2000-12-22
feeling kinda
y'know, this always happens. i think i've finished a piece, i post it up, and then i remember the 57 bazillion things i also meant to put in there. but once it's up, it's up. i mean, there are certain sections of the site that i muck with pretty regularly, like links (gotta keep 'em hot and tasty) and the bio (which has just changed recently), but the writing bits are what they are.
so, perhaps you are wondering what i was smacking myself on the forehead for? well, glad you asked. one of the fascinating things to me, besides the fact that people actually enjoy reading in this place, is how they got here. the two trackers i use tell you what the referring URL is. for a long time, it was always the Diaryland directory page. not so exciting. then a few hits came in from Diarist.net. and then some more hits from the web rings i've joined. then another bunch from the collabs to which i contribute. it's especially nice when someone floats in from somewhere on a random link, and stays to read a few pages, not just the one they stumbled across.
but by far the most entertaining hits are the ones from various search engines. i went thru the ardous task of submitting my site to all kindsa search engines, from the Big Names down to more obscure ones, to try to build site profile. at first, i didn't see that this made a difference. and then someone did a Google search on Ezra Dyer, whom i quoted in an entry back in September. lo and behold, my journal came back on the search results page. then someone did a search on the Addison Groove Project, and someone else tripped over my site looking for Ani DiFranco info. most of the search strings make sense - Maura O'Halloran picture, romantic nicknames, Comics Come Home - but truly, i tell you, some of the search strings are out there weird. 'rubber chicken practical tips'? 'heat meister'? 'Beth and bologna'? 'woke up with stiff neck'? trust me. try them out in your favorite search engines. they work. i don't know *why* you would need tips on how to use your rubber chicken, especially in a practical manner, but there you go.
hey, can you tell i was restless the other day? i'm working on a redesign for the site, but haven't quite found the things i want yet, so in the interrum, i moved things around. brickbats and roses appreciated - let me know what you think of the current orientation. i'd like to know if the nav buttons across the top make more sense for people, as that's what i have in mind for The Next Great Re-Design. because, you know, once you figure out how to redecorate, you get the urge to do it every month or so, whether you need it or not. hopefully, i'll have the new look up and running for the new year. which, by the way, is the true start of the millenium. only programmers start counting from zero. and even they knew that 2001 was the start of the millenium, as well as a famous movie.
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holiday stuff has pretty much sorted itself out. i'll have a chance to see all the family on Sunday, and here's hoping mom is able to enjoy herself. Sunday night and Christmas will be a mix of friends and their families, some of whom feel like part of my family (or i'm part of theirs... you get the idea). and i'm terribly grateful that the tension with my honey has started to work itself out. we had the big talk the other night, and while it's been tough, and will be tough again i'm sure, it was reassuring to find that we both find it worth the risk to keep talking and working on it. it's really fodder for a completely different entry, as i need/want to write about what i see about myself in all this, but we can save that for after the holidays, right?was up until 1 AM wrapping the last of the *%$@#&^ presents... which now are piled up under my Charlie Brown tree. the pile is nearly as big as the tree, and it's pretty cute. honey and i are planning on a little Christmas somethin' Saturday night, before the rest of the mayhem begins.
most likely, i won't have time to post up anything until Monday or Tuesday. who knows - if i find the time, i'll try to be here. but i'll be back by Tuesday at the latest.
hope you all have a wonderful, joyous holiday, however and whatever you choose to celebrate. peace be with you.
