By Joe Ribton

Voodoo Java

I was never all that good at science at school, and promised myself that my lack of knowledge and understanding when it came to titration and the refraction of light in a prism was only as a result of an imbalance in my mind that favoured the humanities and languages subjects instead. I feel like one of the best parts of SCA is its promotion of holistic creative freedom, encouraging us to seek inspiration from areas that we have allowed ourselves to neglect. Therefore, to round out 2018 I decided to begin learning how to code and program apps for mobile devices. Ruby recommended a great website offering discounted courses on just about anything, so I enrolled myself in an online course for app building and bought a copy of ‘Android App Development For Dummies’. I’ve never actually read any of the ‘For Dummies’ range, I think I have often considered myself too good for them – how wrong I was, for I am indeed a dummy when it comes to the world of Java, SDK and UX. I don’t really know what I expected from it, maybe more pictures?

Being able to realise an idea and make it happen is so crucial to making the best work at SCA, so I am really excited to complete this course and get certified, and be able to offer this extra skill to whoever is stuck working with me. I was really spurred to take this leap by Josie, our first app is going to be MEGA when I learn how to design even a fraction of the cool things we want it to do. Zuckerberg should be quaking in his weird monochrome off-brand trainers. On the topic of the big Zucc himself, I also got to do something else that I’ve always wanted to try before 2018 ended – take part in a dungeons and dragons campaign. How does this relate everyone’s favourite Marc I hear you ask? Well, I made a character called The Zucc, he was a criminal of the lizardfolk race. I managed to start a cult and convince lots of people to worship me and sacrifice themselves to be part of my human meat armour. Dungeons and Dragons is creativity in its purest form, you design a character and then have think as laterally as possible whilst maintaining the character’s tone of voice in order to solve problems… You can see how it could benefit a young creative trying to think about creating a brand campaign. American Film and TV has done its best to convince us that it’s a nerdy, basement dweller’s activity, but 7 beers into fighting vampires by throwing children and casting voodoo spells using a big Facebook logo, I was having the time of my life.

So, hope everyone had a nerdy Christmas and a geeky New Year x