Year in Review (sort of)

What I am going to do though, is to contemplate in general, about the website itself. All in all, it was a pretty decent year. I published more posts and the website itself got a new overall structure which I’m happy with. Made some tweaks here and there and finally found some time to implement new features. (More about that in a different update.)

There were also some lows. Somewhere around June, I was one button click away from canceling the domains and hosting and deleting the whole thing all at once. This was mainly because I couldn’t find the time to brainstorm, research, or write. Last week, I had a similar rant about the site, which was fueled by some weird buggy thing that I couldn’t get my newsletter up and running. (It simply wouldn’t send any email, at all.)

But I conquered and fixed the damn bug, which gave me enough energy to go on. Without constantly repeating myself, I have to say that having a high-quality website/blog/newsletter is just a lot of work. (I still don’t know how Heather Cox Richardson can write a newsletter every day, besides writing books and teaching and still having a social life.)

Year ahead

What’s yet to come?

I like to finish the Year in Review, with a Year ahead. What’s coming in 2024 or yet better, what’s going to change? I made a final decision to go full in with the English version of the site and to let go of the Dutch one. Most of the people in Holland can read English, so no need for all the extra work.

Plus

I’m working behind the scenes on starting the membership page. It’s all still very secret of course, but you’ll see. I have fun making it, so that’s worth something.

Respond to articles

As you’ve probably seen, you can now respond to blog posts. The idea come from the blog Kottke, who recently added a comment system himself. In a blog post, he posted a good quote from another blog with a nice response model. I think comments on a blog are a great way to interact with readers and to start a discussion. And because I’m in control and moderate it, it will be decent. No spam, racism, and all the other nasty things you find on social media. (More about the guidelines in the links below.)

They are always good, often great, and occasionally sublime. Years and even decades after most websites have removed their comment sections for being toxic and unwieldy, Cup of Jo readers are in there delivering on the original promise of the web as a way to connect humans with one another by providing advice, reflections, stories, and support to each other.

Cup of Jo

Ask the reader

Speaking of change, I want to use the community more next year, so I’m going to involve you more. Help with ideas, directions, half-baked articles and guides, brain farts, you name it. Rockets are cool is and will be, my solo playground, but sometimes you need a second pair of eyes. A fresh look at things, from a different background and angle. And why shouldn’t I use the community?

That’s it for now. Going early to bed after the busy Christmas days. Need some extra sleep. See you next year. Have a good one and may all your New Year resolutions come true!