If you're reading this on my "profile page," you're probably reading the first few sentences of my most recent blog post! It all runs together, and is such a pitiful presentation of what I want to say!

So, rather than start this blog here, let's have a sing along! Ready? "Tutti Fruitti, on Rudy! Tutti Fruitti, on Rudy! WOOOooooOOOHHhh! Tutti Fruitti, on Rudy, ba long babah loombah, da long bam boo! Got a girl, named Sady. She almost drives me crazy! WOOOooooOOOHHhh! Got A GIRRLLll named Sady, she almost drives me crazy! Yes, she loves me, yes she does, she's the only girl I ever dream of!" Was that enough to fill the "Recent Blog Post" intro? I hope so. Special thanks to Small Dick, I mean Little Richard. Now let's get down to business.

This Blog Is Not For Everyone
Never has been. What I've been doing here was like a freak occurrence, a chemical reaction. I've been blessed to make some friends, even if it's just trading a comment or two once or twice a week. There's something to be said for brevity. I've enjoyed being kind of innocuous, while trying to be an enjoyable read. If I said what I really thought, you'd have to kill me. :)

A few of my friends are more invested in tv.com. Not monetarily, but in maintaining editorships and other activities. That doesn't interest me. And this is hard to explain. While the subject matter might not interest me, I do enjoy reading about your efforts and accomplishments! Bottom line, I hope the redesign hasn't hindered your activities in these areas.

Back To Me
For quite a while now, I've only come here to blog and read other people's blogs and contributions. The redesign has been... a challenge for folks who live by the blog. Here's a few things I've noticed.

Nothing. NOTHING is easier. Some great insights are found in Vampiredawn's and SparkleFarkle's blogs. Here's my reiteration of some of those thoughts, and hopefully some original content.

When I go to my page, There's "my tracked blogs" on the right, and "My feed" on the left. What is that "my feed" crap? It seems to be a more vague version of my tracked blogs, along with a couple of six month old news items. And on the right side, where I used to keep up with seven or eight recent blogs at a time, now they have the top four. And they don't give any comment count, much less new comments. What is it to me? Gimme a "B!" Gimme an "I!" Gimme a "T!" Gimme an "E!" Gimme a "S!"

Grassy Knoll Time!
Back to what I said earlier. Nothing is easier. You have to click more to get the same results. Introducing my Conspiracy Theory! When selling website advertising, "page views" are often touted as a website's prowess. If you have to click through two or three more hoops to accomplish what you used to do in one click, mission accomplished! Looks like a lot more activity on paper. I was going to make a House joke about Jack Ruby Tuesdays, but I'll pass. :)

Finally...
The appearance. Is it harder to read blogs on the redesign? It's more than the blinding white background and slightly gray text. More than the snowdrifts against the pale blue sky.

There's a principle in visual communications called Line Length. I learned it in print work, it's kind of a subliminal art. Basically, you don't want small text spread across a wide space. The eyes have to read from one end to another, then jump back to find the next line. The smaller the type and wider the space, the harder it is to jump down to the next line. Which can make it harder to concentrate.

That's why, in the olden days before the redesign, I would make my text larger. It was easier on the eyes. I don't have the same control over the typography now. Maybe that's another "bug" they'll fix.

That's My Redesign Rant! For Now!

:)
TG