Semi-End of an Era

You’re reading this on a website that I created around 2015, when I got serious about writing historical nonfiction.

I’ve had another website, www.fullcircle.org, what I always called my business website, for way longer—since 1996! I renewed it annually, assuming that it remained a place-holder for folks to find me, although I had not updated it in a long time.

While I am still freelancing, I paused this year when the annual notice came. And I decided that I did not need it anymore.

Back in the Olden Days

When I started my business in 1996, I offered “writing, editing, and desktop publishing.” DTP—revolutionary at the time, quaint now. I chose the name Full Circle Communications because I offered to take a publication “full circle,” from initial idea to finished product. Over the years, I focused on the front-end writing and editing, which I enjoyed more than design and production and which I knew were my strengths.

A graphic artist and fellow home-based business mom, Irene Stefanski, designed my first logo, along with a business card and stationary. What a thrill! She created this:

After a few months, I ventured into a very exciting way to offer my services to the world: a “homepage.” Another one of those then-revolutionary, now-quaint terms.

It was 1996. Dot.coms were just starting up. The domain www.fullcircle.com was taken by a company that did employee relocations, so I used www.fullcircle.org. Heck, I was almost a nonprofit at that point, anyhow. (Fullcircle.com is now used by a farm-to-doorstep company.)

A Progression of Web Designs

To retrieve my old sites, I turned to Wayback Machine. As you probably know, Wayback Machine is having a moment now, as the Trump Administration and other entities are trying to scrub their web content of any topics or language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (which they perceive as dangerous. But don’t get me started.)

My very first site was not archived. I think there is some vestige of it in the depths of my computer, I hope it shows up someday. For better or worse, I see that I did change the main message of the site in 1999 and 2005:

The Drupal Era

In the next iteration, I hired a designer through DC Webwomen for a Drupal site that I could maintain. At the time, I loved this one:

At some point, however, Drupal was having security problems beyond what my husband and I could fix.

My next solution—and look—used Squarespace.

Coming Full Circle

Lots of companies use “Full Circle” in their name, and many have “Communications” as well. For the record, I trademarked the name in 1999. If I were aggressive, I could go after the other Full Circle Communications out there, but chose to be defensive. If someone came after me, I could hold out the trademark, which expires in 2029.

Periodically I get emails intended for other Full Circles, some quite personal. I wonder if that will continue.

Meanwhile, if you are reading this before April 19, 2025, go to www.fullcircle.org for a last look. Otherwise, keep coming here, to paulawhitacre.com. Love to see you.