I’m willing to admit when I’m wrong and I was. Way wrong. Wronger than wrong. Full Site Editing isn’t the devil.
It’s a useful fall guy, though, so I took full advantage and blamed it for everything. I’m serious. I laid all my shortcomings at the feet of the editor — the lackluster thinking, the insipid topics, my bad attitude and lethargy. Full site editing was the bad guy. Not me, I was its innocent victim.
That’d be the perfect alibi, except for one thing: I’m completely at fault.
I’ve been standing in my own way this whole time, arms crossed and sniffish, refusing to give the new (and old) editor a fair chance. My mind was not only closed, it was sealed shut. That was the problem. No one can imagine or invent or create or soar with a closed-mind. Ideas and fresh thinking can’t possibly get in. Nothing can. And imagination withers.
Once the epiphany sunk in, I slinked off to WordPress Support, tail between my legs. They were gracious, understanding, and had the experience and expertise I sorely lacked. I’m still floundering, even with their unflagging support, but I’m making progress and progress is motivation. Hell, I’m happy just to wander around and push strange buttons. Sometimes it leads intriguing places, sometimes it leads to regret. The point is, it’s fun experimenting with new things. New things are exciting.
Gary Larson, The Far Side cartoonist, went through a similar resurgence. Years after he retired from cartooning, exhausted by deadlines and restrictions, he began flirting with digital technology on a tablet. And …
His inspiration came roaring back. Now he has a website, a pile of new work, and no set schedule.
For me, the new technology has been curiously liberating. I’m teetering on the brink of enthusiasm here, anxious to dig in and redesign this place. Images, style, tone of voice, colors, fonts, my thinking, the whole enchilada. This website, I’ve decided, will be an on-going evolution rather than a finished piece.
To that end, the doors and windows are wide open to whatever blows in. My new motto is, out with the stale, in with the fresh. Or fresher, anyway. These first steps are scary, they’re intimidating, and the most fun I’ve had in years.
copyright © 2023 the whirly girl
the whirly girl 
8 responses to “[ the 180 ]”
Clean, easy to read, fun images – Looking good! Blogging is work, but we shouldn’t have to struggle to upload and share what we’ve created; who has that kind of time/energy to spare? You’ve convinced me to spend more time with WordPress Support. Thanks for going into the trenches for us, pal! 😍
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I can’t say enough good things about WP Support. They’re just awesome. Once you have a grip on the editor, you can kind of feel your way around. A little. It’s gonna take time, but this, too, will become second nature if we keep at it. I’m still in baby steps mode and have zero faith I’ll remember my newly found skills and the paths I followed, yet my pessimism is offset with hope. The basics are in place and the fun part lies ahead — the tweaking and revising, the polishing, the innovation. All I need to do now is come up with ideas and get better acquainted with the tools. So, I chalk it up as a win!
Just as an fyi: I compose the text in pages because it’s easier to focus on the words there, then begin the design work after uploading it into a post. It cuts down on the frustration.
And you’re very welcome❣️
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So now you’re back to WordPress again? I’m so confused lol
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I didn’t leave, I complained, instead. Bitterly and often. Now that I’m learning to navigate with the new editor, my enthusiasm has returned. Better, more interesting posts might soon follow. Maybe. I’m anxious to find out 🫣
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You give us hope, even old analogue codgers like me – plus some terrific metaphors! Doors, windows … even pictures of them … what more could a blogfan want? :)
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Hiya, Dave 👋 Thank you, but you’re doing great! The simple fact I’ve made a little progress proves there’s hope for everyone. Taking the chip off my shoulder was the hardest part. Thanks to WP Support I feel like I’m on the road to recovery in a 12-step program for the pigheaded — one day at a time. :o)
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The post looks great and, as always, reads very well. Skills all round … may have to investigate further myself!
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You made my day!
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