New interface, obviously
Short update.
I updated the blog interface, obviously. I never really liked the old one—it didn’t match my colors or look and feel—but I didn’t want to take the time to learn how to create my own theme. Well, several months ago I found this theme (for another project). I was in the mood to work on the site tonight, so I decided to update the blog theme.
I took the standard Vertigo theme, changed the logo bar to match Scipio Red, added my own fonts, and modded this CSS to suit my color scheme (it’s my brand, folks). Anyway, it took me a while to convince Photoshop that I really did mean #000000 black, but it looks right now. (Photoshop’s Save For Web feature kept giving me gray-blacks when I exported as 128-color PNGs… which was frustrating. So I hand-fixed the color palettes for the two graphics giving me trouble. Take that, Photoshop! But I digress…)
In the process of upgrading the theme, I discovered that it wouldn’t work with my older version of WordPress. So I had to download and install the latest version. Not very difficult, but I don’t play fast and loose with upgrades, so I usually double-check everything before overwriting files. It’s my grandfather’s craftsman mantra: measure twice, cut once. (That’s my paternal grandfather, the master carpenter—not my maternal grandfather, the Stanford-educated junk man/college professor. But I digress… again.)
Anyway, I think I have things running smoothly. A few glitches, like the permalink style (we’re back to ?p=xx for links, instead of /year/month/date/title), but nothing major. Let me know if you have any problems.
In the meantime, it’s after 2am, and I have a birthday party to go to in less than 8 hours. So that’s all for this update.
- Nick
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22 Responses to “New interface, obviously”
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…us avoiders know all about diversions, and all the legitimate rationales there-of.
All the same, I’m having an epiphany (spelling?) about “dumping things” as of late, in the list from a personal improvement seminar of the early to mid 1990’s of “do it, date it, dump it, or delegate it”.
It surprises me how in tune Nick is mood with good ole Paul.
I personally think that “Paul” is (subconsciously) in mourning. Its tough to wear two hats, one as Paul and one as author penning the story. No easy solution, I agree. However, Paul seems in the throes of ‘turning the corner’. That being the case, what’s holding the author back?
Creativity isn’t a spigot I can turn on or off. And motivation is pretty elusive sometimes.
Why aren’t you a writer, Kokanee? What’s holding you back?
Please, enlighten me with your writing wisdom, O sage of personal improvement.
- Nick
Nick,
I like the new layout. Hope the party goes/went well.
Kokanee, I gotta go with Nick on that one. I have had the same seminars and for the most part what they teach is very useful. On the flip side of that is they are not talking about the creative process. I have and occasionally do some writing myself… when you sit down with a blank page… sometimes it just wants or needs to stay blank. Even with something written to lead into it. Some of the best work I have done has appeared out of nowhere and onto the page with out me really having to think about it. Some of the best ideas died completely or fought like hell to be born a paragraph in. The other thing to remember is he isn’t being paid for this or working for us.. his story told in his time. Yeah we would all like it faster and there are other things we might like him to be continuing but… again.. his stories.. his time.
Nice new look Nick and thank you for having a spell checker in here.. I am not awake enough to be typing this morning. Enjoy the weekend.
Last weekend I caught up on the whole blathering-idiots-who-need-to-get-a-life. (Laughed my ass off at their expense.) We all know Nick’s opinion of Hillary. Then I bought the Sunday paper for the first time in months. As I was reading Opus in the comics section, I couldn’t help substitute Nick for Opus and “SC4 ch12″ for “Green Eggs and Ham”. I was going to edit the comic and post it, but I don’t have a matching font, and cutting and pasting individual characters in photoshop is not my idea of fun. You can read it here http://www.comics.com/wash/opus/archive/opus-20080406.html and use your own imagination.
I don’t always agree with Nick, but recognize his right to his own opinion. If I find it objectionable, I’ll stop reading, but until then, who am I to try to change his mind. I suspect it would be like tilting at windmills.
Thanks, once again, for the stories. I look forward to each chapter. Quality over quantity.
The new interface looks great, Nick!
I like to new look, not too shabby at all in fact Nick.
Oh by the way I have decided you need a vacation. Come to Orkney (Not a live Morris Dancer in sight) and I’ll introduce you to Scapa malt …
@ Sean
If Scapa malt is anything like Jura or Islay, I’ll be happy to meet you in Speyside.
- Nick
@ Sean
Nahh just a bunch of Jocks in skirts prancing around swords…… ;o)
Laphroig or Lagavulin for real man’s malt, c’mon the Islays
Nick,
Like the new look, and as a practicing geek I find what your blog uses “under the hood” fascinating.
Can you talk about the main site as well?
Thanks
Paul
If Scapa malt is anything like Jura or Islay, I’ll be happy to meet you in Speyside.
- Nick
*****
Laphroig or Lagavulin for real man’s malt, c’mon the Islays …
**********
I’m very much with Nick on this one … but I’ve heard good things about Scapa … and I find it interesting that it’s NOT peated !
http://www.scapamalt.com/our_whisky/index.aspx
Now I need to find a local watering hole that has some on hand …
-dexter
Take a break and come on up to Scipio, IN. Not a large place, but there is some good food, good drink, and general good times about an hour in any direction. Casinos, college towns, Loo-ville, Cinci….take a load off and come on up…..then we’ll road trip to Kansas and make it a Scipio tour….
Just wondering if the links at the bottom of the page are supposed to be their and not at the side. They feel out of place at the bottom of the page.
Ok who do I start sending the bottles to? Mind you 14 year old Scapa in a glass bottle is of course going to make it through both of our postal services LOL. Ours through being it used as a football and yours using it as a weapon in mass murder. :¬)
Sean if you are offering to send bottles…… lol Always interested in trying something new especially in a scotch. Some one gave me a bottle of Singleton recently which was new and interesting. I have to say that MacCallan, Lagavulin and Balvenie are still my favourites.
Oh and if any one is in the Denver area, there is a new whiskey distillery there called Stanahans. I would love to know if it’s any good.
I have BLUE balls Nick, i have have blue balls
and if your drinking a good malt go for Springbank arguably the finest single malt in production.
Again blue Nick oh so very blue
USQUAEBACH
http://www.usq-tsfl.com/
Nick the Spank-o-meter is running, tick tock.
Just kidding. Take your time and we will all be waiting patiently (in the bathroom with your gallery open on our laptops).
Happy Morris Dancing day!
Writers block is a bitch!
@ John,
Not blocked… just busy as hell.
You probably didn’t notice, but the web site is running on a new server.
The transition took about 2 weeks, including one weekend where we spent 20+ hours upgrading, installing, moving, testing, fixing, etc.
Fortunately, the site and server are both running smoothly now, and I’ve had time to pick up writing again.
But I also have a backlog of e-mail, and I need to write a blog post. I also need to do a final edit on Ch12, to get it ready for publication. And I still need to work on Ch13, as well as do some plotting and research for Ch14 and beyond.
So I’m still busy, alas.
- Nick
Reading an old blog post regarding the CiL, the expression about singing lessons for pigs came to mind:
Never teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time & annoys the pig.
Substitute for “pig” as appropriate