I just finally figured out how to use MAMP in order to locally host a content management system (CMS). I just installed a new Drupal site, and now I am faced with learning how to use Drupal. I can’t say it is as intuitive as WordPress, though I’ll bet I can get it up and running quickly. I’m excited about using MAMP, though. I should also be able to run a local version of a Moodle site. This will be extremely helpful in being able to develop online course materials.

Ultimately, I want to be able to deploy a Moodle site to the internet so I can include fully developed online teaching materials with my web portfolio. In addition, a Moodle site will make it easier for me to create online homework assignments for my students, again saving me time in the long run once I have the lessons up and running. This may be a better place to use the Crash Course videos rather than showing them in class. Using these videos in class is helpful when my classes have been two hours long - the videos reinforce what I am teaching from the textbook. For shorter (normal length) classes, the videos would be better used as homework, though.

Web development is certainly a very diverse set of skills, requiring knowledge of a number of different coding languages and protocols. MAMP is an Apache/PHP/SQL server, which is all new to me. At least I have been able to successfully navigate it once. Moodle may take a bit more time (I tried setting it up, but the mySQL server won’t start, saying it is being used by another program. Grrr.). In any case, it is a new technology for me.

This is my third post for today, bringing my daily word count up to c.1500 (assuming I hit the 500 word mark with this post). I don’t think I should be shooting for that much text per day, but I certainly don’t mind if I have the energy to produce more than the minimum 500 words per day. Two days ago, for instance, I wrote more than 2000 words in four posts, but the next day produced only about 700 words. I should stick with the 500 word minimum and simply be satisfied if I produce more. The idea, in the end, is to write at a steady pace. Forcing myself to write too much will wear me out too quickly. One of my goals with this blog, after all, is to maintain a daily writing practice for a year or more. An ultimate goal, of course, would be to maintain a regular writing practice that is not bound by the one-year goal. Just keep writing.

And again, I don’t want to pressure myself to do anything more than freewrite for now, but I should be looking toward creating at least some thematic consistency among the posts. I do tend to hit the same categories over and over (coding, writing, teaching, life), but I’m not developing ideas from one post to the next. Maybe all I need is a little planning in order to write more consistently across posts. Yeah, let me do that with my next post: a little brainstorming and outlining. Yeah, that’s it.

Onward.