Someone told me that the front page of my personal site is just a webring page. I was really peeved! I've worked hard to make that a nice entrance way. It still seems kind of unprofessional and "needs improvement" but it's so much better than my first few versions. I'm getting the hang of tables. Sometimes I even understand why they suddenly warp and flop around like fish out of water. Only sometimes.

Anyway, I took a few dozen second looks at my site and I realized that she may have ignored all my graphics and the bit of introduction and just decided that my front page was for webrings and an index to the rest of the site. I guess graphics aren't enough. They are pretty pictures but they are also discounted as far as meaty content.

So, I am trying to think of something more to do with some of that front page real estate. You are welcome to take a look and offer suggestions. http://www.thatgrrl.com/

I don't want to do any of the standard home page things like an introduction or a biography. Why put site visitors to sleep before they have even begun to look around? Once you read a few biographies they all start sounding the same.

I need something unique and startlingly new. Something that will have people talking about my amazing feats of front page technique for as long as the Internet still clicks. The problem is, I have no ideas, so far.

Isn't it interesting how much time we put into catching people's attention? Is it entertainment or information? That is the first thing I need to decide. I'm leaning away from entertainment. But, once I get that figured out all the other decisions will be much easier.

I'll let you know how it goes. Keep in mind, all my website tampering takes place over months, not weeks. In other words, don't hold your breath, it could be hazardous to your health.

PS - It's amazing. My typing must be getting much much better. In all of this blabberation I had just one typo when I ran it through spellcheck. Damn I'm good!

What are the keys to a good website? I think there are 3 main things. I have created this list from many years (6) spent reviewing websites.

Navigation, style and content. You can adapt that to NSC, or not. Not works for me, I'm not even sure how to say that.

Anyway, navigation is probably the most under rated website building thing. But, if people can't find your content... what's the point? Navigation needs to be simple, easy to use and easy to find. Some people hide navigation in graphics. Some of them hide it in text. Have you ever seen a site where you click on your browser type to enter it? There is nothing there to say "hey! this is how you enter my site!" Unless it's a site for psychics, it's not very useful and it's a navigational flop. Not to mention pretty annoying for someone who spends time trying to find access to the site and gives up eventually.

I put content ahead of style because content is what people actually came to your site for. It wasn't a demonstration of frames, flash or pop up ads. Hope that didn't come as a shock to anyone. Content should be spelled right, proofread for typos and at least a little fact checking is a good idea. It's also a good idea to change your content now and then. Ideally you should update your site as often as you want people to come in and visit it. If you want daily visits a blog is a good way to go. But, blog everyday with something at least a little unique and interesting. Focus is a good thing too. Being too diversified makes it hard for readers to know your voice and understand what you believe in, who you are. People like to see pictures of the people they read because they want to know who is behind the words.

Last, style, it's kind of the buffer between your content and navigation. It's what makes your site colourful, unique and gives it an attitude that people can see even before they start reading your content. But, style should not take over your site. After all, you want them to read your words too. Things like flash or a ton of graphics will drown you out. Also, people are not likely to wait for an unknown site to load. Especially when it's just a bunch of graphics, not what they came for.

So, off you go. Put up your brilliant websites, make the rest of us green with envy. That, or you know we'll be there to borrow your best ideas and adapt them for our own sites. Did I just type that... ignore that woman behind the curtain she knows way too many of my secrets.

A compliment is a statement of an agreeable truth; flattery is the statement of an agreeable untruth. (Sir John A. MacDonald)

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out of it alive. (Elbert Hubbard)

Write injuries in the sand, kindnesses in marble.

You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated. (Maya Angelou)

Life is much like writing in ink : All you can do is read over your past and look forward to a blank page for your future that will soon be filled with words that can never be erased. (Gabe Suico)

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist." --Oscar Wilde

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." --Mark Twain

"There's much to be said for challenging fate instead of ducking behind it." --Diana Trilling