And the story goes like this your name is Jack. You are a father, a writer and a man who has a deeply infectious laugh and a predilection for trouble. Most of the time you are a writer but sometimes you spend your nights moonlighting as a superhero. Some people would describe you as a goofy, happy-go-lucky and insouciant fellow. Others might use different terms- but who cares what others think. You don’t or you wouldn’t have blown up your blog.
Or maybe you do. Maybe you don’t mind acting like a pretentious fool who describes himself in the third person. Maybe you don’t care because you have no trouble visualizing yourself as being as friendly as Wolverine or the Dark Knight. Superman is the nice superhero and you’re not nice.
Don’t say that to your mother because she doesn’t like you saying that you are difficult but she will admit that sometimes you can be grumpy, rigid and stubborn.
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Now that we got that nonsense out of the way let’s hit the heart of the problem. I blew up my blog today, switched from Thesis to Headway Themes. Should have spent some time reading the manual and doing some prep work but decided that it would be more fun to learn by doing. So I have spent a bit of time wrestling with the blog, the computer and two angels. Thus far it has been a tie.
I suppose that some might try to say that I am losing but I like to think that I am winning and not in the Charlie Sheen sense of the word. I am focused on figuring how to make this sucker sing a sweeter song than that which we are listening to now so I can promise that things will eventually settle down.
But eventually doesn’t mean today or tomorrow. It is an ambiguous term that I am using loosely here because I am not sure when it will settle. I can’t say precisely when I will feel comfortable with the changes. I will probably switch between commenting systems another time or two. I will turn on and turn off some plugins a dozen or more times because that is what needs to happen.
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I am relying upon your goodwill here. I am asking you to bear with me. I understand that some of you will find it too unsettling and you’ll move on. That is ok with me. I am not going to lie and say that I prefer that you stick around because I do. One of my objectives is to make more money from blogging than I am and it is easier to do so when you have a larger pool of readers. But I don’t know how to do this in any other way than I am doing it. Can’t be anyone else but me and sometimes storms follow that guy.
So if you will excuse me I have to go try and tame a tornado or two. In between I’ll do what I can to sweep up around here and make it look pretty.
As always your thoughts and ideas are welcome in the comments.
I should have read this post before leaving my questions on the other one.
No worries. 🙂
I don’t come around for a while and this is what you do? 🙂 I hate the frustration inherent with switching themes and trying to go it alone, Jack, but if anyone can do it, you can! Hang in there. Looks good so far, I might add. And for what it’s worth…looks aren’t everything. It’s what’s inside that really counts and you have that in spades.
E
@EricaAllison Hey Erica, would you believe that I am not good at sitting still. My parents still have friends who can’t believe that they had more children about the boy whirlwind blew through their home. 😉
Yep, I am trying to do this on my own. It has been a mixture of joy and frustration. Overall I am enjoying it but I keep stumbling on mistakes or get stuck for extended periods of time trying to figure out how to do things.
I appreciate the vote of confidence. We’ll see how it goes.
Well, you are probably stuck with me regardless; so I’ll be patient as you find some stickiness to your site. Good luck.
@bdorman264 There are worst people to be stuck with like…..well I can’t think of anyone right now but I will. 😉
@TheJackB@bdorman264 Yea…he seems like a decent enough guy for you and your evolving place to be “stuck” with 😉
@TheJackB I hear ya, sometimes you just gotta go with the hand you’ve been dealt…
@bdorman264 That is always the way it goes. We play that hand and do the best we can to make it work for us.
P.S. I want to be in the next cell:)
Activate….de-activate….activate…de-activate…blast off! Go walk on the treadmill, lift some weights and tame a tornado or two. We’ll be here. Cheers! Kaarina
@KDillabough I appreciate that more than you know. Going a little bit crazy trying to figure it out.
Hi @TheJackB …I guess this gets chalked up as one of those frustrating learning experiences. Even the most patient of people are tested in these circumstances. Remember, you have an awesome place to vent here…your community cares 😉
Claudia
Better you than me trying to mess with code and design. You are my hero! And a few yellow “under construction” signs never stopped most people. Good luck!
@CiaoMom I used to have a Men At Work construction sign that hung from my ceiling. Loved that thing. Old girlfriend took offense to it, but we’ll save that story for a different day.
Oh, man! Good luck with the new theme.
I’m planning a major theme overhaul myself and I’m dreading it. I switched it over on my local test server and it also blew up. Curses!
I hope you get it under control quickly and can get on with the business of monetizing.
@John Garrett Thanks John. It is coming along. It is a process, but it is coming slowly, but surely. I feel like I am learning so I am happy for that.
Good look with your overhaul too, these things are serious projects.
Good luck with the redesign. May money flow easily and effortlessly to you.
@JonathanLederman Thank you Jonathan, I really appreciate it. Working hard, we shall see what happens.
Glad you are retaining your sense of humor…In my move from Blogger to WP so far half my articles didn’t make it over, 20% of my Intense Debate comments did, and any post that had an apostrophe in it will not accept transferred comments. See how great I’m doing? And I’m only 3 weeks behind schedule!
However, I found a really cool way to make my header via Picnik – this the only potentially useful tip I can give you other than the blog looks much cleaner which always reads professionally (that whole black and white thing). Carry on!
@Julie | A Clear Sign Intense Debate wiped out half of my Blogger comments. When I look at my Blogger blog it looks like most of my posts were ignored- they weren’t but…
I want a new header. That old one was something I put together for fun. These things are work, but they are good learning experiences. Just keep pushing.