Hello! One of Cameron's new minions here...

Hi, Boise group! My name is Jennifer and I am one of Cameron's new minions :) I just started playing with Drupal about a month ago so I'm still an uber-noob, but the more I learn, the more excited I get about continuing to learn!

My interest in Drupal was sparked when I happened upon Cameron's Propeople Drupal training opportunity at just the right time in my life to be of influence. I am currently a stay-at-home-mom of 3 little monsters - Madelyn, 8, Jameson, 6, and Ignatius (Iggie), almost 3. For the past several months, I've been doing some serious introspection trying to figure out what I want to do "when I grow up." I went to college to be an RN, but dropped out 6 credits short of my RN after Jameson was born with severe congenital hydrocephalus and I subsequently had a bit of a personal breakdown over the course of that following year. I only stayed out of school a few months before I re-enrolled as a computer science/math major but ultimately finished with a psychology degree, which has proven to be absolutely worthless (doh!)

Being a SAHM for the past several years has been more by necessity than personal choice due to Jameson's hydrocephalus, a secondary seizure disorder (likely from shunt placement scar tissue in his brain), global developmental delays and extraordinarily challenging behavioral issues. His seizures have been difficult to control and as such, childcare for this little guy has been out of the question. But we had a breakthrough early this summer when we learned through an extended video EEG that my little dude is probably a rare candidate for focal point resection surgery, which could at the very least greatly reduce the amount of seizures and meds necessary to control them, and at the very best, cure his seizure disorder completely. Here is a great article about the technology. Jameson is also beginning 1st grade this school year, so for the first time since he was born I will have full-time competent care for his complicated needs within the special education classroom and after school in specialized behavioral therapy.

With these positive changes to my life's situation, the two options I settled on for my "Life Plan: Version 34174314319.2" were either 1) rack up a sh%#-ton more debt, uproot my whole family and go to graduate school to study cognitive neuroscience, preferably at the University of Utah where my son receives all of his medical care (not the most feasible on multiple fronts) or 2) find an interest I can try to make a full-time career out of without having to go back to school (much better idea all around). I've dabbled in various areas of creative self-employment, the most successful being my small cake business, CakeDonna , but I quickly realized that the only way I can make my cake-making into a successful career is if I open a commercial bakery, and again, invest a sh%#-ton of money I don't have to do so.....NOPE. SO....HERE I AM NOW! :)

I love to create things and solve problems, but I have always been very intimidated by development in all ways, shapes and forms. I think this was mostly due to the fact that my spouse is a developer and anything of which he is innately better than I, I typically choose to avoid like the plague because I am stubborn, prideful and always want to be the best at EVERYTHING!!! This is a character flaw I am actively working on :) When I figured out that Drupal was unlike any development Mr. Martinez had ever done and that he was going to be equally challenged, I was gung-ho, let's do this sh*%!! Yah!!

So I am trying to shove as much Drupal fun into my brain as I can with the assistance of Cameron and Propeople in the hopes that I prove myself a worthy learner in order to procure full-time employment at Propeople!!

Other interesting (maybe?) bits about me: I am a classically trained pianist; I love wine and good food; I love music, many many many different genres; I am a peaceful atheist in that I am all for any belief system that promotes doing good for the sake of doing good, for the greater good (although I would personally argue that most organized religions do not fit this criteria); I have a Bengal cat named Lulu and she is the coolest cat everrrrr; I think people, all people, are absolutely fascinating even though my social skills [lack, thereof] don't necessarily reflect that fascination...

I think that's probably enough of a novel for today and I should get back to Drupal-ing now.

I'm looking forward to getting to know the community!