EVERY DAY, IN EVERY WAY, I TRY TO MAKE IT BETTER AND BETTER

I keep trying to find ways to make the website and the newsletter better and better. I try new things, change old things, test other things - all to serve the readers and website visitors as best I can.

Of course, this is a solo project right now - I can't afford to hire writers, and it isn't fair to ask writers to work for free. Good writers should be paid for their work. So 100% of what you read in the newsletters and on the website is mine. I admit, there is a physical limit to what I can do. But just the same, I am adding some new sections.

Starting this weekend we are adding four new threads: FEATURED EVENT - FEATURED BENEFIT - FEATURED CD - FEATURED REVIEW. I might not get all four up by Monday, but I'm sure going to try. Items in each section will change at least weekly, with published items "archived."

FEATURED EVENT will be the type of item that would have appeared in the newsletter under TODAY'S TOP STORY (something we have dropped for space considerations). FEATURED BENEFIT will focus in greater detail on an upcoming cabaret-stye benefit show. FEATURED CD might be a review, but also might announce a new CD release, or an article about a particular favorite CD of mine from the past. And the FEATURED REVIEW will be a review of a show recently seen (I have a few dozen in backlog so this might start out with a "medley" of reviews).

Suggestions - comments - ideas - all are welcome.

WEBSITE RESTRUCTURING

Starting this weekend, we are going to revise the website with four new weekly (more often, when possible) items: Featured Cabaret Show, Featured Cabaret Review, Featured Cabaret CD and Featured Cabaret Benefit. The event items will appear in synopsis on the Home Page (with the synopsis also appearing in the DATEBOOK/DIARY listings by date) and in full on four special pages on the website - one for each title. Of course, this is dependent on receiving enough press releases (and complete press releases - A FLIER IS NOT A PRESS RELEASE), and my getting to enough shows to review. But I have a backlog now of about a dozen reviews to start with. Stay tuned.

YOU READ IT FIRST RIGHT HERE

Because of the extra work involved, we will discontinue promoting the sale of 2008-2009 CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE memberships as of December 31, 2008.

Each membership includes not just a listing on the appropriate membership page, but also an opportunity to have a personal CD SALE page on the website - which involves page building, adding a jpg of a CD cover plus linking the page to the members website and if available the iTunes or CD Baby page where the CD may be purchased.

Plus I need to regularly print out and mail membership cards to each member - involving postage and printing costs, etc. Currently I have over 30 cards that need printing and mailing, with 2 empty ink cartridges that need replacement and no funds available for blank cards, ink or stamps (I do have enough envelopes).

In fact, I have come to discover that a simple $20 SILVER membership involves at least an hour's work per member signed up and then the $20 can be applied in full to a BANNER AD as a rebate (once each membership year) at a net "loss" to me.

So by ceasing the membership program on December 31st, it gives me a few months to study my alternatives before the new membership year starts on July 6, 2009 and the memberships actually go on sale on May 1st.

Your comments and suggestions will be most welcome.

HUGS

STU