It’s two weeks and two days before my target date to launch my new online store, www.geekfoundry.net. To say I’m in the nail biting stage is an understatement. At this point it’s more like beard twisting and hair pulling as my window to make final tests of the secure shopping cart transactions is shrinking and the last print job for one of the Unique Geek line of products is still in production. Deep breath.

My host provider tells me they’re experiencing “difficulties” with their SSL certificates on some of the servers they’ve just recently upgraded. I happen to have the misfortune to be on one of those servers. I’m sure it’ll be fine. This isn’t my first time at the rodeo. Having worked in tech for the past 25 years as a developer, I know that things break down. Only it’s different when it’s your site being held up instead of a client’s.

This whole experience of creating an online store from the ground up has been absolutely exhilarating. Being able to control everything from the look, feel, and functionality for myself has not only given me a deeper appreciation for those clients whom I’ve helped launch their own businesses online but it has also made me ask myself, “Why the Hell did I wait so long to do this for myself?!” Better late than never, goes the saying, and now that I’m mere weeks away from launch I’m firing on all cylinders and eager to let this dream fly.

I still have a boatload of tasks to button down in the meantime before launch, so as Farragut said, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” But until my SSL certificate is in place and functional, I’m stuck looking at all the pretty shinies waiting to be unveiled.

See you soon!