Tag / Web Design

by Greg

Looking (Linking?) Back

What a week! I’m sitting here on my porch with a nice hot cup of tea, at one in the morning, following an hour of trying to restore the network here in my house… have I mentioned before that I have four routers on my network for six or seven computers? Yeah… I need an IT department…) and I finally feel relaxed. 🙂

It’s been that kind of week. I actually don’t think I took any sort of real break today. I know I didn’t eat anything until dinner. That was kinda crazy… I just couldn’t stop. Too much to do. At least, that’s how it felt.

I mentioned earlier this week that the blog has been silent not because there’s nothing to say, nothing to share… just simply because there was no time where I could sit down and share. Here’s a quick overview of the past while for the Campbell family…

Work
Some people still have no idea what I do, but if you look at our income taxes, you can see that the majority of our money comes through my web design business. Just a couple weeks ago that picked up again big time! I got a few new clients (The Center For Body Wellness, First Church of Christ Binghamton (still their old site), and I’m working on a brochure for Angel Eyes Security), and lots of new work for current clients (Houston Nutraceuticals, The Scarlet Thread, Orient Express Band, Christian Way Farm, and Project URGE) and some stuff that I have not gotten started on yet for other existing clients (In House Graphics, Cross Creek Church, and Aussie Hill Alpacas.)

Whew! And the crazy part is, I’m sure I forgot a few! (By the way, if you clicked on all those links, you should get a prize. I’m not sure who you’ll get it from, but you should get one.) 🙂

Add to that all of the hosting accounts that I must regularly maintain (email problems, hosting questions, domain renewals, hosting invoices, technical support, and the list continues) as well as my OWN sites I need to maintain (GregsApples.com and BuffaloBillsReview.com get the majority of my attention. Though, my blog does get updated now and then. My web design site is horribly neglected, however. I did post a few links to the ol’ Link-O page I maintain this past week…

Apple Sales
ON TOP OF ALL THAT… I have about a dozen peoples and/or businesses who are maybe at step 3 out of 5 in the purchase process for a new Mac. (OK, yes… I made that up. I just mean they are all pretty close!) So I’ve been doing a lot of research, communication, and question answering there. Even sent out a newsletter last week. 🙂

If you’re interested in a new computer, or even an iPod or AppleTV… stop by my store! Or, shoot me an e-mail. I can probably help you out.

Buffalo Bills Review
In talking with a few friends this week, I realized that some folks don’t know that I – along with my partners in crime Dave Drake, John Dupra, and Dre Smith – am something of an international celebrity. 🙂 OK, not entirely, but we have found a small bit of success with our little show, now in its third season. It’s a fun hour of Bills fans talking Bills football. We have guests on now and again, including some current Bills players like Brian Moorman the Pro Bowl punter. The team is 0-3 this year, but that hasn’t stopped our downloads, and iTunes ranking from continuing to rise. Guess we’re doing something right. 🙂

And, it’s tons of fun. 🙂

Well, as I said, we must be doing something right, because all of a sudden we have had three websites contact us to purchase ads on our website! That’s great! The site is finally not only paying for itself, but even making a little money. (Just a little, mind you… but it’s a start!) I’ve been busy the last couple weeks setting up our various advertisers as well. (And of course, keeping up with all the latest Bills news. Anyone aware of all the insane injuries the Bills have sustained through only three weeks this year?? It’s just nuts!)

Family
AS IF that all was not enough… we still have four kids to take care of, and boy do they need taking care of! 🙂 Hehe… 🙂

One good thing, family-wise, has been that Jen & I have been trying to get one night (or even daytime) out per week. We have an awesome babysitter, and we try to take full advantage of that. 🙂

Facebook
Oh, and I mentioned this before, but I must say I am enjoying the wonder that is Facebook. I have reconnected with – and stayed connected with – so many folks through that site over just about a month’s time. Very cool. Almost too addicting, though!

MONK!
Oh yeah… the other thing that has taken some of my time over the past several weeks… we’re Monk junkies! We’re most of the way through season four now, and looking forward to seasons five and six! We are getting them on DVD from our library system! AWESOME! Free Monk! 🙂 The show is hilarious (we think) and such a breath of fresh air compared to just about EVERY other current TV show. Even though it’s about a homicide detective, it’s not over the edge as far as graphic grossness. The language is tolerable. It’s just nicer on the soul. And, it’s funny. 🙂 (Plus, it has revealed the OCD in me. I find myself straightening things all the time, and cleaning things… pretty funny.) 🙂

Man. No wonder I never post anything here anymore. 🙂

by Greg

What I’ve Been Working On

Here are a few sites I have been working on lately. Some are new, some are just updates, and some are my own endeavors.

Well.. and this one. 🙂

by Greg

So Far, So Good

I may have mentioned here, but I know I have mentioned elsewhere, that this week is going to be totally insane. I have lots of open projects for Basic Web Design & Graphics, and we are also doing a Christmas Concert Blitz this week! Concerts every night from Tues-Friday, and then two on Saturday! Fun!

Last night we sang at Fairport Village Coffee. The first time we sang there was Christmas of maybe 1999? Could it be?? Whoa. Seems like so long ago. There were only a few people there when we got started, but several more came throughout the night, including Jen’s brother! We hardly ever get to see him and his family, so that was great. It was a nice relaxed visit (we got to chat in between songs, sets, and even during a song or two! Ha!) and definitely a highlight of the evening. We also got to chat with several other folks about anything from Apple computers to life with God and his church.

And, they liked the music, to boot. 🙂

Tonight was much of the same. Though, tonight the people working there didn’t know we were coming! Ha! That’s always funny. 🙂 We sang at Earthtones Coffee House in Webster tonight. Another place we have played quite often, and for a long time. Jen’s mom came over this afternoon and stayed with the kids, so even though we were “working”, with the 40 minute drive and set up time and the two hours of singing… it’s a nice evening with my wife. We also stopped for a late-night snack at McDonald’s on our way home. Quite nice.

This time, no one came that we knew, but that allowed for some nice conversations with several people who were there. The music was well received again (one lady, whose favorite song is O Holy Night, had many compliments for Jen’s rendition of the Christmas classic! That was awesome!) and we even sold several CDs and a book! Quite nice.

One of the workers tonight came over to the table after we had been singing a while, and was checking out my There’s The Steeple… Here’s The Church book. When we finished the song, she asked a question about it, and we ended up talking at length (actually, throughout the rest of the night, too) about church, and God, and life lived with him. Neato! Then, at the end of the night, we met another musician from the area and got to chat with him a bit about music and gigging and all. It was a great night, I’d say.

So, I actually started this with the intention of writing it during the second half of Superman Returns, which I started last night… but… that wasn’t happening. 🙂 The movie’s over now, so I can finish this.

I think I just did.

by Greg

Spam: The Best Time Waster

I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating…

I HATE SPAM.

It has sucked the last hour or so of my life, trying to configure (to my liking) a new service I am trying called Spam Arrest. Check it out at my website… it’s definitely a fool-proof way to eliminate spam. Very easily configured. The part I am not liking is that it’s not easy to send email from the addresses I am protecting. I can, but it’s not easy.

The alternative is to endlessly hit the delete (or, usually in my case, the “Junk”) button. Junk, junk, junk, junk… a never-ending process to be sure.

Spam has necessitated spam filters. Spam filters get messages you don’t want to be filtered. More time wasted.

Spam has even caused me to write a blog post or two… again, spending more time. 🙂

(Notice I didn’t say “wasted”. 🙂 OH! For a funny Alex anecdote on “wasting time” stop by the WeTheCampbells.net page later today…)

Well, here’s hoping your day is not interrupted by spam, or spam remedies.

(Yeah, right!) 🙂