Blog Questions Challenge
As best as I can tell, this started with a post on blog.avas.space. I can’t remember where I first saw it1 — that’s one downside of RSS readers: you lose some visual cues, so it’s harder to recall specific sites. No one tagged me, but I thought it was a fun idea.
Why did you start blogging in the first place?
I think I started my first “blog” in 2000. I was hand-writing HTML and uploading it to a friend’s server. Those files were lost sometime in the era of Zip disks.
I began publishing online as a way to experiment with the web and share updates with my friends and family. I posted about what I was doing, including photos and playlists from my college radio show.
What platform are you using to manage your blog, and why did you choose it? Have you blogged on other platforms before?
I’m currently using Curt Merrill’s System for Managing Content (CMSMC), a Django app I’m building. I chose to create my own platform to gain experience in developing and deploying a web app and to focus on the features I want or need.
I’ve used other systems before, including WordPress, Movable Type, LiveJournal, Hugo, Jekyll, and Pelican.
How do you write your posts? For example, in a local editing tool or in a panel/dashboard that's part of your blog?
Lately, I’ve been starting posts in my notes app, NotePlan. I haven’t set up a decent text editor in my CMS, so writing there is a frustrating experience.
When do you feel most inspired to write?
I’m most inspired to write when I’m reading others’ blogs. But once I create a new document and give it a title, writing suddenly feels like the last thing I want to do.
Do you publish immediately after writing, or do you let it simmer as a draft?
It takes me a while to complete a post. I tend to jot down a few notes and then step away for a while. Later, I’ll come back to create an outline and let that sit. Over multiple sessions, I flesh it out until I get tired of editing and finally click “publish.” But I almost always find more edits to make afterward.
What’s your favorite post on your blog?
Recency bias may be at play, but I’d go with Framed. I’m proud of getting the figures to update as I log more plays of the game.
Any future plans for your blog? Maybe a redesign, a move to another platform, or adding a new feature?
My main goal is to publish more often.
As for features, I’d like to add Webmention support, and I really admire Darek Kay’s styled RSS feed.