It has been roughly seven weeks since I’ve been able to even consider blogging. I can’t really apologize for this as it has been a fantastic seven weeks. I’m clearly in a “work hard, play hard” phase of my life and it takes me away from some of the processing place I get into when I write. I do miss it and I hope to find a way to integrate it back in. As part of my weekly “to do” list ritual, I keep a list of notes on future blog posts, little text sketches of things I need to say, or mull over, or share. I re-write the list each week, and usually add one or two ideas … their time will come.
“Work hard, play hard.” My Mom would SO approve of this. Of “getting out there”, as she would say. Trying things, finding barriers, working around them. Making mistakes. Responding carefully to that reality. Giving. Taking. Playing fair. Laughing. Feeling blessed. Feeling hurt. Keeping it in perspective. Feeling loved. Not being afraid of the intensity. A little cowed, sometimes, but not letting that stop me. Keeping it real.
Yes, Mom would be pleased that my hands-on working/playing life has taken over from processing and analysis for a while. So, for Mother’s Day, I dedicate this entire active busy intense jam-packed spring season to the memory of my Mom. It was her favourite time of year anyway – she loved being out in the garden, fussing, planning. She died in her garden, in the spring of 1998. Death in a place of growth and possibility. In my experience, these last two – growth and possibility – trump death every time.
I hope everyone has enjoyed a connection with the maternal, however it appears, this weekend. Happy Mother’s Day!
So for ages now I’ve been puttering away at upgrading my business site. Given the fragmented life I’m living at the moment, this project has suffered from “shoemaker’s children” syndrome. I’m able to offer others all kinds of advice on their site strategies. I can’t seem to focus on my own.
Nonetheless, with the able creative design work of the magnificent Pam Sloan, it all got done and launched late Sunday night. Phew!
The main business site is here. This should remain fairly stable, although I have more testimonials on the way (so I’m told) and will be adding links and clients as appropriate. The nav bar is expandable so if I have “new services” to add, that is fairly easily done.
After years of experimenting with keeping my volunteer/fundraising work under the same umbrella as my revenue-generating business site, I’ve decided this doesn’t really work. It muddies the message. So I have split this off and will house all the creative fun stuff here. This site needs the most polishing up, design and content-wise, but I wasn’t going to hold up the works, so to speak, by continuing to fiddle with it. I’m collecting photos from past productions to put into an album here, so that should be fun.
My new business blog is here. The first two entries are on a) e-mail spoofing, and b) the tension between core competency and market differentiation. I think the next one is on managing up and managing down … but I can’t be sure until I really sit down to write. 
I think I’ll eventually manage about one entry per week. I have an endless number of ideas for this blog – all I need to do is become self-aware of the anecdotes that come out of my mouth like frogs and toads, in the classroom.
After one entry, the stats here were interesting to watch. 33% of the traffic generated to the site came from google searches, which is terrific. Next step here is to throw some ads up and see what happens.
It is all a grand experiment. And it keeps me off the streets.
My next blogging projects include:
- a blog for one of my hockey leagues to keep everyone connected
- a place for women to talk about anger
- something about grocery stores in Toronto
Do stay tuned … I’ll be off the streets a while it seems …
Check … check … 1-2-3 … *tap tap* … is this thing on?
Hello!
So, here I am, launching The HandBasket 3.0, a.k.a. Blogging 3.0 … feels like I’m unpacking boxes and checking out the view from here. Looks pretty amazing so far. Must admit I’m smitten with WordPress, the self-hosted option, and all that it has to offer. This is going to be fun!
I’ve imported (manually, post-by-post) some of my favourite posts from my old blog on Vox.com. I’ve managed to get up to November 2007 and plan to fill in the rest of 07-08 within the next few days. I love Vox and its community and all that it has to offer in terms of simplicity and ease. But, alas, it is time for me to leave my comfy nest and fly on my own now.
The last time I switched platforms, from LJ to Vox, I mused about why I blog at all. I no longer ask
that question, at least not with the same interest or frequency. It is like asking why one enjoys good food or good music, or why one feels compelled to learn new things … it is just a part of my life. I think about things. I observe. I like to share what I think. I like to start, or continue, conversations.
I’m planning on starting a few more topic-focused blogs in the very near future. Watch this space for details.
But, now … I really must get to the gym … please do feel free to comment, subscribe or otherwise interact with this blog. Remember … we are all in this handbasket together, peeking over the side, and wondering where the hell we are going anyway … … we might as well have a few good chats along the way.