Mastodawn

UPDATE: Looks like this might be easier than I thought – going to give it a go with a couple of candidate themes.

Request for help: WordPress theme font customisation (perhaps through child theme?) – possibly other minor brand-related tweaks (e.g. colours).

Potentially paid gig (let’s talk!) helping me utilise a webfont pack in a theme.

I’m yet to settle on the theme (can be part of the scope to advise/suggest), but I know the fonts I want to use (appropriate web use licenses purchased).

Mostly pages at start (likely <5, with a form or two), not blog posts, but I might want to post down the track (so set up but not in navigation menus for now).

This is for my own sole trader small business I’m setting up – aiming for simple self-support, not rampant business growth.

I have a *strict* “No AI” policy in all facets of the business, including any design/coding work (I will not undertake, accept, or condone theft from other workers, let alone all the other issues).

If paid gig, Aussies with an ABN preferred, but neither is a deal breaker for the right person.

Voluntary help from anywhere gratefully accepted 😀 (Cheeky, I know, but I’m between gigs right now!)

Please boost for reach.

#FediHelp #SmallBusiness #SelfHosted #SelfHosting #WordPress #WordPressAdmin #WordPressAdmins #WordPressThemes #NoAI #WebDesign #Website #WebDevelopment #WordPressHelp

ResearchBuzz: Firehose Apr 29

WordPress: A New Theme for Short-Form Blogging on WordPress.com. “At WordPress.com, we believe short thoughts deserve a real home. Today we’re introducing a new theme built for quick posts, replies, and reblogs: the kind of writing that lives somewhere between a tweet and a blog post, on a site that’s entirely yours.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2026/04/29/wordpress-a-new-theme-for-short-form-blogging-on-wordpress-com/

WordPress: A New Theme for Short-Form Blogging on WordPress.com

WordPress: A New Theme for Short-Form Blogging on WordPress.com. “At WordPress.com, we believe short thoughts deserve a real home. Today we’re introducing a new theme built for quick posts, r…

ResearchBuzz: Firehose

RSTheme Apr 28

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Hugh's Views & News Apr 27

April 2026 Blogging Highlights: WordPress Block Themes, Old Cameras & New Beginnings

After a short unplanned break, the monthly roundups are finally back! Life got busy, the posts got away from me for a bit, but I’m picking things up again, and I’m excited to share what you may have missed.

Why These Roundups Are Back

I asked myself whether monthly roundup posts were beneficial.

After receiving readers’ thanks, it seems clear that these posts are a great way to help people catch up on what they’ve missed. After all, life is busy for many of us, so polite reminders help.

What do you think—do these kinds of posts help you?

Here are the posts I published this month:

This Month’s Featured Posts

1. How I Finally Switched My Blog to a Block Theme

How I Finally Switched My Blog to a Block Theme – Challenges, Wins, and Must-Know Tips for WordPress Bloggers.

After ten years of hesitation, I finally switched my blog to a block theme. This post covers what went wrong, what surprised me, and the tips I wish I’d known.

2. From Box Cameras to iPhone Cameras

From Box Cameras to iPhone Cameras: Why Photography Plays an Important Part in Blogging

From box cameras to iPhone cameras, discover how old family photos continue to shape our memories, stories, and identities in today’s digital blogging world. If you enjoy taking a trip back to the past, when black‑and‑white photos were king, this post will bring back many happy memories.

3. You’re Not Stuck: Changing Your Blog Theme

You’re Not Stuck: The Surprising Power Of Finally Changing Your Blog Theme.

Is your blog looking like it’s stuck in the 20th century? Are you spending more time neglecting it than looking after it? This post explores how fear can quietly keep us “busy but stuck” — and how small, imperfect changes can move you forward again.

Join the Conversation

I’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave a comment here.
If you’re responding to one of the featured posts, leave your comment on that post instead so other readers can easily find and join the conversation there.

The featured image in this post was created using the WordPress image generator. AI was used to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and to help with the layout of the post.

You can follow me at the following sites.

#BlockThemes #BlogDesign #Blogging #BloggingCommunity #BloggingTips #cameras #iPhonePhotography #monthlyRoundup #photography #WordPress #WordPressThemes

Bharath Upendra Apr 22

BORROWED STORIES

The Epic of Gilgamesh predates the Bible by at least a thousand years. Multiple mythologies share its themes, structure, sequence, and specific details. That's not coincidence or parallel evolution. It's borrowing. Take the flood. In Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is warned by a god, builds a boat, loads it with animals, releases birds to find land. The gods regret what they've done. In Genesis: divine warning, ark, animals, birds, mountain landing, God's regret. Same sequence, same order. The […]

https://ridiculousbharath.wordpress.com/2026/04/22/borrowed-stories/

Hugh's Views & News Apr 6

How I Finally Switched My Blog to a Block Theme – Challenges, Wins, and Must-Know Tips for WordPress Bloggers

Switching My Blog From a Classic to a Block Theme

Hello. Thank you for joining me on the other side. If you are unsure what I am talking about, check out my last post, ‘Why Now Is The Time To Pull Up My ‘Big Boy’ Trousers’ About My Blog‘ for the answers.

I did it! All those months of worry and “what-ifs” are now a thing of the past. I’ve launched my blog into the 21st century, joining many of you who have already done the same thing.

Ten years ago, when I first changed the theme of my blog, only Classic themes were available. It took me a whole weekend to change themes.

Over the years, and since the introduction of Block themes, WordPress has made it easier to change a blog’s theme. And I have to say that I am thankful to them for making it an easy process. If I can do it, anyone can.

The Challenges I Faced

How long did it take me to change from a Classic to a Block theme?

Two years! But all of that was my fault because I was too scared to face the change! I kept giving myself excuses as to why I shouldn’t do it. Given that there is a lot of information and many tutorials on how to make the switch, all those excuses were just me telling myself I lacked confidence. That’s something I regret.

When I checked out all the Block themes and sat down to make the switch, I had a new theme up and running within an hour. Sure, I had to make some changes along the way, but I was shocked by how easy it was to make the switch. A whole weekend to change the theme of a blog turned into an hour!

Were there any challenges in making the change?

Yes! But everything we do comes with its challenges, and blogging is no different. The first challenge was the time I wasted checking out all the Block themes. I spent far too long trying lots of them out, when what I should have done was stick with the first one I liked and knew would work for me.
Another challenge was the persistence with which I told myself this was going to be difficult and turn out badly. It wasn’t! I also stopped listening to people telling me I didn’t need to make the change, and those who were negative about it. I was surprised by how quickly I made the switch, though watching tutorials and reading advice on how to do it certainly helped.
My biggest challenge was being unpredictable and not following the correct instructions when making some changes. For example, while adding blocks to the sidebar of my new-look blog, WordPress prompted me several times with the message, “Are you sure you do not want to save the changes?” and I still answered “Yes!” What was I thinking? Who knows?

The Positives of Making the Change

What were the positives about making the change?

The excitement about changing the theme of my blog was the feeling I had when I was a kid in a sweet shop, with so much choice, although that was a time-wasting trap I fell into. But the feeling kept me positive throughout the process.
Another positive was all the wonderful support and tutorials out there on how to change your blog’s theme from Classic to Block. Sure, you need some time to watch and learn, but we make time for learning something new throughout our whole lives, so why not this?
But the biggest positive was the feeling I got when I saw my blog and its new theme for the first time. I felt I had taken a massive step forward on my blogging journey. The old theme I’ve been using for the last five years now seems so outdated, even though it’s still one of the few Classic themes WordPress has not retired…yet.

Where I blog from

My Recommendations for Changing Blog Themes

What recommendations do I make when changing blog themes?

Don’t put it off. If it’s something you want (and know) you have to do, stop making excuses for not doing it. Not having enough time to make the change is probably the king of all the excuses, but time should never be a problem or an excuse.
Consider taking your blog offline while you make the change. Although I did not do this, there is an option to do so. On the dashboard of your blog, go to Settings – Reading, and scroll down to Site Visibility. Click the ‘Coming Soon‘ option before clicking the Save button at the bottom of the page. Doing this will remove any ‘panic’ about visitors to your blog seeing errors while you are working on the switch.
I opted for informing my readers in a post that I was making changes. I’d recommend you do the same unless you take your blog offline.
Take some time to watch tutorials and read information on how to make the switch from a Classic to a Block theme. WordPress has a post titled “Switch from a classic theme to a block theme” that explains everything you need to know.
Do not listen to anyone who dislikes or hates change and who will try to put you off from making the change. Believe in yourself and leave those negative people behind.
Don’t spend too much time checking out all the different themes. I wasted almost two weeks doing that and should have stuck to the first theme (this one) I liked.
Take the chance to do some blog housekeeping while switching themes. I updated my social media blocks, book links, audited categories and tags, and updated my ‘About‘ page.

Closing Thoughts and Thank You

Thank you to everyone who has already been in touch, saying how much they like my new-look blog and to everyone who has given me feedback to help make further improvements.

If you have questions about switching from a Classic to a Block theme, don’t be afraid to reach out. I’m always happy to help.

In the meantime, I’d love your feedback on the new theme for my blog. Let me know if there is anything you like or don’t like. I’m happy for any suggestions to make my blog as welcoming and engaging as possible.

Oh! And most importantly, for those wanting to know, the new theme I chose is called “Nook.”

Have you changed the theme of your WordPress blog from Classic to Block? Did you encounter any problems? What were they, and how did you resolve them?

The featured image in this post was created using the WordPress image generator. AI was used to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and to help with the layout of the post.

You can follow me at the following sites.

#BlockEditor #BlockThemes #BlogDesign #BlogMakeover #BloggingAdvice #ClassicEditor #HowTo #ThemeChange #WordPress #WordPressThemes #WordPressCom

Hugh's Views & News Mar 23

Why Now Is The Time To Pull Up My ‘Big Boy’ Trousers’ About My Blog

Have you heard of the saying, ‘Don’t put off today what can be done tomorrow’? I should tell myself that more often because tomorrow becomes tomorrow, and that tomorrow becomes another tomorrow. Before you know it, weeks, months or even years have passed you by, and you still haven’t done what you were putting off until tomorrow.

Last week, after visiting some blogs, I asked myself, ‘Why haven’t I done what they have done yet?’ And the simple and truthful answer was ‘Because of me.’ But what am I referring to?

‘What if?’ moments. Do you ever have them?

A ‘What if’ moment is those moments in life when you believe something is holding you back from doing something you know needs to be done, but you have doubts about it. The problem is that it isn’t the doubts that are holding you back.

The ‘What if’ moment I’ve been having has lasted for the best part of two years.

‘What if changing the theme of my blog from Classic to Block causes problems?’

Given that thousands of other bloggers have done it, I know that, while problems may occur, they can be resolved!

When WordPress introduced the Block Editor, which now seems like many years ago, I disliked it and did everything I could to avoid giving it a chance. I fought myself, declaring I’ll never use it and that I hated the change. And there was my downfall – ‘change.’ I wasn’t willing to accept it.

Then another blogger said in one of her posts, ‘The Block Editor isn’t hard to use; it’s just different.’ That got me thinking, and it was not long before I realised that the reason I didn’t like the change was that I hadn’t set aside any time to read tutorials and watch them, and to give the Block editor a try.

It wasn’t long before I was telling myself that trying out the Block Editor was like switching up from black-and-white to colour television.

Why then has it taken me so long to begin the switch from a Classic to a Block theme? The answer to that question is ‘Me.’ What if something goes wrong? What if I break my blog? What if all my posts disappear? What if my blog disappears without a trace?’ Why if, what if, what if?

The problem with all those questions is that they are not problems. They are excuses. Excuses to stop myself from making changes. And I have found in life that change opens new doors and brings new opportunities. And that’s what switching to using the Block editor did.

But why fix what’s not broken?

I hear people say, ‘Why fix what’s not broken?’ But nobody is fixing anything. All websites have to keep up with technological changes; they would lose many paying customers if they didn’t adapt. It’s paying customers who keep companies alive by buying their products or services, allowing some users to use the site for free.

Now, replace the question ”Why fix what’s not broken?’ with, ‘Why update what is not broken?’ You now have your answer.

Not all WordPress users are lucky enough to have had a choice between a Classic and a Block editor. Many have never known anything but the Block Editor, and they all seem to be doing a great job. However, did you know that the Block editor includes a Classic block that allows users to use the Classic editor?

What’s about to happen on my blog?

Over the next few weeks, you may notice a few changes with my blog as I switch from a Classic to a Block theme. If you notice anything wrong, please let me know, so I can resolve it. There’s plenty of support available on WordPress when you take the time to find it. Part of the excitement for me is choosing a new theme, but another reason I am making the switch is that I gain access to many more blogging tools and options, many of which help users save time.

Finally, I’m pleased to say I’ve changed concerns into excitement. I’m no longer allowing change to stop me from moving ahead on my blogging journey. I want my blog to become part of today’s technology, rather than remain stuck in yesterday’s.

This is my final post using a Classic theme on my blog. Bear with me while I make the changes to a Block theme. Hopefully, it won’t be long before I see you on the other side.

Where I blog from

Update – I did it! I made the change. Check my post How I Finally Switched My Blog to a Block Theme – Challenges, Wins, and Must-Know Tips for WordPress Bloggers for all the details.

Have you changed the theme of your WordPress blog from Classic to Block? Did you encounter any problems? What were they, and how did you resolve them?

The featured image in this post was created using the WordPress image generator. AI was used to check for grammar and spelling mistakes and to help with the layout of the post.

You can follow me at the following sites.

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