As you may have noticed, I’m doing some site renovations. This design has a more grown-up feel to me. Maybe that’s a reflection of where I am in life as much as the evolution of SCS. After five years and a few different layouts, I’m trying a new, cleaner feel. No sidebars. No filler. Just the straight scoop.

The Siren has experienced amazing growth over the last year and I thank you for that. I may be the benevolent dictator of this site, but the readers are the real engine of this site. You support me. You spread the word about posts you like — sharing on Facebook and Twitter. And you are the ones who I feel a great debt to, especially after the time I’ve had lately with my bad back. When I don’t make it to the computer, it is The Siren readers I think of first when the guilt sets in. After all, there are many loyal Siren readers who’ve been with me since the first days. (Thank you!) And many new readers who’ve come here because they’ve already seen what The Sin City Siren is all about. (Welcome to the party! Glad you’re here!) You keep showing up and I promise, I will be here blogging my heart out for you as much as I can.

I’m a busy woman and like a lot of you I wear a lot of hats in a day from mom-duty to freelance writer (here too) to pulling the strings on this one-woman show here at The Siren. Time and time again the reader surveys show me that you are just as busy and are only interested in trends if they lead to substance. And I couldn’t agree more. These days I’m more interested in influencing a great piece of legislation or fostering the next great community leaders than organizing the next protest (although those have value, too). It’s about mentoring new voices and partnering with people and organizations who work to make our community stronger. (That’s one reason I’m so passionate about saving the Henderson Libraries.)

We’re in the final heat of a hot presidential election season. Seats in both houses of Congress are in play across the country. And if you are reading The Sin City Siren, I don’t have to tell you that there’s a lot at stake in this election season for women. I’ll do my best to parse the politics that matter most. I look forward to spirited discussion and debates. (And look for me to respond more to comments, so don’t be shy!) And maybe we’ll have a tweet-chat or two to really get into the latest news.

For now, I want to hear from you. What do you think about the new layout? Is it easier to read? It is optimized for smartphones and tablets. Is that working for you? Are you missing a feature? Let me know and maybe I can bring it back. Or, is there a feature you wish SCS had? I can work on that, too.

Let me know what’s on your mind about the site, post ideas… you name it. Leave a comment and start a dialogue. I like Twitter, so tweet me, if that works for you. Or contact me by email at thesincitysiren[at]yahoo.com.

It’s time to grow. It’s time to evolve. Let’s get there together.

PS: I notice The Siren only needs 11 more friends to hit a new milestone on Facebook. Spare a like for your favorite blogger?