Mark McAulay

Digital Guy 
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January 2, 2012
 

2012

This is the fourth year running that i've written a post with a mini review of the previous year and jotted down the plans I have for the coming year. Here's the 2011/2012 edition.

2011 in review

First up, the big one. In April 2011, I joined EQ Design in Aberdeen to lead the digital offering of the company. In short, I have never been so happy working for someone else. I get to work with a brilliant team who also happen to be lovely people. I feel at home here and I love my job. Result!

Looking at my aims for backend, frontend, and creative for 2011, I seem to have done all that I wanted to do and a little bit more. Where I fell down was in fitness. I got no hillwalking done at all and I barely went running. I did walk more but I really need to try harder next year.

I should also make some mention of the little missions I went on in 2011 starting with a desire to get out of my confort zone and meet other web/digital people around Scotland. I posted about one journey to Edinburgh where i went lone wolf although I didn't post about the Highland Fling conf (also in Edinburgh) which was just as eye opening and one of the best little conferences i've been to. If the Highland Fling runs again this year, i'll be there. So on top of subject matter related to what I do for a living, I also decided to put myself through a couple of lifestyle challenges. My month of being vegetarian is detailed here. In October, a bunch of us decided to give up alcohol for a month, as it was the most boring month ever, I didn't blog about it. We did run a blog for people to contribute to and if you want to observe some of our misery, it's over here.

And so to my plans for 2012

Backend

Much like last year, I will largely stuck to Python/Django in my own time. At work, it's all about PHP and ExpressionEngine but hopefully this will be the year that I can start phasing out much of the legacy PHP work, replacing it with Django or EE where necessary. I wont be looking to learn another language this coming year as I'm more than happy with Django and EE to take care of anything that comes our way at this stage.

Frontend

It was all about responsive design last year and HTML5/CSS3 are the tools to deliver that. This year I need to get my head fully around SASS and I will be continuing with my JavaScript education. I really want to have a much better understanding of, and fluency in JavaScript as it's one of the things that will continue to be a core requirement in 2012 and further ahead.

Creative

I've taken a much larger interest in graphic design again and as well as buying typography and design theory books, i've also been able to pester the designers at EQ. I now get excited about paper samples and appreciate nice packaging again. I'll be continuing to learn about all of this. One of the new-found pleasures of working with designers who really live and breathe design, is that i can ask questions and know i'll get an informed, thought provoking and interesting reply. I've bought some tasty pens, pencils and some notebooks, yep...i'll be drawing again. I have a couple of tattoo designs to put together for friends and i want to get my daughter excited about drawing as well. Maybe i'll post some of my pics on here.

Fitness

I did a little running last year although i may as well not have bothered, this is the year i'm going to do it though, starting today in fact with day 1/week 1 of couch to 10k.

Somewhere along the line, I started smoking again. This is stupid. I have quit again and will use the money I save to buy that mac i've not been able to afford for some reason :/

So here's to another year. I hope you all have a succesfull one :)

Filed under  //   newyear  

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November 3, 2011
 

Up the creek without a vessel

Sad news.

I discovered tonight that the globe in Aberdeen has made itself into a pretentious lunchtime eatery. For many months, this has been the venue for #rafting.

Rafting started out as a massive burger and a pint on a Friday lunchtime (when i worked with Fifth Ring) where some of us would commandeer a table and have a little bit of lunch and chat. One day a random guy approached our table and rather bizarrely asked "are you guys white water rafters?" and so "rafting" was born. Over the months, more people joined in. Largely Aberdeens digital/web people. It became an event. It has become legendary.

Tonight it has become clear that #rafting is homeless. We need a new venue so I put it to all rafters past and present that we need to agree on a new location.

Initial suggestions from me are The Howff or The Prince of Wales but other places may be more suitable. If you've been rafting, this is your time to fire the flare gun in the direction of our future.

Get your life jackets on, grab a paddle and let's give #rafting a future.

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September 17, 2011
 

31 days of sobriety

Woke up this morning feeling magnificent. Nailed the housework before 08:30 leaving the whole weekend free to do stuff. What was different about today? I didn't stuff loads of beer into my face last night. Friday has become a bit of an institution of drinking too much. Saturday mornings have been non-events for too long. I have been thinking about this for some time now and wondering if I should do something about it.

Now I like a beer, I also like a challenge, so I have decided to go sober for the 31 days of October to see if I feel any better about things. This is not the first time I've tried this, I used to have a "no booze for the month of June" thing which i'd inevitably fail every year so this time i'm taking it very seriously, spurred on by completing my previous challenge, I will do this! 

For this type of challenge, I like to have a twitter hashtag so, I give you #octsober

 

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September 13, 2011
 

Mighty Meetup Aberdeen is BACK

Thought i'd do my bit to help promote the Mighty Meetup in Aberdeen which returns tomorrow night (That's Wed 14th Sept 2011).

The summer break is over and the Mighty Meetup returns with a topic which i'm sure is close to all of our hearts, spec work.

As ever, the meetup is organised by Deer Digital and this time, Fifth Ring are picking up the tab for beer and pizza.

If you're involved in the web, this is a must. It's the perfect opportunity to meet everyone else in the industry and have some fun. For all the details, head over here

Yes...you did read that correctly, Fifth Ring are buying the beer. Get down there!

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September 10, 2011
 

Extremely Quick 6 months

Today marks 6 months to the day of me joining EQ Design. What started as a message through LinkedIn to ask if I was interested in the position quickly snowballed into a couple of cups of coffee before talking things through with EQ properly. I bit their arm off and did what I had to do to make this move a reality. That 6 months have already past has caught me a bit by surprise. It's very clear that I've been enjoying it.

It was obvious even before I officially started that i'd made the best career decision yet. I found myself on an EQ night and quickly discovered that this was going to be brilliant. Even Stewart's singing couldn't put a dampener on things. When I did start officially, I was given free reign to make digital my own and build it into the best it could be for EQ. From those early days to today, I am backed fully and given all the support, advice and opportunity I could ever hope for. The team works as one, we work hard and we party hard. Within the first 3 weeks of being here, i'd already had more nights out that the previous year at another agency. The importance of regular social outings away from work is absolutely key to building a team that cares about each other and listens to each other.

No job is entirely plain sailing, every position i've had has had its fair share of issues to deal with and life at EQ is no different. What is different though is an absolute resolve to do what is best for the client by way of open communication, transparency and a lack of any internal blame culture.

I see a very bright future for EQ, we continue to put vital elements in place, collectively learn cross discipline skills and grow where we need to. We are determined to be better, determined to succeed and determined to enjoy ourselves while we do it. We're a little bit different and maybe a little bit quirky. We have bags of personality, bags of talent and years of experience. We will surprise you.

This has unquestionably been the highlight of my career. Thanks to all at EQ for making me so welcome.

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