Bill Hanson (jjgronk)

Junior in Drupal. Senior in life.

Mover...13 different schools in 3 different countries from grade 1 to 12. From ages 18 to 54 maximum length of time in any one residence or project/ob was 3 years. A long list of interests, activities and occupations resulted in an equally long list of transferable skills.

Rooted...from age 54 to now+ I have been living in the same condo since January of 1999 ...and... since 2018 (age 74) my pensions have freed me to get up each morning with a "Hmmmm...what do I want to do today" mind set.

Between 2012 and about 2014 I was slowly (when time allowed) developing my Drupal Builder chops in D7 on a project that was very educational to me but never achieved public launch.

My current enthusiasm and commitment is a non-profit project I am creating called the Total Representation Society (www.totalrep.ca - an under construction page with teaser info).

When I first decided to commit myself to that project in Feb. 2019 I considered building its site in Drupal but found that the then current versions seemed less Builder friendly than D7. As a result of what seemed to be a steep new learning curve I chose to create a quick static HTML/CSS starter site. My goal for it was to introduce the TotalRep concept and hopefully attract people and resources to help in subsequently replacing, or augmenting, the site with the CMS functionality needed.

Between 2019 and this Bio Update (Dec. 2025) the starter site development has not been either quick, or strictly static, due to my...

(1) ...complete lack of any nonprofit work experience let alone any experience in incorporating', developing or managing one .

(2) ...figuring out, and implementing in conjunction with each other, all the "What, Why, How, Where, When & Who" aspects of the Society's goals, its organizational structure & methods, its advocacy campaign and its support site.

(3) ...indulging in researching, and experimenting with, work-arounds to provide some degree of interactive functionalities to support the interactions of project's Advocacy Volunteers in their private section of the "starter" site until full CMS functionality becomes possible.

(4) ...making many minor and some major to the site and its content while climbing the alternative "steep new learning curve" to which I had unintentionally subjected myself.

That long leaning curve inspire a lot of ideas I wouldn't have had otherwise. As of this Bio Update those ideas have brought the TotalRep Project and its "starter" support site almost to the point of my being able to upload a "Final Edit & Preview Draft." A Public Launch date is very hesitantly peeking over the event horizon.

As the Public Launch draws closer I am becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the work-around functionalities. However, I still have hesitations about climbing the Drupal learning curve as a builder. Particularly now that D11is current and D12 is in the works. As a result I am considering two possibilities:

(1) Gathering a team of experienced Volunteer D11 Builders/Developers to consult and/or work with while spreading the workload for those chose help actively,
~ or to ~
(2) lean on my former D7 experience by researching, experimenting and perhaps building the Volunteers' private area using Backdrop.

I invite to you to check check out www.totalrep.ca.

Depending on when you act this invitation you might still find the Under Construction page's teaser info, or the full Public Launch version's content. Either way, if what you learn makes you curious to know more please contact me at prjct-fcltr@totalrep.ca and specify that you are responding to this invitation.

If I haven't settled on one of the options above when you respond your thoughts could help make the decision. If the decision has been made you thoughts and/or actions could help improve what is being done.