What about them ipod wearing teenagers?

Friday progress 14th of April 2006

I’m working through modifying about umpteen website templates tonight so I’m only going to go through the basics of what I have done and concentrate ( briefly ) on what I have learnt this week.

What I have done?
Installed a certain membership script on a site. I might tell you about it when the design is finished. ( in fact I am sure I will )

Had a design created for a client on RAC for her website.
In hindsight I realize I sent a seriously unprofessional review copy to somebody that isn’t in the car rental business although I’m sure he gets asked that all the time. ( sorry for the sloppy work! )
Got some good news on the progress of a certain online project and the first stage looks good! ( now do you think we should let you see it before it is 100 percent fully automated?!? )
I added content to the website that has the highest revenue per visitor. I am going to keep on adding content to this site.
I am also moving hosting and changing the template and content management solution of my money tips review website. All in all I think I have about 4 websites that needs updating and redesigning before the end of April, plus come next week I am back doing call center work again from home for a well paying company.

I also reviewed more possible e-books for publishing into real print. ( most are crap and require re-write or are too basic, and it is as dreary as reading the usual stuff I publish.
Had a genuinely productive week,
I have also finished a niche nugget that I am going to sell – all on my own again.
(And I have 4 to make between now and Tuesday, although I have all the raw material already ready )

Lessons I have picked up this week?

As a society, we get the teenagers we deserve.
You can quote me on that. Remember it is Andersen with an E.

I live in a less than affluent area. To be fair it is the poorest neighborhood of England I have ever lived in. I would say 98% of people here are nicer than any of the neighbors I have EVER had before – they say hello to you on the street, ask you how you are and how your son or wife is and so on. Even the people OVER 19 are that nice. They apologise. They let you into the traffic with a wave and a smile and they are genuinely concerned and caring of their neighbors.

But then there is something that happens during school holidays. It is a combination of alcohol, teenagers and absolutely NOTHING for them to do locally.

Think back to when you were a teenager where could you go to meet your friends during the school holidays? Afterschool clubs? The park? Football pitch? Skating rinks? Café? Dance halls? Holiday camp? Sorry those don’t exist anymore. There’s a carpark where the park and pitch used to be and the icerink and dance halls have been replaced by offices in our haste to create an “efficient” society. PE is hardly part of the curriculum anymore as it is considered far more important to create individuals that know the theory but can’t DO. “softer” subjects that inspire and nurture creativity and self confidence is no longer taught. Facts are far more important than imagination and a sense of achievement.

Bollox my arse. If you want to start a political party or run for office, solve THAT problem and you’d be worthy of the position. Not otherwise.

And I think it is fair to say that THIS is the most important lesson I have learnt this week – if not in the last 35 years of my life ( 34 years and 11 months ):

As a society, we get the teenagers we deserve.

Jon,
still progressing.