As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, recent upgrades to WordPress have made managing my existing background theme more challenging. I’m no longer able to control the size of the photos I post, and the classic easy-to-navigate features have been “improved” to a more, uh, counter-intuitive alternative. As a result, after many years, I am changing things up here. After going through 288 possibilities, I have finally narrowed this blog’s new look down to five candidates.
Over the next five days, I will feature a different one. Then, on Saturday, I’ll put it to a vote and YOU will decide this blog’s new look! Exciting? You bet it’s not! But democracy isn’t sexy.
Today’s theme: Option #1 – Textbook!
Business News…
As expected, I did not receive the expected news I’ve been expecting going on three weeks. Stay tuned for more updates as they remain unavailable!
AND We Didn’t Win The Lottery
Today, I leave you with the first thrilling episode of: 2 Guys Don’t Win the Lotto!
I like this one. Be interesting to see the others.
Making some minor adjustments!
Try again
I don’t like it, it’s overly blokey and the colours don’t sync with each other. For some reason it reminds me of football, I think those colours belong to some UK soccer club.
Also some of the text squishes into the margin on the right
Better?
Tomorrow.
Let’s see what the other ones look like.
Here’s the issue with the text https://www.screencast.com/t/asUZXaI0G
Hmmm. I see that but it doesn’t give me an option to fix it.
Maybe you are thinking of Inter From Italy, they have black and blue!
My pop-pop (grandfather for non east coast people) hit a big jackpot in the 70’s st a new casino in Atlantic City and was on the news and in the paper holding up a huge check. He was a big gambler especially betting on horses in Philly and Atlantic City. This unfortunately has not been passed down to me, better luck next time gentlemen.
Actually, I took a screenshot and wrote what I think is the page’s bugs – go here https://www.screencast.com/t/B6Tz1xT0FdEp.
PLUS, the lack of all the images, makes the page a little impersonal. It’s like an empty bookshelf.
Great input. Thanks!
I’m not a fan of this theme. I don’t like that landing on the main page you don’t immediately see the latest post, just links to the posts. Though at least the latest one is at the top. Also, the banner pic on that main page comes out HUGE. Not sure if that’s adjustable or not.
Didn’t win the lottery?? I can’t imagine! 🙂 I did enjoy the video though, so at least we were winners.
Heading out tomorrow on one of my bigger road trips in recent memory. Hiking in NH, then to Ottawa, Algonquin Park and to TO. Then back through Quebec on the way home. A lot of driving! I keep thinking I’m taking too much time to do it, but then have to remind myself that I’m retired! I’ll be missing the birds – Zoie, Brio, and Mandu, though. 🙁
Further thoughts on that landing page – I actually do like the idea if you’ve missed several days (or more), that it’s easier to see all the posts and their subjects with easy links. For someone who reads every day though, it’s an extra click through. Probably a worthy trade off though. I would get used to it.
I like this one. The Dark Matter banner is HUGE though and really stretched. Other than this i’m a fan
Where am I? Who am I? Who are you? What’s that? I’m confused. But I’m old. I will get use to whatever you do. I think. Maybe.
We fear change.
Nice and big and easy to read.
As we said at my former employ… you have been “enhanced”
The text is kind of BIG, unless that’s just me. I like the more condensed spacing (if that’s even an option). I keep scrolling and scrolling down the comments, then can’t keep track of the of what everyone wrote (this is more than likely age related dead brain cells), but might be tough if there are a lot. And I miss the side bar since it was such an easy access to your “stuff”. I really miss Bubba’s banner too. But…really interested to see what the other options are.
*shrug* I read by email and seldom go to the blog page.
Sorry you didn’t win the lotto, perhaps next time. The look of the new blog is, while not bad just not interesting. It looks very basic. On the iPad at least everything looks fine. I do miss the pup (I think it was Maxius, forgive me if I remembered wrong) at the top of the blog. He was kind of a staple, a familiar face to greet you when you popped on over to read. Looking forward to the other options.
I’m too old for change… and I miss Maximus.
I don’t like this one as much, because I liked it where you could just go straight down the page and read day after day’s worth of posts. Now you have to keep going back and clicking on a new date in order to see another day’s post.
This one, Nyet.
on cell phone view its ok, but meh.
On a 15″ lap top, much too big and uncomfortable.
(Had to zoom out to 90% just to see whole page)
Anywhooo, personally speaking I didnt find anything wrong with your previous photo size view
with the previous theme
and the overall layout was comfortable.
If you are really that bored??!……
Just change the fonts, pics & color scheme but keep most of the old layout.
and when i say most of the old layout, i mean ‘one’ simple/easy to navigate page, like before, sil vous plet.
merci buc oops
You guys look so happy not winning! Just think how you’ll be when you do win! You’ll be so over the moon, we’ll have to use the Hubble telescope to find you.
For me the banner on the landing page is massive and pretty much all I see until I scroll down to get to the posts .
When you do get into the posts everything is still stuck in a portrait world with increasing amounts of empty space either side, but it is close to the old style.
Lets see tomorrows 🙂
Yes, bring back Max!
On the blog theme…this one seems a little sterile, but maybe the Ikea office collection look is hot now? I wouldn’t know… 😉
On your Lotto loss; I don’t play the Lotto myself (the odds always put me off). But I’m thinking you may have a hidden stash of tickets. By the end of the video I was expecting you to pull out a book of tickets and start going through them one by one.
And any news on the horror gothic call? Or is that the news that didn’t happen?
By the way, I’m up late due to kitchen cabinet painting. The paint I use is great for kitchen cabinets (stands up to heavy wear) but its application guidelines are a bit inflexible; primer sealer required and coat intervals need to come between 1 and 4 hours, so once started, I had to plow through to the end, however long it takes (and the last of the doors has taken me all night). A shot of Redemption Bourbon and I’m heading to bed! Good night!
I like it alright… but I’m easily pleased.
Sorry about the lottery tickets but gforce is right, was fun to watch.
It’s clean although I do have a few suggestions. My comments are based on the mobile version. Space is pretty limited on smaller phones, so the text blocks with frame make everything run longer.
In the Related section the text goes right to the edge, just need to adjust the padding so it doesn’t touch the edge of the screen. The typeface for the body is clean, but for the titles I would either go with all caps or another typeface(slightly less bold), not crazy about using small caps. The leading throughout makes the site much more readable.
I like this one.
I’m with Ponytail, I’ll get used to it.
Sorry about that news you where looking for.
Encore un site, une application, un software, un logi ciel de @#$%$%??&&?%$ qui change!! On finit à peine de se repérer dans un logiciel qu’il faut tout réapprendre!!! une chance qu’on vous aime!
I think if you can put a picture of something in the top header, it would be just fine. I really like the bigger print of the responses from your readers.
You and Ivon have so much fun together. You should do more of these. Sorry, though, you didn’t win any of the lottery tickets. That is about the same luck as I have.
I’ll reserve judgment when I can see a comparison of the others. But this seems fine without having a comparison.
Sorry that the expected news you were expecting didn’t turn out for you still so you can not at least expecting it anymore.
To me Option #1 Textbook gives an amateur, basic feel to your blog. I’m definitely no expert on these things but it has no personality and is, as JeffW says, quite sterile. I don’t know how different it would look on a laptop/computer as I always read your blog on the move.
I do agree with gforce on the ‘landing page’ though.
But overall and simply put it doesn’t reflect your colourful, cheery personality Joe.
Sorry you guys didn’t win the lottery and sad to hear the expected news expectedly didn’t happen. Better luck next week, eh?
Definitely better than yesterdays, lets see what tomorrow brings 🙂