Ten Goals for 2013

My current employer uses goals as part of their yearly review process but I want to set my own goals for the rest of the year and with half a year behind us it’s time to get cracking.

My ten goals for 2013:

1. Develop a mobile app
2. Learn Git and make one GitHub repo
3. Create a package for Umbraco
4. Work on a game
5. Blog regularly
6. Manage presence
7. Learn Ruby
8. Learn a CSS preprocessor
9. Learn TypeScript
10. Learn a JavaScript framework

Develop a mobile app

I’m not too concerned with the platform, whether that is web, iOS or Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 or what it does.

The aim for this goal is to learn the basics of publishing to a specific platform, operating system and devices and to ship something.

Learn Git and make one GitHub repo

Version control is one of those things that you should be using but aren’t and I want to change that.

I included GitHub here because it seems to be definitive platform for managing public projects.

This blog is hosted using GitHub Pages so it doesn’t count for that one repo.

Create a package for Umbraco

I’ve worked with Umbraco for several years now and want to give something back and I have some ideas for a package that could be useful.

The purpose here is to learn how to create packages and how to automate their setup.

Work on a game

Again platform isn’t too important, especially when certain workflows make developing for different platforms easy.

This goal isn’t meant to ship anything but I have some game ideas that I want to take the time trying to build.

Blog regularly

The goal every blogger makes, then blogs about how they failed and will try again.

I want to talk about the things I’m learning, if only to provide reference for myself or to help reenforce what I’ve learned. I’ve also developed a large list of topics I’m interested in, so hopefully I just need to focus and write.

Manage presence

I need to finish my resume and create or manage some accounts with third parties to help tell the world how awesome who I am and … network, ugh.

Learn Ruby

Working with Jekyll and another Ruby project at work this is something I really want to do; especially when you have services like Heroku that allow you to get a project out there for free.

Learn a CSS preprocessor

I consider myself a front end developer and the benefits that a CSS preprocessor offer is something I want to get into my workflow.

Learn TypeScript

TypeScript takes any JavaScript and helps you to develop it using the same benefits of other languages with compliers and produces … wait for it … JavaScript.

Similar to the usefulness of a CSS preprocessor, TypeScript is a great benefit to developers working with JavaScript.

Learn a JavaScript framework (or two)

As websites become more complicated or if a web app is needed JavaScript will be the answer; whether that is a client side framework or JavaScript that runs on the server it is something to learn.

I’ll be using this blog (making number five easier) to reinforce what I’ve learned and as a way to track progress at the end of the year.