Several times now, I have threatened to redesign this blog. This involves moving from my nice, cozy, not-at-all scary home here at WordPress.com to the confusing, mysterious, possibly haunted home that is self-hosting at WordPress.org. As the day to flip the switch has drawn closer, I’ve begun to worry this new arrangement will be “way more blog” than I need. I hope to grow into it, hoarding new posts and wonderful subscribers like I hoard memories and clothes that don’t fit me anymore in my real-life house. Wait, that didn’t sound right.
The good news is that the domain won’t change, so you’ll have no trouble finding me (Logy Express!). The bad news is that many of your subscriptions will go kaput (technical term). And I love my subscribers. You make me feel like I’m in a relationship in which flowers are still brought (don’t make me start singing “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.”).
If you subscribed via email or you “followed” the blog via WordPress.com, you will no longer get updates about new posts after the switch (quelle horreur!). If you subscribed via RSS, your subscription should be fine (unless you were an early subscriber and subscribed before I set up Feedburner, so you should check your subscription too).
When is the switch? Thanks for asking. It will be sometime this week, hopefully Wednesday. This happens to be the anniversary of D-Day, so I’m hoping that’s a good omen.
So now is the time on Sprockets when I ask you, my lovely subscribers, to visit Logy Express later this week and please re-subscribe.
While I’m sure reading my posts would be its own reward, I’m not above bribery. So any current subscribers who have re-subscribed via email (if you subscribe by RSS, let me know and I’ll take your word for it) by the end of June will have their names placed into a hat Research Randomizer and the winner will receive…something. My original idea was to ship the winner homemade ice cream in the flavor or three of their choice. But then I investigated dry ice shipping and laughed ruefully (I want to reward you guys, but I also want to retire early). So if the winner lives within driving distance, and wants ice cream, they can win ice cream.
Otherwise, I’m thinking baked good or a mix CD containing the songs I plan to use to train my Pandora station. OK…and a $20 Amazon gift card. You guys drive a hard bargain.
In the immortal words of Chris Harrison, host of the Bachelor, I hope you all will continue on this “journey” with me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj10EzNKA2M
Peace out,
Tracy
More power to ya! I don’t have enough knowledge to run the blog with back-end stuff, so I’ve never done self-hosting. Good luck with the move!
Abby, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m bat-shit crazy for doing this. Hopefully the programmer guy I’m working with will give me ongoing remedial help.
I’m self-hosted. You’ll be fine!
Also, I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to bring me some ice cream to eat while reading your RSS feed. =) My husband calls it “health ice cream” and also believes in “medicinal milkshakes.”
I could probably hook you up with some ice cream. AFTER all this craziness is over! What flavor floats your boat?
Awesome! I love vanilla based flavors with other stuff in it, but I also like multiple choice questions. Do you have a favorite creation? I’m excited!
I’m still digging out from the redesign–I meant to respond to this. I am still trying to perfect a vanilla–so I haven’t really started thinking much about what to swirl into it. My current obsession is trying to make an ice cream that tastes like cc cookie dough (it might also have actual cookie dough pieces in it, but I want the ice cream itself to taste like dough).
I think you’re nearby, right???
Yes, I’m nearby in Vienna. Is your ice cream offer still valid? =) I would love to try that cookie dough flavor!
Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream! Strawberry pretzel salad, right? I’m sure I’m within driving distance…I have to be. I live in the middle of the country.
Please, Tracy, enlighten me on the benefits of going to WordPress.org and self-hosting. I know nothing about it. I know of several bloggers who have done this recently and haven’t heard yet how it changes their lives.
If you’re ever in DC, let me know and I’ll make sure you get some strawberry pretzel salad. Although I wonder how much dry ice I would need to drive to you…road trip!!!
Right now, switching has changed my life by giving me the hives of regret (a la possibly losing most of my subscribers, losing all my WP.com post “likes,” breaking my YouTube video embeds, messing up my photo captions, and freaking out about getting the site ready by my self-imposed deadline).
It just seemed like a lot of what I wanted to do (google analytics, editorial calendar, design customization) required self-hosting. If I’m wrong about that, I implore people not to tell me, cause it’s too late now.
I echo Angie–mainly about the ice cream, but also about the mysterious land of wordpress.org where the unicorns prance and the streets are filled with gold.
See my response to Angie, in which I admit I’m doing all this work without really knowing what the advantages are. Sometimes I’m not very bright. Hopefully the unicorns at WP.org can fix my photo captions for me. Er!!!!
Yeah! Now I can stop getting hijacked by WP and my URL changed to my OLD WP blog every time I try to post a comment. Whoo whoo!
I’m here to serve. I’m also glad that someone finally gave me a reason why switching is good, since I’m too ignorant to articulate any.
Now the real question is, will any of these comments ever show up on the new site since they all arrived post-content import?!? Tune in Wed and see!!!
I have toyed with this idea too! I was afraid of the Big Move so I have clung to WordPress.com. I applaud you and can’t wait to see the new design. I’ll be following!
Hi Zoe-through the magic of copying and pasting, your comment on the old site appears here!
Hope you’ll stick around on the new Logy Express.
Ok, I’m all updated. I love the new look!
Thanks, Emily! I’m glad you made it over here!