Why did I create my own web site?

Some people have asked me why I created my web site, bootedman.com. Well, it's a simple story, really. I had left a job after almost 20 years to care for an elderly uncle through the winter of his life. At first, I only needed to spend a few hours a week tending to his and his wife's needs for grocery shopping, transportation for medical visits, sitting and talking with him, and other daily activities. My post-full-time-job consulting "career" also involved learning how to write HTML and update web pages for a non-profit organization, a government, and a political candidate.

Just about the same time, my partner walked into our bedroom and tripped over yet another pair of boots on the floor (he's the neatnick; I'm not). He was upset, and said that I didn't really know how many boots I had, where they were, or if even would wear them any more.

So one thing led to the other. I discovered that my ISP offered "free" web hosting, so for a while, I just began to use their HTML editor and post some text and pictures of my boots to inventory my collection and get my partner's complaints addressed. However, soon I discovered that my ISP's "free" web space was slow, difficult to use, and wasn't providing a good "experience" for visitors to my website. Many would drop in and quickly leave because the pages weren't responsive, slow to load, and (honestly), were ugly.

A few months later, I found that the domain, bootedman.com, was available. I bought it. I asked questions and got a lot of help from people more knowledgeable than me, especially the technical guru behind the website hotboots.com, Bill. He and his partner Larry (hotboots.com webmaster) offered advice and suggestions, comments and constructive criticism, as did a few other guys who I met through hotboots who also know a lot about these things. I sincerely appreciate their help. Bill and Larry both strongly urged me to put my website on a web host, which would improve the speed and was a heck of a lot easier to use. I took their advice (which is always good) and put bootedman.com on Hurricane Electric, which provides superb, virtually uninterrupted highly reliable service and support.

As my uncle's health was deteriorating and I was spending more time with him, I had learned enough about web building that I didn't have to (nor have time to) spend as much time on it. I spent time with my uncle until he passed away at the rich old age of 95, with dignity and honor, at home with his loving wife of 64 years nearby. I'll never regret that experience and the honor of caring for such a wonderful, sweet man.

Soon after squaring away my uncle's affairs, and with the urging of my partner, I re-entered the full-time job market and was quickly employed. I love my job, but working full-time has its drawbacks in that I don't have nearly as much time to work on my website as I would like. But when I do, it's fun. I have learned a lot and thank goodness on how well Google works so I can inquire about certain web techniques and learn from examples of others.

So why did I create my own website? Several reasons, really: to inventory my boot and leather gear collection; to learn HTML and web techniques; to exercise my mind by learning new skills; and to have fun. That's it -- it's an avocation that is fun. It's not about me; it's not an ego thing. It's just fun.