Ten Things About Me - A. A. Chips

This introduction is also available as a blog post on my website. You can visit it here

Here are ten things about me:

I’ve slept in a hammock for years, and when done right, it’s the best sleep you’ll ever get. Mattresses, on the other hand, are expensive and require a lot of maintenance. They also tend to harbor dust mites, which I’m allergic to. Plus, when you’re done with a mattress, it often ends up in a landfill. If everything falls apart and you need to leave your home, a hammock can almost fit in your pocket. It’s practical, comfortable, and eco-friendly.

English is my first language, but I’ve been learning Spanish since I was 11. Over the years, I’ve been surrounded by Spanish speakers and traveled to Latin America. Recently, I’ve had a Sephardic rebirth and embraced Ladino, an old form of Spanish. I’m building a site where I blog about Spanish, Ladino, and culture. You can find it here: https://www.aachips.co/lingua.

I run a seasonal small business called April’s Apple Chips. I take overstock fruit and dry it into crunchy snacks. This past season is almost over, as it’s getting too warm to dry things inside, and apples will be scarce until autumn. Next season, I’ll focus on holiday bulk orders—apple chips make great gifts!

Check out my landing page titled Why Chip? here. To pre-order apple chips for the upcoming holiday, visit the order form starting in June at https://www.applechipkitchen.aachips.co/order.

For the most part, I live on my own and have gone no-contact with both of my parents. While this isn’t a joyous part of my life, the fact that I was able to walk away and build my own life absolutely is. If you want to read more about the impact this experience has on people, check out this great article published on Psychology Today titled, 5 Ways Family Estrangement can Inflict Lifelong Harm. I have since created a enriching connected life with people I choose and celebrate to have in my life.

I work for an after-school program. Locally I am famous among small children. The kids I work with provide me with a clarity and direction of how I live my life.

I’ve earned my Digital Media Level I certificate and my Front-End Web Developer certificate. I’m completing my Back-End Web Developer certificate this upcoming year. This semester, I’m focusing on personal and professional skills development since no courses were offered toward my certificate. I enjoy making websites and tools that improve people’s lives.

Through the internet, I’ve fundraised thousands of dollars for rent, medical, and food relief aid for LGBTQ+ refugees. This is going to be the subject of a future web development project, but I haven't worked on this content since I went back to school in 2022.

I was homeless for several years, living out of my car. Now, I’m building a project called Heartwarmers to connect free offerings and services to at-risk individuals. I survived sleeping in my vehicle during cold winters by using reusable water bottles filled with hot water to stay warm. I call these bottles Heartwarmers.

The Heartwarmers Project aims to engage local businesses and organizations to create goodie bags for the homeless, build community partnerships, and map out free amenities for a mobile app. The goal is to reduce stigma and increase helpful engagement with vulnerable populations. Here is my brief website I made last semester: https://www.aachips.co/heartwarmers-pr

A few years ago, I had a terrible experience trying to get assessed for adult autism. As a result, I’ve been building the Assessment for Adult Competencies over the past five years. Instead of focusing on a diagnosis, this tool breaks down "adulting skills" into six categories of day-to-day life and struggle. I plan for this to be my capstone project for my Back-End Developer certificate. You can check out the basic website for this project here: https://www.aachips.co/assessment.

I’m eager to start a YouTube channel and Kickstarter campaign to make my work go viral. I’m passionate about sharing my projects and helping others through my experiences. This is why I want to take this course in Mass Communication. Keep posted.