The Joyous, Fulfilling, and Never-Ending World of the Common, Simple Website

work

A couple of months ago, I wrote about writing. Or about my writing, the books I’ve written with my old name on them.

I have a website where I sell my books and writing projects. It’s an old website, so it had my old name on it. When I changed my name, I figured I would leave the site as it was because the books and projects on it have my old name all over them. I just thought, well, that person wrote those books, so I’ll leave it.

While it’s true that that person wrote the books, so did I! Because I am still that person in many fundamental ways. And indeed, the same person shows up when I sit down (or stand up, as I am now) to write.

work

So I thought I’d go in, make a few quick changes, and bing bang zowie, it’d all be done and doner.

Why do I still think things like that? I’ve been building websites since 1995. I know there’s no such thing as bing bang zowie when it comes to websites.

So I set up a site on a new domain (because I want to keep the old domain, it has an old blog on it), made all the voodoo things happen, and moved the site files from the old domain to the new one.

Then the fun began.

Anyway, I’ll spare you all of the details. But it’s like if you see a tiny spot on the fender of your car and you think, ah, that’ll buff out, so you buff it, but there’s rust, so you have to sand it, but the rust is deep, and you sand right through the fender, so now you’re welding pieces onto the fender, and as you finish the weld, the passenger side door falls off.

Working on an old website is like that. Just like that.

But I think it’s all fixed up now, so all’s well that ends well (ends? Ha ha ha.).

I just read this back, and it’s so boring.

Maybe I’ll sprinkle in some pictures of women doing “men’s work” during World War II.

There, that’s better.

I don’t know if it’s enough, though.

I know. I’ll drop in a recent poem. It may be boring too, but it’s a chance I’ll have to take.

Cuba, facing forward

if I could just find a phone
I have the numbers
they’re here
written on lined paper
with a shaky hand
and a failing pen

you’ll find me at the
Mexican border
selling gum and puppets
don’t make eye contact
buy the gum
continue on

in Cuba, I will dance
or deliver bread on a bicycle
waking up each morning
to the howl of wolves
and tropical bird’s complaints

look for me there
look for me in the blowing dust
sharpening pencils
and washing shirts
for the men in the party

WRITTEN BY A HUMAN

One comment

  1. I think you done did good! And I love you. You’re never boring!

    And I have pondered the same dame thing about my writing, my art, and my Artist’s books too. What is a trans person to do? You can’t deny the person you were because you’re right, you are still that same person with a different name. I know you hate this saying, but “it is what it is.” And remember, it’s not our responsibility to explain all these things to others. 🙂

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