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So, being a member of the WebmasterWorld Community, I was thinking I might post a bit about my adventures. Perhaps someone may be taking a break from their busy day, and might need a chuckle.
I became a webmaster in 2001, although at that time I didn't recognize the position. I had made a new friend in Idaho, and he was trying to make his small business support itself. The garage and half of the basement made up the office, storage and production facility. There was a website, a couple of years old. Maintenance for that site had fallen to an incompetent boob. The original site construction was sound, and so I at least had a frame of reference to begin from.
Discovering WebmasterWorld, I soon had every page of the site validating to standards. I had installed style sheets. I was beginning to learn PHP. In my former career I had been a corporate programmer. This was going to be fun. And, for much of the tour it was.
During the early years my friend served as a buffer between myself and his family. There was a great wall between us (me and the family), and today I understand what that wall is all about. This adventure will not delve too far into that topic - it isn't pleasant. About two years ago (Oct 2005) my friend was arrested,and has remained jailed since that day. He received a five year sentence from the judge, and he will do every day - no good time. On the night of his arrest I sat down with his wife and we discussed the future of the business. It was mutually agreed that we would work together to keep the doors open. This meant our internet presence. There has never been a bricks and mortar door.
After twenty months and a great deal of patience and frustration, I came to accept that every indication was pointing to my departure. I have no regrets, and a little sadness. We simply were unable to come to common terms for the business, or for my living situation with the family.
During the time I was there, I created a back-office that enabled that small business to keep pace with the growth. Our revenue increased ten-fold over the years. Much of the order processing and accounting functions had been automated. Much more still remains to be done. (They know my rate if they ever want me to do the work - and it won't be for peanuts anymore!)
When I left I went to the Ozark Mountains to spend a week with a couple of thousand friends and family. We had a really great time, too. I took both of my drums - the doumbeck (El Dento) and the djembe. I had a great time at night around the fire with other drummers and dancers and onlookers, almost every night until the wee hours. There was rain every day. Not much, only an hour or so each day, but it was a heavy rain. The trails that we made through the woods became muddy, slippery footpaths. I only slipped once into the mud. Luckily, I was near the stream, so I slipped out of my muddy clothes and rinsed everything off. Life is good.
I also made a great trade at the gathering. My djembe was a heavy drum, made in Somalia. It sounded great and can be heard in any raging drum circle. But it was heavy, and right now I'm in backpack mode. Lightweight is a necessity for this old body of mine. So I loaded up my tradables, including the djembe, and headed to the trade circle. Even before I arrived there I was approached on the trail about trading my drum. The fellow told me his wife wanted a drum and she had a camera for trade. I waited there on the trail while he went off into the woods looking for his wife, and her camera. They came back with a Canon Powershot A-610, with a 4 GB chip. After ensuring the camera wasn't a broken piece of garbage, but indeed was fully functional, the deal was made. Interestingly, I have manifested this camera right at the time that I have a need for it. My work seems to never end.
Since leaving the gathering site I've gone south a bit and spent a few days digging for crystals. I managed to pull out a few good small pieces, but nothing I could sell. Not yet - there will be more opportunities before I leave the area. I also met an author. She has a completed book, and it needs a final edit. Can you guess what I might be doing? She also has a web site that was set up for the book promotion, and so far it's little more than the basic template. So now this woman may also have a webmaster. Time will tell.
More travel is in my future. At the end of this month I am planning a trip to New Mexico, or Colorado, or maybe Pennsylvania. After that will be a short visit to Ohio, and then off to Florida to lay my eyeballs on that new granddaughter of mine :) After that my calendar is open, but I'm more than sure that something will turn up.
It's time to end this tale. My brown rice pilaf turned out crunchy... blah. I'll take that as a sign to stop writing and go fix myself a meal.
Peace,
grandpa
Keep on trucking! KF
