Thoughts on the purpose of this blog…

I’m trying to refine the purpose and target audience of my blog. As a user experience professional in real life, I try to figure out what people really need from a web site, design something that I think works, see how they use it and what trips them up, refine my solution accordingly, and repeat the process as often as needed.

In the case of my blog, I have to include myself as a test subject – what did I really need when I was learning about energy, economic, and environmental issues?

I was desperate for pictures and stories of how people were responding. Also, as someone who first flips to the ‘success stories’ in any fitness magazine, I needed inspiration. I also needed like-minded people to talk to, examples from history showing how people had lived without all that we have now, and proof that people could respond creatively to adversity. I didn’t realize it, but I also needed a spiritual connection or way to be grateful and present in the moment.

I think I want to focus on the following things:
- How I break out of the funk caused by all-night peak oil reading binges.
- Photos and stories of my progress – what I am capable of doing now (junk food filled shelves and all).
- The stories about creative personal and community responses to energy issues, consumptive lifestyles, environmental issues and economic hardships that inspire me.

I see this as my public service project and don’t intend to make money off of the blog. I’m blessed enough with a good job. It does my soul good to snap out of my nesting and feel like I’m doing something for the greater good. Right now, I feel an obligation to just share the things that inspire me to prepare and talk about the feelings that I have to face.

If you feel that any other topics would be helpful to you, let me know. If it’s not something I’m interested in writing about, I’ll point you to people who are writing about it.