When one door closes...
I never thought I'd be saying this, but the time has come for me to conclude the final chapters of HeyChristine.com.
I had very specific objectives when I first got the idea (dramatic prelude here). Seven years later, I've either met them or they've become a moot point, and my objectives have now changed.
... And can you believe I actually sat down in 2000 to answer my own question as to WHY I was starting HeyChristine.com and am now sitting down in 2007 to answer my own question as to why I'm stopping? No wonder I'm so busy! Help!
Here's a rundown:
- My Communication Tool
One objective was to keep family and friends in the U.S. updated on what the heck I was doing in Taipei during the time I lived there. But now that I am Stateside and living a much more sedated lifestyle - just as Carol said it would be! - there is little motivation to keep this going.
It would be different if the U.S. was foreign territory for me and I was still in my party hearty, "Life is sooo..... crazy!" mode that I was stuck in for the longest time (and BOY was that ever fun!), but that's not the case.
I'm all grown up now.
Well... actually it's that all of my friends have grown up so I've had no choice but to act that way too or at least pretend as best I can... you know how it is...
So that's that. - My Fundraising and Recruitment Arm for ORIENTED.COM
Obviously, I've met this objective.
HeyChristine.com served me very well in this regard and was especially helpful back in those days when very few people kept online journals and blogs, especially in Asia.
But personal blogs are now a dime a dozen, and if I were to start a new business today and try to use a personal blog to garner the level of support I got back then, that would never happen.
It was an absolutely BRILLIANT idea at the time, and I'll forever be patting myself on the back for that one! - My Writing Platform
Perhaps the one thing I appreciate most from creating HeyChristine.com and keeping up with it like I did was... well there are so many things.
First, my writing skills improved immensely over the years, as did my vocabulary. The challenges I faced with each and every entry really got me going!
Second, by forcing myself to sit down on a regular basis and organize my thoughts, I learned how to keep myself grounded amidst my wall bouncing tendencies. I also learned that there are SOME people in this world who actually appreciate my whacky personality! Cool beans! And of course, it's opened up my eyes to other publishing platforms that I am now considering. - My ORIENTED Journal
It goes without saying how grateful I am that we have a full-on documentation of how we created something from nothing.
I need to go back and clean up the missing graphics and standardize the page designs because right now it's a mess, but without these journals, it would be impossible to remember how we ever got from there to here.
This does not mean that my efforts with ORIENTED have come to an end. On the contrary, the opposite is true. In trying to walk away from it in recent days, I was able to look at it with a different perspective and figure out how to better align my personal objectives with my professional ones, now that I'm all grown up (ahem). I also realized that wow, I have a good thing going, so why stop now? Who could have known that stepping away would bring me right back again (although this wouldn't be the first time it's happened).
In any case, now that I'm steering my ship in a different direction, I am needing to conclude this particular chapter and start some new ones elsewhere. - My MBA Degree... and My Resume
As stated here, the lessons I've learned from creating HeyChristine.com have been priceless.
And as for making my mark in history, who knows. That's not up to me to decide, but I would hope that journal entries like this one and this one will influence a FEW people and in a positive and not demented way.
If not....... oh well! It SOUNDED good, no?!
Last but not least...
I can't conclude this part of my journey without thanking all the people - hundreds, literally - who have supported me throughout the years and who continue to be there for me whenever I need them.
Without them, I would not be.
Last camshots for HeyChristine.com:
Yep, I am even putting my old webcam away, as well. It served its purpose and was fun while it lasted but now it's time to move on.
Oh the drama of it all... !
I can't breathe! I can't breathe... !! HELP!
Now obviously, I could have walked away without explanation and never posted here again. What's the big deal, right?
But... but... I'm a drama queen! I can't do THAT!!
Looking forward to some new chapters in my life. We'll see what happens.
I'm out.
