Today a programmer was born. And you are my mother.
I got a B+ in C++ in 2003. I read Why's Poignant Comic Book in 2005. I've followed web startups for years, and even played a business role in 2 of them. But it wasn't until 4:58am today, after a long night with fellow coders who helped carry me over the hill, that I wrest to myself the glory it is to be a programmer.
Proof?
I wrote a crappy program to help my friend Greg figure which trains are coming next at one of his Metro stops. Behold the breathtaking majesty: http://blazing-galaxy-7821.herokuapp.com/ If you figure out how it works, the FBI will add you to their potential X-Men shortlist.
And I'm on Github. Yeah, that's right. The Github. I have committed something: https://github.com/israelvicars/Over-The-Hump
I don't know what you think it takes to become a programmer. I don't care either. Most of you have forgotten more code after last night's bender then I've learned ever. But there are OTHERS who like me stared at the beginner computer manuals from O'Reilly. Stared and read and then got stuck. And stayed stuck.
I've been getting stuck on my own for years. YEARS, with a capital "Y am I a failure?"
My stack of programming books didn't get me there. They are still on my bookshelf. My top-billing university engineering education couldn't cut it. It gave me context but then left me at the alter. No, my friends. It took you. And your counter-parts sitting in this office with me tonight.
The programming community lifted this stray sheep out of the vast sea of Almost.
Thank you for your insightful comments and occasional threats here on HN. Thank you for bragging about that grossly complex web app you built over the weekend while I napped and played frisbee. Thank you to my mostly younger but way smarter programming compadres at the Code til Dawn Meetup I started in January to meet programmers in my community. Thank you especially to my buddy "exid3" for walking me through the endless bumps in the road that stood between me launching this app tonight and another evening of plodding through a tutorial.
And to those who wallow still in the sea of Almost, surround yourself with members of the programmer community. Set the right goal and don't give up. It may take years for you too. But damn it feels good to be a coder.