Busy, busy, busy. Life is far too busy right now. I only got back from the Hebrides on Monday and we're already packing for the next trip! Not that I'm complaining about being on the move, it's definitely my preferred state, but I barely feel like I've touched base with the rest of my life.
It also means I haven't been reading very much. A few articles, here and there, but nothing worth writing about (not quite, anyway). I'm now two months behind on my MiMs (shame!) and don't foresee that getting fixed any time soon. A have thousands of photographs to process from the last few weeks and another few hundred still queued from before that. On top of which, work is stacked up as well, so lunches have been eaten into as I catch up on various projects. The long and the short of it is that I've not got anything to write about and only another 30 minutes to write...
Except, that's complete nonsense. If anything, I actually have too much to write about! The Hebrides (both Outer and Inner) were stunning, the highlands were fascinating, we met some really interesting people and I've had time to try out a bunch of creative techniques and start up several new projects. The problem, really, isn't lack of content, it's lack of time to do the content justice. Still, sometimes you just have to put proverbial pen-to-paper and push forward, so here we are.
Hopefully, in the coming weeks, I'll get some more rounded, fleshed out thoughts written on our latest trip to the Western Isles (maybe even with accompanying imagery - wouldn't that be a shock!). I definitely want to write up a checklist of the species we saw, places we went and food we ate. But, that can all wait for now, because first of all I want to talk about a minor revelation (or even revolution) that I had whilst on the Isle of Skye. Specifically, a revelation about theAdhocracy and what it has come to mean.
It hasn't been that long since I last wondered aloud what the purpose of this website is. Then, as with previous times, I slightly dodged the bullet, declaring it:
equal parts scrap book and playground.
Except, that was a bit of a lie. Sure, that's what I use theAdhocracy for, but it was never the core purpose for its existence. I didn't mention it then because it's a little, well, embarrassing. I was ashamed of the actual answer because theAdhocracy is, in some ways, a triumph, but it is also a very large failure.
I have a website because I want to be a website designer. It's that simple. I've always enjoyed mucking around with HTML, CSS and all the other bits and pieces that make up the internet. There was even a time when, with the help of a talented and much more artistic friend, I used to make websites for money. We didn't make very many, we didn't make them particularly well (my fault - not his), but it made me realise that the web was something I enjoyed working with.
That was a decade ago (shudder) and I've never gone back. I went to university to study computer science specifically to become a web developer, but chose my course poorly and ended up graduating as a geologist (long story). Now, I work in programming, but not with websites. That, truthfully, is why theAdhocracy exists. It was meant to be somewhere for me to relearn how the web works, to play around with new technologies and experiment with developing standards. But more than that, this website was meant to be a jumping off platform for a career.
theAdhocracy was supposed to be my portfolio. It was supposed to be somewhere I could point potential clients to, somewhere to create freelancing opportunities through. The first time I devised a logo (still haven't made it) and registered the domain was actually before making my first (and only) freelance pitch. It was meant to be a relatively easy, sure-think put together by a friend. It was actually a massively embarrassing failure where I talked excitedly to someone who had no idea who I was, why I was there or what was happening and never contacted me again. It was a grounding experience and threw me a little, so after I graduated and decided to try again I made the decision not to pitch until I had a portfolio. Which is a bit of a paradox. And another failure.
But I'm not writing this to moan or ask for sympathy. I'm writing this because, whilst on the Isle of Skye, I realised I've changed my mind. I'm still interested in working on the web, but it's no longer the only end game. There are a huge number of careers I'd like to try, with web developer still amongst them, but no longer at the top of the stack. Plus, even if I did go down the freelance route, it wouldn't be as theAdhocracy. The name has a convoluted and personal history; it still makes me smile and I wouldn't change it if you paid me (well... how much are we talking?). But it isn't a customer-facing name. It doesn't make enough sense.
So that's that. This website isn't going anywhere, but I'm officially shrugging off this weight of guilt and frustration that has built up over how I'm using (or not using) it. Maybe, some day, I'll design another website - it may even be to replace this one. But from now on, theAdhocracy has one purpose only: to be a place I keep stuff I want to keep. Reviews, articles, links, photographs, videos... whatever! Somewhere to be creative, without worrying about how it will affect a 'brand' that doesn't exist. This has been my digital home for several years, but I haven't been able to think of it like that because I wanted it to be my digital storefront. Well, not any more. That ends today. Welcome home.
