It’s been a long time since I had a web site up. When the entire geek crew started getting domains and web sites, I began pondering if it was time for me to plunge back in. I knew that Amy would do the design for me. I also figured I’d probably go ahead and start a web log. The only thing holding me back was a reason…a unifying concept for the site that would help motivate me to actually keep it updated. I didn’t have the foggiest where to start.
I gave up on the concept for a while and decided to wait until I had something to say. In November of 2000, I went to a concert. When I got back, I wrote. It wasn’t deep, but it was me. That little essay would eventually become my first post here.
I finally had some content, but I still didn’t have a theme for the site. Time went by. I wrote a couple more posts along the way. Finally, one day, I decided I was going to think until something came to me. My mind kept drifting back to something from my first post, the idea of me being “the amazing human constant.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was pretty close to true, but not quite complete. In addition to my granite-esque side, I also have a facet that is actually fairly flighty. While I feel my foundations are quite solid, my immediate interests tend to vary from week to week. I think I inherited this (along with my love for electrical gadgets) from my maternal grandfather. I remember being fascinated hearing from mother about some of the hobbies in which he had dabbled. I’m very much that same way. My specific interests tend to have a common focus, but rarely do I stick to one for any great length of time.
Anyway…I wanted to come up with a title that reflects that internal dichotomy. The word “constant” was almost a given, but I wanted something contrasting to go with it. Almost an oxymoron. Lots of ideas came to mind (I considered “NotSoConstant” for a while), but nothing felt quite right. Then it hit me. “Sliding” really expressed it best. It implies some movement, some shift from the center, but not a lot. I think that’s me.
So, slidingconstant is born. What’s going to appear here? Probably mostly random musings. Things that I tend to think about in some time of nostalgia or emotion then forget later as the edge wears off. I’m not a writer at heart, but one of the many things my wife has taught me is that those times when I’m slightly off-center are valuable for me. They’re the times that I come the closest to being truly creative. I need to learn to preserve those moments. So, as with domesticat.net, this site is mostly for the author. A way to be a little brave. If you enjoy the work, that’s great. If not, that’s okay too. You’re welcome to send an email to (<jeff@ thisSite’sDomain>), but don’t feel too bad if I don’t reply.
Oh…and I’ll try to throw in some more mundane notes here and there. No use in getting too serious. 