It seems only yesterday I was telling you about the goals I had planned for the Blind Pig & the Acorn during the new year of 2017 and now that entire year is gone and behind us.

I’ve been studying on the things I’d like to accomplish during the year of 2018, but before I tell you about them I’m going to re-share what I wanted to accomplish in 2017 and let you know how I did.

2017 Goals

  • I’m still working on the idea I shared with you for the past two Januarys-the idea of celebrating Appalachia in a bigger way involving the voices of people like you and me. I haven’t made any real progress on the idea other than collecting thoughts and tid-bits, but I’m still dreaming about it. Still no real progress on this idea but I still want to do it!
  • I hope to add new folks to my monthly vocabulary test videos. Up to this point its mostly been the girls, The Deer Hunter, and me that you’ve heard saying the words. I added several different people to the video line up so I accomplished this one.
  • Paul and I are still trying to find our way through the maze of making the dvd about Pap’s music that I told you about. We have made some real progress on a new cd of Pap and Paul. Well I should say Paul has made some real progress since he’s done all the work. He’s also made real progress on the first Pressley Girls cd. We finished The Pressley Girls cd, filmed one video for Pap’s dvd, and Paul has made real progress on the cd of Pap and him and the rest of us-it will be a Blind Pig and The Acorn compilation. 
  • Speaking of Pap, I hope to share the story of his death with you in greater detail. I feel like you would want to hear it since you really cared about him. Done.
  • I have a secret plan for the coming year. I hope the girls will become a bigger part of the Blind Pig and the Acorn…I haven’t talked to them about this idea-so that’s why I said it was a secret. Well this one didn’t happen! But I did manage to get Paul to write more than one guest post. 
  • I’m still studying on a cookbook full of Appalachian foods and a book on Appalachian language, but I mostly feel overwhelmed when I think about them. I am happy that I’ve been able to add the option of printing to the recipes I share. I made zero progress on this one. Well I did meet with a dear friend who is a very experienced author and I did make notes about what I would want each book to include. I guess that’s progress even if it is minuscule. 
  • I hope to meet more of you in person this year. I met more readers in 2016 than in all the years before combined. It was so much fun to put a face with a name. I was able to meet more Blind Pig Readers during 2017 so this one was accomplished.

Now for my plans for 2018

  • I want to move the Blind Pig and The Acorn to a new blogging platform. I’ve been with Typepad since 2008. When I first started the blog Typepad was right up at the top with the best blogging platforms. A few years into my blogging career Typepad changed hands. After the change it seemed like Typepad was happy with leaving things as they were. There were no new options nor even an effort to keep up with the ever changing technology. So while other blogging platforms have raced ahead with new concepts and technology Typepad has pretty much stayed where it was in 2008. In addition over the last several months Typepad seems to have become less dependable. You’ve probably noticed in the last few weeks they’ve failed to send out the blog on more than one occasion. Last weekend instead of publishing my scheduled post on Sunday they published two posts on Saturday leaving nothing for Sunday. Over Christmas I’ve started the process of moving the blog to a new platform. It’s been a beast of a thing to accomplish and although the finish line is within sight I’m still not there. I’ll have a post with more details about the move later this week so be on the lookout for it as it will contain some important information for subscribers.
  • I want to create a membership site for the Blind Pig and the Acorn. What does that mean? It means for a small fee I’ll be able to offer you a more robust version of the Blind Pig and the Acorn-think podcasts, videos, interviews, and a more personal look into our lives. If that doesn’t sound like something you’d be interested in don’t worry, the Blind Pig and The Acorn in its current fashion will always be available for free to anyone who wants to read it. Patreon is a very popular membership platform. It started as a way for musicians, writers, and other artists to receive support from folks who believed in their individual endeavors. While creators like myself are super passionate about what they create, the creating doesn’t come without cost. In the last year my computer died, the camera I use for the blog videos died, and I needed to move the blog to a better service. All those things = money. Add in the expense of a new car (because my car died too) and all my hospital bills from last summer’s bout of illness and that doesn’t leave much money for me to celebrate and preserve Appalachia in an ever increasing way like I want to. I’m not sure where this idea will take me, but where ever it leads just remember the Blind Pig and The Acorn in its current fashion will always be available for FREE to anyone who cares enough to read it and I so appreciate those of you who do care enough to read it!
  • I still want to celebrate Appalachia in a bigger way involving the voices of people like you and me. I think a membership site would aid in finally achieving this goal.
  • Paul and I will continue to chip away on Pap’s dvd as well our other music endeavors.
  • I believe my move to a new platform will facilitate my efforts at a cookbook and language book-even if its only in an e-book format.
  • Just like last year, I want to meet more Blind Pig and The Acorn readers face to face in 2018.

I hope each of you will continue to visit me here on the Blind Pig and The Acorn during this new year of 2018.

Tipper

 

Similar Posts

13 Comments

  1. Big congratulations on your award, Tipper – that is really something! Wonderful to receive such a sign of respect and appreciation from your peers! And thank you, Jim, for telling us about it 🙂
    I think having a subscriber version of your website which includes additional material for a small fee is a creative way to garner a bit of financial support for your endeavors while not taking anything away from your site as we know and love it. Hope it’s not an awful lot of work to set it up, after all the work of moving the blog in its entirety to a new platform.
    It’s snowing here again and we’re told to expect another 12 inches atop what we’ve already got. If you still crave more snow, I would love to send you some!

  2. I like to think that I am a charter member of this community. It seems just a few months ago from the start but we have seen the girls grow from little kids tugging at the apron strings to bona fide maturity in all their efforts and we’ve been present for the blooming of Blind Pig and the Acorn into the flower of Appalachian culture websites.
    I don’t like to use the sobriquet “blogsite”; it seems to commonize an otherwise individually important magazine serving the culture and the preservation of the culture that is always Appalachian, historically. It is okay to be an anthology and still be on-line.
    When we feel like we have to set goals and announce them, it sometimes becomes a task and not an ambition. When the good of our heart prevails then we have kept the most important aim.

  3. Think you ought to pair up with Ken Burns for the story of Pap and Appalachian music! Your abundance of resources and documentation, him as your advising partner/mentor – it would most certainly add to your accolades& your awards collection.

  4. I have so very much enjoyed your blog and was pleased to be one of the “meet and greet” people in 2015. You and the girls extended yourselves so I could meet you, at the John Campbell Folk School, during my visit from Wisconsin. As I was 72 at the time and not accustomed to long, by myself, road trips, an adventure from Wisconsin to Murphy, NC was a BIG deal to me. You and Chitter and Chatter made my trip extra special. Don’t know if I will ever get back, but I have great memories of you all, the Great Smokie Mountains, the John Campbell Folk School (took a class there), ziplining at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, train ride through the mountains, climbing up to Clingman’s Dome and Mt. Mitchell, touring the Fox Fire site, spending a day in Ashville and another at the Biltmore Estate and splurging on an expensive meal there, etc. etc. Such a lovely trip and the colors were especially beautiful that year.
    Meeting you was looking forward to meeting family. All your blogger friends think of you and your family as part of our family. My best to you in 2018. Your plans sound great.

  5. Tipper,
    I opened the door to let Whisky out and I looked at the temp. gauge and it was zero on my porch. This was at 10:30 last night. It was 8 when I got home around 6:00 pm. I’ll be glad when it warms up some. …Ken

  6. Tipper,
    I enjoy this Blog alot, and whatever you decide to do, it’s OK with me. I was talking with Jim and Don a few years back and somehow you made it into our conversations. Jim had the Floor, and me and Don just listened. (Don and I agreed he was much older and we shouldn’t interrupt.) He allowed your Appalachian Blog was the best out there. Don and I agreed. He also said, “she’s got the best Appalachian stuff, and she writes it every day, why I
    couldn’t do that once a week.”
    You’re appreciated more than you know, both my girls have said so. …Ken

  7. Tipper,
    When we have a “deep freeze all day and all night for days” I often ponder how in the world our ancestors made it through this….Yes, I know they wore lots of wool clothes and long handles all day and stacked on piles of quilts on beds on winter nights….but still a big open fireplace to keep a large room warm in a cabin would still be a challenge….
    I’m freezing especially near the floor with electric spinning the meter like crazy…sure do miss my fireplace at times like these for the extra flickering warmth….husband says it is just psychological because of the flames and smoldering logs….Don’t care…still miss it…
    Congratulations for the award and on the coming years adventures…
    Thanks,
    Tipper for this post….looking forward to the new year…on the Blind Pig…

  8. Those all sound like great goals. I hope to meet you in the coming year (or some time). This is good work you do. I’m behind you all the way. Good luck and if you need something, let me know. I feel like I owe you.

  9. You are a wonder. Your life must be jam packed. And as with us all the daily interferes with the medium and long term so progress on those is slow. Always the way it seems.
    The technology chase is so frustrating. Seems impossible to have stability. I appreciate all your efforts. I think a membership might take a load from you about keeping the ends met.
    As for books, you could self-publish by subscription. That way you would know costs were covered before you went to print. I expect we readers could help in all kinds of ways, starting with subscribing.

  10. Tipper & BP&A Family,
    I meant to post this before the new year but time got away from me!
    My bride and I have a plethora of Events that we have been celebrating more than 53 years.
    Christmas, our wedding anniversary and my brides birthday falls on 12/25,26&27 respectively. We began dating in high school and this year is our 53rd anniversary!!
    I am writing this in the cardiac care hospital awaiting word about her heart surgery and looking forward to our 54th.
    Thanks for listening and providing insight and inspiration for daily life!
    God Bless and Happy New Year to all!
    Bill

  11. Tipper–Those are noble and ambitious goals but with your stellar work ethic you will most assuredly make significant inroads in their accomplishment.
    Now, I’ve waited long enough for you to toot your own horn and you haven’t done so. Accordingly, I’m going to spill the beans and if you still have this in the works you can remove this portion of my response.
    All of you need to know that Tipper, Matt, and the twins attended the annual meeting of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association in Kentucky back in October. Predictably Chitter and Chatter captured everyone’s hearts and, since this gathering always involves some serious pickin’ and grinnin’ the last night, they were front and center as a part of that. They had participated once before, at Fontana Village, three years ago. At that conference Tipper did a couple of seminars and not long afterward became a member of the group.
    This year, in recognition of her sterling efforts on this blog, she was among the recipients of the organization’s prestigious and highly competitive Excellence in Craft awards. She was one of three winners in the website category, and of course that was for The Blind Pig & the Acorn blog.
    Tipper’s modest to a fault and evidently reluctant to tell about this, but by golly I’m proud of her and knew others would want to know of her richly deserved recognition.
    Jim Casada

  12. Tipper, for such a little girl you really can generate some big ideas…and they are all great ideas! I am close enough to to have a better idea than most of how much time and heart you put into the Blind Pig, and it’s a lot! I hear your ideas for future expansion and understand that the whole point is to expand the available information on Appalachia and her traditions. We are so much more than the dueling banjos from the famous movie! More information equals more of your time and energy. You’ve been doing this for 10 years as your heart’s celebration of Appalachia! Thank you!
    You’ve made good progress on your goals for last year and your goals of expanding this year are are very exciting! I am so glad to be part of the Blind Pig Family!
    Thank you for all you’ve given us and all you’ve done to preserve our traditions and your exciting plans for the future!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *