Redesigning Motivation

Some may have noticed a recent quiet descend on this humble abode. There are a few reasons why. None of them dramatic, or ripe with tension. I often think how simple Life would be if cause and effect could be whittled to a single sentence, but such is not Life as We live it. The circumstances and events of our days are seldom, if ever, the result of one particular reason. It may seem so at first glance, but with a patient peeling of the layers, a rich complexity of influences appears. The Human Being is too vast a creature for tidy mathematical answers. The Human, Being, is a process unfolding. We’re messy like that.

The circumstances and events of our days are seldom, if ever, the result of one particular reason. It may seem so at first glance, but with a patient peeling of the layers, a rich complexity of influences appears.

In spite of all that fluff and sparkle, I could simmer my absence down to five factors; a fractured awareness, still moving, re-calibrating, damn lazy, enjoying the moment. There is a story in each. I’ll refrain from letting them run wild, and let each evolve, or not, over time. Suffice it to say, this particular period of rest has come to an end.

I’ve always been of the opinion, or tried to be of the opinion, that if you are not inspired to publish a weblog post then it is best not to. Posting for the sake of it is a tired game, for the author and the unlucky reader. This isn’t a matter of quality over quantity. It’s a matter of principle, for me. Why engage in a self-imposed activity if you are not inspired? The World does not melt each time I write, and I am under no obligations except those I declare. It would be a sad state of affairs if one let their personal weblog dictate the tide of their moods.

At the same time, explanations are good. Thus, I write a vague and, in some ways, pointless one. Here’s some solid ground though. I redesigned The Barley Hut so drop on by to take a look if you have the time, or inclination. The redesign was inspired by a stubborn vein that runs through my spine like Rebar. The thought behind the change went something like this;

“This is a writing journal. All I really care about, other than you, is the cascade of words. This place is cluttered with crap. I am feeling claustrophobic. Most weblogs are cluttered with crap. The whole damn World is cluttered with dime store crap. I can’t think with all this crap.”

And so a new look emerges, focused, for the most part, solely on my writing. I considered the risk I run by aborting a sidebar and various other blog Gospels, like lists of recent posts and categories. In the end I settled on doing things my way, knowing I can add or subtract as need and desire dictate. Not much of a surprise if you know me well. I can be an unholy terror if I feel my sense of freedom is collapsing.

I tend to scour weblogs and websites when I visit. If the writing grabs me, I’ll look at everything. In this way I am a great and deep visitor. I think. Therefore, I simply settled on a design in concert with my own habits. If the writing doesn’t grab you, fine, something else, somewhere else will. I’m cool with that. Who wants to appeal to everyone anyway, other than a politician? Sounds like a curse to me. If my writing does appeal to you then you’ll probably delve a little further into the site. Either way it all revolves around the language, and thus its central place in this journal.

The standard caveat applies here. I am decidedly not a web designer. I honestly do not have a firm, or even loose, grasp of design principles. I eschew study for my preferred slash and burn style of getting it to look “right.” Right being relative to my askew view. So there’s that. There’s also the matter of quirks and knots in the site, which in time should be ironed out. And, of course, the influences, which I’ll properly credit on the About Page in the next few days.

And that is that. Sometimes a fresh coat of paint can color motivation are brighter shade of glory.

May 11 2007 07:43:00 PM EDT