Friends. I have 13 draft posts sitting on the dashboard of this site... I kept trying to share updates, feeling like I should provide updates, but... couldn't (and so, I gave myself a break, knowing that I would return when my brain decided it was time). Perhaps this block has been because I haven't felt much like sharing what it's like to be in waiting and maintenance mode… I’ve had developing plans get sideswiped so many times in the last half decade that talking about the things I plan to do has itself come to feel like its own risk - if I talk about it, do I jinx it? I decided not to risk it, and to instead just Do The Things, knowing I could share a 'here, I made this' update later (and yes, that's essentially what this post is!). ;)

I also have had some resistance to the idea of producing fluffy content when y'all have plenty of other things deserving of focus: I’d rather economize, spend my time (and invite you to spend yours) wisely, and speak when there are updates or ideas worth sharing.

And so, without further ado, a couple of updates worth sharing:

First thing: SHOPJUNKET.COM has relaunched! New platform, new look, and new (to the site) products! It’s even had its first totally organic sale, which is kind of amazing: SEO works, and now that I have something worth sharing (FINALLY) that’s actually easy to work with, I think it’s gonna be a lot more fun around here. I haven't shared it broadly yet - that'll come as I get the site connected to social platforms, etc... never did I ever imagine how many discrete decisions would go into establishing a cohesive platform, but finally, it's coming together.

I owe Grant Henry of Brio Marketing a debt of gratitude - not only for his friendship and encouragement through this entire process, but for his help at key points requiring expertise that I do not personally possess: that the URL transfer made it past DNS hurdles, hundreds of redirects, and was successfully pointed to brand new content as intended are all credit to his technical expertise (the depth of which I've scratched nary the surface…).

It’s feeling pretty incredible to have built this one from the ground up - and to have confidence that the platform will be able to support what I’ve long wanted to do from a scale and efficiency standpoint… I’m actually enjoying this work and getting sucked into it after literally years of dread and avoidance.

This second site site will eventually see more use for my own non-Junket, non-stuff-selling content (instead, systems thinking/data analytics/consulting, etc.). First, though, I'm letting myself find a rhythm and pace amid everything else…

While I can’t guarantee this site won’t see another extended absence, I am pleased to see - in my own processes and daily work - that the various gaps between time spent on each of various projects are steadily decreasing as some of the more complicated messes get cleaned up and archived for posterity.

Second thing: Another movie trailer! The official trailer for Bones And All came out this past week, and while I hadn’t imagined I’d be so excited to screen a horror meets romance meets mystery flick, I also wouldn’t have imagined a scenario where I'd be okay selling pornography. This, however, is the film where we shipped product directly from a St Paul estate to the film site, and in a synchronically timed marriage of studio need meets otherwise-heading-to-the-trash-heap detritus, we connected that dot in the name of the win-win. Will our smut make the final cut? I guess we’ll find out when the film hits theaters on November 23rd.

Even more fun, (third thing?): Devotion also hits theaters on November 23rd. I know less about this project, but the set decorator for No Sudden Move was able to pack up and reuse (yay!) many of the goodies I’d shipped to Detroit in this subsequent Savannah-based shoot.

While I’ve had a few recent smaller projects (including a scurry for early 2000s package goods this spring...look for a film about a washed-up tennis player at some point next year), I’m embracing the current lull as I continue to whack-a-mole other deferred maintenance back into submission.

In lieu of saying begin again (again), again, at some uncertain point in the future, let’s call this ‘to be continued…’

Hugs!

Julie