Mixing It Up

I recently got an email from someone and I went and looked at her blog. While I was looking at it, I realized that the look of my blog really needs an update. It feels like a house that was decorated when I moved in four years ago, but now it's a little stale. There all kinds of different options now. When I started blogging, back in 2004, I chose a bunch of the options that Blogger offered, and I've lived with them since. I've made a few modifications, but it's basically the same as it was originally. I need to mix things up a bit.

My opinions on the look of people's blogs can be severe, but I'm pretty forgiving. The main things is don't like are...for instance music - the kind that starts playing when you go to the page. I'll avoid blogs when there's music. It's so suddenly in my face. I hate it. I like to see YouTube videos when I go to blogs, but I've never done them and I don't expect I will. I'm more of a linker for things like that.

For my blog, I like a straight forward set up. Classic, understate. I like to be able to see the words and I prefer black type on white background - but white type on black background it my least favorite. That said, the blog that made me re-think my set up was white on black. My blog feels like something that used to be crisp, but it's yellowed a bit - like a favorite table cloth.

I wish there were more options in terms of Blogger templates that I like or modifying this template. I feel like I need to strip it down and start over completely - take all the furniture out of the room and start over. I've had people say, "Move to Wordpress," but I'm not going to move. It's too complicated. I just want a different look and I think I can get it with Blogger. For instance, I think I'd like tabs at the top. I've seen things I like on other Blogger blogs. I just need to figure out what I want. I have to do a lot of window shopping.

You know what else I don't like? It's Google Ads. I know people have them, but I don't think they're worth it. They sort of have a look like a house that has a card table out front and a sign that says, "Apples - Twelve for a dollar." It's like people who check every payphone for a quarter someone forgot. It seems sort of low rent. I've heard you don't really make much off those. It's not worth it to me. (By the way, I would love to hear success stories if I'm wrong.)

The label cloud is something that I like. I'm going to have to try a few things. I also told myself that I was going to put up my "Followers" when I had ten and I just got to ten.

So I've got a lot of reading ahead of me. I hope I didn't offend anyone. Am I wrong?