This week, I finally made some changes to the blog thanks to Mitchell over at My Frugal Tech. Some of you left comments this week that, I just realized, have vanished. I think this is because I switched hosts. What’s a host? If a blog was a billboard, the host is the actual billboard. I’m the person who leases the space and puts shit all over it.
If your comment vanished, HUGE apologies. Please feel free to take your anger out at Go Daddy (for many reasons, but the biggest one being: Liz Henry said that every time a comment gets lost, an internet kitten loses a You Tube view).
Now, I’m about to get very unsexy, but I’ll bring it around. Bear with me.
For some of you, the blog has been slow to load. For Mac users, it’s been an RSS feed on and off. For me, it’s been one headache after another for the past three months. All I wanted to do was write, and on a weekly basis, the wonderful Christine would call, text, or send me a tweet that something else was wrong. She turned into the blogging equivalent of the Reaper. Which I guess would be the Bleaper.
So, after one final screaming match with Jarrod at Go Daddy, I said the hell with this and bought not one thing, but two things: a new host and Mitchell.
I take a lot of pride in the fact that everything you see, I’ve done. It could be more snazzy, have more color, have more of a lot of things, but it gets the job done.
We all have to start somewhere, right? This is what I was thinking about while creepily scanning over another blogger’s Facebook page. When she just started out, she looked like everybody else: forgettable. Fast forward four years and she’s moving and shaking with a crisp camera, nicer threads and a well-designed site.
None of that stuff got her the audience.
What did?
Who the hell knows, but I can guarantee you it wasn’t the stuff above.
What’s important is this: Do you feel like you know me? Are we connecting? Did you learn/feel something by stopping here today? Because if you have trouble getting here or you’re not finding value in what I do then what’s the point? Snazzy headers or awesome pictures aren’t going to make one iota of a difference. My intention is not to win everyone over. That’s another waste of time. Unless you’re looking for brand sponsorship. I’m not.
I like to put my name on things. Not things on my name.
There is a difference.
After a swift kick to the ego today and the end of My Nightmare in Blogging, I’ve gained a bit of perspective. What’s important is that I have something to say and that I would like to share it with you. Everything else is gravy.
Awww…you better go write Mitchell a testimonial cuz your blog is loading lightning fast! I hope this comment saves a kitty!
Christine@theAums recently posted..Unfilled Pie Fulfills 6 Year Old’s Dream
Hahahaha! I’m starting an Save the Internet Kitties campaign. Dead serious. They will thank me with light sabers and somersaults.
I love your words. I laugh, I cry- they’re better than Cats (the musical, of course.) I am glad you finally packed your bags & gave GoDaddy a swift kick in the ‘nads. You need stuff that works. Especially for Mac users, of which I am one. Congratulations! Also, keep saving the kitties! They need you!
Bingo. I could care less about pretty blogs as evidenced by the fact my own blog looks like shit, then again I am not a designer, and blogging/writing is something I fit between my gig as chief patron saint to the underserved and wife-ing and mom-ing.
Seriously, what keeps me coming back to a blog is the fact the writer has something to say that either amuses me or resonates with me. I wish a lot of the newer bloggers understood that, instead of writing posts that fit some formula and having a pretty page, tell me who you are and what your story is. I am drawn to bloggers who are complex, messy people who don’t mind sharing that with us.
As far as I am concerned, you fit the bill. So I could care less how gorgeous this site is, just keep writing and passing the open windows.
Blackgirlinmaine recently posted..Trayvon 2012…stop the assault on brown and black boys
I totally get it and I love the sentiment behind what you’re saying. BUT {and this is a big but, not to be confused with a big butt, which I also have} you can have amazing content, but if your site looks like hell, I’m not going to stay. Call me judgmental, but it’s true. If a site doesn’t look somewhat customized, easy to read, quick to load, pretty {yeah, I said it} then I’m not likely to hit the subscribe button or scroll down further unless the post that brought me there was unbelievable.
I think I found you via Twitter, but what keeps me coming back is your sassy attitude. I like that in a blogger.
Michelle recently posted..Pinch.
Looks are nice and all – it can draw people in (and you know I’ve always loved the look of your blog). But it’s all about the content, baby. And you bring it, Liz. I don’t remember what first brought me to Six Year Itch – but what kept me coming? One comment in the post about going to the water park with The Kid, where you used the phrase, “butts to nuts.” And I was hooked. Plus, you make a call for bloggers to be REAL – to write about REAL things, to not sell out. And that ALL bloggers have a place – whatever you write, whatever is your muse. You have a place in the blogiverse, you have people who want to be your audience. I’ve taken to keeping that perspective as well. You write about more than just “how to make an apple pie” – you write about women, you write about adoption, you write about government and real issues.
Who cares how fast your page loads
<3 Steph
steph anderson recently posted..I’m Not Irish, but I Think St. Patrick Likes Me
Liz, the sentiment you have right now was once my sentiment too. But, it’s up to you how you handle the latter. What matters most is that you still in the market who is alive and kicking! Don’t you ever lose hope ‘coz there’s no winning in quitting. Enjoy!
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I’m eagerly awaiting the re-design of my blog. Yea, content does matter a bit more but with a crappy or ho hum design it doesn’t scream, “READ ME!!” It screams, “Pfft! Whatevs! Amateur!”
But content? Oh holy hell. Lately I feel like my writing sucks big time and I am chewing my nails in anticipation of an upcoming writing class. I realize I need to do more of this thing called reading and doing so with those things called books but up until now, I haven’t had time. *sigh*
Glad to read you’re up and running well again. I’ve been a bad blog friend/reader as of late but hopefully as my husband and I settle into the new apartment I’ll get better.
Kim @ Coffee Pot Chronicles recently posted..Diet vs. Lifestyle Change: Which is best?