Crafting a space in a local community

I have a problem. It's not technical, mental or physical - but temporal. My daughter was born eight weeks ago, Alia Verity Mae Cheverton and I'm exceptionally proud of her. Although I'm just as proud of going to work every day to provide for her, it sometimes makes me sad that I have to go so far, or, go out for so long to do that providing. Travelling for 3-4 hours a day is fine when you don't have a laughing bundle of joy to go home to who changes and advances pretty much every time you see them.

So - what can I do? I'm only any good at one thing, and that's building great websites, most of the work is in London but I am lucky enough to live in, if not the smallest, then the most vibrant web community in the UK - Brighton.

The new year sees me taking significant steps to properly introduce myself to the Brighton scene, I've just joined the SCDF (South Coast Design Forum http://www.scdf.org.uk/) and I'll be going to their monthly meet ups in Brighton. I'm also finally going to drag myself to visit Brighton Farm (http://www.brightonfarm.com/) who have a weekly meet up.

I'm hoping to diversify my work sources so that I have greater opportunity to work at home, or closer to home and also to make sure the different ways I earn my money are more resilient to economic change.

Next up - updating my portfolio, a task thats never, ever complete for a designer :)