Since I’m completely stumped on a decent so-called “e-commerce solution” [gag] of that works on WordPress for a client, you have the benefit of my vast experience from now until the wood stove needs tending again. Woo-hoo!
I’ve learned a few things lately. One is that posting an an explicit sexual memoir from 40 years ago, no matter how cool I thought that was because I’m an idiot, immediately knocked the site visitors down by a third, and a lot of them still haven’t come back. And why give something away that has an obvious market elsewhere, anyway?
Actually, I know the answer to that: because I’ve always wanted to start at the top. Packaging and marketing a book like that takes work. EVERYTHING takes work. But the more outrageous my presentation, the louder I crow, the greater the chance that God will just send an angel to the front door with a suitcase full of money. “Can’t you see I’m special? Here, I did this, so pay me.” I learned this at an early age after being set out on an ice floe, so to speak, in which situation yelling one’s head off (or crying your heart out) is a reasonably automatic response. One problem with this, however, is that in hearing no reply from where it counts, one tries a different shout. And another, and another. Meanwhile, the current carries the ice a long, long way. The tension mounts!
(EGAD!!!)
Besides which, people like focus. All this hopping around makes a body nervous, so I’m going to do some rearranging here at FarrFeed. There’s just all this loose crap floating around, years of writing buried deep in archives where no one can find it, too much extraneous silly boilerplate, and I don’t know what-all. The costumes get in the way. There isn’t an easy way in.
Someone wanted me to write about my social media epiphany, and I said I would. (It’s simple if you first accept that tigers have eaten the part of you that naturally interacts with others.) Basically, I discovered that these networks are, um, social. (See? I told you.) They are not for projecting an attitude of “Facebook is stupid and so is Twitter, and I joined now just to tell you so!” That’s the first part of the great awakening, akin to recognizing how my physical situation mirrors my approach to online relations. Much easier to lob rocks over the wall and stay hidden, after all. But then you’re known as the guy who hides and breaks things!
This is especially problematic from a business standpoint, assuming there’s one of those in the first place. So the second part of Johnny-comes-to-Jesus is that good things happen as a result of being good to others, which occurs by way of fully owning who you are. I kept reading social media consultants going on about networking, building trust, having something real to offer others, and so on, without ever getting it. Aarghh, gosh, geez, and damn…
Then again, how could I?
I’ve never been “social” in that way. No wonder I haven’t sold more books. (No wonder I haven’t written more books.) No wonder the blog leaps hither and yon. No wonder I’m 30 pounds overweight. We can go on and on here, but the point is that I haven’t made the effort to find more people who need what I can give, and vice-versa. There’s no transactional flow, the energy is dammed up.
But it’s all one world now. Survival and joy depend on empathy and sharing.
Well, I’m the guy in the header image.
(Who the heck are you?!)
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
hi john,
i found your blog while searching google images for “taos walmart” and now i’m hooked! i ‘m moving to espanola next month to work on an organic farm, and it’s been real nice to get a feeling, or your feelings about new mexico and everything else. thanks!
That’s really cool, Frankie. Thank you so much. Stick around, it’s going to get even better.
Are you going to work for Seeds of Change? Just curious. We tried to find their farm outside Española by intuition and got lost.
New Mexico just did a very cool thing, BTW: the legislature voted to move billions of dollars in state funds out of the big national banks and put it into New Mexico banks, credit unions, and so on. I hope that all works out.
santa cruz farms. i haven’t heard too many kind things about espanola, though the farmer seems like a real good guy. i see that santa fe even has a permaculture credit union, pretty cool.
Ah. Well, don’t worry about Española.
It’s the lowrider capital of the world, after all. Cruise by the northside Sonic Drive-in on certain nights and take in the scene, you’ll be fine.
There are a great many unkind things to be said about a LOT of New Mexico, primarily arising from generations of abject poverty. But the people are proud and strong, and family means everything. That’s what you need to remember. Just be cool and show respect, and you’ll get respect in return.
Española is the oldest city in New Mexico, officially declared the capital in 1598. Santa Fe is less than 30 minutes away, Taos about 45 minutes north. From Española, you’re also close to Los Alamos and Bandalier National Monument (ancient cliff dwellings). Lots and lots to explore… and there’s an Apple Store in ABQ, if you’re into that.