Hello World

I'm still deciding what I want to be when I grow up

- my Dad, retired medical doctor

I can't think of a better way to open a blog than with a quote from someone famous. This feels appropriate though, since part of my intent here is to document my journey in data visualisation, as part of what is apparently a meandering career path quite unlike the medical route I'd planned as a child, and already quite different from software development. I can't position myself as an expert in anything I post, but I'm hoping for a creative outlet and to make use of my investment in what I consider to be an excellent domain name.

While data visualisation has been the impetus to finally put something on my poultry domain, I doubt it'll be the only focus of datachicken. Sure, I'm an aspiring visualisation enthusiast but I've also been variously a quantum physicist, technologist, software developer and traversed the full spectrum of data-related skills. It's fair that I'm more of a technical generalist than specialist, and I've had previous blogs posting everything from FORTRAN95 tips to sewing & knitting patterns, and some surprisingly popular videos and posts on fixing domestic appliances. I love a good creative outlet, so part of what I'd like to do is also to properly design the look and feel of the blog. So while it's a generic template at the time of writing, I'm going to take my time on this aspect - there's some design practices I'd like to try out.

I don't have an audience in mind, in fact I'm pretty chill if nobody reads this, probably even happier! Nevertheless, I'd like a focus for some of my data related home challenges and a place to collect my thoughts on my journey. So, lots of plans for exploration in data, technology and design, but I'll be splitting any free time I have away from work, family and community commitments between this and my other creative outlets. I do like both data and chickens.

I'll end this with another quote, from someone else who I really respect and admire:

Alice, you can't be an expert in everything, this is not a good idea

:-)