What's the gist of this story?

I've had a bumpy ride in my programming career after college. For the last 8 months, I have been learning everything I can about game development and programming in Unity using C#. I want a job working on games in Unity using C#.

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I have a regular schedule.

I have a regular daily schedule: 

8am - wake up

9am - arrive at the library to program

2pm - head back home for lunch

3pm - start work

7-8pm - arrive at home to make dinner and sleep

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Spare time?

Any spare time I get either goes into working on my game, updating this website or looking for Unity + C# work. 

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Sounds boring.

I am not bored in least bit when I am working on my game. In fact, I wish I could spend the entire day working on it. Yes I realize it is ironic trying to escape a "normal life" of monotony by having a totally monotonous schedule, but for the first time in my life, I really want something. I want to make money from developing games. I want a job working on games in Unity using C#.

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Freeze frame, you're probably wondering how I got here...

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After college.

After 4 years, in December 2016, I graduated with honors in Computer Science(BS) from Webster University. I got a high paying contract-job right away at MasterCard, as a Sr. Analyst. I was excited to finally quit my job at the car detailing place.

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Working at MasterCard.

MasterCard was mind-numbingly boring for 6 months.There was not a lot of work to do. I completed all the programming exercises on codingbat.com in java during this job. I lost my girlfriend of 5 years during this time. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, an anxiety disorder.

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Interviewing at Boeing.

I interviewed with Boeing during my contract at MasterCard.    I applied for the position of full-time Software Engineer, I in Java for the Training System and Simulation division on the Apache attack helicopter software.

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Sounds better, I'm in!

They showed me a fun work environment with people my age, meaningful work, people willing to help me learn and great pay + benefits. We agreed on a great salary + benefits and flexible hours. It was a great deal.

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Bait and switch.

I arrived to my first day of work and realized I was baited and switched. Sorry, if you wanted what we showed you, you'll have to do at least 2 years here. Here's your new team - one guy, Charles - he is overworked, at least 40 years old. 

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Charles.

Charles and I, sat 3 desks away, facing away from each other. In between us were 3 60+ year old men on a different team. Sometimes they would grunt. They were waiting to die in their chairs.

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Yeah, I quit.

I quit after 3 months. 

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Producer dreams.

I tried to get a job as a music producer again. I worked as a producer in a studio in college before it went out of business and I have been playing, writing, mixing, mastering, editing, producing, whatever music since I was 15. I am good at it and can be paid for delivering quality productions.

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Job at downtown production studio?

With no interview, I showed up one day to a studio and showed them some of my tracks. They said I could work as an intern making no pay.

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My own studio.

I started going out every night to open mic's and anywhere that hosted local musicians. After their act, I would say they were great - even if they weren't - give them a business card, and try to get them to record a demo at my house I share with my roommates. I did this for about 4 months.

 

Listen to a song I produced during this time here 

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During this time I was also making my own music. View songs here

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Face the music.

My band - my roommate and a drug-addict -

was not working out.

My production business was not working out.

My MasterCard job did not work out.

My Boeing job did not work out.

My car detailing job found a replacement.

 I had no support. I wanted it all to end.

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I was a complete failure and was spiraling out of control.

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Time to go.

I needed to leave the environment I was in immediately. I knew the longer I stayed where I was, the more suicidal thoughts would invade. I used the last of my reason and traded in my 4runner for a used Rav4.  My dad sensed that I was shaken up I guess and helped me with buying the car and building a bed in the back of it.

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Car Mods.

To the back of my driver's seat to my trunk is 72 inches, or exactly my height. I built a pull-out 4-drawer system underneath my 1.5inch bed ply. The drawer system had 13 inches of height. Which meant I had ~8 inches above my face when I slept on my bed (with padding and sheets). 

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I lived in my car for 3 months.

One night in October 2017, I packed all my car-drawers and drove north. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I needed to leave. The first few nights I slept in Walmart parking lots.

 

Best decision I have ever made.

I ended up visiting over 20 national parks, meeting some amazing people and having the greatest trip of my life. I completely changed my attitude, left my depression and anxiety disorders at the lowest point in the western hemisphere (death valley!) and became a new person. 

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Back home.

I drove back home during the winter. The picture you see at the top of this monster-story is beard-me driving back. 

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What have you been doing?

I sold most of my possessions to release the negative energy they held. I started a business.  I also started driving for Uber, Lyft and Amazon flex.

 

I started programming again after finding out about Unity. I have a regular schedule now...
 

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