1. i had to find a template i liked
2. then i had to download the template and upload it into blogger
3. then i had to edit the html code by copying and pasting links to individual url's for each page element to make sure the layout fit together properly
4. then i had to re-add all my widgets (the stuff in the right hand column)
5. then i had to reformat the html code again so that my label cloud actually looked like a label cloud
6. then i had to search for an rgb color code so that i could change the html code again so that the label cloud contained the colors that i liked
7. and finally i hit save so that i could write this post on all my struggles*
so anyway, with all this looking through html code you'd think i'd be some sort of expert by now in web-site creation (or whatever they call it), but i'm not. the next time i decide to change my blog layout, i'm sure it will be another half-day ordeal because everything i learned from my trials today will have left through my other ear by then.
my options seem to be to never change my blog layout EVER AGAIN! or i could try to change it more often so it becomes easier. i've voted to change it more often, but i know that won't happen. so i hope this blog is pleasant to look at...because you'll be looking at the same one for a loooong time. happy reading!!
*this new template was not actually created in 7 "easy" steps. between each step were multiple instances of trial and error. "first i tried to add all my page elements, but the background didn't fit the whole page. so, i consulted the instructions and comments (5 times each) and found out how to fix the problem...OOOHH!! you have to make sure that the settings for the individual page elements don't say 'shrink to fit' they need to say 1mb. gosh, how was i supposed to know that?"
