Thank You!

So this past week I was afforded the opportunity to participate in Art Overdose. For those of you that don’t know, Art Overdose is an art and entertainment showcase put on by Crownholders Mgmt and Netwerk & Chill. It’s a cool lil gig filled with all the vibes and blackness you’d ever want from the underground Dallas art scene. I can assure you of this. Now while this isn’t my first showcase, it’s definitely one I’d say I was more prepared for. I had my prints printed out ahead of time and I had some of my merch in so I figured I was ready. At least...that’s how I felt. So I decided to do a lessons learned, a bigggg thank you, and a mind dump all in one to commemorate this moment. Here goes nothing!

Tip #1: Prepare for every display type. 

So boom,  it’s the day of the art show. The initial setup looks something like you getting in and claiming what will be your space for the night. You can create and use whatever support you need to make sure your work stays in place for all to see and the hope is that you won’t have to repeat the process. So my weapons of adhesion were commando strips, double sided tape, and tacks for backup. You’d think I was ready ready right? No.

I was ready ready for a wood surface or dry wall (think all the walls in your apartment). That night however, I had the pleasure of setting up my work on charming, yet really dusty brick. Now do you think commando strips, double sided tape or tacks work when it comes to a dusty brick wall? That would be a no. The entire time I was on hope and a prayer that my work wouldn’t fall or fly off the walls every 10 minutes. Although my work fell throughout the night I had the best tape fairies around Dallas so shout out to y’all. I refuse to be unprepared like that again though so this one’s definitely a lessons learned.

Tip #2: Business cards! Business Cards! BUSINESS CARDS!!

I cannot tell you how many people asked me for business cards that I did not have. I got by somewhat since us millennials are super active on social media. The generation right before us though...not so much. To make matters more interesting, my phone spazzed on me right before the show where I couldn’t operate it at all for the first hour. Thankfully, I have smart friends that can figure stuff out but still. If I ever had a doubt in my mind whether I should have them or not...doubt extinguished. 

Tip #3: Be in the room!

Here’s a confession; every time I pull up to these I feel I don’t belong there. The first hour is probably the toughest for me mentally and while I’m smiling...I am battling self induced impostor syndrome. There were about four times that night where I literally was ok with not standing by my work (hello...still battling) and just trying to encourage myself to be proud and to own it like Drake would say. The truth I always find by night’s end is that I do belong and there isn’t another artist that can serve it the way I do. My friends and family did a solid job making sure I didn’t forget that either.  

Which brings me to my final point…

I was not prepared for the support. Like...at all!

I can be pretty emotionally awkward at times so to have to deal with my emotions the entire time was a chore. I was everywhere that night. I was happy, scared, battling, excited, absent and present all throughout the day but you guys were there. I don’t think there was a single moment where I wasn’t greeted with a smiling face I rocked with. You all helped taped up my work up, advertised for me, bought tickets, bought merch, drove hours, texted ahead for conflicts, took pictures, hugged me, loved on me, helped me break down, and all of thee above. If I never sold a piece of art in the month of October...heck the whole year…it wouldn’t have mattered for what you guys gave me that night. That’s love. 

Anyways, this was a long one. I don’t apologize for it because you all deserve your accolades. 

Your ArtBae is grateful and still working.

KT

How to Code: My Resources

Alright Saints, I’m back!

Now if you’ve chosen to go on this journey of coding alongside me then here are a few things I’ve come to find out. You can go about learning how to code in several ways. One way  you can go about doing this is to go to school for it. Of course that’ll cost you, but if you can swing it then why not? Signing up for a coding boot camp is another way to get the ball rolling. Be aware that there are a ton of boot camps out there so be sure to do your research. What’s cool about some of the boot camps though is that they enable you to enroll without paying upfront. You don’t pay until you’ve secured a job. Now if that is something that sounds more your speed I’ll do my best to keep you guys updated with recommended boot camps from people I trust. I refuse to send you guys off so I’ll have more on this later. Finally, the last way one can learn how to code is by teaching yourself.  So in conclusion, know that you have options. While each method is great, I encourage you to pursue whatever method works best for both you and your wallet.

Now as for me, I am currently one of those people that have champagne taste on beer money….at least this is how we phrase it at home. For this reason, the self taught method and I are going to get along just fine. While this may be the harder and extremely self-disciplined route (let us pray now for discipline), there are a lot of platforms that want to respect our wallets and budgets out here so we’re in luck!

And because I’m attempting this close to very free route, I want to encourage you guys to follow along and learn with me. Possessing the ability to code is such a dope skill that reaps nothing but reward so come along for the ride!

I’m including the  list of resources Iʼve begun using to make this happen. Feel free to drop some sites you’ve found useful as well. I plan on making a living list available here soon.

Happy Coding!

KT

THE LIST:

• Medium.com aka The Muse Medium

  • A goldmine of inspiration for any and everything you ever needed to read in an article. I use this site to stay in tune with new trends and happenings pertaining to front end development and architecture (yea I’m still attached). For example, the article Iʼve clung to when searching how to start this journey I found on medium. Feel free to read the article. Itʼs dope!

• FreeCodecamp.com aka The Prelims

  • This website is amazing and absolutely free! I said free! This is a free resource geared towards beginners. It has a host of modules about 300 hours worth a piece dedicated to teaching you the beginnings on how to code. Iʼve been making my way through them and my my do we have a ways to go. Check it out!

• TheOdinProject.com aka A Reader’s Paradise

  • I’m actually starting to favor this site. It teaches you material but forces you to read about different aspects of code. I literally have a list of sites to reference due to them. They’re also 100% free!!!

And last but not least.....

• Lynda.com aka The Site You May Want to Really Pay For

  • This website is tutorial based and offers information on everything from how to code to how to utilize SEO to how to take up photography to finance. While is it subscription based at $30 a month it has paid for itself time and time again.

Again, these are what Iʼm beginning my journey with. Iʼd love to hear more about what sites you all have tried and what boot camps. Please comment below and subscribe to stay updated on my journey!

What is a Front End Developer?

In short coding is an umbrella term for A LOT. It’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed at the sheer amount of things you can accomplish with it. This is NOT to discourage you at all; it’s just to encourage you to declare a specialty. It’s like the difference of saying “I’m hungry” versus “I want to eat Mediterranean food”. One statement is the reason you’ll probably settle for some basic food you don’t want to eat over something you’d be happy to spend your money on. Coding is that! Narrowing things down will save you.

Thankfully, I’ve been able to narrow down the path of coding I want to tackle and that is front end development with a slight segway into user interface design.

Well what is front end development though? Right. Let’s talk about it. Maybe we’ll take on user interface or UI design some other time.

Now before I list my idea of what front end development is please know that I am still learning and this definition is sure to evolve as I increase my knowledge around this topic. However, here goes nothing!

A front end developer is the person responsible for breathing life into everything you see and engage with on screen. For example, they are the reason you can see everything from the color selections on the website to the type of font you see on screen. Theyʼre responsible for making sure that those sites can display correctly whether they be on your phone, tablet, or computer. They’re also the people tasked with creating responsible design that can be accessible to everyone including those with disabilities. They are the magicians that tell your browser where to store information once you press the submit button after you input your contact or credit card info on the site. They do all of that and so much more.

So basically, they tell your website or app how to look, how to behave and work well within its given parameters, and how to receive and pass out information making it easier for the consumer experience overall. At least... thatʼs what Iʼve come to understand thus far.

Now I donʼt want to make it seem like front end developers are solely responsible for the magic that is creating a fully functioning digital experience because they are not. Front end developers work closely alongside both UX/UI designers and back-end developers to bring you this kind of enjoyable experience. So teamwork is definitely a thing here. They do, however, have what is known as a full stack developer and that person is capable of delivering on all of these fronts single handedly. As for me and mines though front end development works for me for now.  

To conclude, I hope this makes some sort of sense. I do plan on updating you all as I expand my knowledge base. My hope is that Iʼll be able to inspire someone else who wants to become a coding boss from scratch like me. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about UX/UI design or back end development I will include several links in later posts that I feel explain this clearly (shout out to Medium). And by all means for those in the industry jump in the comment section and help enlighten myself and other viewers.

Until the next update.
Happy Coding Dreamers!

Oh yea, in my next post I plan on dropping the links I’ve been utilizing to teach myself how to code. You don’t want to miss it so stay tuned!

True Life: This is Beginner Coding

Coding.

That word in itself has a certain connotation that comes along with it. Some of us hear coding and automatically dissociate ourselves with the term. It is reserved for the likes of those we deem as super smart or nerds. Some of us consider code and automatically think of people who work in dark rooms with one singular light on who enjoy little to no company from others. Okay….that one might have been a little dramatic but the point is that we’ve given the gift of coding to a lot of other people besides ourselves. Strangely, we still manage to think this even though the likes of Myspace and Tag had us coding everything early on. You want an exclusive background? Here’s the custom code for it. You want this or that? Here is the custom code for it.

I believe what made the difference for us then versus now was the platform being used and the way it was presented to us. It gave us the ability to showcase our personalities in the background so we did it. It then gave us instant results so we engaged with it often. Finally it was presented in such a way where anyone could do it. So in today’s time this is a feeling I want to recreate for myself because coding is something I’ve wanted to learn for quite some time. I also believe that coding is for anyone who wants to learn it.

I believe one should always be expanding your skill set and I feel this a great way to do so. Still near the realm of design, I’ve come to admire how such a powerful and invisible language can support such an expansive framework. For example, there is code that was written to allow you to do everything from see your mouse move across the screen, to scroll down to see more content, to open up a new window in your browser, and so much more. Result wise, I like how you can talk to someone, get their feedback, and write for them exactly what it is they want to see coded on their website or app. I’ve read this falls into the areas of user design and front end development. I’ll have more on what those are in a later blog post, but my current goal is to share my journey with you guys and just get started.

Now if you’re looking for the one stop shop place to learn what and how to code, I promise NOT to be that. Rest assured. I don’t plan on being the spokesperson of all things code either. I do, however, hope through documenting my journey in developing this new skill that you guys will be inspired to learn right along with me. Even if that’s just to make yourself more familiar with the subject. I can’t wait to see where my newly developed skills take me and I hope you all will be here along for the ride.

Always happy to learn. Always happy to share.

KT

My Goals for 2019

Happy New Year Dreamers!

I hope that 2019 brings you nothing but prosperity and the accomplishment of your goals.

I shall keep this post short and sweet because I’m excited to drop these goals and crush them! They are as follows:

1. Bring God A LOT closer than before.

2. Acquire the skills to become a front end developer.

3. Work out at least 3 times a week.

4. Take more photographs.

5. Redefine and lean in to my lane.

6. Travel to and explore two new places I’ve never been to.

7. Show up more for my friends.

8. Collaborate w/three brands this year.

9. Grow KTLLive’s viewership and content.

10. Upgrade on my level of self care.

Feel free to let me know what some of your goals are in the comment section.

KTLLive

Real Life...It Blows Sometimes

And so it happened. I failed my first architecture exam. What a time! Looking back I know I did some of what I had to or at least I thought I did. I disappeared off the grid and that’s always the hardest thing in life for me. I avoided going to events I wanted to go to. I sacrificed countless hours of sleep for months. I played Nice For What and Kanye’s Champion the whole way to the testing center to get ready to blow through this exam. I said another one of my meanest prayers to God like, “You gave me this dream so let’s go to war for it! If you go before me I promise to meet you on the other side with my effort. I’ll do it!...etc. Etc.” I did all that in the hopes that I could pull off passing my second exam of six in total and I didn’t. And you know I was actually alright with it all a few months ago.

That was until...I attempted to take the same exam again only to fail...again.

And that time hurt. Bad.

I remember sitting there staring at the computer screen reading the pre-assessment results of a likely fail and wanting to cry. However, you all know I’m a thug on the weekdays and so I abstained until I could air box safely in the confinement of my car. I found out about three days later though that I hadn’t improved in the majority of the areas since my first attempt at taking the exam. That blow hurt like not having your check drop until the 4th of the month when your rent is due on the 1st. And so Kiera wept. I’ll admit it. After that and a rather large glass of wine poured by my best friend I picked myself up only to wage the war in my mind.

You know the one where you have to fight the common lies of “maybe I’m not smart enough”, "maybe I chose the wrong profession", “what is the point of trying again anyways?”, along with a long list of expressions glittered with general expletives I swear I’ll stop using one day, and everything in between.

Now before you go off to text or DM me with all of the “it’s ok Ki’s” just know that I am fairing fine right about now. I am dealing with it and still brushing myself off, but overall I’m just adjusting to fact that I have a lot of room to improve. And that is ok. I’m still a little battered but I’m getting better at taking on challenges; this is a challenge I accepted at seven so I shall try again. I will improve and I will pass them all. ALL of them. I’m just resurfacing to tell you all that a lot of times your dreams will try you. They will not come easy. They will not be sweet and ready with open arms to allow you to level up real quick. The journey to achieve our dreams are a constant uphill battle and sometimes you might fall, but our failures only make more room for God to work in and through our situations. What is a testimony without the tests anyways? I'll just add this experience to a long list of reasons that’ll justify all the champagne bottles I plan on popping with you guys once I do finally get that piece of paper. So ready yourselves for next year people!

Now regarding your dream know that whatever it is you can achieve it. Whatever it takes you already have it within you. You ARE enough so dust yourself off and get back to work.

Besides...everyone loves the underdog.

Happy Battling Dreamers,

KT

26 Things i peeped

And so as we’ve said goodbye to June I just wanted to drop in and give you all some updates on the things I’ve learned thus far. To be honest, this whole twenties thing is something else entirely, but it’s such the beautiful journey. I’ve learned quite a lot over the years. Some lessons I’ve had to relearn. Some lessons were tough and made me cry...and laugh….and scream, but here. So here goes nothing!

1. There are some things you actually have to spend a little more money on because they’re worth it. You might cry at having to drop a little extra money, but that’s worth more than having to do things like rebuy stuff or wake up with a giant crook in your neck over trash pillows.

2. Life can happen in the blink of an eye. No one is exempt but we best all be prepared to occasionally go the extra mile when necessary.

3. You’re never too young to begin caring for your body (i.e. skin care, dental health, all of that).

4. Stop letting people and hobbies waste your time and get away with it! You know if you’re feeling something or not and 26 is actually old enough to understand that you’re not getting any younger so fill your time up with things you won’t regret.

5. Any time spent towards being there for friends or just to be with them in general is never time wasted. Ever.

6. Not asking for help is dumb.You’re not that original bruh. Someone has been there done that and are further than you so take advantage of that wisdom. I promise it doesn’t make you look less bright. Promise.

7. Those same people and those same activities aren’t going anywhere.

   • I used to be afraid I’d miss out on something if I had to go ahead and disappear to accomplish something. Silliest way to think. Those same clubs, songs, and people will be there right along with someone’s sketchy uncle that shouldn’t even technically be out. So handle your business. It’s attractive.

8. Showing emotion is a privilege that too few people engage in. It is ok to show you are: hurt, happy, excited, upset, etc. It’s also a privilege you ought to afford others because we all aren’t ok all the time and having that outlet when needed is priceless.

9. Pay attention to those who show they want to be in your life and don’t force those that don’t.

10. I’d rather be rich in life memories than to be rich in money.

11. Hope doesn’t get the job done. You have to act on the things you dream about.

12. That unsettling feeling that you have concerning where you are in life, the one that lets you know deep down that there is more fulfillment out there for you….pursue that. Pursue it until you finally find it and you’re satisfied.

13. Travel more. Worrying about your money never ceases so you might as well scrape your pennies together and go see or experience something new.

14. Comparing yourself to other people is a complete waste of time. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. They’re just not the same and will never be. Appreciate each for its own.

15. Everything I imagine myself having….I am capable enough to see it realized now.

16. Step away. Life is loud and if you listen at everything too long you miss out on listening to yourself. So tune in to the things you want to do for yourself.

17. Keep a rainy day fund. Life will try you. It’s only a matter of when and when it does hit those pockets it feels SOO good to be able to borrow from yourself.

18. Accomplishing change is uncomfortable. Accept it. Get over it.

19. Don’t repackage the qualities you KNOW you want in a partner. You have a pretty good idea of what you want. Don’t compromise and don’t keep calling a red flag a white one with a little pink tint in it either. A flag issa flag. Just saying.

20. Sometimes it’s just wiser to do what God said the first time and spare the running marathon. (Edit: sometimes is all the time.)

21. You will outgrow both things and people at some point in your life and it is totally okay to move around once you realize you have.

22. You can’t surprise God. Point blank.

23. NO ONE’s preconceived or existing views of you hold more truth than what you KNOW about yourself. NO ONE can tell you who you are. You decide that for yourself.

24. Everyone takes an L at some point. It’s life so just take it in stride and beast on.

25. Progress is progress despite the increment of how much.

26. Be realistic with your goals and approach them accordingly.

27. *bonus* Give yourself more credit for who you are and what you’ve already accomplished. The world already beats you up. Don’t help it.

Well, that’s it! I hope you guys enjoyed it and feel free to let me know what some of your best life lessons were over your years. Here’s to more life.

Happy Dreaming Dreamers,

KT

How to Friend Successfully: Bitty Edition

So lately I've been on a friend appreciation journey. In my last blog post I blogged about how to friend for free and if you haven't read it you can check it out here. Now when it comes to my friends I must say that I am fortunate enough to have some good ones in my life and one of them, in my humble opinion, friends so successfully she can probably teach a class on how to keep real ones around you.  So I present to you guys my friend Brittany Bullock, aka the friend keeper. I call her the friend keeper because somehow she manages to hold down a demanding 9 to 5, write content for various publications, run her own travel website and brand, and play brand ambassador for other thriving brands just to name a few things. To learn more about her brand, The Brittany B, and all of the wonderful things she's doing feel free to check out her website here. I want to be sure not to understate the fact that she does all of this while managing to be an awesome friend kind enough to share with us some of her friending secrets. So enjoy!

Q1: I know you keep a crazy busy schedule so what are some creative ways in which you hang out or chose to make time with friends?

I’m lucky that my friends also keep a busy schedule so it makes us all understanding to the fact the time we do spend with one another is important. I appreciate that we can do a mix of things together. Get dressed up and go to a nice dinner or stay in the house and bake cookies. There is a good balance between us. Work sessions are a common thing with us as well. Getting together with our laptops and notebooks to knock out blog posts, editing, client emails, etc. Throw in some wine and we have a party.

Q2: Out of your friend group what friend would you consider yourself to be? Are you the organizer? The go with the flow friend? The chill friend? And how do you use your unique character to better your friendships?

I’m the unpredictable friend. I like to explore and go find new things to do/eat/see so the can count on me for that but I’m also the friend that will just tell someone to get in the car we are taking a mini road trip or hey it’s 2 am. Let’s go to fuel city randomly. I think because I don’t fit in one category or box makes my friendships work. Some days I am a grandma and want to eat snacks while doing facemasks; other days I want to go out and stay out until the sun rises. It depends on my mood.

Q3: What advice would you give to someone looking to step up their level of friendship maintenance?

Be the friend you would want someone to be with you. The smallest things can mean a lot to friends. I randomly will tell my friends how much I appreciate them, how great they are, etc. My Chicago friends that I am really close to I speak with every day. We do devotionals together, send bible scriptures, etc. We take trips with one another, watch shows long distance, discuss albums together. It doesn’t take a lot of effort with us.

Q4: What’s the longest friendship you’ve managed to maintain over the years? What struggles and triumphs have come with that that you had to figure out that successfully kept the friendship intact? (i.e. proposed schedules to talk? etc.)

To be honest it has been hard for me to maintain some relationships. There are times we genuinely outgrow people as well. Seasons last different lengths. One of my friends that I had through college and out of it was like that. We never lived in the same state so would travel to see one another. I honestly had let our friendship fade out and she 100% called me out on it one day and I felt horrible. You need friends that will let you know you aren’t doing what you need to be doing. I made efforts to do better about contacting her. Asking about life. Not because I felt forced but because I cared about our friendship. We are still rocking and rolling after 8 years. We may not talk for one week but I make it a point to make sure there is some type of conversation between us. I will email her randomly. Text and ask her opinion on clothing. Again the small stuff can go a long way.

Q5: Where are some places or what are some things you would recommend to people trying to figure out new ways to hang out with their friends?

CHEAP/CREATIVE FRIEND DATES:

Picnics

Free events (movies in the park, free museum days, grand openings)

In house brunches

Working out together

Photo shoots (for bloggers/creatives this is a life saver)

Ice cream outings

Game Night

Try a new recipe together

Winery tour

Find new areas to explore that are walkable

Bike Riding

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Thrifting

Summertime water balloon fight.

So that's all for me dreamers! I hope this series on friendship is inspiring you to get out there and rekindle those friendships because life is more fun with a great set of friends around you. Honestly. Truly. Stay tuned for more and feel free to comment below with some of the ways you've maintained your friendships!

KT