I'm pretty sure that wherever you are reading this, it's
probably more exotic than Ohio.
Sometimes I gripe that even our wildlife is non-interesting in various
shades of brown. Brown squirrels, deer,
groundhogs, bunnies... brown, brown, brown with a little bit of gray mixed
in. We're great for camouflage here
amongst the brown tree trunks and lead gray skies. The best we've got in winter is a cardinal, and just cuz it's Ohio, even the female cardinal is brown.
Okay, so it's winter here and snow is falling after a week
of miserably cold temperatures. My
attitude might be suffering and I think I could really use a vacation to
someplace by the sea with colorful people, houses, birds, and fish.
The internet lets us travel without much effort, and the
internet has been occupying me a lot lately because I finally have a new
website for work. Let me say upfront,
I'm not going to dispute religion here.
You're either Christian or not, Protestant or not -- but I work for the
Catholic Church and want to share my latest opus with you.
Redesigning the website for my job was complicated. There were different priests with
different ideas and different levels of experience all trying to pull all of the order's websites together through an outside firm. You never realize how many pieces parts and decisions go into a website until you have to sweat out all those details.
I admit I've spent a fair amount of time cussing this
year. I got forgiven for it by a priest
one day, but almost immediately resinned, swearing like a sailor up till the end of this project. But at long last, the website is finally ready. See it here. I'd love feedback. Please make your comments here on my blog or in email instead of
on the website. I know at least one of
the photos isn't the best. I'll improve
the photos as I get better shots.
It's interesting for me to look at the pictures on the site because I really didn't mean to have my current job. I took the PT job for reliable income while
I picked up whatever "real work" I could in a bad economy. It was a little paycheck, but enough for me
to get by while I was searching for something else, plus it's close to
home. I really enjoyed the freedom of
going to work sometimes and the park other times.
My boss quickly started giving me projects far beyond our
original arrangement. I just as quickly
figured out that I'm a lot happier with harder projects than I am with routine
tasks. I started poring over financial
reports, talking with printers, designing things in PhotoShop... and then my
boss suddenly died in the hall last January.
Now I was boss, and my casual PT arrangement became 7 days a week of OMG
how am I supposed to keep up with all this?!!
It's been a stressful and rewarding year. I work with a lot of nice people, and little
old ladies bake cakes and cookies.
People pray around me all the time and there's a beautiful garden for me
to watch the little brown birds and brown squirrels. I get to use a lot of my old skills in art and advertising... but
I really want a vacation to someplace exotic!
The web site looks good! I've always liked centering and symmetry and you've done well with the balance of photos and information. It's colorful enough to keep the attention of the user, but not overdone which would not represent the church.
ReplyDeleteYou're so talented! :)
I love your cardinal and can't wait to see more of them this spring.
Harder tasks are better because they stretch your limits. Great post LInda and I like the site. Complicated made simple through ease of navigation...
ReplyDeleteHA! I love the opening sentence.
ReplyDeleteI've been here to read of the exotic turn your professional life took. I'd say you're rolling quite well with it and are allowed to cuss as needed. I'll have to go check out your site now!
Nicely done on the website, Linda. I've designed three now (I like to say, "Never again!") and know that the hardest part--which doesn't even show unless you do it very badly--is organizing a huge amount of information, gracefully and invitingly. You've done all of that well here, and your choice of colors is warm and friendly too. And under Catholic duress too!
ReplyDeleteSorry about your dreary Winter weather, my dear. I think we've gotten all the good Winter weather here in Northern California this year…unseasonably mild, but we will surely pay for it with drought conditions later and likely even more forest fires...
I think I'm at the "never again!" stage of web development. I'd like to think that I won't have to design anything as complex through committee for a long time too. I hope! Thanks for the comments everybody! I appreciate the feedback.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Linda, but I'm laughing at the thought of you swearing while developing a web page for the church! Yeah, things are not a heck of a lot more exotic here in Rhode Island. I've had thoughts of Spring entering my head on a regular basis too lately. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteNow that the site is launched maybe I can start laughing at all that swearing too? Thanks Mit :)
ReplyDeleteLinda, is there anything you can't do professionally?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations with finishing such a big project that you have done very well.
Thanks Paula! Dad used to say "You can do anything if you put your mind to it!" Have to admit this project stretched my belief in that statement.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly understand you desire for a vacation. But think about it; sometimes a workload is very demanding, but if it brings you challenges you feel you are able to handle and the final result gives you pleasure - as I feel is the case for you - isn't it more important that the daily life is more fulfilling than once while live your life in a few weeks a year? Don't misunderstand me, it sounds like you deserve a holiday with colours warm temperature and nice water. And I wish you will soon get one. But congratulations with finalizing a great job. The site looks awesome. All the best!
ReplyDelete