report on a Mac" /></a></p> <p>I'm not super clear what I'm planning with that, and it's not a useful news source (it only updates when I hit a button).</p> <p>I had the idea that I wanted to see how often <a href="https://www.koin.com/">KOIN</a>, one of Portland's local news stations, was quoting cops in their stories and if that percentage would be an outlier when compared to their competitors.</p> <p>Not really sure how far down that road I'll get, but even this roughly reverse chronological list of links has been interesting as an experiment.</p> Fri Mar 15 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Joshua Blount https://joshuablount.com/posts/04-watching-the-news/ https://joshuablount.com/posts/03-getting-familiar/ <p>It's 2024, I'm renewing my search for a full time web development gig, so I borrowed my partner's 10 year old macbook air to see if I remembed how to do web development like I used to.</p> <img src="https://joshuablount.com/_static/images/website_plus_console.png" alt="Mac desktop with this website and a console running the development version of this website" /> <p>Thankfully coming back to OS X from a few years primarily using an iPad to do video editing seems a lot like hopping back on a skateboard after a few years: a little sketchy at first, but I can still land an ollie.</p> <p>(Yes, this was primarily to confirm my publishing pipeline was functional)</p> Thu Feb 29 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Joshua Blount https://joshuablount.com/posts/03-getting-familiar/ https://joshuablount.com/posts/02-returning-to-web-development/ <p>After about six years of building a video production business I'm exploring employment offers in web development again.</p> <h2 id="no-linkedin-no-resume" tabindex="-1">No LinkedIn, No Resumé <a class="direct-link" href="https://joshuablount.com/posts/02-returning-to-web-development/#no-linkedin-no-resume" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2> <p>Since I don't have either of the aforementioned documents, here's a timeline:</p> <ul> <li><strong>2002</strong> - I stopped trying to finish a BS in COMP SCI at University of Central Florida and started doing web development, primarily as an employee for the first few years and later as a contractor</li> <li><strong>2017</strong> - I started taking on video clients and telling my software clients I was moving away from web development for my work</li> <li><strong>Early 2020</strong> - I got doxxed / arrested + COVID so I became a fulltime stay at home dad / house husband to support my parter and kid (I also deleted most of my accounts so that the people harrassing me couldn't get to my clients, including my LinkedIn)</li> <li><strong>Late 2023</strong> - After three years of slowly taking on more debt as we relied on my partner's income I start calling old employers looking for work</li> </ul> <h2 id="why-the-pivot-to-video" tabindex="-1">Why the pivot to video? <a class="direct-link" href="https://joshuablount.com/posts/02-returning-to-web-development/#why-the-pivot-to-video" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2> <img src="https://joshuablount.com/_static/work.jpg" alt="video monitor shows people talking and some nerdy info" /> <p>I've been producing short videos and clips since the first time I touched a camera, but didn't think of it as anything beyond a hobby until after our kid was born and I bought my first DSLR.</p> <p>Like many nerdy parents I became engrossed with the camera and the processs of producing beautiful images. Soon I was working on short video ads for my employer and trying to find other opportunities to hone my craft.</p> <p>By 2017 I took on my first paying video clients and turned it into a thriving consultancy. Non-profits, developers, churches, real estate agents and various other clients hired me to produce a range of video assets and while I never got where I wanted to be, I was paying our rent doing video production work and having a lot of fun filming.</p> <h2 id="why-change-now" tabindex="-1">Why change now? <a class="direct-link" href="https://joshuablount.com/posts/02-returning-to-web-development/#why-change-now" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2> <p>When I was doxxed and arrested in 2020 I went through the process of deleting any of the public social media acccounts that attached me to any of my clients and shut down my business so I could focus on being a stay at home dad / house husband.</p> <p>This plan went really well and was one of the best decisions I've ever made - my family is closer than ever - but financially speaking it's been devastating.</p> <p>Initially I assumed I'd return to video work but as I survey my options I realize that I don't currently have the emotional capacity to both do a &quot;day job&quot; and run a business (including securing new clients) while maintaing my role doing most of the domestic labor at home.</p> <p>So, I'm hoping to plug into an existing team so I can be helpful to their goals while maintaining my own personal creative projects and keeping our household running.</p> <h2 id="i'm-all-ears" tabindex="-1">I'm all ears <a class="direct-link" href="https://joshuablount.com/posts/02-returning-to-web-development/#i'm-all-ears" aria-hidden="true">#</a></h2> <img src="https://joshuablount.com/_static/music.jpg" alt="me playing guitar amongst computers looking happy" /> <p>The only websites I've made in the last couple years are this site and <a href="https://portlandfromtheleft.com/">my podcast</a>, but if you know someone who could use an overly experienced web developer who may need a few weeks to catch up I'd love to hear from you: <a href="mailto:hi@joshuablount.com">hi@joshuablount.com</a></p> Thu Oct 19 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Joshua Blount https://joshuablount.com/posts/02-returning-to-web-development/ https://joshuablount.com/posts/01-a-post/ <p>New year, new patched up blog, let's see how this goes.</p> Mon Jan 02 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Joshua Blount https://joshuablount.com/posts/01-a-post/