Friday, February 08, 2008

Me Make Website

Ya know all those caveman jokes "Me Make Fire" well, I feel a little like that. I've had a website for five years and been at the mercy of many far-more-brilliant-than-people (who are suprisingly easy to find based on those specs) to maintain it. I would send them pages and pages of updates and then marvel that they weren't done in half an hour. Are they not at my beckon call?

For the last several months I've contemplated wanting to create and maintain my own website, but after about 15 seconds of such pondering I'd break into a cold sweat and head for my Stephen's hot cocoa. I absolutely HATE learning new things, I like knowing them--it helps with my ever popular know-it-all personality--but I HATE learning it. Part of that is because I don't pick things up very quickly and have to really concentrate--headache--and second of all because there is this weird freaky part of me that thinks it should know everything already. Its horribly offended when it realizes there is something yet unknown. So, the website idea came and went and came and went and came and went.

Until this week.

My friend Stephanie Black had been in the process of doing her own website, and I've listened with half an ear--she falls into that category of smarter-than-me and I thought if she figured it out maybe I'd bribe her into doing one for me. Well, turns out that wasn't necessary. We are both Mac worshipers and at the first of this week she unveiled her new website, made on mac software that publishes to the web at a click of a button. I was intrigued. So, as is my nature, I hounded her with questions, prospering from her pioneering spirit and generous info-givingness.

As of yesterday, my new website is live! I'm so excited to be in charge of my cyber-life. I lost the first one I made due to not backing up (back up people!) and had to start over, but the final version took way less time that I expected, was cheaper than I thought, and far easier than I'd have believed. Total cost was $216--$80 for the 08 version of iLife (of which iWeb is a part), $100 for hosting and other services through .mac, and $74 to renew two of my domain names for two years--but I got $38 refunded because I canceled my previous hosting service early. It took me about 8 hours total time, including the phone time with my previous hosting service that got all the internet stuff figured out for me. Chris at Go Daddy is the Bomb.

So here I am, quite pleased with myself, and ready to catch up on the laundry and dishes and pesky things like that. You can find the site at www.josiskilpack.com and if you find a typo (it is MY website after all)--I can fix it in a couple easy clicks. Power if divine!

And to make my day even more fabo--Rebecca Talley and Stephanie Humphries--both inspiring women--gave me 'You make my day awards' totally lit me up, thanks gals.

12 comments:

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Congratulations Josi! You must feel all giddy and empowered now!

Stephanie Black said...

Josi, I am definitely not smarter than you--I am a complete techno-dummy, so that's why I was so excited at how easy iWeb is!

Your new website looks fantastic!

Anonymous said...

Hi Josi! Nice job on the site! It really looks good. Of course, this means you are now qualified to criticize other sites from a new perspective. :)

Have a good weekend!

Julie Wright said...

your site looks beautiful!!!

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) said...

It looks great! You're going to show us all up!

ali cross said...

Yay for you Josi! Congrats!

Momo Fali said...

Yay you! Now you can fix my site for me!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations. I was not sure about your spelling "beckon call", so I looked it up. It sounds like "beck and call" is the correct spelling.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/beck-and-call.html

Don said...

Josi - good job on the website.

And I'm going to add my voice to the "You Make My Day" award as well.

Luisa Perkins said...

It's so purdy, Josi! Great job!

Anonymous said...

Love your new digs

Unknown said...

hey awesome josi! congrats, too. and i was thrilled to see that rebecca gave that to me along with awesome you. later lady, kathleeny :)