A couple of months after that award I learned that my wife was going to be bringing new life into this world. Working an hour away from home and realizing I couldn't sustain that job when I became a father meant I had to find something close to home.

Over the next several months, my co-developer had left, and so did our team lead. My baby was coming soon, so I decided to use my leverage to get a raise. So for a few months I was making significant money, which was good, because I knew I wouldn't make nearly as much working a full-time job back home.

The problem was, finding a job in this capacity without a degree in a university town known for its computer science, meant I was fighting an uphill battle. Some institutions and businesses won't even look at your resume if that box isn't checked "Yes, I have a Bachelor's or Master's degree". Years of experience and die-hard determination didn't count for anything to them.

Luckily, I landed a full-time job only 5 minutes away from where I lived, 3 weeks before my son was to be born, and at a startup that pays well for this area. In comparison to the money I was making as a contractor, the offer was a pay cut, to be sure, but a welcome one.

My current role is officially titled as a Frontend Developer. It is a bit removed from where I started--I have never had my coding skills challenged so much. I work among an amazingly talented and educated team--everyone I work with has, or, is working on a degree or PhD. I've probably written more code in this job than I have in my entire life, even in the game industry. My time isn't spent building mockups, art, or animations (yet); however, with my background in graphic/web/UI/UX design, I provide insight across a holistic spectrum of issues that may be missed by others, or come to solutions in different ways.