CitrusKiwi's Phoenix AZ web design log

Lessons from a Lovebird

  • Last updated: June 29 2016 11:24
  • Created: September 27 2014 06:55
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"Out of the mouths of babes, oft time come gems." This well-known saying, probably derived from Psalms in the Bible, should remind us to always be on the lookout to learn a life lesson in the most obscure of places. Today, I have 2 posts, as I felt compelled to write this second one, not about how to exponentially multiply your traffic, guarantee 100% click through, or how to have the best website in the world, but rather to share a few "gems".

Kenya the LovebirdWhen you're down, sing louder!

Life is full of ups and downs, good and bad, want and plenty. How we react during these times determines who we are. When Kenya, our Lovebird, was getting low on water or food he'd sing and chat to us even more than normal. Without being a whinger, when life is tough, gather your friends around you and ask for support. A trouble (or problem) shared is a trouble halved.

Make the most of every situation

When he was out of his cage, he'd fly, and fly, and fly. In fact, he was a little naughty, and getting him back into his cage was sometimes quite a mission! But he was taking full advantage of the moment. If you were at the sink washing your hands of some dishes, that was always his cue (in his mind anyway) to come and have a bath. We'd cup our hands to make a pool with the faucet running, and he'd flap and wriggle in it. Or if we were making sandwiches, he'd be there to "help" - that is help himself to some of the bread!

Stay in touch

His cage sat beside one of the windows looking out on the backyard. As the wild bieds woke in the mornings, Kenya heard their chatter and would talk back to them all. He couldn't always see them, but he could hear them, and he wasn't going to miss a chance to connect.

Never miss a chance to say, "I love you!"

When he'd see us go past his cage, or hear us moving around, he never missed a chance to call out. Who knows whether he was saying, "I love you!" or "Hello" or just "Give me more food!", but he never missed a chance to involve himself in our lives. Always be ready to say, "I love you!" to those closest to you.

Farewell

So it's with a heavy heart that we bid our beloved Kenya, a most dear and loved companion of 14 years, a final farewell. He died yesterday afternoon. The house seems so quiet without his calls, and the ringing of the bell which hung in his cage. You will be terribly missed, but never forgotten. Thank you for the joy, the fun, and the lessons you brought to us. RIP Kenya.

Authors

Ian Shere

Ian has been in the web design world since the early 2000s. At that time, he was living in New Zealand and was operating a successful architectural design business that won a number of awards. He was an early adopter of web-based marketing for the business, and after having a local designer unsuccessfully complete a website for him, Ian took it upon himself to learn HTML and launch his own site.

25 years of web designing

The first iteration of the site appeared on April 1, 2001 (and it wasn't an April Fool's joke!), meaning Ian has been designing websites for over 25 years.

Web design in the early 2000s was pretty crude by today's standards. Basic HTML and hard-to-manage layouts made building and managing websites tough going. One positive was that, with the advent of an internet-connected phone in everyone's pocket still a few years away, no allowance had to be made to design for mobile-friendliness. How times change.... And there have been changes aplenty! As mentioned, mobile-friendliness isn't a nice-to-have; it's a critical part of the overall web design process. Back then. SEO didn't exist! With so few companies existing on the web, anyone with a presence, no matter how bad, was front-and-center.

When Ian moved to America in 2009, he'd had a fill of architecture and dealing with city processors and planners, and was looking for a new challenge. He naturally transitioned into website design, having already been in that world for 8 years, and, in early 2010, he and his wife set up CitrusKiwi Web Solutions. The name comes from his wife being a Californian girl (hence the Citrus part), and Ian is from New Zealand, where residents are called Kisis (after the national bird).

CitrusKiwi Web Solutions founded 2010

For over 15 years, CitrusKiwi Web Solutions has been providing cutting-edge web design and hosting solutions to America and around the world!

Since its foundation, CitrusKiwi has delivered quality website design to a range of business industries, from the trades to aviation, to legal and non-profit organisations. When they set up CitrusKiwi, Ian and his wife looked to bring website design to every business, regardless of size, with a particular emphasis on small businesses and non-profits. They were also one of the first design houses to offer a monthly subscription model to enable even more businesses to benefit from fully-managed websites.

As the senior web designer, Ian has personally overseen hundreds of websites, from building and redesigning to hosting, SEO, and more. He has kept pace with the changes in the industry, always learning and reinventing how CitrusKiwi meets the current challenges and opportunities that are available in the marketplace. Whether it's utilizing new technologies like responsive web design or carefully using AI and Large Language Models to enhance client websites, Ian is constantly researching new methods and technology to give their clients the very best in website design.