My secret shame

Aside from the Wicker Basket of Shame which you were introduced to a few weeks back re: domestic filing, I have a further, deeper affliction. I have a relatively addictive personality and whilst I work hard to make sure that doesn't manifest itself in really bad ways (step away from the online gambling and G&Ts, Barnes), I do have weak spots which I indulge. One of those is collecting domain names.
I know, sounds innocuous. But it's got to the stage where I own more domain names - eighty - than I can ever build websites for.
Most, in fairness, are to do with Snowbooks, but that's because it's hard to see where I end and Snowbooks begins, oftentimes. (Indeed, Rob's first cry when I update him on our cash position if it's bad is 'Embezzeller! Embezzeller!' (deliberate phonetic spelling). I don't - it's not true and he can't prove it anyway because I do the accounts. Hahaahaha.)
Anyway, those domain names. As I say, many are Snowbooks related, like city-cycling.com, crafterscompanion.org, historicalnovels.org, i-2-i.org (remember that?) and of course every variation on snowbooks.com that I can think of, you know, for when we are big in Malawi and need a suitable domain suffix.
Others are me buying domains which should really have been bought already by other people, like bookindustrycommunication.com, bookonix.com, onix4books.com, ipodbk.com, fictionfiction.com, kindlethebook.com and onixcentral.com. I don't need them, but I like to have them.
Others are becase I think they're pretty. I know, sad. But codicology.co.uk, oi0io.com, oi8io.com, koobbook.com, nixtopia.com and snowpod.co.uk are nice to look at!
Yet others I bought intending honestly to do something with. onemillionreviews.com would be cool if I ever did it. lovezombies.org, lovevampires.org, love2cycle.co.uk and mortvivant.org would all be good ideas if I hadn't realised that no one wants a business trying to create a community. If a community exists, give 'em what they find useful - but don't try to get down with the kids, it's just embarrassing. onixopolis.com was a good one, though - it was intended to be a free tool for publishers to enter bibliographic data on a webform and get an ONIX file back in return. Should have done something with that, and would have done but we didn't get the £3000 Arts Council grant we applied for to make it happen!
Some I did actually do something with. bookbackers.co.uk has a description of our idea for a new way of publishing from earlier this year. thepubbench.com got built and still runs. snow-angels.org, love2fight.com (woefully out of date, must see to that), and cookingwithbooze.org (built and run by James Bridle, author of the book, with awesome videos illustrating the recipes which are well worth a look) all came to something.
And there are plenty more. Erg. At least I use an ultra cheap US domain vendor. Still, if I can't use domain names nicely I shouldn't be allowed to have them at all. They are just so moreish...
Comments: 4
;) I had to curb my habit last year, and cancelled 8 domains that were sitting dormant... my name is Fiona, and I am a domainaholic...
Posted by: fiona robyn on August 13, 2008 09:20 AM
You may have the last laugh about the account balance if you keep this up. At some point, someone (hopefully someone richer than you) is going to want to buy a few of these names, and you can ask them to pay a heck of a lot more than you did.
Posted by: KatharineC on August 13, 2008 01:41 PM
I know the habit. I spend last year owning the lovely domain cowpod.co.uk. Did I do anything with it? Nah. It hurt to not renew it, though.
Posted by: Julie on August 13, 2008 04:18 PM
An alternative to steering clear of the booze (except for a pregnant lady, obviously) is to get stewed to the gills and still buy domain names. Or so (cough) I've heard.
Posted by: JonathanM on August 13, 2008 08:45 PM