Marie Wilkins

…of placement left until I’m back to Plymouth for third year.

This means I’m tidying up the loose ends; today I delivered a presentation on Database Management which I’ve been preparing since early June.
The culmination of this project is bittersweet; I’ve really enjoyed the process, and it’s another reminder that my time at BCC is coming to an end.
But I will be leaving a legacy, as they’ve decided to accept my database review reccommendations – so change is afoot!

Three weeks ago I started a new job. I’m working for Bath City Church as web,  media, publicity and admin, as well as part-time receptionist, and I’m really loving it.

The job is great, really varied, and my graphics work, and tech knowledge, is really growing. So far I’ve been doing some database work,  social networking,  some web design,  a lot of print design and publishing,  audio recoring and PA, as well as editing and podcasting, and some motion graphics for a music video.  The main sites I’ll be working on are bathcitychurch.org.uk, canyouhearthesound.com, and bathprayer.org. There will also be a lot of print work, as there are always events going on. It’s really pushing me, but being surrounded by such lovely people means I’m really relishing and enjoying the challenge!

One of the main learning curves in these first few weeks has been getting to grips with InDesign (a more powerful and Adobe-ish version of MS Publisher!) I still haven’t fully understood it on the Mac (especially the shortcuts) but my little Dell laptop is doing me proud (and means I can still continue design work whilst on reception!)The week running up to easter has been Prayer Week, with a series of seminars and prayer events, all needing print publicity, and social media updates, so it’s been a busy one!

Another major task for me has been working out the Konica business printer (affectionately called Connie!) which folds, staples, and does all sorts of crazy things I haven’t discovered yet. It’s the most hardware-ish thing I have ever been in charge of, but I’m getting there. I think it helps that I have little hands, to pull out all the trapped paper from every nook and cranny (there are so many corners  and sections in this thing, I’m pretty sure it can also make toast!!) Got a Training session with the manufacturers next week, is it sad that I’m quite looking forward to it?

As far as uni goes, I haven’t yet enrolled for 3rd year, not yet chosen modules, or even officially enrolled on placement. The course (Digital Art and Technology) is migrating from the Science to the Art Department, and no-one seems to really know what that means, apart from that they can’t confirm anything yet… very disconcerting! Hopefully someone will get back to me soon, else I think I will get too into the job, and never want to go back to uni!

I’ve also got a couple of interesting freelance projects on the go, I’ve decided to focus more on scripting, rather than HTML as I really want to improve my skills. Especially after a 6 month placement working with Flash, I’d like to get into some alternatives (especially JavaScript – really enjoying jQuery and MooTools) so I’ve been working on some nice sliding menus and caption plugins, as well as some server-side forms (boring but useful!). I’ve had a couple of great clients, and a few not-so-great ones, but it’s all part of the learning curve, and I’m really proud of the work I’m doing, both freelance and at the BCC Resource Center. It’s all going really well, and I can really see how this year is preparing me for the post-graduate world!

I finished my 6 month placement with The Inspiration Engine in January, and at the moment I’m doing freelance web development.
My current clients are a plumbing business, a guest house in Romblon (which looks to be paradise on earth) and an experimental theatre company.
All three are giving me great freedom, I’ve managed to include some Javascript, a flickr API implementation, some progressive enhancement (changing highlight colour), and a simple database implemetation. These are all relatively new for me, and I’m loving the challenges that working for myself is given me.
Of course, as soon as these projects are completed, I will post links… so watch this space!

In other news, I’ve customised a new WordPress theme, motion, with this lovely background – a NASA image of pleiades (aka The Seven Sisters). I love astronomy images, and hopefully this blog background will be inspiring to you too. I love it!