having others reading what you write
Unlike my technical posts/notes this document is more to express the odd feeling that comes when you have others reading/using the content that you have output.
As we start a new year (2023) it seems fitting to have a small post to appreciate how the site has changed while also looking ahead to other things I'll write in the future.
The evolution of my website has been an interesting experience that has transpired over several years (though the theme has stayed the same). At this point in the site's existence I've been coming to grips with the idea that others have begun to stumble upon my ideas, notes, tips, things to remember, and other tidbits more and more.
My site itself is nothing like larger blogs in terms of traffic volume; however, the quality of the traffic is seemingly quite good. The overall retention on pages that receive hits is trending upward as posts are recommended more on the search engine results pages (SERP).
I'm finding that it is interesting to have content that I've been writing for myself be accessible as reference material for others - a great feeling that I'd like to lean into.
The goal of this is not to be self-serving or ego stroking, but rather to appreciate that plain text content can still exist on the internet in a simple format and assist others.
Throughout the evolution of the site there have been quite a few revisions to the overall content, but I'm happy with where this has settled out.
There have been several stages of the site:
- Entirely plain HTML with inline styling
- A documented work history to avoid using LinkedIn
- Hosted alternative to other note taking systems and a way to share technical information
without having to use a platform that I have zero control over (example: Medium)
Looking ahead
I believe in the future I will dedicate additional time toward putting together posts regarding ideas rather than solely information storage and solutions.
My reasoning is that there are quite a few topics regarding technology, communication, and life that I find myself repeating quite a bit in conversation. It may be nice to have them written down in a longer form for reference in the future.