All Episodes

It’s the last episode! I’m sharing the biggest lessons I wish I knew when I first started learning to code, and also what’s still to come on the Start Over Coder journey.

074 - Ask Me Anything

26 Jun, 2018

In this episode I’m answering listener questions. From what kind of computer I use, to what coding program rejected me, to my thoughts on the job market as a junior developer...ask me anything!

Chingu is a learning community that gets you working on a dev team no matter what skill level you’re at. And uMatrix can add privacy to your browser and teach you about the modern web at the same time.

In this episode I’m wrapping up a few loose ends: the final report on my first from-scratch Node application, and a course review of Harvard’s CS50: Intro to Computer Science.

Since setting a goal at the beginning of the year, I've made 3 attempts to get my first paid developer work. These are the stories!

This week I sat in on a status meeting with a developer team in my company. Pretty cool to see what it’s actually like to work as a developer (well, get a glimpse at least!)!

The command line is a basic necessity for any developer and I’ve gotten fairly comfortable with it since I started learning how to code. Here are some of my favorite tips about it.

I’m back from last week’s conference! How did I do with the goals I set out before going? Pretty well! Plus gained some tips for future conferences.

I’m heading to a coding conference in a few days! This episode is all about the prep, and setting a plan to make the most I can out of the event.

One thing that I’ve learned can really help along the learn-to-code process is documenting as you go. Whether it’s vlogging, blogging, or a simple pen & paper, tips from your past self can be an excellent learning shortcut.

There’s a lot involved to get up and running with a new dev environment! Here are some of the steps I took to be able to keep coding while traveling with a temp laptop.

It’s another pair of discoveries this week! The website Financial Toolbelt has some great calculators if you want to start getting to know your personal finances. And the Second Career Devs podcast is a must for any and all Start Over Coders!

Introduction overload! There are plenty of good introductory workshops, blog posts, and articles out there. But is it too much of a good thing?

Figma is a great prototyping tool I’ve been experimenting with this week. I can highly recommend it for creating UI mockups.

I started learning the React framework this week...it was a mixed bag. Here are my first impressions!

It’s been a year since I started this podcast! But I'm still not earning money as a developer. Does it really have to take over a year to learn enough to become a working programmer?

It's the last episode in the How I FI series and today I'm talking about my top 10 actions for getting myself to financial independence.

Continuing on the topic of Financial Independence, once you know what it is and see the benefits, how do you get some basic knowledge?

Let’s talk about financial independence! This episode is all about my “money mindset” before discovering the concept of FI.

For any new web project, taking the time to PLAN before you CODE is key! Here are some key questions I asked myself before I started coding the new Start Over Coder website.

Verdict on CSS Grid...it is awesome! This episode is about what I learned after digging in to the syntax and how you can learn it as well.

Whether you’re actively looking for a job or not, you should be recruitment ready! I learned that the hard way this week. This episode is about what I wish I’d done ahead of time.

053 - Pair Programming

23 Jan, 2018

Pair programming is a productive way to write code with other people, and often used as an interview tool as well. I’ve been incorporating pairing into my study plan recently, and here’s what I learned!

Working with data is one of the most important aspects of development. This week I got an intro to relational databases, and here's what I learned.

They say every professional coder should have a portfolio available for potential clients and employers to review. Here's a low-maintenance, inexpensive (or free!) way to do it.

It's time to revisit my learning plan for learning to code! With the start of a new year and career uncertainty ahead, I'm setting some goals to make sure this Start Over Coder expedition stays on track.

A whole year of learning to code, whew! In this episode I reflect on some of the bigger lessons that will carry into the new year: Code. With Others. And set goals! These are the keys to success.

This week I got rejected from a coding program that could have been a great way to jump into a new career. Bah humbug : (

This week I realized I didn't know as much as I thought I did about Node.js, so back to the basics.

The reading-to-coding ratio is important to be aware of when learning to code...it's important they don't get out of balance. When I notice I'm not writing enough code, here are some things I try.

The more you write code, the more you realize the importance of choosing good names for your functions and variables. In this episode I discuss a few best practices I've picked up so far.

Financial Independence and a career in coding are like peas in a pod. Here's why!

For some info on what it takes to build an app from scratch, here's a progress update on the app I introduced in episode 35.

Quitting a well-paying, decent job to become a programmer is a big decision. This episode is all about the pros & cons.

This week I share two more great (and free!) resources for learning to code.

The Programmer 101 series answers the questions all new coders might ask themselves. Today we're demystifying a common programming acronym.

The Programmer 101 series answers the questions all new coders might ask themselves. Today we're shedding some light on the great text editor debate.

The Programmer 101 series answers the questions all new coders might ask themselves. Today we're differentiating between different types of web developers.

The Programmer 101 series answers the questions all new coders might ask themselves. Today we're clearing up some job title terms that sound quite similar!

Udemy's Guide for MongoDB from Stephen Grider is a good course for intro & advanced MongoDB topics. In this episode I share the best & worst parts.

I've started a new project, building a web app using Node & Express. These are the first things to think about when beginning a new project.

Getting stuck when you’re learning to code on your own can be FRUSTRATING!! Here are some tips on how to get help.

This week I saw just how beneficial it is to practice every day, and more importantly, to practice well. How can we apply this to learning to code?

Picking up from last week, this episode shares some of the options you can try for hosting a full blown web app, so you can show off your work when you're learning to code.

Once you've learned a bit of code, you want to show it off! Here are some of the options you can try for hosting a static website.

Recently completed my first web app as part of a group workshop and I learned a lot! Here are the key steps and biggest takeaways from the experience.

Udemy's Web Developer Bootcamp is a fantastic course I can highly recommend. In this episode I share the best & worst parts, and some tips to get the most out of it.

Three big endings this week: online bootcamp, a coding workshop, and 15+ years of debt. That's a lot for 9 days!

FRUSTRATION!!! This week I share the painful experience of getting stuck while coding. And some helpful tips to get through it!

How can you make looking for your first tech job less scary? Go to a recruiting event before you're actively looking! Last week I attended my first tech job fair to take the edge off.

Think Like A Programmer by V. Anton Spraul aims to teach the fundamentals of computer programming. It's not perfect, but it offers some great takeaways for anyone learning to code.

Learning to code while working full time is a huge undertaking. Here are some strategies to help you get there.

Finally starting to understand backend programming and how it all comes together with the front end! Since it's still pretty new to me, here's an explanation in the simplest terms possible.

With an endless list of programming languages and topics to try & master, it can be tempting to try to learn more than one language at a time. In this episode I explain why I think that's a bad idea!

I attended a massively interesting talk last week by some developers at Disney, talking about how they use code to build the amazing worlds and characters in their films.

When learning to code, it's important to jump into the deep end every now and then to keep leveling up. Unfortunately it didn't work out in my favor when I gave a go to Node.js!

Even when we know in theory that there are many ways to solve a problem, living with this fact in the context of programming has been a big lesson this week.

This week I discovered two great (and free!) resources for learning to code. The Learn To Code With Me podcast is a great thought starter and source of inspiration. And did you know you can access Lynda.com courses for free!?

Breaking down a problem into smaller steps is a great start, but it's not enough! This week I'm talking about what more can be done to accomplish coding goals.

Continuing the Learn To Code series, today's episode is all about mobile apps.

Teaching someone else to code is a great way to enhance your learning, even if you're not too far from being a beginner yourself. In this episode I'll talk about why, and how you can give it a try.

If you're new to programming you will undoubtedly come across GitHub & Git pretty early on. This episode describes the difference between the two, and explains how you'll use both.

After a few weeks of zero productivity, I've set a new learning plan for myself to learn to code. If I'm going to be a capable full-stack developer, I need a plan.

Learning to code can be really overwhelming, especially if you're doing it with the hopes of making income. The overwhelm has been hitting me over the past few weeks!

I've just completed my first project where I call an API to randomly generate an inspiring quote, and this episode is all about how I did it.

I hit my first major stumbling block when it comes to learning to code. In this episode I share what I'm going to do differently to make sure this this speed bump doesn't become a dead end.

The Learn To Code series continues in this episode, as we talk about joining local coding groups!

Hitting a key milestone in learning to code: that moment when you stop the coding exercises and actually build something!

Some ways you can learn to code online if you're ready to shell out some cash. This is the third episode of my Learn to Code how-to series.

Continuing the learn to code series, in this episode I'll go deeper into how you can learn to code online, for FREE!

An overview of the different types of learn-to-code resources I've found out there. From apps to use when you're bored to full-time study programs, there are a lot of options!

I'll explain how you can achieve financial independence, and why I've chosen to do it. It's not just about sitting on the beach!

In this episode I'll help you figure out where to start once you've decided to learn to code or be a programmer.

In this episode I'll define financial independence, and tell you why I think learning to code can get you there.

It’s the first episode! I’ll introduce you to the Start Over Coder podcast: what is it, and what can you expect going forward?