After canvassing blogging neighborhoods all around the globe and looking at differently designed themes over the last three days, I’m happy and relieved to say that the virtual realtor finally handed me a new set of keys yesterday!
Now that I’m a new blog homeowner here, I’ve been busy painting, adding, deleting, tweaking and otherwise fixing the place up. I want it to not only reflect my personality but also transform it into a pleasant environment for those who have become part of the Adversity University community as well as for visitors who might stop in for coffee and browse around.
As I mentioned in the previous post, the goal was to find a place that gave me at least 5 things:
1. Prime real estate screen space (i.e. from 2 to 3 columns, without the clutter)
2. Intuitive navigation capabilities
3. Easy to read text with clean white background
4. The ability to create new pages with tabs on top for future material
5. A theme that was compatible with Wordpress 2.3 version
When I first started looking, I found 20 potential themes. Each designer was sent an email with questions to gauge how responsive and friendly they would be. While waiting to hear back from them, I browsed through their blogs to ascertain whether or not they were keeping up with regular postings.
If the designer got back to me within a reasonable period of time, appeared to be friendly and maintained a current blog, that meant I would probably get a fair amount of support throughout the installation/tweaking process. Keep in mind that while I’ve learned a lot about blogging in the last year and a half, I’m still learning my way around, especially now that I’m in a new environment with a learning curve to content with. It helps to have some kind of live support on the way, you know what I mean?
After hearing back from some but not others, the list was slashed to 5 potential themes. All of them were well designed and compatible with Wordpress 2.3. The clincher was when I learned one of designers was commissioned to write a book by a well known publisher, which I think will turn into a mega-bestseller. That meant this designer probably knew what she was doing when creating the theme I had my heart set on. In addition, it helps that she was hired by some well known bloggers to redesign their sites. Last but not least, she has a bunch of documentation at her site about how to tweak the theme to each individual blogger’s liking - a huge bonus.
So that’s why I’ve chosen this theme. If you’re a blogger yourself and you like the theme, go to the very bottom of the page and you’ll see a link to the theme designer’s page. She’s very sweet, responsive and truly cares about her work.
As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work ahead. Over 150 posts from this blog are being exported to the new location. In order for that to happen seamlessly, I might be forced to upgrade to Blogger’s new template. If that happens, a lot of stuff you now see on the sidebar will be forever gone (which is one of the reasons I’m moving in the first place). In addition, I will be focused on transferring email and RSS subscribers, adding/moving around furniture (i.e. sidebars and plug-ins), plus a host of other things like inserting a notification in each and every post at this location telling visitors where to go.
After we are settled in, I want to throw a blogwarming party!! Any ideas how I can do that? Go ahead and use the comment feature to let me know your ideas or if you prefer, send me a private email at stephen(at)sjhopson(dot)com
Have a great rest of the weekend! Stay tuned for more updates……
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Welcome! I'm the founder and professor of Adversity University specializing in personal development for spiritual beings having a human experience. To see a speaking demo tape and other information, please click 
3:12 pm on October 7th, 2007 1
Hi Stephen,
I stumbled across your comments to this theme creators design and followed to your new site. Kind of crazy isn’t it? Anyway, I like the look and feel of this theme.
I’ve just changed and modified the looks of mine as well. I had been considering buying her book (wordpress for dummies). How is it?
I learned quite a bit from WordPress2 by Maria Langer & Miraz Jordan.
Anyway, keep up the good work. Are you ready for me to change the link in my blogroll to this new site? Let me know when you are ready.
Chris Melton
http://www.soupornuts.com
http://www.therotater.com
7:21 am on October 8th, 2007 2
Hi Chris:
Thanks for stopping by my new blog. Your among the first FEW to have discovered where it was before announcing to the public on Wednesday, October 10th!
I’m glad you like the new theme and I look forward to improving it more and more as we go along.
Stephen
6:41 am on October 9th, 2007 3
Dear Stephen -
Really terrific look, feel and tone. I especially like the analogy to buying a house — because that’s what this process is closest to. You find that you always have to trade off here and there. But it looks like you’ve got yourself some prime real estate. Consider me a frequent houseguest.
6:54 am on October 9th, 2007 4
Ivana:
Hi there and good morning! Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment about the prime real estate and how you can be considered a frequent houseguest! I’m so excited to have you as part of the community.
There’s still a lot of tweaking I need to do but the hard work is done. I still have to somehow transfer all of my subscribers from the old location over here plus put the rest of my articles and posts in a specific category. But it’s been exciting and challenging.
Thanks so much for stopping by - you made my day!
4:03 pm on October 9th, 2007 5
Stephen: Love your new site, sir. Really easy to follow, and the color scheme seems gentle on my old, tired eyes. Glad to see that you’re still growing!
Michael Werner
5:22 pm on October 9th, 2007 6
Hi Stephen!
It’s looking good - now I want to redesign my blog :(.
Anyway, the unsubscribe/re-subscribe seemed to go off smoothly - I think you managed it all very gracefully. Moving blog can be stressful!
I’m looking forward to more posts!
6:56 pm on October 9th, 2007 7
Your new home is lovely, Stephen.
7:09 am on October 10th, 2007 8
THIS LOOKS GREAT!
LOVE IT!
DON’T FORGET TO ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS ON THEIR BLOGROLL. I WILL NOW BEFORE I FORGET!
lOVE,
CORINNE
9:51 am on October 10th, 2007 9
Nice house, Stephen!
Here’s to many happy years in your virtual home.
3:13 pm on October 10th, 2007 10
Dear Stephen -
I want to thank you so much for being a guest blogger on my site today.
I know that my readers will love your article
10 Magical Ways to Feel More Abundant -
Again, much good luck with your new adventure with wordpress as your server!
Love,
Corinne
4:52 pm on October 10th, 2007 11
Just want you to know I am getting lots of nice comments on your guest post on my blog!
Thanks again and best of luck here on your new blog!
Corinne
5:20 pm on October 10th, 2007 12
Corrine; How wonderful that your blog is receiving some nice comments in regards to my article up at your blog. That’s great! Thanks for letting me guest blog. It’s been fun.
Michael: So that means your “tired old eyes” will continue to sweep from page to page in the new blog? Awesome!
Benajmin: I’m glad to know that because I moved to a completely new place successfully that you feel inspired to do the same. GREAT! Go for it. You won’t regret it. Mind you, it’s a LOT of work but well worthwhile. It’ll make you feel really good at having managed to do it after months (or years) of putting it off.
Lillie: Thank you. You’re a most welcome house guest! Stop by for coffee anytime.
Rick: And here’s to you too! (raising glasses)
8:13 pm on October 10th, 2007 13
LOVE YOUR BLOG. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. WE ARE READING AND LISTENING.
8:54 pm on October 10th, 2007 14
Thank you Helen! I’ve been busy getting settled in. It’s almost like spending hours and hours unpacking and moving things around, etc. Amazing amount of work but this is going to be a permanent home for a long time.
I’m glad you stopped by!
P.S. I’ll be posting my first new article here tomorrow (Thursday)
9:21 pm on October 10th, 2007 15
Hello again, Stephen. Time to relax and go out for some pizza.
8:20 pm on October 11th, 2007 16
…. by the way, I “found” you through Corrine, who invited me to write for her and has done the same for me.
9:26 pm on October 11th, 2007 17
Rick: Hello again indeed! And what would you like on your pizza? That actually reminds me…..I wrote a note to myself to add that taking a break is also important. In fact, I’ve had to force myself to break away from the computer and go eat lunch or read a book or even take a quick nap. It’s impossible to keep at it for hours and hours. So, yeah, let’s go out for pizza!
Rod: Isn’t it interesting how we get to meet people, especially AFTER making a major move like this? I’m very glad to make your acquaintence, Rod!