How do you like the new look? Pretty sweet, huh?
Let’s just say that it was time to renovate my blog. To be honest, the inspiration kind of came from (binge) watching different house flipping shows online (Fixer Upper is my current personal favorite). What’s the parallel? Well, you see, when people are in the market for a new house, they have different options. They can go turnkey with a new build, or an already renovated house. But those usually come with a hefty price tag reflecting the work that has already been done. The alternative? Purchase property that needs some work, do the renovations, and pocket the equity that resulted from the value you added to the home.
We are no where close to buying a home yet. While I see the light at the end of the student loan tunnel, we aren’t taking that next step into adulthood until we’ve completely exited into daylight. But it made me think of this blog. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve thought more than once about retiring this blog and starting a new one, perhaps with a specific niche, like food, in hopes that a new space would spark some creativity—and more importantly consistency.
But the fact of the matter is that I know myself well enough to know that I am very unlikely to be able to stick to one topic long enough to sustain a niche blog. Then I thought about this blog. It’s been my little home online for the last eight years (say what?!). Why would I be so quick to leave it behind? (Really, it looks like I go through this analysis every year!)
I started looking around my site.
It was still me, just a little clunky. The categories were not well thought out, I kind of just came up with them as I wrote. The design (as of 2016) was just a little too…too…juvenile? No, not juvenile. But it was too something (extra points to anyone who can come up with a more appropriate adjective). And the theme made formatting photos a nightmare.
So I broke down, shelled out some money, and have done some overhauling. I then put some serious thoughts on what I can offer to the six people who make up my regular readership (thank you!). This helped me refine both the categories as well as spark ideas for what to share. I think the categories are more simple now, easier to follow. I put the old xanga posts in “storage” and removed them from view on this site. They were never part of this original blog anyways, but the precursor to my online writing. Now, I kind of like the way everything around here looks. It feels like, well, my renovated home online.
As anyone who has followed me for any amount of time knows, I make declarations of intent to write more, which eventually dissolve when life gets busy. Perhaps anything more should not be expected of me, even with a site overhaul. But at least the site will be pretty when people stop by to see that I have not provided any recent updates on what I’m up to!
Looks great! Can’t wait to see more of your musings 🙂
I believe in you! New home usually gives a motivation boost =)
Make that 7! 😉 I loved catching up on your blog! Where have I been? How did I miss last year’s posts? Well, anyway, I’m looking forward to more. I always enjoy your thoughts and now I kinda feel like I just spent some time hanging out with you getting inspired. 🙂
That’s how I feel reading your Alaskan updates! I love how blogging brings people together, even when we’re far apart. 🙂