Website redesign and new blog theme!

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So I’ve spent the last couple of weeks beavering away on a website redesign to try to find a new blog theme (still using wordpress). (edit: I just noticed the last time I started playing around with my website theme was almost exactly two years ago. I guess I get bored during the winter months or something). This was kicked off when I tried to add a banner for the website and couldn’t figure out how to do it without breaking the whole theme. I also figured I wanted to slightly move stuff around and then that proved to be hard, so my choices were either

• learn CSS and not only create a custom website but learn an enriching new skill which would open up lots of job opportunities

or

• be lazy and buy a theme

Of course I went for the latter. I was torn between Themeforest and Elegant Themes but eventually went for Elegant Themes as they had a big ol’ new years sale with 50% off. The main difference between the two is that Themeforest sells individual themes at around 40 bucks a pop while Elegant Themes has a subscription service that gives you access to all their themes.

I am using the Extra theme and kind of have mixed feelings about how it turned out. It still required learning some CSS but the main website layout is a lot easier to edit now, and I feel I have a lot more control over the blog theme.

I looked at some successful travel blogs (like www.neverendingfootsteps.com) and they all seemed to have a similar layout – a nice banner, followed by a small front page blerb. I copied that for my website, but I have mixed feelings about how it turned out – I almost feel the actual blog posts are kinda pushed down too far. Please give feedback! No seriously, let me know if it kind of sucks.

The blerb itself is kinda embarrassing – it almost feels way too ‘HEY GUYS LOOK AT ME COME FOLLOW ALONG’ *rolleyes*. We’ll see if I warm up to it. Every blog is really an exercise in ego but still…

While still on the blerb, you’ll notice I’ve put that I am sailing around the world in black and white, right there on the front. Yup. No going back now. I have 120(!) days left, have already made my money target, and am going to give 3 months notice at the end of February. aaaaa!

What else? I created a new youtube channel (which is empty) for any videos I may or may not make (they get a lot of watches but video editing/shooting is a huuuuuge pain) and I also setup a twitter account, which is a way to drop sick one liners another way to subscribe to new posts. Click the FANCY BUTTON on the right or at the top to subscribe if you know how to use twitter (disclaimer: I actually have no idea but it’s setup automatically).

Oh, and comments can now use a wordpress/facebook/twitter account etc.

It’s been raining pretty much CONSTANTLY which has exposed my old nemesis again – the leak-above-the-nav-table. It’s way less than it has been though, and I think I know where it is coming from. Unfortunately, it’s too late to fix it until the weather changes (and drys up). Added to the list!

In addition we have been battered by storms recently as well, here is the latest one

Yup, 50 knots gusting 65 (which is cat 1 hurricane status).

Luckily my new marina is waaaay more sheltered than the old one at fishermans wharf, I am seeing probably 15 knots less wind than I used to get there, so it really isn’t that bad.

And finally, here is a nice sunrise I took on the way to work, so I can use it as the thumbnail pic of this article #lifehacks

 
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