Rhino Ramblings

My BLOG Word Cloud

Theoretically, I missed my bi-weekly (and yes I am either using that term correctly to mean once every two weeks; or incorrectly, if you are of the mindset it means twice a week – Aww the English language, so much fun) Blog goal.  But then, again, I literally (another favorite overused word that Webster now includes “emphasizing a figurative situation” as a definition for literally) was very busy 2 weeks ago in updating the basics of my site both directly and indirectly. 

Let’s start with the indirect.  It is gratifying beyond words (oh I am so tempted to head down some more pedantry, but I will leave that for a pedantic blog in the future) when someone I do not even know and also when people I do know or should know/remember, come up to me at a meeting or conference or other random happening and tells me how much they enjoy my blog.  Thank you to all who have done so.  As I note at the end of every blog (and a side update was to standardize the end section), this is a public blog and if it is meaningful, interesting, entertaining or just a chance to be a voyeur into my life and thoughts, then I want to encourage increased readership.  To that end I created a business card:

There are elements of the card that I have leveraged on the site.  A logo – see top left corner of both.  The logo is from a Rhino picture I took at some zoo.  I used a rainbow filter to hopefully create a distinctive logo.  I added a new by-line – the phrase next to the logo. I struggled with what to emphasize about my blog.  Obviously I am no longer in the Glass Closet (I have decided this is my most important blog post so expect me to point back to often now and in the future)  so I am not hiding or denying my transiness and  am trying to find ways to be more open and supportive with and for the LGBTQA+ community.  But my blog is much more than one part of my thoughts and life (not thoughts and prayers, please save us from that phrase). I knew if LGBTQA+ or transsexual was in the tagline that would be the focal point alone. 

So I needed a way to include the various and diverse parts that best define my writings.  And “word cloud” struck me as a possibility.  I found a site – https://www.wordclouds.com/ – that not only helped create a word cloud but even had two pre-defined Rhino designs. See above for the one I am using. I loaded all the words in all of my blogs to date (just was not able to do the future ones).  These are the background words throughout the Rhino cloud.  I then hand-entered a list of words that I hope pop out and define what my blogs are specifically about.  Here is the list of key words:

family	diversity	philosophical	growth	rhino
lgbtq	visionary	support	stories	dog
acceptance	individuality	liberal	transsexual	Ionesco
community	friends	understanding	experience	argo
journey	grief	depression	happy	past
Pet	Future	Personal	Time	midas

I am still playing with the schema that changes colors, placement and sizes of the words.  If any kind readers have recommended additional words to add to this list, please let me know.

OK, that was all the indirect work that went into the business card design and which I have incorporated in the overall site design.  So what else did I do that was more important than writing a new blog?  Glad you asked, otherwise I’d have to stop here. 

I went back and reviewed all 34 blogs and realized that early on I had written a blog titled “Why the Rhinos (Pt 1)” but there was not a blog for Part 2.  Fortunately there actually was, I just did not title it “Why the Rhinos (Pt 2)”.  Editing and follow-through are not my strong suits. That has been fixed.

I used the review to pick out 12 blogs that I feel are essential to understand three main themes: 

Personal / Family Introspection

A Transsexual Life Introspection

Philosophical Introspection

(As I was being introspective about my past writings, I realized a common theme was my introspection).  Oh – and I added a 13^th   and 14^th blog – the most fundamental since they explain Why the Rhinos.  This way, someone new would not have to slog through all 34 and growing blogs, and could use my Essential Blogs list (see link above) to have at least a reasonable understanding of what me and my blog (growing up, Me and My Shadow was a favorite song – random thought) are about. 

And last but not least, I updated the About Me page.  Much has happened in the past two years and therefore what was About Me then was no longer About Me now.  Many changes, including Argo (both in words and picture) and of course the major Glass Closet event (I warned you this would be referred to often) that moved my connections to the LGBTQA+ community and the trans journey I have traveled into the full glare of daylight. Maybe what I am saying is I did not write my bi-weekly blog two weeks ago, and maybe no-one even noticed, but I am happy I took the time to update and add to my presence and hopefully improve what I am providing to those who find my little space.