21st Century?

Nancy and I live a few miles from the Canadian Border on a 63 mile long dead end road at the edge of 1 million acres of wilderness. The nearest town is 30 miles away and the nearest Mac ‘n Don’s is over 130 miles away. There is no cell service here, no wifi – really – none. Some people have a hard time grasping that. We see them driving very slowly along the Gunflint Trail looking down at their phone realizing that google maps has ceased to function and they are hopelessly unable to figure out what to do next.

My world is very analog and that makes me happy – I live in the woods for a reason. Yet, I build modern, 21st century guitars and other instruments. I’m not a complete Luddite. Most musical instruments have not been keeping up with what’s possible. More on that in another post.

Luddite tendencies aside, we do have fiber optic cable right to our property with rockin’ good internet. Thank you Obama and Amy Klobachar! So now I can do things like actually maintain a website, download music and – God forbid – watch Netflix.

Thus the new website for Seaton Guitars. Bottom line is people have to be able to find my work to buy it and the internet makes that possible.

The new website is not so new anymore. Almost a year ago I received a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council to rebuild and renew my site. The actual construction was completed a few months ago by our web guru in Duluth, Jane Reed, of Red Pebble Design. She did a nice job and I am pleased with the look, feel and flow of the new site. Of course this means I have to use the thing and put new work out there for the world to see. Not my strong point, but I can change. Writing has never been the problem – just try to shut me up. It’s the whole tech thing and learning curve involved. It’s just not been a priority for me.

I won’t be posting on facebook, instagram, snapchat or any other social media any time soon (as I think all social media does more evil than good). While builders forums offer interesting perspectives on any minutia one can conjure, I hope never to weigh in on the relative merit of titanium string saddles vs. pot metal for my new Les Paul. Texting will surely become completely passe’ by the time I start doing that. It’s interesting how the newest, latest thing often fades as people leave it behind for the next newest, latest thing. Remember MySpace? I save myself the trouble by sticking with the old thing that actually gets the job done and accepting that I live in the slow lane. I like slow. My other job is Wilderness canoe trips.

I hope to keep this beast fed and watered more regularly than in the past. The old site died a long and slow death. At least I am capable of doing it now and have the technical ability to make it happen. I’ll be adding new work and other information as it becomes available.

Who knows what other leaps of technological wonder I will make? I’m still going to use a real map and keep my pencils sharp though.