Everything Must Change
Blogging April 25th, 2008While holding my breath, I’ve been making some changes to my blog over the past few days. I’m comfortable with adding widgets and making minor coding changes, but if it gets too complicated I rather just leave it alone for fear of messing it up. I know Barbara has a test blog where she tries out her configurations first, as do I. Do you?
How do you go about making changes to your blog, particularly if you are on WordPress, but not limited to. Do you just make the changes or do you test it out first? I always make a backup of my blog before I proceed with any changes, I’m that scared.
So what’s new here? For starters, my blog can now be accessed by using this url: ThinkingOutLoudBlog.com. Hopefully for some this may be a lot easier to remember than valeriemorrison.net/blog.
On the sidebar is a widget for popular posts and below the comment section of each post is a list of 5 random posts you may or may not have read.
There’s also a new page up top called Meet the Blogger, that’s about me. It’s really a bunch of rambling, maybe you’ll find it interesting or it could put you to sleep.
I also opened up ThinkingOutLoudBlog.com store over at CafePress. A small portion of all sales go to charity me.
Hope you like!
April 26th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Awesome! I’ll have to update my blogroll. But your feed hasn’t changed has it? I mean it’s still working because I got this post. (???)
I was wondering how people had popular posts on their front page… so it IS a plugin?! Cool.
I’ll be moving to WP after Monday (I have to take the written test for my bus driver license so I wanted to wait till that was done with)!! But a friend of mine helped me set up a local server to test themes and plugins on before I installed them on the “live” site.
They came out with WP 2.5.1 today… are you going to upgrade? I might as well do it before I officially move.
But you’re looking good!
Jillian’s last blog post..Stupid Internet Arguments and You: A Handy Guide
April 26th, 2008 at 3:16 am
Hi Natural, or do your prefer Valerie?
Thank you for the link love.
I read and love your “About the Blogger” page. That’s great and your humor is priceless.
I like the strikeout of charity too.
Great job, you hottie!!!!
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Blogging - Year One - Lesson Eight
April 26th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Natural — I’m terrified to make big changes to my blog. Like you, I can do minor tweaks, but I leave the big stuff up to a guy in my office who I gladly pay to help me. He gave me much needed assistance when I moved to WordPress. I don’t have a test blog, per se. I did when I was doing the migration to WP.
I love your Meet the Blogger page! So funny and I noticed some similarities between us:
My mom hated trying to comb my hair as a child. Way too curly for a comb, much less a brush. Often, the tangles simply got snipped out.
I was stuck in an elevator once, also. But I was alone and the only reading material I had was accounting reports. Can you imagine?
I’m not a phone person either. Not the type to talk for hours. I’m all business. Say what you need to say and let’s hang up!
Your childhood picture is adorable and your current pictures are so beautiful!
p.s. I notice you have Entrecard. I gotta get on that. I feel like I’m missing out.
Kathy’s last blog post..Junk Drawer Milestone
April 26th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I always test things out on a test blog..having messed up a few times it didn’t take me long to wise up…:))))
April 26th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Hi Jillian…I will leave my feed the same. I’m too scared to change even that, lol. Yes, it’s a widget, the popular posts, at least mine is…I still don’t know how to configure it, but it’s semi-working…that’s good enough. I have one more widget to install, the one where people can edit their own comments..that’s cool.
Hey Barbara, I actually like Natural, but know that you can call me Val if you’d like. I guess MTB is an “about me” page, I just didn’t want to call it THAT, lol. I just checked some numbers and realized that I am charity, so I was right.
Kathy, it’s just not worth it. If I can’t do it on my test blog, then forget it..it’s not worth messing up. I do want one more widget though…Not only was my hair not combed, the very few pictures of me, I always looked a hot mess!
Everytime I get on an elevator, I have a flash back and then have to think about if it’s okay to get on…do I have everything. I take the stairs at work 99% of the time. Accounting reports? Uggghhh. Sorry
Oh the phone: Say what you need to say and let’s hang up!, that’s funny and that’s how I feel. I don’t get it, what is all this chit chatting about..now I don’t mind talking face to face, but a phone conversation is just painful.
I have about 3 pictures of me when I was younger. I don’t like being in front of the camera too much.
Give Entrecard a try and when you do I’ll buy an ad while your blog is still affordable. It costs peanuts to advertise here…I feel so cheap.
Robert Bourne, good idea and glad that you do. I would be sick to my stomach if I crashed my blog or messed it up.
April 26th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
I enjoy crashing my blog. Its just my way of saying, I am brave and stupid at the same time. Looking good as always!
April 26th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Oh, and don’t sell your blog, I know I wouldn’t sell mine.
April 27th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Joe, I can find alternative sources of enjoyment other than crashing my blog.
Fear actually serves as a protection from myself. lol. I would be sick to my stomach, trust me. Not because of the content or rebuilding either, but the wonderful comments…the icing on the cake.
Your blog is cool and you put a lot of work into it..you have to shed at least one tear. I won’t tell anybody I saw you cry.
PS - Nobody wants to buy this blog, but if they do, I’ma listening!
April 27th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Hahaha, I just read your “Meet the Blogger” page as well. I can relate the leaving me a message thing. I currently have 25 voicemails I haven’t bothered to listen to. Now my voicemailbox is full! One day. And locking restrooms from the inside is mean AND hilarious!
Jillian’s last blog post..Stupid Internet Arguments and You: A Handy Guide
April 28th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
you crack me up
I can do the dream thing, too….sometimes
nameless’s last blog post..4-8-08
April 28th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Jillian, ooh I hate the phone. I don’t listen to messages until days or weeks later. I tell people not to leave me a message and in the event of a true life threatening emergency, please dial 911. I will answer the mobile, but if you leave a message, well, it’s like not living a message. Well I’m too tall to crawl out from the bottom stall now, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about it.
nameless, how are you. i’ve been peeping at your blog to see what you’ve been up to. i make myself laugh too. i’m silly. the dream thing is cool, isn’t it. i did one last week and tried a few days ago, but was just too sleepy to make it happen.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Congrats on the recent changes & the Cafe Press site. Any tips you might want to share on getting Cafe Press hits would be greatly appreciated. I’ve only sold 3 things on mine–all to me.
I don’t worry about losing my blog, personally. All of my photos, dreams, etc. are saved elsewhere (& frequently printed to avoid loss.)
Lana’s last blog post..New Painting
April 30th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Thanks Lana..nothing to major, but considering I did them myself is, well scary. I don’t have any CP tips, sorry. I have three stores with them and I just bought my own mug today. In the future, I might buy a few things to give to friends, but no sales for me.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I’m on Wordpress, and if I want to make changes I just ask my husband. He puts it up on a local test site to play with till I’m happy then we go live. Don’t ask me how - I have NO idea! I’m pretty clueless. But I’d be terrified to make changes without the test run.
Jay’s last blog post..Tired of Google?
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:59 am
That works too Jay, as long as you get it done. I’m still tweaking some things myself, but I may have to call in for backup..I can’t fiddle anymore. Yeah I do the test run first and then on this blog, if I can even remember the steps.
