Six weeks of intensive work culminated yesterday in the launch of the new Next American City online presence. The launch coincides with the first issue of their completely-redesigned magazine and fresh new identity (courtesy of art director Keith Webb.) This was one of the more comprehensive sites I’ve been charged with as of late –– involving lots of data migration, a whole new CMS, an ad server, and more — and I’m very happy with the results. They’ve moved from using a barely-working, “custom-built” content management system with an appended WordPress blog, to a unified, extensible publishing system using ExpressionEngine that will serve the magazine well into the future. Good times were had, and they are a fine bunch. Go subscribe.

Other stuff that’s been keeping me busy …

• still working on honing and improving GigPress (my WordPress plugin for bands — though it seems people are using it for comedy troups, booking agencies, record labels, events management, and even online training schedules);
• launched the Alice’s Drive promotional site;
• launched band sites for Greg MacPherson (Winnipeg, MB) and Spencer Jo (Calgary, AB);
• built the HTML/CSS and completed the CMS setup for the new Art City web site (a great organization for inner-city kids in Winnipeg, MB);

I’m wrapping up my first winter in Halifax after enduring my previous 29 in Winnipeg, and my eyelashes have not once become interlocked with ice pellets. Who knew life could be so sweet?