Spring is sexiest when rebooted.
Date: May 1, 2006
As in November of 2005, I also participated in the Spring 2006 CSS Reboot. I actually “rebooted” my site to its new design about a month ago due to my currently unpredictable life, but here it is just the same. It’s completely different from the way I usually design, and I like that for a change.
This site has been what the design nerds like to call “realigned,” not just redesigned. It has multiple new features, adjusted old features and its code is generally cleaner. For those who are interested in boring themselves with the details, read on!
Before: A Not So Wonderful Design
I actually disliked my previous design soon after I had begun using it. This was because it made references to so many things that I had yet to prepare, such as the art galleries. I’m a bit anal, so this killed my spirit. You heard me. Killed. It. I would have done many things differently, but the last reboot came just as I had taken the editing position at the newspaper, and I was nothing short of the proverbial running chicken with its head cut off.
But with this reboot, I held up my hand and said, “No! That’s my purse!” (I will love you if you can pinpoint where that’s from.) I decided to get down to business and fix everything as it was supposed to be.
The New Design: Lots of New Things for Me
Without a doubt, the largest change to this design is the art galleries and the addition of more than 20 art prints; I will add more products later.
I have switched to using Google’s site search as well, because WordPress has a poor system for that, I feel. However, at the same time, I’ve begun offering a free Firefox search plugin for this site. For those interested, scroll to the bottom of this page and click “Add LeliaThomas.Com to your Firefox Search Box!” to add a search feature to your Firefox installation.
New RSS feeds are available and all powered through Feedburner. You now have the option to choose from one of three feeds:
New Posting Schedule
While I cannot always adhere to it perfectly, I have created a new schedule of posting for this website. Here is what you can [somewhat] expect during a given week.
- Moral Matters Monday - Topics on morality, society and politics.
- Del.icio.us Tuesdays - Postings of various links found via the popular social bookmarking site Del.icio.us.
- Wednesday Funnies (to be posted to soon) - Considering its hump day–er, the middle of the week–I figure everyone can use a pick-me-up by that time.
- MP3 Thursdays - Coverage of unknown musicians who have provided at least one free and legal MP3 for users to download. As with the artist spotlight below, I want to get the word out about good music that hasn’t been corrupted by a mainstream label.
- Artist Spotlight Fridays - I plan to begin this as soon as I have a chunk of time. I will feature and/or interview unknown visual artists. It’s sad to me that there is a whole world of beautiful art that people are entirely unaware of; I want to change a little bit of that.
More Coming Soon
This design is a lot more flexible than previous works of mine, and I will change it as needed. I most likely won’t participate in the next CSS Reboot, because I’ll be attending university, amongst other things, so I hope you like what you see now. It may be around for a while!
Leave a Comment
Comments ordered from oldest to newest.
Birgit
May 1, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Hi Lelia,
I just love your design, it’s one of my favourites. Funny incidence, I think our color schemes got inspired by the same site, as they look pretty similar.
Nice work!
Alan
May 1, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Nice reboot! I have been cruising around and liked yours so thought I would say so! Haven’t had time to check out your poems properly but will do so when I have more time, I like to write also but haven’t managed to put my stuff online yet(in the pipeline so to speak). Want to wait till I can do them in audio format because I believe a lot of poetry is in the delivery.
charlie
May 1, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Those are great ideas for content and your site here looks really great. The design is wonderful and even writing in this box is wonderful! Lol!
I love some of the links you featured in your Tues. input!
I hope you don`t mind but I have placed a link to you on my own blog? Is this ok? If not I will tear it down rapido!
Lorri M.
May 2, 2006 at 7:06 am
I especially like the harmony of the muted tones of the reboot, and the way they blend together. The look is simplicity and elegance.
I like the art galleries additon.
Lovely….good luck!!
Lelia
May 3, 2006 at 12:02 am
@Birgit: Thanks for dropping by! :) I’m really glad you like my design. What website inspired your design? I can’t say I had any major inspiration; I love browns and muted colors, so that’s why I went with it. ^_^
@Alan: Thank you for visiting! I write in a more traditional poetry style, but I hope you’ll like it. :) You’ll have to tell me when you get your poetry up, so I can drop by and read some.
@Charlie: Hahaha, I’m so glad you have enjoyed my design and website. It means a lot to me! I’m also honored to be linked on your site. Thank you so much. :)
@Lorri: I’m glad you like everything. :D The art galleries were definitely a major pain in the coding ass for a while, so I’m glad you have enjoyed them. :D
Alan
May 3, 2006 at 8:32 am
No worries, will give you a shout as soon as I get my podcastign thing on the go so you can hear them.
Ren
May 3, 2006 at 5:42 pm
Well, I for one adore this web design of yours. I was struck by the simple elegance of it when I first visited! And you’re a very organised blogger. *LOL* I am not.
Alan
May 11, 2006 at 5:28 pm
Hi… it’s me again!
Just thought I would give you a shout seeee posted my first poem online… http://www.azcazandco.com/?p=113
Hope you like it, am going to post some more real soon because I enjoyed that!
Cheers
Alan
Himani
January 3, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Oh my, this is SO late, but I was checking out some of your old posts since I’m behind on my blog reading. Just since no one else seems to have said it, the quote is Bobby Hill from King of the Hill. :)
