Oh, it's a pretty and everything.
Feel free to come on over!
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Infamous Label Issue, and My New Place
I'm a bit of an organized control-freak. Probably enough that people would notice too.
I started labeling my blogs pretty early on. I knew that I tended to talk on the same subject matter, and if any reader wanted fast reference to all the posts on that one subject, the label function was the perfect idea! I even had it on my side-bar, just in case.
But it got ugly. Oh, so very ugly. There were unlimited labels, and so I started adding more and more without really considering how much I'd blog on it. Or I'd get intensely started on a thread, and then lose interest after a few days. It began to look like a word train-wreck. I could bare the sight of it no more, and removed it from my sidebar. But I still kept labeling, just in case. And every-time I did, I'd do a full body twitch which could keep my chiropractor is business. It badly needed to be organized.
It reached critical mass on Sunday. I was going to do something about those labels! I had a great system for managing them all laid out in my head. All I had to do was apply it. Of course, I thought that meant going back through 983 posts, and re-labeling Each. And. Every. Stinking. One.
So I decided to start over from scratch with my new labeling system in place. For that I'd need a new blog name. And the great hunt began.
I ran through a hundred names which were already taken. And all of them were taken by some punk back in '05 who posted once (if that) and was never heard from again! After I was done slamming my head against the desk, and took some Asprin for my headache, I sat down to think it out.
I liked the name Joyfoot. I really liked it! Was my issues with the labels really profound enough to get me to give up a blog name I loved?
Yes. It was. Sigh.
Then why did I like the name so much?
Well, because it was kinda non-sense, but not too outlandish.
Then maybe I should try and get a name that was kinda non-sense, and stop trying to pick one that was witty.
And at that moment the new name *popped* into my head. It even made a little popping sound, like a cartoon bubble bursting. And I loved it. I flung that name desperately into blogger, and couldn't believe my luck that no one else had thought of such a great and perfect name. Back in '05. When blogging was fade-fast-fad. I took it with a grin on my face.
Later that night I was going over my plans and various options with my husband. He kept insisting that blogger must have a feature where you can re-label things quickly. I told him it was crazy, but he was so blasted sure I promised I would look.
And what do you know, they did. Mass re-labeling is a feature on Blogger. My 2 -4 month job of re-labeling (depending on how many times I cried and swore off blogging all-together) took only two hours, and was done that same evening. All my struggle to find a new name was un-necessary. I could stay at Joyfoot! Wasn't that wonderful?
Sniff. Sniff. But the new name?
I was too in love with it. I told Adam, and even he agreed it was a good blog name for me. So I decided to move anyways. The good news, I could take all my new-labeled, old posts with me to
. . .
(drum roll, please)
(Anti-climactic, no?)
I started labeling my blogs pretty early on. I knew that I tended to talk on the same subject matter, and if any reader wanted fast reference to all the posts on that one subject, the label function was the perfect idea! I even had it on my side-bar, just in case.
But it got ugly. Oh, so very ugly. There were unlimited labels, and so I started adding more and more without really considering how much I'd blog on it. Or I'd get intensely started on a thread, and then lose interest after a few days. It began to look like a word train-wreck. I could bare the sight of it no more, and removed it from my sidebar. But I still kept labeling, just in case. And every-time I did, I'd do a full body twitch which could keep my chiropractor is business. It badly needed to be organized.
It reached critical mass on Sunday. I was going to do something about those labels! I had a great system for managing them all laid out in my head. All I had to do was apply it. Of course, I thought that meant going back through 983 posts, and re-labeling Each. And. Every. Stinking. One.
So I decided to start over from scratch with my new labeling system in place. For that I'd need a new blog name. And the great hunt began.
I ran through a hundred names which were already taken. And all of them were taken by some punk back in '05 who posted once (if that) and was never heard from again! After I was done slamming my head against the desk, and took some Asprin for my headache, I sat down to think it out.
I liked the name Joyfoot. I really liked it! Was my issues with the labels really profound enough to get me to give up a blog name I loved?
Yes. It was. Sigh.
Then why did I like the name so much?
Well, because it was kinda non-sense, but not too outlandish.
Then maybe I should try and get a name that was kinda non-sense, and stop trying to pick one that was witty.
And at that moment the new name *popped* into my head. It even made a little popping sound, like a cartoon bubble bursting. And I loved it. I flung that name desperately into blogger, and couldn't believe my luck that no one else had thought of such a great and perfect name. Back in '05. When blogging was fade-fast-fad. I took it with a grin on my face.
Later that night I was going over my plans and various options with my husband. He kept insisting that blogger must have a feature where you can re-label things quickly. I told him it was crazy, but he was so blasted sure I promised I would look.
And what do you know, they did. Mass re-labeling is a feature on Blogger. My 2 -4 month job of re-labeling (depending on how many times I cried and swore off blogging all-together) took only two hours, and was done that same evening. All my struggle to find a new name was un-necessary. I could stay at Joyfoot! Wasn't that wonderful?
Sniff. Sniff. But the new name?
I was too in love with it. I told Adam, and even he agreed it was a good blog name for me. So I decided to move anyways. The good news, I could take all my new-labeled, old posts with me to
. . .
(drum roll, please)
(Anti-climactic, no?)
Poll Results and the Move
I'm so excited I could pop! Today is my little celebration day--let's start.
The Poll Results;
Thank you far all of your input. It was nice to get a little more feedback.
I wasn't too surprised by how the interest-in-more-posts panned out--mommy, funny, general stories, and pics took a first. It makes us smile! Yup. What did surprise me was how many people voted for opinion editorials. Actually, it kind scared me too. I was taking about current events, and politics, etc, and I guess that's what most people understood me to mean. And you want more of it? Yipes! I was also touched at how each subject garnered at least 3 votes. Truly a random blog appreciated for it's random-ness. I am blessed.
As for the second poll--on what you'd like to see less of--well, it was nearly pointless. Pointless except for the huge and profound feelings of love! Thank you! If I was the mushy type, I'd go on and on about how my readers are the sweetest people on the planet. Even the one guy who actually told me he wanted less philosophy. Because that was my husband. He's still sweet; he's just lived with me too long to pull any punches.
It's okay, honey, you can skip them when they come up.
Poor guy, I guess he was hoping for camouflage. No luck. Everyone else picked the safe route. Ha! I think that's so funny.
So what else am I doing besides cutting my poll short? Well, I'm moving my blog. It's almost as hard as moving apartments. It requires just as much time, but fewer people to lift heavy objects. And I don't get pizza at the end of it (Bummer).
Ki, but WHY?
Oh, well, you know. This and that. I'll try to explain a little, and then we'll get to the bullet points.
It all started with the labeling trouble (I'll tell you more about that in my next post), and I thought that I'd have to move to get what I wanted. I also noticed I was coming up on 1,000 posts, and thought I'd be nifty to move on that significant number. Don't ask me why. I guess that's the illogical part of me that attaches significance to big round numbers. Easy to do math with. Whachagannado?
Here are some other reasons--
All of the posts are coming with me! I couldn't leave them behind (especially since I don't have a physical copy). Once I found out the labeling wasn't really going to be a problem I was greatly relieved. You'll see everything there, it'll just look different and be at a new address.
I'm keeping the old name as a hold-blog. It'll have a director post to show people where I went, and it'll keep the blog-stealing jackals from ripping it off to use for advertising. Jerks.
Well, thanks a LOT, Ki. Now we have to adjust all our readers, and change your link on our blogs, and . . . and . . . arrrrrgh!
Did I mention how I think you are all the sweetest people in the world? *Grin! Bat eye-lashes.* If you are not web-savvy and need help adjusting your reader, let me know.
Fine. What's the new name?
I'll tell you in my next post. Has to be changed for the (spooky voice) big round number, remember? (Normal voice) And the next little bit is going to be both ugly and tricky, so take a break for a while and come back when things look just a tad bit prettier.
The Poll Results;
Thank you far all of your input. It was nice to get a little more feedback.
I wasn't too surprised by how the interest-in-more-posts panned out--mommy, funny, general stories, and pics took a first. It makes us smile! Yup. What did surprise me was how many people voted for opinion editorials. Actually, it kind scared me too. I was taking about current events, and politics, etc, and I guess that's what most people understood me to mean. And you want more of it? Yipes! I was also touched at how each subject garnered at least 3 votes. Truly a random blog appreciated for it's random-ness. I am blessed.
As for the second poll--on what you'd like to see less of--well, it was nearly pointless. Pointless except for the huge and profound feelings of love! Thank you! If I was the mushy type, I'd go on and on about how my readers are the sweetest people on the planet. Even the one guy who actually told me he wanted less philosophy. Because that was my husband. He's still sweet; he's just lived with me too long to pull any punches.
It's okay, honey, you can skip them when they come up.
Poor guy, I guess he was hoping for camouflage. No luck. Everyone else picked the safe route. Ha! I think that's so funny.
So what else am I doing besides cutting my poll short? Well, I'm moving my blog. It's almost as hard as moving apartments. It requires just as much time, but fewer people to lift heavy objects. And I don't get pizza at the end of it (Bummer).
Ki, but WHY?
Oh, well, you know. This and that. I'll try to explain a little, and then we'll get to the bullet points.
It all started with the labeling trouble (I'll tell you more about that in my next post), and I thought that I'd have to move to get what I wanted. I also noticed I was coming up on 1,000 posts, and thought I'd be nifty to move on that significant number. Don't ask me why. I guess that's the illogical part of me that attaches significance to big round numbers. Easy to do math with. Whachagannado?
Here are some other reasons--
- The infamous "label issues."
- After over five years of blogging I feel like I finally know what I'm doing and what I like, and where I'm going (or not, as my case is happy to be). I like a clean sheet of paper when I think I know what I really want my picture to be like.
- It is a small way to celebrate and commemorate something I've put a lot of time and energy and enjoyment into.
- I like change. Pure and simple. It'll be refreshing.
- I've changed over the years, and some cute little outward show of it is just the ticket.
- I fell in love with the totally random new name I thought up for my blog. It's me. I told Adam, and he blinked once and told me I was right, it was more me. That's more enthusiasm than I usually get in a year, so I decided this was hot stuff.
All of the posts are coming with me! I couldn't leave them behind (especially since I don't have a physical copy). Once I found out the labeling wasn't really going to be a problem I was greatly relieved. You'll see everything there, it'll just look different and be at a new address.
I'm keeping the old name as a hold-blog. It'll have a director post to show people where I went, and it'll keep the blog-stealing jackals from ripping it off to use for advertising. Jerks.
Well, thanks a LOT, Ki. Now we have to adjust all our readers, and change your link on our blogs, and . . . and . . . arrrrrgh!
Did I mention how I think you are all the sweetest people in the world? *Grin! Bat eye-lashes.* If you are not web-savvy and need help adjusting your reader, let me know.
Fine. What's the new name?
I'll tell you in my next post. Has to be changed for the (spooky voice) big round number, remember? (Normal voice) And the next little bit is going to be both ugly and tricky, so take a break for a while and come back when things look just a tad bit prettier.
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