Pratt Web Services

This simple site was developed initially as a Wordpress site to replace a simple one page domain placeholder. In transferring the design to Drupal we maintained the simple admin interface in the backend. The move positions the site for the future with a much more robust foundation. The simple design is highly optimized for SEO as well as XHTML (Strict) valid. The site was developed in conjunction with Jim Hunter of HBK Communications.

I discovered last night that I have three employees. Not.

But there it was. A listing of two Drupal developers and one themer. With their salary ranges which were not insignificant I might add. Still I have a lot of people that I work with but no employees. So how did this happen?

"Come for the software - Stay for the community"

So I totally missed this discussion in the Drupal community. Until I googled it. This slogan simply resonated with me when I heard it for the first time today.  And when I repeated it at the Drupal user group tonight some people looked at me funny (like "are you from another planet" funny) and others echoed my sentiments - that it captures what Drupal really is all about.

Change is hard. We all know that. What we don't know is that the self-control necessary to manage change is exhaustible.

As I was sitting thinking this morning, drifting through some reading, blogs, journals, I came across an article that made me realize again that there is new thinking. In the past I have often referred to the "arrogance of science." Often science and scientists are unwilling to admit that there is another way of thinking about something. Blinders, same old same old - are all symptoms of the same kind of thing.

Many folks know of the KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Silly. But how do you implement that in your work life? Really how do you implement it in your life in general?

Leo Babauta takes on this question in an article on ZenHabits.net entitled "13 small things to simplify your workday" Lovely piece of work. Here is the list and my thoughts on how I'm doing on it and where I could improve.

A great little manufacturing site with lots of potential to grow. This site started as a crash job for a trade show and then morphed into a larger portfolio and marketings site. This site also taught me a valuable lesson about templates. They are not created equal. "Template Monster" to be specific did not have a Drupal friendly site. I would rather start with a static html  page than repeat that experience.

I have wondered for awhile if focussing on a particular niche was the way to go with Drupal. I have a good friend who is working hard on the "Drupal in a Box" concept. Part of the concept involved having templates for lawyers and others in small business that want a bit more than the blog or cookie cutter world offers.

Sometimes you see something so simple and you whack your head.

High Performance = (Skill + Commitment) - Distraction

As I was reading about the US Sailing Team's major advances this little formula in the article caught my eye. And while I was tempted to make some connection to the Olympics currently occuring in Vancouver, my neck of the woods, I resisted out of fear of the IOC tracking me down like they did Verizon and Red Bull.

I came across a Wall Street Journal article this morning on solo consultants.

The key points:

• Think long term
  Many start it out as short term temporary fill-in-the-gap measure. To be successful you need to think about it as permanent.
• Join a network
  Survival means marketing and one of the best and most natural is networking. Be connected
• Have your own space
  Babies crying, dogs barking, etc. These are unprofessional not to mention the need to manage interuptions.
• Think like an entrepreneur
  Business plan, goals, mission statement. Be innovative and track/manage what you do.

So this is a good list. How am I doing as a Freelancer?