Toned Down the Layout

Website Design

I liked the Skinpress Layout I was using up until the point that I realized that the CSS images were causing long load times, and cluttering up the feel of the site.  So I decided to find a similar theme that holds some of the characteristics of the previous theme’s look and feel.

This new theme has a few wrinkles that I need to sort out, but I feel like it is a step in the right direction.

I have just installed a plug-in called Twitter Tools.  Among other things, this plug-in will allow me to post a daily digest of my tweets, and is the same set of tools I am using for tweets.danielvining.com.  In addition to the Twitter plug-in, I have also installed a photo gallery plug-in that will allow me to self host all my photos on this website.  I will also be working on my comments section, as well as updating all the various pages throughout the site.

If you have an idea for my site, shoot me a line or two.  You can email, dan@danielvining.com, or tweet me @danielvining.

Changing Servers

All three readers of my blog, and whatever visitors to my website will soon notice that I will be moving over from my self hosted website to WordPress.com.  I would love to keep my self hosted site, but my financial situation will not allow me to for now.  It is more important for me to keep my two primary domain names, danielvining.com and thespeedzine.com.  I also want to register a couple more here soon so utilizing the free hosting features of WordPress.com is my best option for now.

The WordPress.com route does have it’s draw backs.  I will not be able to use some of the widgets that I would like to due to unauthorized codes within the WordPress.com framework. I also do not have as many choices on my theme, at least not without added cost.  Thankfully, I really like the theme I have chosen.

The most important thing above any of the visual elements is my content.  I know I don’t have the best content, but I like to have a place where I can share my thoughts, ramblings, opinions, experiences and anything random that I want to.

I am done saying the famous blogger’s failing quote that I am going to try my best to post everyday, or every week, and keep up with my blog more regularly.  That is just setting myself up to look like a dummy.  I have been around this technology to know that I will have phases where I will be blog crazy, and times where I will all but forget that it exists.  Life doesn’t always afford me the time to work on this site, and sometimes I am just not into it.  As addicted as I am to social media, blogging is not that high on my list.

This is however, the place where I can come and go as I choose, write almost anything I want, when I want… and I am happy with that.