Branding Evolution
It's crazy to think that I have had a blog since I was 16 years old - that was back before the term "blog" had even been coined. I've always been a reflective person, documenting everything either in written, paint/drawing, or photo format. There are so many good things that happen in a day, and while not all of them are monumental, I try to capture the highlights. It helps me avoid taking those moments for granted. The less than good moments I capture in a private alias blog.
But each blog I've had (probably about a half dozen or so), has been the keeper of these documented moments at very different points of my life. In the past, I've switched platforms (e.g. Free Open Diary, Blogger, Wordpress, Squarespace, etc.) as I transitioned into different parts of my life; and that was in part because it was my way of closing a chapter, but also partly due to my curiosity of learning a new platform (can we say marketing nerd?!).
Dana Chirps came about with a hockey focus. Hell, my tagline was "the dangles and dungles of hockey and life"! I was still living in Virginia so it was easy and fun to have my dad do an occasional guest hockey post. My parents were billeting, and my dad was (and still is) coaching a junior team. Hockey was a constant 24/7. Hockey is still and will always be a constant, but over the last couple years it has not been 24/7. This is largely due to a more demanding career, but also because of my own evolution of interests and passions.
Not too long ago I was giving this personal evolution of mine some thought, and it dawned on me that this blog needed to be updated to reflect that. While it isn't 100% complete just yet, it's suitable enough to "push live". I am proud of the way it's turned out.
Highlights of the new digital digs:
Layout: Feels more like a website with a blog versus one long scrolling blog.
Imagery: Found and selected photos depicting who I am right now.
URL: Stuck with DanaChirps.com because it's way easier to type that into a browser than DanaPodgurski.com. It's easier for people to remember, I won't have to spell out my last name ten times, and it pays homage to the sport I'll continue to love for the rest of my life.
Logo: It's obviously my initials but as you can see the letters are connected. Connecting with people, the world, and even my own self is something that is easily missed, but so critical to do - it's how humanity is cultivated. Blogging helps me accomplish this.
Girls Rule and Boys Drool: At the bottom of the homepage, you'll see a section called titled "Girl Power" - periodically, I'm going to highlight another female who I think is kicking ass at something. We live in such a dog eat dog world, and I think now more than ever women need to lift each other up.
There are a bunch of other little updates throughout this site, and a few more to come. But I hope you like it so far! Let me know what you think.
