Puntabulous

Seriously?

“He changed his layout again?!“

I know, I know, I change my layout all the time. But this one needed to be done because I’ve been stressing out so much about my blog lately, I really needed a change. This new theme is meant to reflect the new relaxed attitude of Puntabulous. Don’t you feel relaxed just looking at it? After a nice discussion with Scott, he helped me realize some changes I need to make to the blog.

Posts will be shorter and breezier. And no more forced blogging. Blogging for the sake of having a new post is just silly. I didn’t have a post on Monday because I was hanging out with my Mom on Sunday night and wasn’t able to blog. Let me tell you, I stressed out so hardcore on Monday. It was ridiculous. I think the new mood of Puntabulous will avoid this.

Also, I was getting into this “features” mindset and it was really holding me back. For example, I saw WALL-E on Saturday. I would have loved to have posted a review on Sunday, but I held off and saved it for my weekly movie review post. By the time I wrote it, I didn’t have the same passion that I had for it right after seeing it. So if I want to post a freaking movie review, I’ll post a freaking movie review.

So here I am, writing about life more casually. I think it’ll be fun.

RANDOM | Craig | July 16, 2008 9:16 pm

49 Comments

By Ryan R., July 16, 2008 @ 9:22 pm

How can I spend time picking a random month from the archives?
By jerekeys, July 16, 2008 @ 9:57 pm

I like the casual, laid-back approach. Not sure about the new layout yet. It’s very white.
By Miss Britt, July 16, 2008 @ 10:02 pm

YAY for casual and random!

BOOOO for no sidebar or archives or EASY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO FIND YOUR AWESOME DEBATE WITH ME!!
By Miss Britt, July 16, 2008 @ 10:02 pm

Wait. Notify me of comments? Like.. you might actually start responding to them?
By Craig, July 16, 2008 @ 10:06 pm

Yeah, the lack of a sidebar is an issue. But I’m hoping to fix that, or come up with some sort of happy middle ground.

Or maybe I’ll just end every post with “Hey guys! Remember that awesome debate I did with Miss Britt?! Well read it again!”
By Maggie, July 16, 2008 @ 10:14 pm

I like the new look!
By TwoPi, July 16, 2008 @ 10:16 pm

Maybe you should register layoutabulous.com, you know, just in case….
By Avitable, July 16, 2008 @ 10:22 pm

It was hard to figure out how to leave a comment, and I think having some type of minimal sidebar is a good idea, just so you have archives, an about page and your debates are too awesome not to list.
By Brian, July 16, 2008 @ 10:23 pm

Rockin’ the justify! Me likey.

Down with side bars!
By Craig, July 16, 2008 @ 10:43 pm

Avitable: I made a direct link to the comments under each post. Is that better?
By Avitable, July 16, 2008 @ 10:44 pm

Yeah, that makes it easier.
By Dave S., July 16, 2008 @ 10:53 pm

I like it from a number of perspectives.
By BeRightBack, July 16, 2008 @ 11:10 pm

I miss my avatar! Don’t…don’t you?

I miss the sidebar too, and easy access to the archives. But complaining is dumb because a) not my blog and b) it’ll probably change up again soon anyhow. And the point is the content (Craig), after all.

(is there a way to have a comment preview feature?)
By FDot, July 16, 2008 @ 11:25 pm

I find this stripped down version quite visually appealing. It does give a more relaxed vibe to the site. As for your new posting regimen, post what you want whenever you want, I’ll be here to read them.
By Scott-O-Rama, July 17, 2008 @ 2:35 am

Looks good. I understand the complaints about lack of a sidebar, but I like the simplicity of it too. It puts the focus on the content.

Do what’s best for you.
By Ryan R., July 17, 2008 @ 3:48 am

If you want to keep things, it might be best to just have one link for each section that used to be on the side. That would keep functionality while reducing business.

Busyness?

PS – How I supposed to Haul out the Holly now?
By KÃ¡ri, July 17, 2008 @ 5:31 am

Yeah, post whatever you want. Though you could write them and save them, if you want to keep doing the day-specific feature stuff.
By Îž_Heather, July 17, 2008 @ 6:26 am

Very minimalist, though I agree about the sidebar for practicality.

(I know what you mean about missing a day, though when we skip days I try to keep the perspective that it has to be OK, since a blog that’s more work than fun is, well, more work than fun. And that’s no fun.)
By Dave S., July 17, 2008 @ 6:58 am

Now that I’m actually at my computer rather than looking at Puntabulous via my iPhone, I like it. Simple, clean. I definitely like the laid-back feel. I miss the sidebar, simply because I’m often pointing people to the Evil Bunny posts, the SV & VG storyline, and the hilarity of the various debates (except for mine…), but that’s okay. It’ll just take an adjustment to the new Puntabulous paradigm.
By Craig, July 17, 2008 @ 7:42 am

Avatars are back!
By Dave S., July 17, 2008 @ 7:57 am

Awesome!!! Love the new you, Craig!
By Hayden, July 17, 2008 @ 8:07 am

Screw the sidebar complaining! The only sidebar I need is the one serving me a boilermaker…Really how often do you people use the sidebar? If you read puntabulous all the time you don’t need to go to the past and the blogroll was a waste of time. Earn your own readership, don’t ride on Craig’s fancy coattails…I love the new layout…zen and the art of puntabulous…not every day, when you really need it….perfect Craiger
By Craig, July 17, 2008 @ 8:12 am

Hayden: The “earn your own readership” comment isn’t very nice or accurate. People find me through other people’s blogrolls all the time. I’m going to try and make the blogroll a bit more prominent, or work on linking to other sites more frequently to make up for it being kinda hidden.
By Avitable, July 17, 2008 @ 8:13 am

Maybe you could just set a couple of small tabs at the top, under your header, that drop down?
By john, July 17, 2008 @ 8:18 am

I can’t really add to what has been said above about why you are making the change other than to say, it is your blog do what feels right to you.

The new look is streamlined and nice. It took a little getting used to, but most changes do. Looking forward to future posts.
By David, July 17, 2008 @ 8:57 am

But isn’t my amusement more important than your peace of mind?

I really liked the previous iteration of the blog, but I’ll let this grow on me.
By polt, July 17, 2008 @ 9:23 am

Hmm, my work computer let me right on today. Even let me view the two previous days posts as well. Must have something to do with the new layout?

And speaking of which, I like it too. The new layout reminds me of Craiggers: simple, laid back, extremely pale, and sidebar free. Not too sure about the last one, but I wanted to comment on the sidebar issue too!

HUGS….
By GoKitty, July 17, 2008 @ 10:12 am

Hmm, I dont really like the new format. It reminds of someone’s beginner blog who doesnt know how to mess with settings and customizations. It makes also makes me thing that if Calvin Klein or Jil Sander did a blog, this is what it would look like.
By Craig, July 17, 2008 @ 10:18 am

I’m working on a drop down blogroll now, blogs will be added throughout the day. Then I’ll make one for archives and so forth.

GoKitty: That’s the point. Back to basics.
By Melissa, July 17, 2008 @ 10:19 am

I feel so relaxed all of a sudden..
Probably because i’m looking at this new super relaxed layout..
By BeRightBack, July 17, 2008 @ 10:23 am

Avatars! You do listen!
By ChickyMama, July 17, 2008 @ 10:34 am

Surprising adorable! The starkness is a relaxing change from the bombardment of color some other blogs throw at their readers. Nice, nice, nice!!
By Hayden, July 17, 2008 @ 11:04 am

I must take back my nasty comments about the blogroll, I am sorry puntabulous readers. The new blogroll system works perfectly…
By Craig, July 17, 2008 @ 11:14 am

Since I added the blogroll to the top, the expanded menu on the bottom has been changed from the blogroll, to the archives by month. Hope that helps people find all the awful posts of my past.
By TwoPi, July 17, 2008 @ 11:31 am

Archives prior to November 2005 are inaccessible. I’ve never tried viewing these before, but the redesign called attention to them, and then from your “Ten Worst Posts” video I knew to expect PUNS of all blessed things from your early work, and got excited at the prospect.

Sigh.
By Craig, July 17, 2008 @ 11:51 am

TwoPi: Yeah, that’s been a problem for a while. I’m not sure how to fix it. The posts themselves are viewable, but the archives for those months don’t work. I haven’t been able to figure it out.
By Mark, July 17, 2008 @ 12:14 pm

I love the new layout, but then I’ve always been a black and white kinda guy, (Ansel Adams). I find it a much more relaxed read.
By Mark, July 17, 2008 @ 12:39 pm

Thanks for the dropdown blogroll. That’s how i always go to Polt, Jake, vuboq and Mike Lawson. (set as favorites, who has time)
By TwoPi, July 17, 2008 @ 12:48 pm

It has the symptoms of a global read permissions for the folder error, or possibly the archive web page itself doesn’t exist within those folders/paths. Depends a bit on the server OS….
By Chris, July 17, 2008 @ 2:14 pm

I like the simplicity of the new layout. It loads more quickly and is readable faster than the last layout. The navigation to other areas of the site could be improved. One way might be a simple CSS based drop down menu at the top of the page. I am glad that you are stressing less about the blog.

Your blog has inspired me to consider starting my own blog. I have not yet begun blogging, and I can already appreciate the challenges of producing a quality blog. There are so many decisions to make, and directions to go in! I think I just have to start something it see where it takes me.
By Michelle M., July 17, 2008 @ 3:10 pm

I’ll take my Puntabulous any way I can get it, thank you.
By Mark, July 17, 2008 @ 3:17 pm

I agree with Michelle M. 100%
By Robert, July 17, 2008 @ 3:35 pm

I miss seeing your face
By Meee, July 17, 2008 @ 8:11 pm

I am on vacation and been away from the computer some and I’ll admit I nearly had a heart attack when I saw something different pop up on the screen. Thought you’d disappeared and something foreign was on the site. But hey, being laid back is good for me.
By Ryan R., July 18, 2008 @ 2:45 am

That thing on the bottom looks great.
By Thomas B., July 18, 2008 @ 9:17 am

Hey Craig,
Your new layout is great. It’s very elegant, and so nice to read ! And the dropdown blogroll is really clever. This layout is by far my favorite, and it’s great that you get to show off those superb SV&VG drawings!
By Jake, July 18, 2008 @ 10:42 am

This is basically how I run my blog – I tried to do the whole weekly article stuff or whatever, but I just can’t keep it going! I’d rather just blog when I can about whatever I want… it’s SO much easier.
By chris, July 20, 2008 @ 9:58 pm

can’t say i read through everything above, but not so sure i like the new layout. well, i don’t mind it except for the fact that the font is ginormous and makes me feel as though i’ve aged 72 years and need to increase everything so my feeble eyes can read it. is it supposed to be that huge or is it a trick my macbook is playing on me?
By leah, July 20, 2008 @ 11:09 pm

I don’t know how “crazy” i am about the site… part of what I LOVED was the original dorkiness… Loved the reindeer noise stuff from way back… loved the dorky fun… loved the content..

The new look is kinda’ echo chamber-ish (?)

but then I loved super viagra before they got “pretty-fied” as well.. sigh.