Wednesday, August 16th, 2006
Time for a reality check I think. Today my husband kindly pointed out to me that to maintain the website (apart from setting it up) is going to take a lot of my time and effort.
This is not news to me but sometimes hearing it being said does stop you. I already know that if I want to make this successful it has to be done right. In the main that means keeping it fresh and current and having a really clear vision.
I now have to decide how to prioritise it amongst everything else I do. This includes being a mum, cleaner, cook, entertainer, book-keeper and generally helping out with my husband’s side of the business. I also have to remain positive and smiley for all of those things (okay not the cleaning).
This is going to be difficult. I already find I am being stretched especially with the school holidays, but I really want to do this. I am also struggling (already) to get my writers to keep writing. Maybe they don’t have faith in the website, maybe they are finding it difficult to write on a regular basis.
I know currently I am having trouble keeping the blog up to date but maybe that’s also a good thing to show what I need to do.
However, I so want to do this I have to find a way. I need to expand my sources and start putting together loads of information to show my writers that it can be done.
I think I’ll start tonight by clearing my desk, which by the way is currently surrounded not only with lots of papers, but items for a carboot (which I will never get round to doing) and washing, both dry and wet.
So not ideal circumstances then. But in the words of Captain Picard from Star Trek I need to "make it so".
Ps - I have now sorted out the menu buttons I want for the opening bar on the website, so I have achieved something!
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Sunday, August 13th, 2006
Tonight I am spending time on the website design. Menu’s to be exact.
It’s a good way to focus on what you really want from the website and to channel your thoughts for writing.
Having the logo in place has pushed me as I can’t stop taking a sneak look at the file! But a logo will not make a website ready.
So I am off with my post it notes to arrange, re-arrange, cross out, start again and all of that.
Hopefully will be able to report on this tomorrow.
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Friday, August 11th, 2006
Well today has been a good day. Firstly I had responses regarding my email from all three parties that I had written to, two of them being MP’s, so that made me feel empowered.
But better than that we’ve started on the design for the website - yippee!! It’s only on a local machine at the moment so is not for public viewing, but I am really excited by what we did.
By we, I mean my husband has started it, I just sit back giving the instructions. By giving instructions I mean I keep asking him what he thinks!
All we really did tonight (which took well over an hour to do I might add) was attach the logo to the new template we had purchased, but the colours couldn’t have been matched better if I had tried.
I know that is only our opinion but it’s a good feeling to know that they go together. It already has the feel to it I wanted, so that is a tick in that box and my husband agrees.
Now, all I have to do is crack on with the content, as the next stage is deciding what menu buttons I need and the categories for the site itself.
I have to say though that I needed to see this tonight as it puts it more and more into perspective.
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Monday, August 7th, 2006
I know it’s been a few days since I last updated my blog but it’s been a combination of tiredness (yawn, not again!), school holidays (hence the tiredeness) and being wrapped up in a local issue (what!).
In brief, I live in what used to be called a village, not the countryside rural type, but the type that is not big enough to be a town.
I have lived here a long time and have always been fairly precious about it especially as we have always been seen as ’second rate’ to the next town.
I like it or I should say I did until recently when the council (’they’ from now on) have started to over develop it. We have as many car dealerships now as we do supermarkets (why don’t they combine, they have with everything else!).
Quite simply they want to make us into another clone town. The residents don’t want it. But they are insisting we do. Although planning permission hasn’t gone through the final channels yet, it is really strange that buildings have already been demolished in the area they are going to develop. Mmm do they think we are stupid? The answer to that is obviously yes.
There is a group committed to stopping this action and my hat is off to them for the work they have put in so far. They have called upon residents to write to Ruth Kelly (personally I think Ruth Badger would be feisty enough to fight the battle) to call for a public enquiry. I may still do this.
I decided to go one step further. As the council in question are Conservatives, tonight I emailed the Conservative leader himself, David Cameron MP and copied it to the local Lib Dems and the action group. It has taken me a while to compose the letter, checking it sounds okay, getting my husband to read it to make sure I have come across fairly professional etc etc.
So with much anticipation tonight I completed the task and pressed send. I was rather pleased with the outcome of my writings and was just taking one last glance at it when I was rather brought to heel.
I am very hot on spelling and grammar (within my own scope) and there sitting in one of the paragraphs was a typo. Because it was a real word in its own right, the spell checker missed it and I must admit I had mentally decided the other day to check it in the dictionary before sending it.
As I was on a roll tonight I forgot, so I spelt what should have been councillor as counsellor. That one error robbed me of my elation at what I had achieved. What will they think when they read it?
I am a known terror when it comes to spelling so you can imagine how daft I felt. Still hopefully it won’t detract from the message I sent.
I have to say that even if I don’t get a response, the fact that I felt able to write to a shadow Prime Minister was very empowering. I know the content probably doesn’t rank with all the major problems happening in the world right now, but you also shouldn’t take your eye off the ball with local issues either.
My thought is if they can pull the wool over people’s eyes at local level, it will go to national level and so on. Anyway I think I have now made up for my tardiness at not having written for a few days.
We shall see what happens and I will let you know the outcome.
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