Saturday, October 4, 2008

Learning about Websites

This has been a busy week. I had a conference in Atlanta by Apogee Interactive, a leading provider of Internet-based software solutions for the energy industry and the company that designed and hosts our website at work http://www.wiregrass.coop/ -- and got to visit with daughter #2 Anna while there!

Anna, Zach and I ate at The Watershed in Decatur on Tues. night. The chef there, Scott Peacock, is originally from our hometown of Hartford and the food is wonderful. This was just my second time to eat there -- I had the barbecue chicken, corn and veggies -- and a fantastic Chocolate Praline Parfait for dessert that was to die for!!! The Watershed is a casual, trendy restaurant located in a refurbished service station and has an array of gourmet-caliber dishes that pay homage to the traditional Southern kitchen -- where Scott is from. Watershed is co-owned by Indigo Girl Emily Saliers.

The last night (Thurs.) the three of us ate at Maggiano's Little Italy in Buckhead. I had a Pesto Chicken Pasta that I never could have eaten all of but it was wonderful -- and the Tiramisu was fantastic. Now I need to start that exercise program again!

Anna and I got to get in a little shopping and pedicure before dinner. It was so fun to spend some time with her just having fun! It's pretty hectic when she comes home to visit - so this was great "girl time"!!!

I get to have that "girl time" with daughter #1 this next week when I have a conference at San Destin. Casey has decided this is "her conference" and has gone with me the past two years. While I have meetings, she gets to lounge on the beach and shop! Oh well, more good beach eating and I'll get in a little shopping too!

What I learned at the conference -- clean up our website (keep content above the fold) - how to get our videos to load faster (use YouTube) -- and that the new wave for web design is be cleaner and more simple to work with the mobile web. With so many now having I-Phones and Blackberries -- a website with too much content to load will take too long and will not be easily readable. Just check out google and netflix for "keeping it simple." Browsers don't care how "pretty" it is if the website isn't easily navigated. Can't believe how much has changed in such a short period of time as far as the Web is concerned. It blows my mind sometimes!

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