Opening blog entries are probably the hardest to write, because one feels you have to set the tone for the entire blog, which is a load of nonsense, but at the end of the day it’s first impressions and all that.

Anyway here I am, back in the UK, just about over the jet lag and ready to start into what I hope will be a very productive 3-4 months. I have taken the huge step of resigning from my job with the inspiration to use this time to learn new skills and practice the ones I already have gained.

I am calling it a “sabbatical” because it sounds a lot more dignified than “elected unemployment”.

In my time here, I hope to:

• Gain my Google Adwords and Analytics Certification
• Gain a basic understanding of Javascript
• Create my own font or two
• Firm up my CV
• Get up to what I would consider an Intermediate level in Photoshop (from a basic-intermediate stage)
• Gain a foundation in Illustrator and Flash CS5
• Create my own theme in WordPress rather than changing everyone elses’
• Grasp some knowledge surrounding .Net, #C, Asp and another few things which I often see written down and wonder what they mean
• Write a generalised overall SEO strategy in order to firm up skill already learnt
• Create websites for a number of people as per requests, whilst finishing my own
• Have a Portfolio ready to give to prospective employers (printed and online)

Whilst achieving the above hopefully it will lead me to a better indication of what is next for me in my career and whether I have enough knowledge/ability to follow web design further. I will use my blog to log my journey and hopefully share some useful information and findings!

Whether this list is over ambitious or not, time will tell. But I want to aim high – I am not taking time off to sit on my backside… well, at least, not with a laptop in front of me.