Were do I start. Like most people I have a story. I’m originally from St. Thomas U.S Virgin Islands but I moved with my family from the Islands at a very young age to Maryland which is the state I like to call home now. I’m currently on my coding journey with web development while I also pursue other things (more to come). In this blog I’ll be detailing my experiences within tech as a newcomer and also some personal life experiences of my own.

Growing up in the Virgin Islands was great. Just imagine everything you think it would be times 10. I had a great group of childhood friends and experiences I’ll always be able to look back on. Baseball was my first love. My father was one of the coaches on the Island Little league organization. I wasn’t old enough to play right away but as soon as I was able I was on the field. Maybe even a year or two earlier. However our time on the island was short.

In 4th grade we moved to the states. I went to high school in Maryland, Kentucky and Michigan. I enlisted in the army as a combat engineer not long after high school and was stationed in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri and Ft. Hood , Texas. I also spent a tour in Afghanistan in 2010. After completing my active duty military obligation I moved to the Philadelphia area and attended Cheyney University of Pennsylvania where I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts.

Since college I’ve managed a few warehouses and even worked the gig life. The last job I had was a good paying job but a horrible work environment so I decided to change course. First thought… I need a trade, a skill where I can market myself. After doing some research I decided programming was the way to go. So with no prior knowledge I dived in full speed. I’m what can be considered in the tech world as a “self-taught” developer for the moment.

Through various web courses I’ve been able to grasp HTML, CSS and I’m currently studying JavaScript. It’s not easy sometimes, but it is most definitely worth it in the long run and I enjoy it as well.

My days are spent doing Yoga to stretch out previous injuries from my military career and studying for hours at a time. If you stumbled upon my website and are still reading this then you’re welcome to follow me as I detail my progress in various aspects of my life. I haven’t completely figured out what the purpose of this space is yet but I will be creating content on a consistent basis for myself if nothing else.

By Blaine Martin

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.

Friedrich Nietzsche