One hundred and one days left and counting before my contract on my house, my job and basically my life here in Japan run out. It’s a strange feeling when I actually write down the number of days left. It makes me realize that there is only a finite amount of time and if I don’t get my arse and keep my arse in gear that final day will arrive and I won’t be ready. Procrastination is not an option.
Yesterday, despite a lingering (but light) hangover I put in over three hours of time into my blog. I can’t say that my blog looks like a work of art but at least I now understand a lot more about what kind of work is necessary to get something that looks like those theme previews. The tricks and little bits of coding needed to give a blog some polish are out there, but not out in the open, you have to do some searching.
Some people say that it is the content that makes the blog and that aesthetics aren’t really necessary. I say boo to them. Aesthetics are going to have people coming back to the site to see what’s up otherwise a simple RSS feed is going to give them all they want. I am subscribed to plenty of blogs but do I ever visit their site? Nope, not after I click that RSS button.
My crux right now is finding the right plugins to display my media. A key part to this site will be a set of rotating pictures taken from my account on Flickr. I’ve searched high and low for one that fits my needs but to no avail. One thing or another always falls short. Perhaps today I will find the Holy Grail. I do have to say that the theme I have chosen, Atahualpa, is fantastic. If you’re looking for a high level customization on a free theme with an easy to use interface and excellent support, look no further.
Another thing to figure out is the color scheme but that is no picnic. Why? Because the color scheme I chose for the site will have to be the same color scheme I use for my business cards will have to be the same color scheme for any merchandise I design. Colors are important. They are complicated and deep. Just using them recklessly is not a good idea. Some people just say, ‘I like green, let’s do green’ and go with it. Me, I like to think a little deeper and wider than that.
I’m not one to be satisfied with default options. Just accepting what they give you is not my style. I like to customize, experiment, strike off in my own direction. To do that it takes time, patience, and determination, very important skills to develop for my upcoming trip around Southeast Asia.
Do you have any recommendations for plugins/themes/etc? I’d love to hear them.
101 days ’till the next step
Oh, I am still putting together a list of goals and objectives for this trip. I have not forgotten.
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