So many times, this site has gone into cardiac arrest. And almost always, it languishes in agony, forgotten by me until I catch it in my periphery as I whip past, rushing headlong in some new direction. And I’m always more appalled by the aesthetics of its demise than concerned for its actual death. Because I know it’s never going to die. Not until sometime after I’m gone, probably.
“What a sad little mess it’s become,” I’ll say to myself. And then with genuine concern, I’ll reach for the defibrillator.* “Not on my watch, little buddy! Come on, stay with me!”
And as I throw the paddles onto the site to try to shock it back into life once more, the memories come flooding back. “Clear!” A few more jots of electric current and then…
“There’s that heartbeat! Whew! That was close!” I’ll give it a heartfelt squeeze, a little cookie and a glass of water, and set it on its way, And when I feel good about it, I’ll pen an official post, announcing that everything’s fine and, “Look at me now, all better!”
But similar to what has been noted elsewhere regarding people’s decision to leave social media, this site is not an airport: there’s no need to announce the departures and arrivals. And yet, here we are again.
And as often as I have brought this site back to life, I have vacillated on nearly every aspect of it. From the art and the words to the design and direction. And I work obsessively on it, crafting it until it’s a proper digital extension of my analog world.
And it’s alive and thriving, and I’m building it out with a fiery intensity until I’m not. And even still, when it stands motionless like a scarecrow in a barren field, it’s serving its purpose: always representing where I am at any particular stage in my life. (Maybe I’m in negative space. Maybe I’m planning the next tent revival! Who knows?!**)
I do like to think that I’m a little wiser each time I bring the site back. This go-around, I’ll note that every time prior when the announcement comes that I have Frankenstein’ed this site yet again, it’s always, “I’ve reached a decision and this is what the site will now be” as if – and bear with me as I reach back down into this bag full of clichés and overused idioms – there’s some final destination to reach when, really, this site should’ve always been about the journey.
Which brings us to the present moment, here and now. Welcome to the new site. I’m glad you’re here.
TL;DR – I have revived my friend, the happy little denizen of this digital forest, and he and I are going on a journey. Happy Happy Joy Joy!!
You’re absolutely invited to come along but if you’ve got other plans, totally cool. You’re welcome to pop in any time. I’m just happy you came this far, really.
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* Not a real doctor though I have watched them on TV
** I know
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