(If you want to know more about the author, rather than the site itself, you want this other page.)
This site is run using WordPress, a marvelous open-source blogging platform that functions very nicely as a content management system. I use various plugins to extend and customize WP.
Wow. It’s incredible how much simpler this bit is than when I started this site in 1995! I initially created it so I could play—with HTML, with colors and patterns, and with words—and for a few other reasons, as well. It has changed from time to time as I discover new toys or grow tired of old ones. I’ll always be a child at heart, subject to bursts of enthusiasm and a tendency to want to share the latest delights I’ve found with everyone. Having a website is a less-annoying way to do that than to be constantly emailing all my acquaintances with URLs and such!
The site has gone through various trends in design, from plain old HTML to frames to tables to CSS and now a CMS. I’ve stayed away from the bleeding edge, but I try to be somewhat conscious of standards. I’m still working on ensuring accessibility throughout the site when using WordPress, as the code doesn’t always validate properly, even when it looks just fine.
At one time, there was a list of web publishing resources here, with some notes about learning to create websites. That stuff was too outdated to be helpful, and it’s been quite a while since I’ve needed to refer someone to them or had anyone mention using them.
Thanks
For many years Jay Finch was kind enough to host this and the other sites our family has created. We will always be grateful to him.
Jim Esten of WebDynamic did a fantastic job of writing some CGI scripts used on an earlier version of the site and holding my hand through learning enough vocabulary to know how to ask for what I needed. I wholeheartedly recommend him if you need any sort of web-related programming or training.
Site Name
I have been TechnoMom since 1995 when I was the first woman hired for a technical job at MindSpring Enterprises, and that was the title my supervisor placed on my business cards.
A former SO called me the Enemy of Entropy because I tend to organize the crap out of anything I take over.
What’s this thing about being perverse?
A few of the words my thesaurus (thank you, Houghton Mifflin) suggests for “perversity” are bullheadedness, doggedness, hardheadedness, obstinacy, pertinaciousness, pertinacity, tenacity, wilfulness.
Yep, that’s me. I am, in fact, absolutely unmoveable when I know that I am right. It doesn’t matter how many people disagree with me, how much it costs me, or how difficult my life is as a result—I do not back down.
It isn’t that I’m not open to new information or others’ input. But I will not hide the truth as I know it. As you might imagine, I don’t play politics. On the other hand, people usually learn that I’ll tell them the truth, period, regardless of whether I like or agree with them. The best boss I ever worked for asked me the most challenging questions because he knew I’d always give him a straight, even if unpopular, answer.
That’s perversity for you, folks. I’m perverse to a purpose. I was radically honest long before Mr. Blanton settled on that title for his franchise.
So—I’m TechnoMom, the Enemy of Entropy, being Purposefully Perverse on a screen in front of you.
Dear Cynthia,
Stumbled across your blog on “fatness” and it was an interesting and well written read. Things have sure changed. I can recall when I was fat (yes, I broke down, conformed and lost weight)in the early eighties the shops for larger sized women carried near shameful sounding names. One felt they should almost put a bag over their head to just walk in the door! Larger sized women were referred to as “Portly”. I remember wondering what the W behind the size stood for..I wondered if it meant Wide..and when I was told womans I wondered what all the smaller sized women were in terms of gender? Actually the choice to lose weight was not one of “conforming” but my own…I sincerely enjoyed the journey and I neither adovocate that others do the same or try and push others to in that direction. It was simply something I wanted to do for me.
I did want to point out one little thing about your article…back during the time when Marilyn was alive clothing was sized quite differently. Though I don’t think she would have ever been what is now our size 2 she was never what would equate our size 16 nor even close. Size 12 was a very SMALL and admirable size during the late 50’s and early 60’s…if you ever watched I Love Lucy you will recollect Lucy longing to make it into the ideal size…size 12. I remember the ladies all dreaming of making it into a 12, dieting trying to get into that dream size 12..it was in magazines with the Diet Cola ads, all of the Diet Advertisments. (I am 51 so I have some recollection…and remember my Mom finally making the dream size)
Also for your consideration…sizes are indeed larger now than they were some 30 years ago. I currently wear a size 4…I possess some of my clothing from high school and also do some shopping at vintage shops for older, designer clothing from the late sixties and seventies. Believe me..clothing from today is much more generously sized than it was in the past. My size 6 blue jeans from high school are much smaller than my size 4 from today! Clothing manufactorers are crafty..they know women want to feel small so they have made patterns larger.
I have been taking a class for my Masters on Women in Western Civilization and am researching this for my currently for my thesis. Women are even cognizant that certain designers like Liz Claiborne routinely cut about one size larger than actually marked–yet they love the idea they can purchase that size smaller they so long for.
Just thought I would share!
In all kindness,
Robin