Well, apparently my business should be slowing down right about now as everyone runs off on summer holidays, but it’s emulating a steamship more than anything else. (Which is nice, except that my house looks like it’s been hit by a hurricane.) I’ve been insanely busy but have been trying to keep balanced (relatively speaking): I’m still (sort of) taking Saturdays off, I bought a pretty vintage bicycle that I’m riding around town, and I’ve learned how to go swimming with a cast (held over my head, of course), and I ran off a few weeks ago and glistened (ladies don’t sweat, of course) my way through the epic heatwave/monsoons that hit Ottawa and Montreal. It doesn’t really count as traveling, which will need to happen in the near future, but I was able to catch up with all sorts of wonderful people I haven’t seen in ages, which is just as good—if not better—for the soul.
I’m glad I’ve finally figured out how to keep things balanced, at least a little—I remember one summer when I was on an internship, and I was so deep in workaholicism I didn’t go out at all. Summers here are so brief, it’s nice to be able to enjoy them! I actually have a suntan (although very few people believe it—basically I’m just “less glow-in-the-dark white) and have been running around doing summery things in spite of having spent nearly the last three months with my arm in a fibreglass cage. (It comes off in six days! I am keeping a countdown, written in Sharpies, on the cast itself.)
Eventually, I’ll update my website with some new projects. There are lots of things I’ve done in the last little while that won’t make it to my portfolio, of course, and some larger projects that are still very much in-progress, but here’s an idea of a few things I’ve polished off recently:
- a monster of a website, comprising around 4,500 Movable Type entries: actrees.org
- a WordPress website (and business cards) for appliedlogic.ca
- a logo, hangtag, business card, and website (almost finished!) for nightmarenibbler.com
- steppinguphalifax.ca (more WordPress)
- another WordPress website for an author: heartofthedreaming.com
Actrees, in particular, left me a lovely client testimonial for my giant list of client-love:
Triggers & Sparks revamped our website with a clean, fresh look that made navigation much easier for users and revealed the wealth of content we had created. We’ve received many compliments from our nationwide network of members. (“Great job, love the look, easy navigation on the new website!” “Far better format! Congratulations!”)
With her technical know-how and design vision, Sarah created a website that surpassed expectations, all within budget. Our website is now the public face that we want representing our organization.
Now, whenever I finally get some spare time, I might actually get around to updating this website—it’s starting to suffer from “cobbler’s children” syndrome again. Honestly, I love being busy, and I love the feeling that my business is doing well, but I’d like to feel like I’ve got things under control again. Hopefully, that’ll happen soon, without my needing to resort to Extreme Workaholic Behaviour!