The biggest step of all, however, was deciding to upgrade the presence of my work as a medium on the web.  I didn't even know how to start, so I did what I always do, I talked with my friends.

 

When we got together in small groups, often with delicious cookies, cakes and copious amounts of coffee, I asked them to tell me how they saw me and my dedication to mediumship.  I kept hearing the same things said in different ways.  In the end, the comments and conversation came down to five words: healing, humor, clarity, teaching, heart.
               

When it was time to take ideas and translate them into a conceptual design, I needed help yet again.  My assistant, Claire, walked in one day and said, "I found this website company called Ciplex and I think that they're right for you."  Claire was indeed right.  Ciplex is a top notch company and had done websites for music companies, comics, specialty pet supplies and the hotel chain where I often stay.  But would they, could they "get" a medium?
               

Claire and I drove over to West Hollywood, CA to find out.  No one at the Ciplex office even blinked when I told them that I spoke with spirits.  That it was a good start.  We took a look at websites designed by the company and discussed what we like and what we didn't.  In a nutshell, we wanted a homepage that would feel as warm as the embrace of Spirit, be accessible and easy to navigate and make it clear at a glance that my work comes from the heart.  The designers at Ciplex suggested that we start with a logo.
               

When the first logo ideas showed up in my inbox, Claire and I screamed with laughter.  At that point we knew that kids in spirit were playing with the designers.  Puffy hearts and "Hello, Kitty" colors blared from the screen.  "Oh, no," we told the designers.  Although love and the heart are at the center of my work, we told them that blue (the color of communication) and green (the color of healing) had to be predominant.  My job as a medium is to give the spirits a voice here on the earth, so I asked them to anchor the heart in red, the color of the root chakra.  And although my work springs from a historical context, it is very contemporary and modern as well.  Voila, the logo and the website's theme were born. 

 

It was at this point that I thought those at Ciplex should have the opportunity to see my work in action.  How could they create a representation of what they hadn't experienced?  When Daniel, our project manager (who I only knew from emails and a thumbnail photo) attended an event, the son in spirit of a lady in the first row had some heartfelt words for him.  I found out later that the message touched him deeply. In a recent email, Daniel wrote, "Your ability to connect with the other side is absolutely amazing and I'm glad I got to witness it first-hand."  His experience, I'm sure, helped him to understand the sensitivity of the work and its healing possibilities.  This understanding was essential for the next design phase.  
               

"The people I want to reach out to are sometimes in serious grief," I told the designers.  "The website has to be easy on the eyes and easy on the mind."  I asked for no hard edges, so the look is brushed and subtle, much like Spirit's touch.   When I compare my site to others designed by Ciplex, I can see how seriously my instructions were heeded.  
               

After many years of working with the spirits, I know that nothing I do is accomplished without their help and inspiration.  I'm also grateful that they continue to inspire others to help me in my work as well.   This new website is just one example of how intention, inspiration, and co-creating with technology and the spirits can give loved ones a presence on earth.

 

The result of months of design work, writing, layout discussions and photo shoots is now available for you to see at www.HollisterRand.com. 

 

For those of you who are fans on Facebook, please share how those you love in spirit use technology to say "hello" to you.  After all, the spirits love and use technology.  Now I guess, I do, too.