#monthms

1. Where are you from (if you’re comfortable with sharing)?

I’m from Singapore!

2. How and when did you start coding?

I learnt HTML when I was 9 (2007) by messing around on Blogger and Neopets (ah, sweet memories) but I only really started coding when I played around with other peoples’ codes on my personal blog in 2013... This blog was made in 2014 which was also when I started making themes!

3. Is coding websites also your job or only a hobby?

For me coding is really just a hobby, I really enjoy coding (no matter the language - I can even write basic C programs now) but I chose to be an aerospace engineering major so probably I won’t be pursuing programming or web design as a career.

4. Did you change your url in the past? What were your previous urls?

Once upon a time I was obsessed with the German national football team and used the URL deutscherthemes for a couple of months. Other than that, no

5. Which of your codes is your favourite and why?

Probably Aeronautic because of the fact that I can indeed do minimalism without losing my essence, and Illium because the kinesis cube was so much effort that I’m proud of myself for finishing

6. Is there anything you want to improve about your codes?

Definitely, I want to be more original, make my themes more detailed (for example, I generally do not style permalink pages) and be less reliant on jQuery for my effects! Also, I really don’t have the time for it, but if I ever make “special” (premium? giveaway?) themes, I want to make them responsive.

7. What do you do when you feel stuck with coding?

For me, I like getting stuck with the code (which happens but not very often) because I really enjoy solving problems! I always try to focus on my desired outcome, then think about the steps required to achieve this outcome, then write the code slowly line by line. If I really don’t know how to write the code, since I already have the steps, Google and StackOverflow become super helpful at this stage.

Design-wise, if I get stuck with designing (which happens a lot) I just go and search for inspiration online... CodeMyUI is one of my favourites for when I get stuck with interface!

8.  What/Who gives you inspiration?

I draw my inspiration from many places, my process isn’t really inspiration-based but more of “I want to make a (insert layout/style here) theme” and then I design from there. My previews are just based on kdrama/anime/ships/football teams/footballers I like thoughhh

9. What do you do in a free time (other than coding)?

What is free time? Can eat one?

Haha jokes aside, I’m super busy with college and my extracurriculars/research nowadays, but I always try to make time to watch Liverpool matches. Apart from that, I do enjoy the occasional graphic-making session, and I like to read, and watch things.

10. Favourite music artist(s) and song(s) you like recently.

Uhhhhh I don’t really have a favourite artist I guess but I listen to Chinese music (JJ Lin and Jay Chou are my faves), kdrama osts, anime music, One OK Rock, 5SOS, Ed Sheeran and other songs. Recently I’ve been listening a lot to this, this, this, this, this and this. I also got somewhat into Kpop recently, BTS Spring Day and Blood, Sweat, Tears are really good

Special mention to Man’s Not Hot bc #quickmaths, and this motherfucking thing.

11.  Any books/TV shows/movies to recommend?

Books: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell has to be one of my favourite-ever books - I fell in love with it when I was 12. I also own both volumes of Steven Gerrard’s autobiography! With regard to fiction, the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu is amazing, and I’m still impatiently awaiting the second book of Warcross. Also, not a well-known book, but I really really like Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh.

I read quite a few manga too and I highly recommend Boku no Hero Academia, Haikyuu, Days, Seraph of the End, Shokugeki no Souma and Shingeki no Kyojin.

TV: I really don’t watch TV shows but I really like Suits and wish I had time to catch up with it (I’m now on Season 3 episode 12!) As for kdrama, definitely watch Goblin and Descendants of the Sun

1. Where are you from (if you’re comfortable with sharing)? Hong Kong!

2. How and when did you start coding? Started dipping in and out of it in 2013 but didn’t start making proper shit til 2015, and started my theme blog in 2015 summer

3. Is coding websites also your job or only a hobby? Hobby!

4. Did you change your url in the past? What were your previous urls? always had this one haha

5. Which of your codes is your favourite and why?

Theme [05] Asphyxia - it’s a very simple layout but I like the column of round custom links a lot haha (of all things)

Theme [07] Wonder Duo - the header image click-transition was inspired by Horikoshi’s BKDK art and it really touched me. I wanted to emulate the same feeling I got from Deku chasing Bakugou’s back (Deku: aspiration, ambition, admiration) (Bakugou: constant escape from him / rejection of Deku that grew to become a routine until his more apparent development in the latest arcs) into the design, and I think I absolutely nailed that. I plan to make more themes with these ‘emotional’ aspects in mind (or so to speak) in the future!

Theme [22] Moonfall - the header nav bar is where I first started using an icon + 2 lines of text on top of each other in a theme and it’s now literally my favorite fuckin thing

Character Page [01] Fortitude - the characters are displayed so you can find who you’re looking for immediately; it’s self-explanatory and don’t have to dig further to find who & what you’re looking for

6. Is there anything you want to improve about your codes? Plenty. I’m constantly figuring out neater ways to type out the HTML and cut out the unnecessary parts and even though I’ve improved a lot especially in the last year, I’m not there yet. And I want to learn more about CSS transitions and effects in general! And learn more JS bc I want to make cooler shit happen!! As for layout designs, I really want to work on making themes that focus on the character(s) rather than just the coding aspects of it (mentioned above in [07] Wonder Duo).

7. What do you do when you feel stuck with coding? Go on Stackoverflow and look through 50 related conversations and somehow end up finding the answer to a thing I’m not looking for, but was looking for 6 months ago, probably.

8.  What/Who gives you inspiration? Most of inspiration just comes on a whim, usually a design idea hits me out of the blue and I have to scribble everything down like my ass is on fire before I forget it all. But when I’m stuck and looking for inspiration, I always look through recent shots on Dribbble! There are amazing graphic designs (and UI) out there!

9. What do you do in a free time (other than coding)? I’m playing a lot of Overwatch nowadays! I also write and draw!

10. Favourite music artist(s) and song(s) you like recently.

Yonezu Kenshi - Shunrai

Aimer - Rokutousei no Yoru Magic Blue ver.

Maggie Lindemann - Pretty Girl (my friend introduced me to this one; he said it reminds him of me a lot and now I can’t stop listening to it bc damn it’s true) (pls read the lyrics I’m not that conceited)

11.  Any books/TV shows/movies to recommend? My all-time favorite series is The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan. I’m watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine now and loving it! And I don’t really watch movies so nothing on that, sorry!