A little over a year ago while in the throes of my PTSD, I decided to get my own dot com, self-host my blog, redesign the entire format and move to WordPress. I’m sure you’re thinking, “She’s a nut to try and do all that at the same time!” and you know, you’re right!
The first two tasks were quite simple and were completed rather quickly. The redesign has been REAL work because not only was I struggling with all the horribleness of the PTSD symptoms, but I had to also learn more coding than I’ve ever had to do. Oft times, I felt that I was drowning and needed a life jacket to save me from the whirling codes floating across my monitor and other times I just wanted to throw the whole computer off a very tall building.
I would work on my blog for a while and then I would take a break when life and the PTSD overwhelmed me. Inevitably, when I would return to it a few weeks later, I would completely change the blog by adding new elements and removing others that were already implemented. I will tell you that I had decided on the color green, emerald green to be exact, and the blog was ready to go except for the header. I was satisfied – not happy, but satisfied.
Then we embarked on creating a new header. It seemed that either I was sick, Alyssa was sick, one of us was too tired or Alyssa was too busy to take my photo in the location that I had picked out which meant that my blog just sat… and waited… for me to return.
A few weeks ago I sat back down to look at my blog and I hated the green. Actually, I hated lots about the design too. All of it reminded me of the miserable PTSD flashbacks that I had and the turmoil that I felt inside. Once again, I completely changed it. This time, however, I am happy with the final outcome AND I am satisfied. There are things that I can add to it later, but the format is now the way I like it and so is the color. My blog will be peaceful and welcoming not only to you, but to me also. It is definitely going to be like home.
Also, as of tonight, I have the new header on the new blog and I think it just might shock you. It is definitely a CHANGE from the fiery head bent down to block the sun from my eyes that you see in the header right now. One of the crazy things about red hair is that the lighting completely determines how red the hair appears. For instance, in fluorescent light, sometimes my hair almost appears light brown and yet in the sun, it is almost orange again. Yeah, it is crazy, but I’m just thankful that I am not an orange head all the time.
I will get the last few weeks of posts transferred over to the new blog and then you will be able to enter the new home of The Redhead Riter!
Yes! I am VERY EXCITED….FINALLY! This marks the end of a very bad chapter in my life and symbolizes a new, fresh beginning. I’m so glad that I didn’t give up on myself and I appreciate you for hanging in there with me.
If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing,
it is possible that I may end by really
becoming incapable of doing it.
On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it,
I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it
even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
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It’s hard to realize how much work goes into creating a new site – even if you’ve done it yourself. Your blog is truly a labor of love, & I am sure you’re ready for the labor to be over! 🙂
I worked and worked on my blog tonight too fixing links and adding things to all the different sidebars. I am really loving that each “category or topic” has a different and specific sidebar. I think it is going to add much more flavor to my blog.
I know we are new blog pals. But after reading many, many of your posts I feel I can say, “I am very proud of you.” I luv your blog. May each of your days become brighter, clearer and more lovely than the one before.
Congrats on the re-launch….what a fantastic success!
Teressa, Thank you so much. I actually feel proud of myself…finally. I hope we will continue from being “new pals” to “long time friends.”
Hi, love this post as I to am struggling with trying to get my blog up to where I want it to be. I do a lot of it myself…not code, and I know exactly the trials you are going through. Some days I despair and other days I say, hey look what I just learned to do; I changed my font, I learned how to do a map!-LOL I am going to be changing mine with a new header soon too along with other things.
Love your blog!
Sue
Don’t give up Sue! It will be really worth the self-satisfaction when you are all finished.
Hi, Sherry. Love the new look! Maybe it’ll finally egg me on to redoing my websites (a project that’s been slowly inching forward behind the scenes forever).
-TimK
P.S. In the “Leave a Comment” block, the “commenting policy” link is broken. Or at least for me, the target page produces a 500 Internal Server Error.
Tim,
Thank you so much! You know it took me a year for me to complete my website. It isn’t how fast you make it to the end result, but that you finally make it ;o) When it is finally done, I’m sure you will feel relieved just like I am with mine. I feel soooooooooooo much better now that it is done!
Thank you so much for telling me about the link!!!! I fixed it 🙂 How did you like my error page? That is one of my favorite pages on my blog!