The survey answers were fascinating – thank you to everyone who participated. If you are thinking, “Darn, I meant to participate!” you can still do so.
I’m glad that many of you learned about the search box (still there, to the right on your screen) and the drop down list of categories (now labeled “Menu of Topics.”) I’ve learned that simply hanging things out in the sidebar is not enough, but that a survey is a useful vehicle for publicizing features.
Thank you for the feedback on readability. This is a tricky one, because different screens and formats offer different experiences. I’m going to experiment with some changes in the near future. When I have a likely candidate, I will install it and ask for your feedback.
If you see another WordPress blog that you find more readable than this, please bring it to my attention. You can do that simply by emailing me or leaving a comment here with a link to the blog.
Next, thank you for the topic suggestions. For most of this year I have tried to post daily, and I read between the lines that you like the frequent posting. The catch to that, of course, is that I have to write about something, and not everything that goes through my noggin is suitable for posting. Now I have a tidy little list of possibilities on my desk: Thank you!
I appreciate your partnership in this blog, and I particularly appreciate the civility of the comments. In several years, I have only had to delete a very few messages for rude or abusive content; not many bloggers are able to say that.
Finally, let me offer a little Torah to go with all our surveying:
Who is a fool? One who says, “Who can possibly cut down [this] entire field?” The wise person says, “I will cut two basketfuls today and two tonight and two tomorrow, until I’ve completed the whole task.” A foolish student will say, “Who can possibly learn the whole Torah? [The laws of] damages are thirty chapters, [the laws of] vessels are thirty chapters!” A wise student will say, “I will learn two laws today, and two tomorrow, until I have mastered the whole Torah. – Song of Songs Rabbah 5:11, translation CAJE
We are learning together here, bit by bit. Torah is not learned in a day. I appreciate the opportunity to learn with each of you.
A little bit every day… Amen!
Shabbat shalom!!
Shabbat shalom, Jen!
Just further on the readability topic: I have a pretty new MacBook Air with a very high-res, crisp screen (although it’s small). All of the text on your blog displays on my screen in various shades of gray, from light to charcoal, but absolutely nothing reads as black, not even bold text. I know different people have different needs, and higher contrast isn’t always better for everyone, but that’s where my preference lies. I”ll look around for other WordPress sites that I find easier to read.
Thank you, Patti! That is extremely helpful. Shabbat shalom!
I’m seeing bigger text with more contrast! Thank you! Have a good shabbat.
On the new look: I find the text itself a definite improvement, easier to read. But now there’s no list of recent posts, and no “previous post – next post” buttons, both of which I think the old format had, and both of which were big navigation help.
Thanks, Patti – I find this new format meets the requirements of higher-contrast text, but I am not at all happy with the “look and feel.” I’m going to keep working on it. I appreciate your feedback very much.