Well, I don't like the largeness of the dates or the narrowness of the content column. I was cruising back in time and anything with large images has been chopped horrifically. So it still needs work.
Iconic but also generic. Although it was greatly changed from the original template it was still a Blogger basic. I need distinction. The question is how.
I was trying to get a three column layout that was also a little wider than those standard templates. I'm not certain how unusual this is but I often wonder why we waste all that space left and right so I can then make the effort to scroll up and down.
Yes, it was generic. When I first discovered you I didn't like it for that reason. But it grew on me. I thought the colors and layout were a good match for your blogging style. I should say that my favorite part was the way the title "Thmazing's Thmusings" was invisible until you rolled over it. It became less generic the more I interacted with you. I ended up thinking it was one of the best chosen site designs out of all the blogs I frequent because it suited the author so well, in my opinion.
Maybe the new look will grow on me, too. The thing is, the new version seems more like a template to me than the old one did - a template from one of those "you can have your very own professional looking website in three easy clicks!" services.
If I were designing a site for you (which I realize I'm not) I would make the most of the hand-drawn look that works so well for you. I would use thin-line pencil drawings (maybe just lines) to separate page elements and put it all on a background that looked like white paper - maybe with blue lines like a notebook, but that might be too busy - or maybe with smudges and eraser marks here and there. Maybe with three hole punches along the left hand side.
I really like the orange and and light gray as accent colors, but I might throw in a few others in random places.
I'm not sure what else I would do, but I would try to keep it clean and eclectic.
Of course, you're not me, so this probably doesn't help. Then again, you did invite opinions. :)
I am thinking I'm going to introduce more handmade elements into the mix. I don't think the old images that link to my site and display my email address work so well anymore.
Any I also agree that there is way too much wasted space on the sides. Plus I don't have room for larger images anymore, as is evident here.
I agree that my old look worked well for me, but I also agree that it takes a lot of people from really giving me a first chance. I keep seeing more professional looking looks and I think it's time for me to move in that direction, but something too hygienic or canned is no good either.
but I often wonder why we waste all that space left and right so I can then make the effort to scroll up and down.
Ease of readability and eye strain. The eyes get more tired reading far left to far right than a narrow column. Also, the attention wanders faster than if the information is presented in a narrow column.
I will not read sites at all that have a wide left-to-right span.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin in mi id justo rutrum semper. In at justo quis massa commodo hendrerit. Vestibulum vel odio ac est interdum porta. Proin vel erat eu augue ultrices eleifend. Cras congue risus quis enim condimentum rutrum. Sed faucibus sagittis mauris. Sed purus. Curabitur ut dui. Integer consequat. Cras scelerisque nulla. Donec commodo. Fusce ac justo. Mauris ligula odio, tincidunt non, dignissim at, facilisis in, felis. Vivamus sollicitudin lectus vitae augue.
Integer cursus iaculis massa. Ut at leo. Duis a metus. Praesent et felis. Maecenas id justo eu nulla blandit pulvinar. Aliquam posuere erat non lorem. Aenean vel justo nec mi iaculis tincidunt. Aenean at sapien. Curabitur orci turpis, vehicula a, aliquet eu, malesuada mollis, mauris. Integer rhoncus blandit elit. Donec non lorem. Vivamus elementum magna a ante. Curabitur sit amet turpis. Vestibulum gravida.
Suspendisse tellus lectus, molestie sit amet, rhoncus sit amet, feugiat vel, orci. Proin non lectus. Vestibulum convallis magna. Praesent pede est, egestas a, molestie gravida, dignissim vitae, orci. Praesent vitae est. Quisque ultrices adipiscing nisl. Sed faucibus purus vel est ullamcorper imperdiet. Integer nisl libero, viverra at, molestie non, ultricies id, orci. Mauris eu erat suscipit nulla adipiscing ornare. Sed eget erat sit amet sapien facilisis rutrum.
Nullam risus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Morbi cursus velit vestibulum diam. Etiam sit amet odio. Phasellus viverra ante ac turpis. Suspendisse et orci. Quisque rutrum, dui luctus imperdiet semper, ipsum ipsum molestie lectus, sollicitudin faucibus nunc lacus ut ligula. Cras euismod lectus ac arcu accumsan aliquet. Praesent in metus. Morbi non justo. Vestibulum lorem turpis, auctor sit amet, semper ut, congue id, mauris. Praesent nibh erat, rutrum ut, malesuada eu, pharetra sed, lacus. Curabitur rhoncus ante tincidunt quam. Ut feugiat arcu ut sem. Duis aliquam ligula id elit. Aliquam in dui. Curabitur a nisi quis ante mattis dapibus. Vestibulum sed dolor. Aliquam pellentesque est vitae enim.
Vivamus auctor. Aenean justo sapien, bibendum eget, scelerisque vitae, dictum a, neque. Vestibulum vestibulum euismod metus. Sed sed tellus. Nulla condimentum purus auctor nisl. Mauris lacinia rhoncus tortor. Vestibulum lorem. Aliquam erat volutpat. Fusce tincidunt auctor purus. Duis hendrerit tempus ante. Etiam blandit eros a turpis. Etiam velit. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Sed pellentesque pharetra dolor. Praesent faucibus lorem vel urna.
Some things I like, some I don't. I'm not in love with the gray. The left column width to body ratio is good. I hate tons of wasted space and would much prefer reading a wider body than a squished narrow one. I think you'll love having a list of updated blogs. It saves so much time.
I don't know if you've made changes or if the computer I'm on this time is just displaying things differently, but it looks a lot nicer to me now than it did a few days ago.
Oh, and I don't know N.F., but apparently your name is Noelle. I just got a kick out of that because my wife's name is Noel, so her initials are also N.F. I smiled at the monogram when I first saw your comment, then when Theric called you Noelle, I just had to laugh at the coincidence. Anyway...
I have indeed made some changes, but we still need more. I'm working on it. Bit by bit. I only picked one of my busiest times of year to take this on.....
I've actually already shrunk the dates and I think their current size is fine.
That white bar is there for the reasons you mention and I'll be fixing it, not to worry. And I'm thinking about moving me into the side bar and making the top banner more plain. Thoughts?
On second thought, maybe just a slight repositioning in the banner (scale down a hair and adjust so as not to interfere) would be just as good or better.
word verification: lammeter.
That might be like a scale, where 1 is least lame, and 10 is really egregiously lame.
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ReplyDeleteHmm.
Well, I don't like the largeness of the dates or the narrowness of the content column. I was cruising back in time and anything with large images has been chopped horrifically. So it still needs work.
Let me know what you think so far.
"EGAD!!!!!" is right!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I think of it, but change is often good, so I'll keep an open mind.
[Word verification: cultw]
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ReplyDelete(In other words you hate it.)
No! I really, really like the new banner up top, but the overall affect is really--not colorful....
ReplyDeleteI like it. Very clean.
ReplyDeleteI like the dancing stick men at the top.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that the dates are a bit big, but hey...looks good else. :D
[Word Verification: emeltahs]
I like many of the changes you've made to this blog. . . I particularly like your banner of dancing sticks.
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDelete(test)
Tough to say.
ReplyDeleteI like the banner, but your old style was so iconic. I agree with you about the content column. It seems a bit...corporate? Overall.
Maybe not what you wanted to hear, though.
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ReplyDeleteIconic but also generic. Although it was greatly changed from the original template it was still a Blogger basic. I need distinction. The question is how.
I was trying to get a three column layout that was also a little wider than those standard templates. I'm not certain how unusual this is but I often wonder why we waste all that space left and right so I can then make the effort to scroll up and down.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was generic. When I first discovered you I didn't like it for that reason. But it grew on me. I thought the colors and layout were a good match for your blogging style. I should say that my favorite part was the way the title "Thmazing's Thmusings" was invisible until you rolled over it. It became less generic the more I interacted with you. I ended up thinking it was one of the best chosen site designs out of all the blogs I frequent because it suited the author so well, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the new look will grow on me, too. The thing is, the new version seems more like a template to me than the old one did - a template from one of those "you can have your very own professional looking website in three easy clicks!" services.
If I were designing a site for you (which I realize I'm not) I would make the most of the hand-drawn look that works so well for you. I would use thin-line pencil drawings (maybe just lines) to separate page elements and put it all on a background that looked like white paper - maybe with blue lines like a notebook, but that might be too busy - or maybe with smudges and eraser marks here and there. Maybe with three hole punches along the left hand side.
I really like the orange and and light gray as accent colors, but I might throw in a few others in random places.
I'm not sure what else I would do, but I would try to keep it clean and eclectic.
Of course, you're not me, so this probably doesn't help. Then again, you did invite opinions. :)
.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking I'm going to introduce more handmade elements into the mix. I don't think the old images that link to my site and display my email address work so well anymore.
Any I also agree that there is way too much wasted space on the sides. Plus I don't have room for larger images anymore, as is evident here.
I agree that my old look worked well for me, but I also agree that it takes a lot of people from really giving me a first chance. I keep seeing more professional looking looks and I think it's time for me to move in that direction, but something too hygienic or canned is no good either.
.
ReplyDeleteOh: on the brightside, I got Blogger to display my favicon again. Although maybe I should change it now to a little dancing man...?
but I often wonder why we waste all that space left and right so I can then make the effort to scroll up and down.
ReplyDeleteEase of readability and eye strain. The eyes get more tired reading far left to far right than a narrow column. Also, the attention wanders faster than if the information is presented in a narrow column.
I will not read sites at all that have a wide left-to-right span.
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ReplyDeleteThis is part of what made Suck so enjoyable. (RIP)
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ReplyDelete(test)
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ReplyDelete(test)
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ReplyDeleteLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin in mi id justo rutrum semper. In at justo quis massa commodo hendrerit. Vestibulum vel odio ac est interdum porta. Proin vel erat eu augue ultrices eleifend. Cras congue risus quis enim condimentum rutrum. Sed faucibus sagittis mauris. Sed purus. Curabitur ut dui. Integer consequat. Cras scelerisque nulla. Donec commodo. Fusce ac justo. Mauris ligula odio, tincidunt non, dignissim at, facilisis in, felis. Vivamus sollicitudin lectus vitae augue.
Integer cursus iaculis massa. Ut at leo. Duis a metus. Praesent et felis. Maecenas id justo eu nulla blandit pulvinar. Aliquam posuere erat non lorem. Aenean vel justo nec mi iaculis tincidunt. Aenean at sapien. Curabitur orci turpis, vehicula a, aliquet eu, malesuada mollis, mauris. Integer rhoncus blandit elit. Donec non lorem. Vivamus elementum magna a ante. Curabitur sit amet turpis. Vestibulum gravida.
Suspendisse tellus lectus, molestie sit amet, rhoncus sit amet, feugiat vel, orci. Proin non lectus. Vestibulum convallis magna. Praesent pede est, egestas a, molestie gravida, dignissim vitae, orci. Praesent vitae est. Quisque ultrices adipiscing nisl. Sed faucibus purus vel est ullamcorper imperdiet. Integer nisl libero, viverra at, molestie non, ultricies id, orci. Mauris eu erat suscipit nulla adipiscing ornare. Sed eget erat sit amet sapien facilisis rutrum.
Nullam risus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Morbi cursus velit vestibulum diam. Etiam sit amet odio. Phasellus viverra ante ac turpis. Suspendisse et orci. Quisque rutrum, dui luctus imperdiet semper, ipsum ipsum molestie lectus, sollicitudin faucibus nunc lacus ut ligula. Cras euismod lectus ac arcu accumsan aliquet. Praesent in metus. Morbi non justo. Vestibulum lorem turpis, auctor sit amet, semper ut, congue id, mauris. Praesent nibh erat, rutrum ut, malesuada eu, pharetra sed, lacus. Curabitur rhoncus ante tincidunt quam. Ut feugiat arcu ut sem. Duis aliquam ligula id elit. Aliquam in dui. Curabitur a nisi quis ante mattis dapibus. Vestibulum sed dolor. Aliquam pellentesque est vitae enim.
Vivamus auctor. Aenean justo sapien, bibendum eget, scelerisque vitae, dictum a, neque. Vestibulum vestibulum euismod metus. Sed sed tellus. Nulla condimentum purus auctor nisl. Mauris lacinia rhoncus tortor. Vestibulum lorem. Aliquam erat volutpat. Fusce tincidunt auctor purus. Duis hendrerit tempus ante. Etiam blandit eros a turpis. Etiam velit. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Sed pellentesque pharetra dolor. Praesent faucibus lorem vel urna.
I'm a bit behind but I LOVE the new look!
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Noelle.
Some things I like, some I don't. I'm not in love with the gray. The left column width to body ratio is good. I hate tons of wasted space and would much prefer reading a wider body than a squished narrow one. I think you'll love having a list of updated blogs. It saves so much time.
ReplyDeletewv: prizinge
I don't know if you've made changes or if the computer I'm on this time is just displaying things differently, but it looks a lot nicer to me now than it did a few days ago.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I don't know N.F., but apparently your name is Noelle. I just got a kick out of that because my wife's name is Noel, so her initials are also N.F. I smiled at the monogram when I first saw your comment, then when Theric called you Noelle, I just had to laugh at the coincidence. Anyway...
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ReplyDeleteI have indeed made some changes, but we still need more. I'm working on it. Bit by bit. I only picked one of my busiest times of year to take this on.....
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ReplyDeleteI've actually already shrunk the dates and I think their current size is fine.
That white bar is there for the reasons you mention and I'll be fixing it, not to worry. And I'm thinking about moving me into the side bar and making the top banner more plain. Thoughts?
"And I'm thinking about moving me into the side bar and making the top banner more plain. "
ReplyDeleteGood idea.
On second thought, maybe just a slight repositioning in the banner (scale down a hair and adjust so as not to interfere) would be just as good or better.
ReplyDeleteword verification: lammeter.
That might be like a scale, where 1 is least lame, and 10 is really egregiously lame.
You rank pretty low on my lammeter.
???:
ReplyDeleteLorem itself pain he is amet consectetur to come up to elit. Consequently upon mi this equity rutrum always. Upon but equity anyone massa to make fit hendrerit. Vestibulum or to hate and is sometimes carry. Consequently or was good augue avenging eleifend. Tomorrow to congeal laughter anyone in fact condimentum rutrum. But faucibus sagittis mauris. But spotless. Curabitur when dui. Whole according to reason. Tomorrow crime nulla. Up to the time when to make fit. Fusce and equity. Mauris ligula to hate tincidunt not dignissim but , easy upon , lucky. Vivamus concern bed life augue. Whole a race a thrower massa. When but lion. Duis a fear. With a ready and lucky. Maecenas this equity good nulla blandishments dust. Some to lay was not lorem. Eneus or equity and not mi a thrower tincidunt. Eneus but wise. Curabitur orci unseemly , conveyance a , some good malesuada soft mauris. Whole rhoncus blandishments elit. Up to the time when not lorem. Vivamus first principle magna a before. Curabitur he is amet unseemly. Vestibulum pregnant. To suspend region bed , annoyance he is amet rhoncus he is amet feugiat or orci. Consequently not bed. Vestibulum to grow strong magna. With a ready pede is , to extreme poverty a , annoyance pregnant dignissim life orci. With a ready life is. Each one avenging to come up to nisl. But faucibus spotless or is ullamcorper imperdiet. Whole nisl to set free viverra but , annoyance not ultricies this orci. Mauris good was to raise up nulla to come up to ornare. But eget was he is amet wise easy rutrum. Nullam laughter. Vestibulum before itself first upon faucibus orci lamentation and avenging to lay bed Management ; Sickness a race skirmish vestibulum diam. As yet he is amet to hate. Phasellus viverra before and unseemly. To suspend and orci. Each one rutrum dui lamentation imperdiet always , itself itself annoyance bed , concern faucibus now a hollow when ligula. Tomorrow euismod bed and bow to add to a heap some. With a ready upon fear. Sickness not equity. Vestibulum lorem unseemly , person responsible he is amet , always when , to congeal this mauris. With a ready nibh was rutrum when malesuada good , a quiver but , a hollow. Curabitur rhoncus before tincidunt how. When feugiat bow when prefix meaning half-. Duis some ligula this elit. Some upon dui. Curabitur a if not anyone before mattis seneschal. Vestibulum but pain. Some pellentesque is life in fact. Vivamus person responsible. Eneus equity wise bibendum eget , crime life , word a , worthless. Vestibulum vestibulum euismod fear. But but region. Nulla condimentum spotless person responsible nisl. Mauris lacinia rhoncus tortor. Vestibulum lorem. Some was volutpat. Fusce tincidunt person responsible spotless. Duis hendrerit time before. As yet blandishments eros a unseemly. As yet skirmish. Vestibulum before itself first upon faucibus orci lamentation and avenging to lay bed Management ; But pellentesque a quiver pain. With a ready faucibus lorem or urna.
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ReplyDeleteIt isn't real Latin, Schmett. It's lorem ipsum! From a lorem ipsum generator!
And thanks, Adam. :)