My first post for An Attitude Adjustment was written on January 15 of this year. I remember composing it in our basement playroom while Mr. B messed around with his trucks. Missy Mae was sleeping in her swing. I hit “publish” with a little thrill of excitement. I had begun something new, something I had been planning since I first realized I’d be home with my two young kids. I was now part of the blogosphere, and I saw it as an opportunity to work on my writing, something that hadn’t gotten enough attention throughout the years I’d been a full-time teacher.
In all honesty, though, I had started blogging back in 2005. First, I began a foodie blog about dining in and around Philadelphia. It had, maybe…seven entries? The premise got too expensive. It was time to stop eating out and buy a house. So I started writing book reviews (you can visit the latest version here. I call it A Woman of Discriminating Taste, because I am). That got old, too, because it was hard enough to find time to read all the books I wanted to read, let alone review them. Now, here I am at An Attitude Adjustment, my brain’s salvation, what I feel is a more permanent resting place.
All of my blogs began on Blogger. It is intensely user-friendly, really helpful to someone who has no idea what she is doing. In the years since I started a foodie and book blog, it got even easier, with more advanced features. I originally planned to host An Attitude Adjustment on WordPress, recognizing that the themes were cleaner and had a more professional look. But after I registered an address and started navigating pages and themes, I realized I was in way over my head. There was a lot I didn’t know, and frustration over not being able to figure it out made my hormonal, post-baby brain nearly explode with rage. To protect my family, I headed back over to Blogger and learned about widgets, sidebars, and photos. (You can visit the original version of this blog here, at anattitudeadjustment.blogspot.com.)
The first blog I started reading religiously was Motherese, and Kristen, “the interpreter,” helped me with many questions I had when I first began. I thought I had to take all of the photos myself, until she told me that I could use Flickr and credit the authors. (Yippee! Photos really make a blog.) I learned about different features in her post, “Blogger and WordPress and Typepad, Oh My!” as well as on Scary Mommy’s site, where she has a whole section devoted to “Blog Tips.” It’s amazing how much people in the blogosphere are ready and willing to help others with what they know. (Why can’t it be this way in real life?)
For just ten dollars, (three cents a day, people), you can buy your own domain. I bought “anattitudeadjustment,” watched a YouTube video to add a favicon (the little picture next to the web address–in my case, a cheerio), and continued writing and experimenting.
Finally, with my new–albeit limited–education, I switched back to WordPress, about a month ago. I spent days looking at themes and trying to choose the right one, one whose elements I liked and also fit the tone of my blog. I wanted something journalistic that also allowed me some freedom and individuality, but also a theme that I didn’t see on many other WordPress blogs. I settled on BizzArtic’s “Inuit Types,” because of the striking black and white appearance with multiple points of entry, though there was no customizable header (the big picture at the top). Each post could have a feature image that would appear on the home page as a thumbnail, to be blown up to full size once the reader clicked on it. I liked it, and I worked with it for a while.
But I got more discontent with time. In my opinion, a blog needs a signature, something that makes it a space different from any other. My signature, since January when I started on Blogger, was Cheerios, because they’ve been a staple in my house since Mr. B was born, over three years ago. With Inuit Types, I missed my Cheerios. I did some more searching and found my current theme, “Vigilance,” by The Theme Foundry. I don’t know how I missed it the first time. What I love about this theme is the opportunity for personal touches. My background is white, but if I choose, I can change the colors. I have three sidebar options, instead of one–the top, and two beneath it, even more space to fill with any fun widgets I find. I’m not crazy about the small font for my subheading (“Making the Best of Stay-at-Home Motherhood”), but I can live with it until I learn how to adjust it.
There are some things I miss about Blogger. I want “LinkWithin,” a widget that encourages readers to look at prior posts from the blog, but because a WordPress blog doesn’t allow you to mess with the html, I don’t yet know how to add it. As a result, readers don’t see a link for various past posts. My switch to WordPress caused a loss of comments both from Blogger and Disqus (a site that helps readers comment and offers a “reply” feature), which means I’ve lost links to others’ blogs, as well as some great discussions.
Yet there are perks to WordPress, which is why I switched. I don’t have issues with spacing, like I did in Blogger, and it was easy to import my old blog. It is also much easier to add a favicon, and for readers to comment without hitches like word verification, an annoyance that only dissuades readers from becoming part of your community. People can sign up for email subscriptions (please do!) on their own, which was not possible on Blogger. And if I comment on another WordPress blog, I don’t have to sign it–my picture and blog name automatically appears.
WordPress seems to suit my style better, at least, for now. (And Scary Mommy said to use it. I trust her.) Who knows how many times I’ll change my look, give my site a makeover. But that’s what’s fun about blogging–having a space all my own with which to play and experiment. It’s the one place I can be narcissistic while caring for two kids…and, of course, the husband.
What have you learned about blogging?
Other Posts You Might Like:
Please Give a Warm Welcome to My New Attitude
Image: “sguardo” by mbeo via Flickr using a Creative Commons license.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jana,
I’ve recently moved too, as you know, and although I’m feeling slightly out of my depth still, it has been a massively steep learning curve in terms of figuring out things like code, widgets, and site management. These are all things I knew zip about a week ago! Blogger just pretty much did it all for you, but of course the con then was less freedom to customize and it not really being your own space. Already I prefer wordpress.
I do feel as though I am pretty much starting from scratch again though. It’s a bit scary to say the least!
Both places have their pros and cons. I actually started on Blogger (also years ago…) with a family blog. Then went to Wordpress a year ago when I started the current blog. I hated it… just personal preferences. I found it limiting, so I headed back to Blogger. And while it’s not perfect, the simplicity is what keeps me there! :) But Wordpress can be amazing, really! I hope you end up loving it!
I am on Blogger and had many issues with it until I spent many long hours researching and found plug-ins that worked well for my needs. Blogger has also updated many of its features lately, but the biggest breakthrough was when My Guy set me up with Windows Live Writer (that feeds into Blogger) and I’ve been in bloggy heaven since :)
Glad you found your groove too.
You just blew my mind, Justine. What are these things of which you speak? Plug-ins I’ve heard of, but am still oblivious. Windows Live Writer? Hmph. I need to take a class. Why aren’t there online classes for us? (Maybe WP wasn’t the best bet for me? Oh well. If only I had more time in the day to devote to all of this stuff…. But then I’d really get nothing accomplished.)
I am thinking of going to a self hosted blog instead of continuing on wordpress.com. Talk about limited! There is so little I can do to pick and choose without being self hosted. But I do like wordpress more than Blogger… mostly because of the ease of responding to comments (that I haven’t been doing much of lately!).
Your new blog looks great and I think it’s fun to continue learning and improving no matter how long it takes!
I think I might be headed in the self-hosting direction, but I would have to learn a ton. I don’t know how to do ANYTHING. Do you?
It’s amazing how addictive, as you say, blogging can become. And so much more. A place to stretch, to learn, to practice, to connect, to laugh, to cry, to celebrate, to commiserate. And to make friends. Real friends, even if you never lay eyes on each other. And in this culture, with all the juggling that some of us do, we need to “conduct” our friendships at 3 a.m. on a Monday night, or after some nightmarish disagreement with a teen on a Sunday afternoon. Or when it’s sunny, and you’re feeling sunny, and you want to share that with whomever may be out there, somewhere, and happy for your good mood.
I read your blogging evolution with interest. A friend had me start on blogger several years ago. I tried a little of this or that and never pursued it. Then nearly 16 months ago, as a writer used to deadlines and no longer under deadline, I needed a place other than my own journal and job applications where I could write – anything, everything. For me. While learning.
Like you, I found others to be incredible helpful. And bit by bit, your “space” becomes your own. I know I want to move to a dramatically different theme, but since I write daily (and do other things as well), the time involved keeps me pushing it off, and pushing it off. But I know I”ll do it – just a matter of time – and in the meantime, what could be better than the flexibility and freedom to share ideas – in these personal yet public spaces?
I find that along with the writing, the fiddling with themes, widgets, links, etc. is just as fun and addictive. It’s like a home. I know that I spend a lot of time decorating until I’ve gotten it right, and then, after a while, I fiddle some more.
I’ve learned (and to me, it’s been the most important lesson) that there are beautiful, wonderful, amazing women (and a few men) out there that are so very, very interesting and wise. You are one of them!
Thanks! I’ve learned that as well. It sort of came as a surprise, because sometimes, I wonder if I’m a misanthrope. But the fact that there are such great people is why I keep coming back for more.
I’m a WordPress girl through and through, probably because I first learned to do a lot of the formatting in plain old HTML and it’s comforting to me to keep on doing it that way. Plus, I can usually get it to look the way I want it to look by manipulating the code. (Or, like Justine, I ask my computer-expert husband.) =>
And hooray for the return of the Cheerios!
Hey, this was a great (and useful) post. I am in the process of moving from Blogger to Typepad and am very excited and slightly nervous. But I’m sure I’ll live. Maybe :-)
So I’m curious. What made you choose Typepad? I know so little about it, and I didn’t even look into it!
I’m on blogger and I find it difficult. It took my an entire day of trying just to post a video! It is most likely user error, I’m not the most tech savy person. My co-worker started my blog to keep our customers (they are like family at this point) up to date on my daughter, as he was being flooded with calls. After a post or so he asked me to do it. I found that it was helpful for me too and have since made it mine. Plus, I had no idea so many other people blog and that it would be so fun to read! I LOVE Dusty Earth Mother’s blog. PS. I’m nervous about you moving too! I hope I’m savy enough to figure out how to navigate to the new site.
I’m glad you found me, Carrie, so that I could find you! I visited your blog and am so inspired by your courage and strength (as well as Hannah’s!). I’m really glad you did start a blog.
oh, this was wonderful!!! can you do me a favor, when you have time (i know, i know, quit laughing)…how do I retweet this post? I know I have to do something with a hashtag. I’d love to get this out there…it is awesome!
Hi,
Kelly Q. sent me here because she thought we should “meet”. I’ve been here through Theta Mom too but never saw this post until now. Thanks Kelly and thank you! I have all these same questions now because I’m so comfy with Blogger but feel like maybe it’s time to grow up to WP. Kelly was right-we should meet!
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