Technically, this is post 1603 on this blog. I just learned how to determine the number of posts via the WordPress platform, to which I changed this blog from Google’s blogger in April. This is an update about this blog and blogging and so forth from the owner\/author. (Notice the updated photo header, too? I try to do that from time to time.)
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\nI left Blogger for a few reasons — I never could figure out how to have Blogger power a blog on my own domain (not on blogspot), and also (primarily) because Blogger updated its interface in April and did a very messy job with it. It was confounding and difficult to use. I see that over the summer, they improved the Blogger user interface so it is better, but still it is not as intuitive as the old interface. Further, like with many google products, it seems to decide on its own how you want things formatted, and it is a pain in the butt to change it.<\/p>\n
I am finding that working with WordPress is working out okay, and intuitive enough that this non-geek can figure it out. It was easy to learn how to host it on its own domain, as a subdomain co-hosted with my boots website, bootedman.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n I had to learn very quickly how to install plugins that work with this blog that block and suppress spam. I am amazed how many spammers try to post comments on this blog — an average of 50 per day, that include links to all sorts of spurious websites that if I allowed them to be posted and someone clicked on those links, they would probably steal your identity, your money, and your first-born if you didn’t protect your computer with active and updated anti-malware programs (I run four of them every day, two of them in real-time, always active.)<\/p>\n Well, spammers for uggs and fake gucci bags with built-in malware links, I’m on to ‘ya. Go away and rot in (a hot place.)<\/p>\n I’ve enjoyed installing other plug-ins, such as my local weather (right side), QRC code (which I can’t use since I don’t have a smartphone, but understand from others that they have used it) and a few other helpful applications that assist with behind-the-scenes blog support. I have no intention of adding other plug-ins for social media integration. BHD has no account on Facebook, Twitter, or the like, and won’t.<\/p>\n My rate of blogging is about an average of one post every other day, rather than once a day as I had done for the past two years. I reduced my blogging rate as I was running out of new material, and rather than “burn out” and abandon the blog as I have observed so many other bloggers do, I find that for the most part, I am able to keep up at this rate and continue to exercise my interest in writing, rambling, or whatever I do here.<\/p>\n My writings continue to be about people and issues that I love or enjoy in my life: my fiance (numero uno); boots; leather; motorcycling; daily life and activities; caregiving for my senior pals; life as a gay man\/couple in a straight world; masculinity and masculine gay men; and general commentary on being a gay man in a committed relationship who loves living in the ‘burbs, doesn’t like city\/nightlife, and is pretty much a homebody. Frankly, I have a rather boring, steady, lifestyle.<\/p>\n According to mashable.com, only 5% of personal blogs have posted this many entries and have been maintained this long — in January, 2013, I will have reached the five-year milestone. Few others can say that. (And I am personally very sorry to see that my ol’ pal Cliff, who blogged almost every day since February, 2005, about the boots he was wearing, abandoned his blog in July this year. Cliff, sorry to see you go.) I commend fellow boot blogger Roland for continuing his blog, after he launched his blog in April 2008, a few months after I did.<\/p>\n I dunno, is there more? There’s always more, but so far so good. I continue to extend my most heartfelt appreciation and thanks to my readers, as well as those who comment or send me email which leads to ideas to blog about. Thank you very much.<\/p>\n Life is short: keep on bloggin’!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Technically, this is post 1603 on this blog. I just learned how to determine the number of posts via the WordPress platform, to which I changed this blog from Google’s blogger in April. This is an update about this blog … Continue reading