Well, I Guess That’s It

Zero’s a mighty big number

For a while, I avoided looking at the website analytics. I had a nagging suspicion about what I’d find. When I finally checked the data from the past ninety days, the result was hard to ignore: zero views of Whiskey of the Week. I checked each county page - nothing. I reposted past entries on the blog - still nothing.

Oddly, a few pages showed a single visit lasting two or three seconds. Then it hit me: that was me, double-checking formatting. So much for the idea that there might be a quiet but curious audience interested in whiskey and local government.  

Thunderstruck, I staggered upstairs and got in bed.  As you can imagine, sleep did not come easily.  I couldn’t believe what I saw and thought it must have been a mistake.  “It can’t be that bad”, I thought.  I decided to wait a few days and take a deep dive into the information.  That didn’t help.  

The original idea behind Whiskey and Politics was simple: highlight a whisky each week as a fun hook, then encourage people to explore their local government websites - learn what’s happening, find their voting districts, and check upcoming elections. A nonpartisan space focused on coalition-building at the local level. Two years ago, it felt like a strong concept. When I handed out cards and explained it, people often said, “That’s exactly what we need.” 

While building the site, I listened to a podcast from a news organization I respect. The hosts were discussing how few people pay attention to local news and how harmful that disengagement can be. It seemed like they were speaking directly to me and I took that as motivation and worked even harder to get the site online. After launching, I sent them the link, hoping for a little encouragement. Crickets. The only response I received from them was a polite message from a staff member requesting that I remove her from the mailing list.

Turns out, ‘zero’ is a mighty big number when you’re talking about all the people who aren’t looking at your website.  ‘Zero’ would include my family and friends.  

So, as you can imagine, I’ve spent some time thinking about why the website failed so spectacularly (is that the right word?  When something fails with a thud, is it ‘spectacular’?).  As much as it hurts, the most honest answer starts with me. Maybe I didn’t communicate the value clearly enough. Maybe the site was too complicated or not compelling enough to bring people back. That’s possible. Effort doesn’t guarantee results.  That’s fine.  I’m tough.  I can take it.  I’m sure there was at least some of all that.

It’s also possible that the broader challenge is deeper - maybe local engagement in the DMV area is harder to spark than I realized. Even that explanation, though less personal, doesn’t make it easier.

I’ll admit I’m disappointed. I hoped a small group - maybe a hundred regular readers - would form the foundation and help the project grow organically. I built social media pages on Facebook, X, and Instagram, shared updates consistently, and tried to keep the momentum going. It just never caught on.

I’m sad, frustrated, and annoyed, but still, I’m not ashamed of trying. Not every worthwhile effort succeeds. Sometimes things simply don’t take off. I still believe local news and politics matter. I still believe many of our national divides fade when we focus on local issues like schools, zoning, and public safety. Our neighbors aren’t enemies; they’re partners in the same community.

So, I guess that’s it.  I think this is where I call it quits. After two years, the numbers speak for themselves. The site is funded through October, so it will remain live until then. After that, it will quietly sunset and WIX will decide what to do with it.  

To those in the DMV: I still hope more people choose to engage locally. The issues will continue whether we pay attention or not.

As for me, I guess I’ll figure out what’s next.