Trying Word Press

Since I received the dreaded notice that Blogger is switching permanently to the new interface during the next month, I decided it was time to get serious about looking for an alternative. Thanks to Barbara of Me and My Dog I re-read her post about switching to Word Press and decided to try it. Exporting the posts and comments from Blogger was easy enough, and they were soon available in Word Press. When I attempted to do some tweaking, however, the glow soon faded. For example, an important thing to me is to use a slightly larger font size, and to use the bold feature. My eyesight isn’t what it once was, and although I know a lot of readers can see much better than I can, I think there may be enough seniors out there who appreciate an easier to read font.

Everything in Word Press, including all the helps and instructions, seem to be in a grey color print rather than black. I have tons of trouble with that. I found that I can customize the fonts, but at a charge of $30 per year (I’m writing this from memory, but I’m nearly sure that’s what the charge is.) There is probably a big advantage in paying for the premium subscription rather than using free, but I don’t feel my blog warrants the cost. If I had a business going on the side, or maybe if my focus was a bit different, it might be worth it. I’m just writing a plain journal-type blog, and those who find some of what I write to be of interest will read it. I have a site meter widget but find that I rarely look at it on a daily basis, so I’m not writing to rack up the number of readers or comments.

Which brings me to another point I’d rather not even discuss, but I feel I have to say it even though it probably won’t change anything. That is, I am well aware that not everyone likes me or my blog. So DON’T READ IT! Is that concept so hard to comprehend? I know several of us have been plagued with comments that are full of ridicule and sarcasm, and I why those commenters can’t just get a life and read only blogs they enjoy.

Back to Word Press vs Blogger, I think I could make the switch except for the cost of making it easier to read for me and whomever else out there appreciates a bit of help. At least I now have a duplicate blog with nearly all my posts should Blogger decide to delete my account. I have heard several folks say they went to their blog one day to find it had been closed or deleted by Blogger, and I sure don’t want to lose my several years of efforts in that manner although I can’t imagine why Blogger would even do that. I do back up my Blogger account from time to time, but I’m not sure how I would go about opening the backup into a form that is readable unless it would be to import it into another blogging program.

I didn’t go to soccer this morning and I feel bad about it, but I am cold and it is windy outside. I have been cold the past few days, and sometimes have trouble getting enough air into my lungs, so I’m staying out of the elements for today.

When I posted my pictures several weeks ago of the space shuttle Challenger, I had no idea that NASA would be sending shuttles to DC, LA and NY. I just felt a push to scan and post those pictures. The shuttle flew into NY yesterday and though I didn’t get to see it, they showed a few seconds of it against the NY skyline on the news.

I’ve mentioned that I’m not all that interested in planes, but I had another experience back in the 1980’s when the Concorde flew into San Francisco. I was at the annual Corps of Engineers picnic which was held in a mid-town park, and all of the sudden I looked up to see an immense plane flying so low, and so slow, and so quietly, that it was almost surreal. I think they had to take measures to avoid the sonic booms and noise while going into SFO, which is 100+ miles from Sacramento. It was a beautiful sight, like a gigantic bird soaring just above the treetops.