For those following the saga that is my life… or something… here’s why I’ve been so busy. (Skip the explanation, just get to the puppets already!)

Some of you will know/remember that last year I worked for Arts Hub. I left in June 2006, in hopes of continuing work on - now defunct - The Prompt Copy, and setting up an online bookstore. As with half of my brilliant plans, they turn out… well, less than brilliant. By Dec. 2006, I had to get some temp. work - which I absolutely hated. I left that after a month, hoping that I could find something a little less permanent (it turned out to be a full-time permanent job, instead of a full-time temp. job) that would allow me time to work on other things. I got ready for the Comedy Festival, but by the end of Dec. decided not to do TPC anymore. The bookstore idea quickly fell by the wayside soon after.

The good news was that about two months before opening at the festival in April 07, I got a job offer. An excellent job offer. David Eedle and Fiona Boyd, the ex-CEOs of Arts Hub (having sold the companies just as I left last year), were setting up a new online company. And would I be part of it!

The best part of the job is that it is the balance of work that I need; steady income, flexible hours, and the freedom to do theatre stuff as well.

So what’s the job all about?

It’s almost really hard to explain. But only because lately it’s been ‘under wraps’ until the site launch. Which is today!!

The site, collectZing.com, is for collectors - of all kinds, from art collectors to coins, from dolls to … well, whatever really. You can upload images of your collectibles, create catalogues of them, link up with other collectors, discuss, trade, blog… The whole idea is that there is somewhere online where the collector in you can be free.

My job is part research, part marketing, part writing. First off, I got the enormous (to the power of like, a billion and one) role of being in charge of the catalogue area. Which means I’m the one who reads up on the types of collectibles, learns about things like grading, condition, what information is important to keep about the collectible, etc.

Next, I’m in charge of the content part of the site - like news and information about collectibles. We have a wiki, and hopefully over time it will become the best online encyclopedia dedicated solely to the area of collecting.

Anyway, the whole thing has been a really big chaotic mess for a while now, only because we’re all muddling through what we hope will be a successful business plan. A couple of weeks ago the site went into alpha testing for the company and web design guys; then it went into exclusively private beta test for friends and family. Now it’s public for everyone to join!

See part two here.