[warning: this post is not about folk singers.]

They say all good things that come must go… that the silver lining we rely on for optimism is eventually removed and melted down… they say you don’t know what you’ve got until someone tells you… and even then, they could be lying…….

They say all of that…. yes… and more….

….. so it’s with this in mind that we bid adieu to our awesome guest blogger Marivic Tagala (@sorano916) winner of SYTYCD-FDL Season 5. She rocked it out here at johncabrera.com during the months of August/September, with her Navy Yards, her Filipino delicacies, and Clooneys galore. So she will forever hold a place of distinction here. (If you missed any of her posts, check’em out.)

But now things are pretty much back to the way they were. Pics are up. Links are fixed. And… um… who is John Cabrera again?

Exactly.

But as I was cleaning up, I started to think……*sigh*… “I really need a new look here, don’t I?”

I mean, I think my blog design is cool, I do… but for the past couple months I’ve been feeling like I need a change. Is it petty of me to be more inspired to write when I’m super into the look of my site? I guess blog themes, because of how easy they are to install, aren’t much different from the clothes we wear, are they? Or maybe more like the interior design of our homes.

Do any of you ever feel like your productivity is somewhat linked to how you feel about your current look? Like you get some new furniture and you want to host a party? A great hair cut and suddenly you’re ready to write a novel? Or you’re wearing a cool new shirt and you just feel like, “yeah! I’m with it! I’m totally with the times, man! Let’s do this shit!”

You know?

So I’ve been thinking new design. But something consistent across all of my sites, cause that’s my digital OCD.

Here’s the plan. Three sites:

cabrera.me – This is going to be a sorta birds eye view of my current social media habits. And of course, easy access to all of my different online residences. I’m not sure how I’m going to design it exactly. As you can see, right now it’s just a list of links. But I want to do something cool and interactive. Single page flash app. Fun, a little strange, but slick.

johncabrera.com (You don’t have to click on that link. You’re already here) – This blog will remain my home base. But I want to build a theme that feels more like a home. Of course, not in the literal sense with like chairs and sofas as buttons…. but I guess I do want to find a sort of architectural or interior design feel. Modern but cozy. Like lacquered cement floor meets flokati rug.

Kidding. But you know what I mean. Something that feels like you’re hanging at my place.

Oh, on a sidenote, my WordPress totally got hacked. I caught it before any real damage was done, but it could have been bad. Seriously. Like “delete all my posts” bad. From now on, I will not procrastinate updating my WordPress versions.

meme.johncabrera.com – Well, first of all, I’m pretty sure I’m dropping the “meme.” prefix (it’s a little too memey), and for those who don’t know, this is my Tumblr. It’s also where I’ve been spending most of my web time these days.

And maybe it’s because of the immediacy of Tumblr, the constant interaction with others through the dashboard, that I’m starting to think of my tumblog more as an avatar than a site. My blog feels like a place, a meeting ground, where I can talk about something at length, get your feedback, host a game month, have someone stay in my guest room (in exchange for guest posts, of course.)

… but my Tumblr, on the other hand, feels more like… well… me. And all of your Tumblrs feel kind of like you. Or rather you inside of a robot, interacting with me inside of my robot.

I guess this is just a long winded way of saying that I’ve started to think of my Tumblr theme sort of like clothing. And I realize I’ve been wearing the same set of stinky clothes for months now. So I need a change. In fact, I may go for a whole new wardrobe… a few different outfits I can change into throughout the week.

Hip
Business Casual
Lazy Weekend
Sporty
The Great Outdoors
Formal (for special occasions)

I don’t know… am I being overambitious here?

Anyway, I’m back. I’ve got some Banjo Archer posts coming your way. A post about Flash Forward. I’ve got another SYTYCD-FDL in October.

So let’s do this, right?!