ARTICLE #2: Google Sites Community Gurus - FTW!!! Making Your Own Portfolio of Work

ABSTRACT:   Part 1 - How my entrepreneurial spirit got me into trouble.  Google Help is probably the most effective and efficient troubleshooting and/or solutions resource on the 'net.  Open Source technology is ubuntu to the max. Community expertise is always going to be superior to individual expertise.  Part 2 - Pro-tips on creating your own portfolio of work.

Introduction

After four days of freaking out, going back and forth with my domain hosting provider, and spending $$ I didn't have (but getting it refunded, thank goodness), I finally have a resolution for my website woes thanks to Google Sites Help.  If there isn't a Help article on it, you can always go to the Community pages to see if someone else has had a similar experience and how it was resolved. 

Three cheers to Google's philosophy that truly celebrates (and leverages) diversity of thought.  I'm sure the Google Sites Help Community gurus will say something appropriately humble, like, "All in a day's work, ma'am," but they really don't know how much relief they provided me by quickly and easily getting me through the final gauntlet of creating a primitive, but independent (and ALL MINE) website, that will hopefully be impressive enough to land me my dream job.

Today's Opus

Part 1

Creating a website from scratch isn't easy, let me tell you.  

Historically, if I needed a website, my employer would hire a vendor to create a site and then turn it over to me to manage.  From those experiences, I learned some fundamental HTML coding, some Java scripting, and even some Visual Basic (back in the day).  Enough to make me a little dangerous, satisfy my nerdiness, and not break things too often.  

But my latest adventure in expanding my knowledge by learning and/or refreshing my knowledge by practicing has dictated that I truly start from ground zero on almost everything.  Starting from ground zero for me means that I am trying to see from the perspective of someone who knows NOTHING about tools x, y, or z and is touching them for the first time.  I chose this type of learning journey to not only solidify my existing knowledge, but also to see what has changed in the market since I last had to "shop" for tools x, y, or z.  Ground zero lets me suspend my "curse of knowledge" and have fresh, eager-to-learn eyes.

Hardware/software purchasing was regularly slightly above my pay grade or slightly outside of my scope, or both.  Usually, the tool or program selection and deployment would be decided by the upper executives and handled by IT.  I would be credentialed, onboarded, trained, and then would turn around and cascade it all to my department.  My recent pricing/comparing practice comes from being the "CEO" of my household (Billy and I call our home "KerseyHaus," just 'cause it sounds fancy), from my work with the various non-profits I affiliate with, and from being of service to my friends and family.  I can always find a good bargain for a quality product!

Side Note #1:  In my current job search, the "More About Claudia!" Corporation, if you will, I'm the sole executive decision-maker, comptroller, accounts payable director, asset manager, and frontline employee.  My "corporate" budget is close to $0.00 and the only red tape comes from my husband (He's definitely the COO of the KerseyHaus parent corporation), when he asks me what I'm spending so much time doing.  Other than that, the sky's the limit, kiddo!

The whole experience has been enlightening, but also incredibly frustrating.

So, I crack my knuckles and stretch my fingers...  Google Search!  Here goes: "Free website creation,"  "Free website hosting,"  "How to create a website,"  "Top 10 domain providers,"  The list of search terms goes on and on.  With every result, I get a little smarter, refining my parameters, and adjusting my language to net the best outcome.  After a TON of research, I decided on Google Sites as the winner.  

Setting up the website through Google Sites was easy and fun.  Within a few hours, I had a fully-functioning, though mostly empty, comprehensive series of web pages, all "branded" for consistent coloring, font, format, and "feel," and organized in a logical progression.  I was thrilled!  

Side note #2:  I recently attended a webinar on how to improve your job search results by creating a "brand" for yourself.  I loved the idea of treating the whole project not only as my full-time job (check out Article #1 of this blog) but also as a truly entrepreneurial business venture.  I only wish I could put "CEO of More About Claudia!" on my resume.  Regardless, I'm proud to say that I have successfully created a corporate brand for my job search adventure, with style guides, icons, stock imagery, and the whole gamut!

I went to start copying and pasting the URL into my resumes and cover letter templates when I realized that the Google Sites URL was funky, clunky, and definitely a bit long.  "https://sites.google.com/view/jobsearch2024-moreaboutclaudia/" Doesn't quite roll off the tongue, you know?  

Uh oh.  That could be a problem.

If I learned anything during my current job search over the past few months, I've learned that Recruiters are stressed-out and busy, busy, busy.  So, faster, easier and simpler is always better (for them...  not necessarily my preference, I prefer to invest my time and attention, since details and precision are very important to me, but I am respectful of other's needs, for sure).  I've also learned that as wordy and over-communicative as I am, ANYWHERE I can flense some fat will be a big help.  So, now I embark upon my search for a free, shorter, redirecting website address.

I knew enough about the internet to know what a URL was, what a domain hosting service was (versus a web building/hosting service), and some fundamentals on what's involved.  But for the most part, and still as things continue to evolve, I rely upon Google Search for EVERYTHING.  

My search discovered several free services for URL shortening.  The best (and most common) is bit.ly.  I sign up.  Now, I have a tighter URL "https://bit.ly/m/More-About-Claudia/" that will send folks to the website.  Kinda.  Because of the need for bit.ly to make money, I understandably had to create a "splash" page with them (they call it a "Link-in Bio"), and then from there, folks could navigate the Google pages.  Still not the best user experience, but better than the 5-mile-long URL.  And it gave me a cool QR code to allow people to access my site quickly on their mobile phones!  It's pretty, isn't it?

However, staying true to my Core Values, namely Efficiency, I figure there's got to be a better way, yet!

The new URL is still a bit awkward, and the more a recruiter or hiring manager has to click, the less likely they'll really explore my site (and I really want them to explore it.  There's a ton of stuff on there that I'm proud of and relevant to the jobs I'm applying for) since their time and attention is so precious.  That's when an ad from GoDaddy caught my eye.

If you don't already know, GoDaddy is an internet domain name/DNS service, targeted to individuals and small businesses.  They provide an abundance of features for the average web user, including domain hosting, website hosting, domain brokering, and website marketing...  They are a great resource for folks who are just getting started and I encourage you to check them out.  One of the more attractive features is their domain-only service for (currently) between $0.99/year (for a ".site" domain) up to $24.99/year (for a ".net" domain).  Yes, that's correct:  $0.99.  Per. Year.  GoDaddy's domain extensions/TLDs are far cheaper than I had imagined!

Side Note #3:  Their prices do change, though.  They're based on market trends and other factors...  Think of it as being the same as how fancy restaurants often have "Market Value" instead of a price next to their lobster dinners.  So, the price I paid for everything might be much less (or much more) than what you are quoted/end up paying.

For a brand owner/CEO like me, $0.99/year is something I can work into my close-to-$0.00 corporate budget.  I weighed the pros and cons of each of the various TLDs they offer.  Based on the nature and intent of my website, I settled on the ".info" domain extension.  I also thought "dot info" sounded kinda cool, I won't lie.  I bought a 5-year package, added some major security protocols to protect myself and my users from hackers and malware, and high-fived myself for a job well researched and well done!  Total cost to me:  Just under $80.00.  Not bad!  I am now the proud owner of cfernandez-kersey.info for the next five years. So cool!

But, alas, it was too good to be true...  

I go to test my new, jazzy, sleek Cadillac of a URL in an incognito window, and <screech>!  

Nope.  

URL isn't supported.  Huh?  Why not?  Wait, wait, wait.  Lemme try it again but with the "www." in front of the address.  That's gotta be it, right?

Again, nope.

Maybe it doesn't like incognito windows?

Nope.  Nope.  Nope.  Nope.

What the heck is going on here?  I can't access the site in any way, other than through my phone, using the bit.ly link.  Time to do some more Google searching, it seems.

Now my research is taking me down a rabbit hole of sorts.  I'm learning about the difference between "http://" and "https://" and how the "big tech" companies are trying to get all websites migrated over to the more secure format.  So, internet web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari will only take you to websites that are encrypted, unless you manually change the browsing settings.  Chrome has gone so far that you have to adjust a TON of those settings to allow unencrypted sites to be accessed, and even then a big scary warning pops on the screen, initially making you think you've got a broken link if you don't immediately notice the "continue to site" option.  

So, now I'm toggling between help articles, Wikipedia definitions, retail software sites, weird user experience blogs, and even ".gov" sites!  Through it all, I learned about root servers and name servers, encryption, transport layer security, DNS zone files, about DNS record types, certificate authorities, SSL certificates, and CNAME records, and how everything dictates how a website is found, accessed, and displayed.  

Side Note #4:  My knowledge about what was going on completely solidified when I found this really digestible and uber-cool microlearning on how DNS works by Verisign  I STRONGLY suggest you check it out.  Honestly, it was a total game-changer for me!

At this point, I'm full of random, vaguely useful information:  

1. I know that I have to design my users' web experience to be as simple and seamless as possible.  
2. I know that I want them to either click on the super-awesome link that I've embedded in my resume, attached to my job app, or mentioned in my LinkedIn profile.  
3. I know that I want that all-important first click to take them to my home page, without any scary browser disclaimers that undermine my trustworthiness, or having to go through some other kind of gateway.  
4. I know that the obstacle is with encryption, and has to do with a CNAME record in my GoDaddy DNS zone file.
5. I know that it looks like I now need to add some kind of SSL security certificate to the DNS zone file to allow for the seamless transition between GoDaddy and Google Sites.

So, I try to do it myself.  Just li'l ole me and my trusty Google Search bar.  And I fail.  And fail again.  And fail a few more times.  But if anything, I'm tenacious (or, if you're not one of my fans, stubborn).  

I open a chat with the first (of several) GoDaddy Guides (what they call their tech & sales support folks...  like Apple and their "Geniuses").  This person (she/her) tells me that the only way I can get to the desired objective (having someone click my domain URL and be magically whisked away to Google Sites) is by purchasing a GoDaddy website hosting package, which will automatically have the appropriate CNAME records and SSL Cerificates and Zone Files embedded to allow for https:// browsing.  Then, all I would need to do would be create a splash-redirect page and folks will be connected to the Google Sites pages.   The cheapest package was $6.99/month with a minimum contract of 3 years, so total = $251.64.  Oh, wow.  There goes my close-to-$0.00 budget.

I have a conversation with the other C-Suite executives of KerseyHaus:  My husband/COO, Billy Kersey, and my uber-techy (he was a software programmer before he retired) dad/CIO, Yndalcio "Fred" Fernandez.  They both agreed that it was a worthwhile investment, though it did feel that it was a bit of a "bait-and-switch" setup.  Yeah, I got that vibe, too.

Ultimately, we all agreed, "In for a penny, in for a pound."  

Now I put on my CFO hat to revise my meager household budget and increase my job search budget by almost 300%.  Oy veh!

I contacted GoDaddy for help, spoke with another Guide (he/him), and bought the package.  I got a serious bout of agita, but pressed on.  I created the splash page (now I have two of them, one active through GoDaddy and one active for mobile only, through bit.ly), branded it to look like the Google Sites pages, crossed my fingers (yes, it did make it difficult to type that way) and toes, open an incognito window in Chrome and...

Nope.

Huh?  But you PROMISED, Ms. First GoDaddy Guide.  You PROMISED!!  

This brings us to day (and night) number four.  I've been working on this part of my project for over 72 hours.  I've slept a total of maybe six hours, here and there.  I'm obsessed and determined to make this work.  I've shelled out almost $400.00 total, between the super-fortified domain and now the website hosting thingy (money I really can't afford to waste, being out of work and all), and am at my wit's end with it all.  I've eaten all the popcorn in the house and drank all the coffee I could get my hands on.  But I refuse to be beaten.  I will make this happen, dammit!

I chat, once again, with the GoDaddy Guides.  This time I get a lovely gentleman, Sandeep (he/him), who explains to me exactly what is going on from his perspective.  He agreed that the problem with the domain not working/redirecting was because I did not have an SSL certificate in my DNS zone file.  In layman's terms, that means that I didn't have a sign on my front door telling people it was safe to enter.

Sandeep advised that the package I had purchased to do this was good, but it was the wrong product. The one I purchased will apply the appropriate SSL certificate only to the website it created, not to the entire domain.  Imagine I bought the sign I needed to hang on my door, but I hung it on the door to my kitchen, not the front door to the house.

He advised that if I wanted the entire domain to benefit from the SSL certificate, I would need to purchase a "Managed SSL" from GoDaddy and it would be automatically applied and maintained by their experts.  Once I did that, I wouldn't have to do a thing further and all my worries would disappear.

And just how much will THAT cost, sir?  

The basic plan is a 2-year minimum plan, $239.98 for the first year, and $399.98 per year after that.  You've gotta be kidding me.  Another $650.00?  After my 5-year contract is up, I will have paid over $1,850.00, just for the stupid certificate!!!  This is getting ridiculous.

Okay, sir, let's start with this:  Since I purchased the wrong package, let's refund that, yes?  Yes.  (And he did, thank goodness, so now I'm back down to the original $79.98)  

Next:  Do I have to go with GoDaddy's Managed SSL certificate plan, or could I use a different provider and then upload it to my GoDaddy DNS zone file myself?  No, I didn't have to purchase the SSL certificate from GoDaddy and yes, I could do it all myself with a certificate from a third party.  

He then gave me the customary disclaimer: If I do apply it myself, using the appropriate codes so the GoDaddy domain would recognize what it is, I would need to make sure it was absolutely correctly placed, upload it to the DNS zone file myself,  troubleshoot it myself, and renew it manually every year.  Understood, sir!

Here's where the Help Community Googlers serendipitously come into play...

I thanked Sandeep for his time and guidance (and refund, phew!  That was a close one!) and went off to get my own damned free SSL certificate.  Google Search, don't fail me now!

Side Note #5:  There are loads of free resources available for creating and installing a trustworthy SSL certificate on your domain and web pages.  The most annoying thing, however, is that you will have to manually renew every year.  Just set a calendar reminder for yourself and BOOM!  You're good.  Here's a link to the Hubspot Website blog article that explains SSL certification, how to get and download a certificate, how to install it, and the top 10 free SSL cert providers most highly recommended by users:  How to Get an SSL Certificate.

So, I start traveling down the Google Search highway, destination: Free SSL Certificate City.  I'm bee-bopping again between GoDaddy help articles, and open source documents, hit a few YouTube rest stops, and managed to create my very own, free SSL certificate!  Mazel Tov!  

Now, to install it on my GoDaddy DNS zone file.  At this point, I find myself flipping back and forth between the GoDaddy SSL cert install walk-through help article and a Google Sites Help Community Product Expert's help site:  Kirkville's Web Design.  

In working between the two resources, I discovered that the GoDaddy help article only addresses SSL cert installation for certs purchased through them.  It (purposefully, I fear) skips several critical steps users would have to execute if they purchased or created their cert elsewhere.  I mean, the GoDaddy articles absolutely don't mention them or even infer that they exist.  Nada.  Niente.  Nunca. 

If I hadn't had the other article to compare, I would have never known why the process wasn't letting me through to the next step, no matter how much I clicked, what I typed, or where I positioned a DNS record.  NEVER.  If it wasn't for the Kirkville article, I would have assumed I was doing something wrong and would have probably either given up completely (would have never happened) or purchased that $650.00 two-year package, cursing them under my breath (far more likely of happening).  So, while fundamentally the walk-through is correct, if you're doing it on your own, you'll get nowhere but frustrated because everything you try WON'T WORK.  Sandeep didn't mention THAT, now, did he?

Just when I'm about to lose it and smash my Chromebook against the wall, I see a post in the Google Sites Help Community blog by a person who has a problem very similar to my situation.  An answer from the Community was still pending, so the article as it stood had no use to me.  I was about to click away, when a not-so-little voice inside my soul screamed, "Share your situation!"  So I did.

Now, mind you, I've been working all night on this, and the sun is up on Day Five.  It's 6:33AM and I'm typing with one eye open (the other was insistent that it needed sleep and trying to convince the rest of my body to follow suit), and ready to abandon all hope.  I add my comment, and some screenshots and click "Submit."

Finally, the solution.  And it wasn't even close to what GoDaddy was saying.  Not at all.

Within minutes, I got a response and started working with a Google Sites Product Expert (Perjury) who kindly and patiently walked me through what to do.  The solution ended up being a very simple change to two or three CNAME records in my GoDaddy DNS Zone file and an even quicker sign-up with a free "Naked Domain" service called Wwwizer.  No need for an SSL certificate or anything even close!  From start (clicking 'Submit' on my Community post) to finish (testing the results) took less than 90 minutes.  No lie.

And now, the moment of truth.  

I open an incognito browser, type my URL, and...

Yep!  

Full steam ahead, kiddos!  We're in business!  I can't describe the amount of relief I felt at that moment.  Granted, much of the overabundance of emotion was due to my complete disregard for self-care during the previous five days...  I didn't realize how much of a stress-case I had become.  I was definitely a hot mess.

Side Note #6:  My husband is a saint for putting up with me during all this, I swear.  I cannot even begin to describe how supportive (even if that support looks like him just leaving me alone to my typing) and mindful he is.  He treats me like a queen!

Part 2

Okay, so now I've got a working website, ready to fill with everything anyone looking to hire me would need to know.  I created these pages based on almost a year of filling out job applications, screening interviews, hiring manager interviews, and everything I've learned from job search webinars and articles.  

For those of you who are perhaps creating your own portfolio, here's what recruiters and hiring managers usually are looking for:

1. What's NOT on your resume?  
• What are your core values? What makes you different from the average candidate? 
• It might be appropriate for you to include some recent performance metrics, certifications, developmental items, awards, lessons learned, testimonials, and endorsements...  These are all things that often come up in interviews, so why not include them right up front?
• Add all the professional elements that make you a great employee and a top candidate!
2. Actual examples of your work.  
• You should include several different items that showcase the breadth and depth of your competencies.  One item per required skill should do it.  But keep them all high-level and project-focused.  They don't need to see how well you compose an email or how neatly you organize your calendar.  Those kinds of work products won't set you apart at all, since they're expected.
• Keep the items specific to the industry you're searching within (I'm looking for a job in an L&D department, so I'm probably not going to include photos/patterns of my latest crochet projects, or my favorite recipe for matzoh ball soup...).
• Remove anything that mentions any specific clients or employers, including branding.  You don't want to undermine your trustworthiness by, in essence, broadcasting that you stole the intellectual property of your former employers.
• And make sure the items you include are truly yours.  It's best to avoid collaborative projects since the nature of their ownership can come into question if one of the collaborators feels that it was THEIR project/brainchild, not yours.  
• Recruiters and hiring managers may also fact-check you, so make sure that if they do contact your colleagues or previous employers, those folks will attest that the project you're claiming to be yours was, indeed, yours and that you're not trying to take credit for someone else's work.  Or even worse yet, the recruiter or hiring manager types the first few sentences of what you submitted in a search browser and there's the product, which you copied and claimed to be all your own (plagiarism).
3. Structure and organization.
• Employers want to see that you can be structured, disciplined, and can work within the confines of their corporate culture and values.  They enjoy diversity of thought and experience but still want folks who won't pose a risk to their business by being wild, unruly, or sneaky.  How you structure and organize your Portfolio and its pages will tell potential employers about your abilities to process and deliver on tasks and projects associated with your future role.
• Any text of your Portfolio should be well-composed, organized, and accurately representative of you and your "voice."  Some folks might recommend using ChatGPT or a similar AI software package to compose your writing.  I DO NOT think that's a good idea.  If you have problems with grammar, add the Grammarly extension to your email and browsers... and try to read more news articles to improve your command of the language!  But using AI to write things for you is very dangerous.  What if your future employer asks you to compose an email with them, in person?  Or what if AIs are blocked by their firewall?  You will have to rely upon your own abilities there at the moment and may look foolish if you can't live up to the standards that the AI set for you.  
• If you struggle with grammar, proper sentence structure, and reading/writing in general, it would be best to just keep your Portfolio more visually-oriented, versus using a bunch of words that may get you in trouble later.
4. Attention to detail.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread.  Having once been a hiring manager myself, I can safely say that the one thing that would make me toss a resume right into the recycle bin was a misspelling or obvious typo.  Why would I hire someone who, when trying to impress me, gives me a less-than-acceptable work product?  If they gave me THAT when they had all the time in the world to proofread it and perfect it, what kind of work product would they give me if they were rushed or under a tight deadline?
• Check your formatting and how it will look both on a desktop and on a mobile device.  I noticed that while some formats look sexy on a desktop, they look foolish on a phone (lots of weird spacing and broken fonts).  
• Before you start, create a "brand style guide."  Here's mine:  More About Claudia's Style.  That way, everything is consistent everywhere a person goes to view your published work.  They know they're dealing with my pages and my materials.  I've created a bona fide brand!
5. Professionalism.
• This is very important.  Remember, this is not a Facebook page, it's not Instagram or Twitter or Snapchat or anything like that.  You are creating this to appeal to Corporate America, not your friends, family or cohorts.  Think of this as a digital and longer version of your resume.  That means keeping it professional and impersonal.
• Avoid provocative subject matter or controversial opinions.  That means politics, religion, taxes the latest scandal in the news, whether you prefer Coke or Pepsi (Pepsi), Marvel or DC (Marvel), Star Trek or Star Wars (Trek).
• Now we're going to talk about something that may make some of you uncomfortable.  I apologize, but for the sake of being a good friend, I have to discuss this:  Your photographs.
• 
  Remember, like I said before, this isn't social media.  You are trying to convey that you are confident, poised, successful, professional, crisp, mature, sophisticated, disciplined, and 100% aligned with the vibe of their Corporate culture.  My wish for you is that you find a way to be authentic and true to yourself while also showing off and emphasizing your wit, expertise, elegance, and your refined uniqueness!
• Choose photos of yourself in a suit or heightened corporate attire.  Just because you may look good in an outfit or photo, doesn't mean it's appropriate for your Portfolio.  Clothes that you would wear to a club or on a night out are NOT appropriate for work or your resume, no matter how fierce you may be.  Unless your desired profession is as a promoter, a cosmetologist, a stylist or aesthetician, or some other artistic or "evening out to be seen" type of role, save the make-up, eyelashes, bling, crazy nails, body suits, torn jeans, "I'm with stupid" t-shirts, and NY Knicks jerseys for another day.  (Yes, that's me above, wearing my Carmello Anthony jersey)
• 
  This also applies to weird camera angles, poses, and filters.  You want to look traditionally corporate in your first impression, even if, in the end, it's a ripped-jeans-and-t-shirt workplace and the people who are interviewing you are wearing their pajamas.  So, go for the 3/4 shot, straight on, bright light, neutral background. avoid using those filters that will make you look like a mannequin without a sebaceous gland or pore in sight.  Have your friend take it with their phone, if you don't have one!
6. Your humanity.
• Finally, and this might be the most important part of your Portfolio, you want to show them that you're an actual human being.  That there's more to you than your resume and "elevator pitch."  
• Keep it tame, but share some photos of recent trips, family reunions, your pets, children, brothers and sisters, friends...  
• Make sure you're doing it safely and responsibly, of course.  You don't want to share anything that will lead a stranger, scammer, or internet troll directly to your (or your friend's) doorstep.  Double-check to verify that there's no address or precise location mentioned, digitally embedded, or tagged, and always get folks' permission before publishing.
• Hobbies and volunteer activities count!  While your page showcasing your work projects may be strictly employment-focused, the "fun page" is where you can show off a new recipe, or the best book you read this year, or your favorite podcast.
• Avoid including pictures of "vices."  So, if you smoke, keep that to yourself and don't post pictures of you holding cigarettes.  Same for drinking.  Same for... "other enhancements."  No need to show yourself faded at your cousin's wedding, or outside the dispensary, or hobnobbing with Billie Ellish at Drai's.
• Try to remember to avoid subjects and images that (though very dear to your heart and soul) might turn someone less inclined away.  
• I'll take a risk, here, and share a quick personal story.  Those who know me will tell you that I'm definitely a feminist.  But it's not something I advertise, nor do I discuss much in the workplace.  Why?  Because I've had experiences where my leaders disagreed, quite vocally, with my views and made assumptions about me because of the category they put me in.  They would make comments like "Well, Claudia doesn't like men," or "She's angry at the world because she thinks women have it rough," or my favorite to date, from a male colleague of mine (same level, different department): "You still claim that?  But there's no need for feminism anymore, women can vote and do all sorts of things that men can do." <cough, choke> WHAT??? So rather than get into an argument, or stir the pot, or embark upon a controversial or provocative debate, or accidentally throat-punch someone, I save my activism and activist anecdotes for my non-work-life.  I don't deny my views or try to hide them.  I just don't broadcast them or try to convince others about them in the workplace.  And that starts with the interviewing/job application process.  
• I'll tell you, since I decided to follow that course of action, I found that I liked people more (mainly because I no longer gave them the opportunity to anger or irritate me with their ignorance) and had better working relationships with them.
• So, as proud as I am of certain things, you won't see any photos of me being corraled at a BLM protest, or of me meditating in church, or of me as a DNC delegate, etc...

And so, we've come to the end of today's opus.  I hope you've found it somewhat useful, entertaining, and worth your time.  You can always comment with your thoughts, reactions, angry letters, or favorite song lyrics, if so moved.

Until next time!

Take good care and make good choices,