Friday, April 02, 2010

New template: Tell me what you think

Dear reader

As you can see, I have finally updated the template that controls the layout of this blog, including colors, fonts and what goes where on the side-bars.  I hope you like the new look!

I'll continue to refine the layout, but I am keen to hear how I can make it work better for you:
  • What do you like / not like?
  • Suggest improvements
And, while you are at it, please tell me what kind of posts you would like to see more of in the future.
E.g.
  • Principles
  • Learning and teaching tips
  • Connecting martial arts practice and real life
  • Links to other online martial arts articles and resources
  • Book reviews
  • You name it (and I might do it!)
If point me to examples of past posts that you liked (or don't! ;-), that helps me too.

Also, since I have a few overlapping audiences, could you also tell me which camp you fall in?  E.g.:
  1. Prospective martial arts students, especially those considering learning jiu-jitsu
  2. My own students, and martial arts colleagues
  3. Other martial artists, including martial arts bloggers
  4. Friends and adoring family.
You can leave a comment, or alternatively email me at tenchi.ryu.jiujitsu@gmail.com.


Thanks in advance

-- Dan

13 comments:

thinkfeldie said...

Very swish new look :)

Sue C said...

Hi Dan, I like the new look! I've just switched to a 3 column template as well - about time Blogger caught up with that one.

I think your layout is fine. The only thing I would change (if it was me) is to make the contrast between the side bars and the post more evident, i.e make the background colour for the side bars a bit darker or the background for the posts lighter - just so the posts stand out a bit more. But that's just my opinion.

I like all your posts. I particularly like your posts on principles or training tips - I find a lot of the things you say can be applied to other martial arts as well as jujitsu - so it's a bit like having another sensei listening to you!

Dan Prager said...

Thanks Bob.

Thanks Sue: I agree with you about the contrast between the main column and the sidebars. Unfortunately the effect is achieved with a background image so it's nontrivial to change. However, it is a long weekend!

Michele said...

Very nice! I like the three column layout and the color scheme.

I enjoy reading your well written and informative blog! Thank you for sharing.

Dan Prager said...

Michele: Thanks for the kind feedback; I could say exactly the same about your wonderful blog.

Dan Prager said...

Sue: I think that the background colours are much better now; thanks also for the feedback about the posts, and the reminder to not be too jiu-jitsu focussed.

Love your new template by the way (little bit envious)!

Sue C said...

It looks brilliant now. By the way I didn't intend to suggest you shouldn't be too jujitsu focussed, it's what you do afterall. It's up to the reader to extrapolate meaning for their own art - your writing makes it perfectly possible to do this. Just carry on!

Littlefair said...

New template:
*like*!

caterina said...

I live in the northeast US, and I started studying kenpo four years ago at the age of 39 (our curriculum includes some jiu-jitsu as well). I started reading your blog this fall, and I enjoy reading thoughts from half the world away that make so much sense to me.

For example, your recent post about mastery versus spiral learning. When I started karate, I thought it would be very stepwise—you learn the material for your rank, you move up to the next one and learn something else, and so on. But really, you also have to spiral back and learn “old” material again as you progress, hopefully with better technique and more perspective.

I also really appreciated your November 12 post about the road to wisdom--if you begin martial arts as an adult, you had certainly better be prepared to focus on erring less and less!

Anyway, I like your mix of topics the way it is and hope you won’t change too much. Thank you for blogging!

Dan Prager said...

Hi Caterina

Thanks for the positive feedback. It's great hearing from readers from all around the world.

I've haven't consciously thought about the age of my readership, but since I'm of a similar vintage to you it's perhaps unsurprising that there's resonance in my writing for people in their -- ahem -- middle years.

caterina said...

I thought it was called the “prime of life”! ☺ Oh, well!

Dan Prager said...

Caterina: “prime of life” - definitely a better way of putting. And true!

Unknown said...

It's very beautiful, thanks for sharing....
web templates at easy to download.