Fighting a Case of the Mondays with Brand New Duds
The majority of us aren’t exactly big fans of Monday (unless it’s your day off). In order to help combat the contamination that Monday can bring, I’m trying to do something about it but I need some help.
Each Monday, I’ll share one of my favorite things or something I’m currently into. Do the same by leaving one of your favorite things – anything – in the comments. It doesn’t even matter what it is as long as you love it.
Here’s mine…
I spent part of the weekend giving this thing a face lift. Naturally, if you’re reading this on the actual site then it’s obvious, but if you’re reading this in an RSS reader then you’re seeing the old fashioned black-on-white.
Since we all enjoy the comfort of our Readers, there’s no real incentive to hop out of it. As such, here’s a screen shot.
A few months ago, I kinda got the itch to overhaul the site (and for those that know me offline, they aren’t surprised. I don’t think..?). The last theme I had was thrown together in an afternoon – I was more eager to start publishing than looking any particular way.
But the past couple of months have been a lot of fun in terms of connecting with those of you that have stumbled across this site in one way or another (even if it was by accident) and since a few of you have stuck around, I wanted to decorate all this stuff in something that was a little more, I dunno, me.
To be honest, I’d even gone as far as to talk to some people that actually have made their living doing design for the web. Of course, it’s an expensive service (as well it should be) and going that route wasn’t in my current deck of cards. I’m definitely not a designer and I will never claim to be. I know my limitations so I stick with ‘em and that’s what helped guide what you see now.
Finally, there are some cool things coming up in the next little while. I’m participating in two blog tours with a couple of authors and am planning to have some interviews to get the word out about a couple of other awesome people – I want the site to look halfway decent for them if not me.
So there you go. If you find any weirdness going on, lemme know. Otherwise, hopefully you dig it a little better than the last set of duds. Maybe?
Lovin the new design, about to launch a new site today myself (pales in comparison).
One great thing from this last weekend that will get me through today with smile is getting in on the BETA launch for @standardtheme!!!! Fired Up!
Thanks – glad you dig it!
So two questions for you..
1. What site are you launching to day?
2. Have you messed around with Standard any yet? Thoughts?
launched my youth website http://www.brym.info (test site for my youth ministry) and this morning I launched http://www.myschistory.com. I’m not a designer but I’m learning how to develop sites based on the needs. The history site was my first attempt at using a blog/static site.
Cool stuff. Are you looking to get into managing web projects for others as a paid gig or is it more of a hobby you’re pursuing?
I love working on web projects but I am very aware the my skill-set is not there yet to do this and make a living. I must say though, if someone were to offer me a position I would seriously consider it. especially if it was around Atlanta :)
Sweet! I love redesigns. This one is no exceptions.
I would’ve expected some sorta snarky comment from you. This is one exception.
And I appreciate that.
I’m all about being the bigger person, McFarlin.
Yeah, the bigger person with the bigger head.
I’ll be the wet blanket on this party, not sure if I completely dig the redesign.
I think my problem may just be personal, I use two monitors and keep my browser in the right monitor.
So having the entries being on the right half of the browser just feels reeeeeally far right.
And I just have a problem with the far right.
Bam.
But hey, I usually see this in the loving embrace of greader anyway….so there we go. ;)
Way to be the wet blanket, dude. Way to be the wet blanket.
No seriously, it doesn’t bother me. So are you saying there should be a feature where you can dynamically choose on which side of the content the sidebar resides?
I like how you took your thoughts on web design and some how morphed into a political thought, as well.
Multi-tasking comments ftw.
Is it possible to implement a feature that allows you to dynamically choose which side of the content the sidebar resides? Because that sounds pretty slick.
Is that something a user would then have to reconfigure each visit?
You raise too many questions.
I could implement something that’d be more dynamic, though it wouldn’t necessarily save your preferences. At least not yet.
Of course, there’s no real demand for this beyond, y’know, you. And not to discount your level of significance (because it’s not nil ;), but that’s just a fair amount of work to do to appease ole Right-Monitoring-Danny-Bixby.
Someone’s priorities are jacked. ;)
If you’re looking for more constructive criticism, I have an issue with the sidebar. I’m no designer either, but something about the pages & categories links only consuming 50% of the horizontal sidebar space seems off-putting. Especially so immediately juxtaposed with the 100% eating ads right underneath…and search bar above.
IDK what to do about that….but it feels weird.
Feel free to do nothing about this suggestion. As is expected. Bahaha.
In all seriousness, constructive criticism ftw.
There are a few things I can try to see about providing better – or different – balance. I may stick with it, I may not. Either way, the majority of the design is here. There will be some minor tweaks here and there, but I figured it was complete enough to take live.
Word.
Looks great man.
Good stuff.
I like the sidebar on the left instead of the right. Good touch.
Looks like you and Danny need to have it out or something.
Great work. Nice and Clean as usual.
I’d like to have links to the previous and next post closer to the top. Definately keep them at the bottom as well but if you get a lot of comments on a particular post (which is what you are going for) then it can be pretty annoying having to scroll all the way to the bottom just to move along to the next post. Maybe put additional links right before the comments start.
“Nice and Clean as usual.” Word. Thanks – maybe one of these days I’ll branch out and try something new like using Comic Sans everywhere.
Regarding the comment links, good thoughts. Whenever I get some time this weekend, I’m gonna see about toying around with some of the suggestions.