I'm tired of looking at my blog. I want to change the whole thing, but since I'm a dummy at it, I keep changing templates. Boring, I know. But it's the best I can do with my limited knowledge. The main thing I'm tired of is that sidebar list of categories (topics of previous posts). It's longer than my annual to-do list! However, I don't want to dump the filing system altogether. So...
For those among you who are good at this blogger tech stuff, I've got a question or two (or three).
1. How do I hide my long list of post categories (which now appear in my sidebar) yet still retain them for future reference?
2. How do I put a search box on my blog ? Sometimes I want to look up old stuff I've written (recipes, mainly, on short notice in the kitchen).
3. Anyone want to come over and give me a really artsy, feminine new template, bursting with color and flowers? I'd love you for life. (I probably already DO love ya, but I'd throw in a meal if you'd be my techie for a while. ) So many things in life I want to learn, but I haven't figured out why computer skills don't make the list. You'd think it'd be a handicap I'd want to overcome; instead, I want technical things done for me.
Yes, I've got my son, Steve, who finds his way around a computer as easily as I find my way through cookbooks, but I feel like I tap him for EVERYTHING computer-wise. I don't want to emasculate him, either, by having him search and manipulate a gazillion floral arrangements on my blog. Poor guy. He would do it, I know, without complaining; he's patient and kind. I just don't want to ask him.)
6 comments:
Just a quick answer for ya Zo, as I'm in the between Lang. Arts, Math and Phonics, but...
As far as gettin' a really cool background template, go to my blog and click on the link in the top left corner. It will take you to a site with tons of free cool backgrounds AND instructions how to load them. It's SUPER EASY!!
If you switch to wordpress, i can help you with a drop down menu for your categories and a search box. I'm sure blogger has these add ons. But...you can literally transfer everything you have on that blog to Wordpress really easily. There is not much messing with the html code on wordpress though (at least that my limited knowledge understands). I've been messing with my blog lately too. I'm hoping Danielle can come up with a header for me :) .
Okay, back to two digit subtraction with maggs. :)
Maybe Amy or Bethany can help, as they still have blogger. Although switching to WP may be good for you, you're still stuck with just their templates unless you know CSS. Otherwise, blogger is actually easier to change the template, so I'd suggest staying here. You can pretty much change anything with blogger if you look up the html code to do it. Honestly, it's just trial and error. You can totally customize it yourself that way, or go the template/skins route which means they've already done it for you, now you just apply it to your blog. That's probably the best route for you. Check out Jessi's link or just google "free Blogger templates" or something like that until you find what you like.
BTW, if you try it yourself and are still desperate, I'd be willing to try my hand at giving your blog an overhaul. But it'll probably have to wait until next month. Honestly, if you're willing to give me your password, etc. I'd rather just do it here, on my computer, because it would be easier for me. We can talk.
I am heading out of town so don't have time to look at it right now. I basically google what I want to do and find the code for it and just mess. I have a dump blog I play on until I get it just how I want so that I don't destroy my main one. I know that I have read code to do what you want. You can also easily change tags so that you have less of them or condense them. But as far as the pull down menu I know I have seen that when reading code changes. It sounds scary but really it is quite easy once you start doing it.
Thank you all for your help.
Jessi, I do like the templates on Jessi's site, but when I tried a couple months ago to use them, I failed w/ the instruction. I feel like such an idiot in this area.
Laurie, it's good to know I could transfer easily, but when I used wordpress before, it wasn't as easy for me as blogger. I think uploading pics didn't make as much sense (like I upload a lot now!)
Danielle, I think I should mess around w/ this stuff on my own, even though I want to delegate it.It's not that big a deal in the scheme of things, certainly not something I'd want to strap you with at this stage.
Bethany, I LOVE the idea of having a dump blog. Wish I'd thought of it. That way I can work on it piecemeal and if I mess up, no harm done. I am afraid of losing my "life journal" since I rarely write on paper anymore except for scripture study and to=do lists!
Learning html on blogger is more daunting to me than my MMM challenge of 11 verses this month! Pray it comes to me more easily than I believe.
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