So here we are with the shiny new blog design, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Want to roll around in the hay with it?
I absolutely love it, I think it’s cleaner, more pleasing on the eye and easier to navigate, but hey, that’s just me, and after all, I like anchovy sandwiches.
I’d love to hear what you think because we will still be tweaking away for a few days and minor changes can be made. So if there’s some must have feature that is missing let me know in the comments and I’ll see what I can do.
Please bear with us if some links don’t work or the site acts strangely such as sending out posts you have already received because we still have some behind the scenes wizardry to perform.
I say we, that’s a big fat lie as there’s no we about it. I’m a technical wasteland and as such it’s my brilliant designer Louise from De-Reva and my fantastic techie guy, Tim Gary from Mindcue, who will be working out glitches and kicking the asses of any gremlins found lurking where they shouldn’t be lurking.
Whilst I’m dishing the praise please allow me to thank Amy Harrison from HarrisonAmy Copywriting for all her hard work too!
A Daring Adventure Newsletter
After numerous requests I’ve finally resurrected my old newsletter from two years ago and this will be my primary way of delivering free stuff and exclusive offers straight in to your in-box.
As of the beginning of next month all my life coaching special offers (including the free coaching offer if I ever run that again) will be sent to my newsletter readers first and not announced on my blog until later if at all.
When I get sessions donated back by clients to give to people that maybe cannot afford full price life coaching, I’ll be announcing them this way too. That way I know for sure that I’m letting the people that support me get first crack at the whip.
By way of saying thanks, the first newsletter will have an amazing very limited time offer for life coaching.
I’m not saying what it is yet, but suffice to say if you have been pondering life coaching but worried about the cost, sign up now and you wont be disappointed.
The newsletter will really be aimed at self-development junkies that want to get more out of life and some occasional help. As such, I intend to do product reviews of books, audio programs and maybe even training there rather than in the blog. In fact I’ll probably go all Oprah on you and have a book of the month, no less.
I will also be writing exclusive material and thinking of new and more cunning ways to help you get the life of your dreams.
The one thing I will not be doing and that is spamming you or hitting you with multiple broadcasts per month trying to get you to buy stuff. I only plan on sending out the newsletter once per month, unless there is something extra tasty that I think you’ll want to know about.
Free Stuff
You may well have already noticed the ‘free stuff’ tab and be licking your lips in anticipation of an iPad winging it’s way to you courtesy of A Daring Adventure. Well sorry, because I’m fresh out of iPads, but I do have some other goodies you may want to grab hold of.
Again you’ll need to sign up for my newsletter because that is the way I’ll be delivering the free stuff.
You could already have a copy ‘Don’t Ask Stupid Questions – There Are No Stupid Questions’ in some form or other. If so, no worries, because now you can get the new and improved recipe that’s easier on the eye, has additional bonus material and 791 less typos!
If you haven’t read it, cool, because now you get to read the book that my mum said on first seeing it, and I kid you not,
“Yes, that’s very nice dear, now can you help me find my hemorrhoid cream?”
Has there ever been a more glowing recommendation for a book? I have my doubts.
‘Don’t Ask Stupid Questions – There Are No Stupid Questions‘ retails in the Kindle format at $9.99 and in hardback for $14.99 via Amazon, but why pay that when you can get it for free right now?
The Misery Manifesto is a brand new indispensable 22 page guide jam packed with guaranteed tips to bring you down even on those days when you get out on the right side of the bed, the sun is shining and all is good in your life.
You may think some people are just born miserable bastards and you’d be wrong. The reality is they put hour after hour of laborious practice in to perfect their craft. Now you too can get some of the tricks of the trade and short-cut your way to misery just by signing up here.
There will be more free stuff added as I move along and I’ll be very open to requests, so if you need a free doberman or two, let me know.
That’s it for today and hopefully by the time I next post we’ll have everything ticketo-boo and we can get on with the small task of making the world a better place. Thanks for reading!
Tim Brownson is a Certified Life Coach and has been unsticking people and helping them reach their true potential since 2005. If you would like to know how he can help you
Hi Tim!
I do like the new design. The colors are much nicer and I like the new logo and it does seem easy to navigate.
The only thing I don’t like is the background because the darker bits seem to move and distract me.
Take your ritalin!
Much in line with Tracy – like the layout, navigation is easier and it looks much tidier. Don’t they say a tidy house means a tidy mind?! Possibly the same for blogs=)
Really not too keen on the header and background tho’. Header & logo is a bit sparce, it feels like there should be something else there and when I scroll down the lines on the background is like looking at a pc screen on a TV – you know that flickering effect. I expected a bit more in-my-face colour from you – you don’t come across as a ‘muted’ colours kind of guy:)
Good though – much slicker and more professional than the old one!
I really like the header now I am used to it, I like the minimalist feel, I wasn’t sure at first though.
There seems to be a common thread with the mottling effect that it is off-putting. May have to ask Louise about that.
Lovin’ the new site! I like the header – simple is good. But I may agree about the background lines – it is a bit like a flickering tv. But the site itself is streamlined and easy to read!
The only other request I would have – I can only read the first few lines of the post in my RSS feed and have to click through to read the rest of the post. When I follow blogs that do that, I’m less likely to click through to their full post….too many windows open drives me nuts!
Otherwise, looking good!
Not sure what is happening with the RSS feed because I changed that this morning to that it would pull in the entire post. Let me do some digging about.
There you go again Mr Browson…… a brand new blog design and what is the FIRST thing you ask me to do…THINK, cheeky bugger….
BUT, seriously, I think the new design is cleaner and compact , I like the design… although I think (ouch) that the header needs one of the cartoons in it to liven it up a bit.
now can I stop… my brain hurts, you made me think twice!
Go and have a 30 minute nap Mick, you’ve deserved it mate!
I think the design is loads cleaner and much more funky – now I think about it, not very you at all ;)
If I were to suggest anything…
I find the mix of serif and sans serif fonts doesn’t work too well. You can see it on the home page with the “Hi..” text and the bullet points. Be brave, ditch the Helvetica/Arial! Admittedly they are supposed to be easier to read, but you’ll be cool with a serif font so long as the letter and line spacing is sufficient. And;
There’s a couple of typos (I know you like a good dose of these), which would be worth removing from the home page. E.g. the space before the comma after “Brownson, and”. Also, on the bullet list, ones that extend over more than one line should line up, i.e the P of potential with the D of do.
But that’s just me being picky – as you well know that I am!
Looks great Tim – a big improvement!
Actually, I must confess I’m not sure about the preview font for each post, but still trying to absorb everything and not make knee-jerk reactions. Thanks for the typo heads up!
Hi Tim!
Great to see the new site up, been a blast working on it and knowing what you’re offering and other goodies you have lined up I heartily recommend people get on to your mailing list!
I agree, it’s an absolute no-brainer! ;-)
Tim, The new design is gorgeous – very streamlined and I like it.
Not a fan of the background color. Seems a bit still (muted) for a daring adventure but I’ll be stalking your site and every word even if the background made me want to puke and break into hives. Which it doesn’t.
What’s the color of a cold drink in the summertime right before I get to jump out of a plane? ‘Cause whatever that color is that’s what I vote for.
Cheers! –gm
Gorgeous and streamlined? 20 years ago I’d have thought you were talking about me
I like the new look, but not nearly as much as your mother’s response to seeing the new book – that’s priceless!
Yep, she sure didn’t mince her words. Don’t think she ever read the book, but at least we found her cream.
Hey Tim!
Wow! The new site looks fantastic. It is so simple, clean, and inviting. Congratulations on a beautiful design. May the new look & feel bring you much success.
Cheers,
Dena
Thanks Dena!
I subscribed to you via google reader about a day before the ” Im changing” announcement. Honestly, I dont subscribe to blogs for the look, I subscribe for content.. and yours is great. ;-)
Thanks man I appreciate the kind words!
I like the new look very much. The colors are soothing. Just signed up for your newsletter!
Here’s hoping your mom’s backside feels better soon.
I suspect it doesn’t as she died not long after that. You probably feel really bad now, but don’t! I got my sense of humor from my mom and she’d be laughing if she was reading this. If truth be told she really said “arse cream” but I toned it down a bit ;-)
I love these colors and do sort of want to roll around with them a little. Even though you have a lot of options/info in your navigation/sidebar areas, the design is super clean and uncluttered. Great job!
Yeh it’s great fun basking in the adulation of somebody else’s hard work ;-)
I like the new site overall. Much cleaner than the old one.
Like other people, I’m not a fan of the textured background. It’s somewhat okay when both the left (main) and right columns are present. But once the right column ends, you see even more of that textured background and it becomes really distracting.
Also, having all the text of the comments in italics makes them harder to read. It’s be nice if that could be straightened out. :-)
How do you like it lower down when the mottling effect ends, is that better? Thanks for the feedback.
I like the version sans mottling effect much better, yes. Fine by me. Now, if only the comment text could be in a normal font instead of an italic one… :-)
Another personal nit, I don’t really like the pagination for the comments. Now when I come back to read additional comments, I have to hunt for the correct page on top of searching for where I was in the comments. But maybe that’s just me.
Heck, while I’m here complaining, you might want to know that the links to manage subscriptions to comments on old posts don’t work anymore. I got a comment via email on an old post and wanted to unsubscribe from tracking comments on that post. But when I click on the link to “manage my subscriptions” in the email, I get a web page with an error message of “You may not access this page without a valid key.” Not sure if your tech people can do something about that one easily, though.
There, I’ve officially run out of things to complain about, now. :-)
I’ve changed the comments set up so that they don’t get split over more than one page. To be honest though 20 to 25 is usually the the average amount of comments I get and this has been a bit of a one-off so I don’t think it will be an issue.
Not sure what I can do about that, but to make things somewhat easier I have set it up so that comments close after 45 day so you’ll not be getting hit for too many older posts.
Do you hear that? That’s the sound of me blushing and feeling like an ass. Glad she’d get a kick out of it, though. Maybe entertaining the dead folk should be my new mission.
LMAO – no worries at all! She was almost 80 and had Alzheimer’s so it was a blessing in the end.
A really funny story. Just before she passed away she had all the family with her in her room.
She was asleep and all of a sudden woke up. She sat up in bed looked at her kids and grandkids and said,
“I suppose you’re all here to see me pop my clogs? Well don’t worry you wont have long to wait”
She died about an hour later.
Love it, Tim!
I think it makes your blog look much more funky and contemporary. Glad you’re keeping the cartoons as I identify your brand so much with them, if you get what I mean.
Actually I hadn’t decided to keep them it was just that WordPress wasn’t allowing me to upload new images so I had to use stuff that wasalready in my library.
I may well keep them though because they work better than I thought they would, although I’ll keep them limited to one per post as I was spending about $300 per year on images.
I love the new design. Nice and clean, very easy to scan around. Only thing I dislike is the footer. It differs on some pages, and looks more thrown there than designed. Especially navigation links that are almost blended in the background.
Thanks for that I’ll have a check with the footer and see what is going on.
Hi Tim.
I have found that I almost always like the changes I see when a site undergoes a redesign, and that is the case here. The background has a cool texture feel to it, and the top part seems to blend with it reasonably well. I think this look is cooler than your previous site look.
Also, I just saw your Fox 35 interview up there and it sure is nice to see you on a TV channel and giving your input.
Thanks Armen!
Great design Tim – congratulations on taking your blog, and your business, to the next level. Best wishes for continued success.
Thanks Alex,I’ll let you know when I make that next level ;-)
Bloody git. You had me click through my reader to see this. Why I outta…
Is your writing going to change because the emperor got new clothes?
If it is, then it won’t matter what I think about how your site looks, I’ll be outta here.
Geesh although I think you also probably took all the material for that misery manifesto from me and if I hadn’t clicked through I wouldn’t have known that because it’s not like you sent out a regular newsletter in the last two years.
Thank you, it’s ages since anybody called me a git and I miss that kind of abuse that Americans just don’t dish out enough ;-)
I wouldn’t know how to change my style of writing so I wouldn’t worry too much!
I, for one, love both the background and the header. I think the background is very soothing and clean, and leaves the emphasis on the important stuff — which is what you have to SAY. However, the big blank space in the header kind of makes it look like something is missing; are you considering inserting any kind of picture or graphic to the left of your (very nice-looking) logo?
To echo David above: I read you for your awesomeness, not your design. That said, I think your new design looks great!
P.S. Regarding the typo issue: I sense that you are rather fond of your typos, and they are endearing — but if you ever decide you don’t find them endearing anymore my offer still stands! :)
Let me know what you think in a few days Lynn. I thought the same at first but it has really grown on me.
Thanks for the kind words and whereas fond may be pushing it a bit, I certainly wouldn’t want to slow up the process with something as tedious as editing ;-)
Tim:
Not sure I like the shade of green you used. Thankfully, you didn’t use a picture of yourself or some St. Louis Rams logo. I like the simple layout and it is easy to navigate. Nice job!
Jim
Better than that the Jags teal!
BTW, what happened to you, I thought we were talking?
excellent – it’s clean, clear and easy on the eyes. Soft colors are good – there’s so much flash out there. Let’s all remain calm… ;)
LOL, I agree, some calm and tranquility is called for, it’s only a blog ;-)
I like the design for the most part. I would switch the header over to the left hand side, rather than the right though. It looks like there’s something missing with the big empty space in your header.
“Sign up to Tim’s news letter..” on the sidebar should be one word instead of two, IMHO.
How about adding a Books or Products navigation link on the top? You can promote your book better that way. I would also move it up to under your newsletter (before subscription and your video link) so you attract more attention to people buying your book.
Oh, and are you going to install CommentLuv plugin? (hint, hint)
Overall, it’s a nice design. Good job!
Karen
No idea what has happened to Commentluv as all plugins were reinstalled. thanks for the heads up though because I hadn’t noticed it and I can check it out now.
Also, thanks for the typos!
Tim,
Congrats on the new site. ‘Tis quite soothing on the eyes, and the colors are very unique (at least I haven’t seen them around the web).
I wanted to leave a post with some of Karen’s suggestions (esp. about the header’s alignment), but Karen did a great job so I’m just going to second all her suggestions.
Thanks, Karen! :D
The partial posts have got to go. Rather than read your stories, I just bypassed them in my reader. Don’t try to control my experience with your site. What would Seth Godin say about this?
As I said above Ben I have changed that in WordPress (it had defaulted back when we did the change), so I’m guessing that will come into force with the next post if it hasn’t already.
As for Seth, I have no idea and I honestly couldn’t give a rats ass because it’s not his site ;-)
Seriously, we are having teething problems, but we’ll get over them in the next few days. Thanks for your patience.
Teal would look so much better. I am just trying to catch up at the office. Lots of new projects, just need more organization or hours in the day.
I never critique website designs without some background infos. So, where’s the creative brief?
Just kidding. It looks much cleaner than the last design and everything is easy to find. The extra information is great too, like the FAQs page and your rates. From a usability point of view, I give it an A+.
I signed up for your newsletter too. Who knows why I wasn’t before, but oh well!
All in all, very fine job!
Thanks! You weren’t signed up for my newsletter largely because I didn’t have one! I shut it down 2 years ago.
We have a cartoon! Yay! First post too, thanks Tim, MWAH!
I like this new site a lot better, much more professional and I think it’s more ‘you’ as well. Very nice, and good luck with ironing out the glitches.
BTW, I’d love you to go back to full RSS feeds, not an excerpt. I often read my RSS (via email) when I’m not connected to the internet. The chances of me remembering to come back to a post later so I can click through and read the whole thing are negligible.
Not sure what’s happening with that and a few people have mentioned it. I think it defaulted back to delivering excerpts only. I have changed it in WordPress but waiting to see what happens next time I post.
I agree the header looks too empty. Perhaps a photo of Johnny and me is just what is needed. Bob
Johnny and you naked perhaps?
I second Bob’s suggestion.
But also, I really like it. The use of the name “The Discomfort Zone” as PART of your larger site confused me.
Also, I you chose “Website support by Mindcue” because it’s run by a Tim didn’t you, you Tim-centric fucker?
Oh Johnny, don’t be InTIMidated by us!
No shit we stick together. How else can we get the word out that there are awesome Tim’s out there who don’t have the last name of Burton?
Louise did a great job with the design and deserves massive kudos for the positive reaction! !
I’m just happy for the unbelievable lack of new lines in the error logs, and how quiet it’s been on the “broken stuff” channel! It was a Sunday very well spent, moving things around and making sure it all worked.
Agreed on the Discomfort Zone. Who the hell wants to be a part of that!
-Tim
Thank you Tim (Gary) – it has been great working with you and would not have been able to do the technical part without you! I’d say we’re one heck of a team ;-)
So now you tell me you didn’t like the name. FFS Truant you are my hero I’d have scrapped it months ago if I’d known.
Have you ever thought of changing your name to Tim?
I love it. Much more readable and engaging!
Thanks for the feedback
Its certainly pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate…love the cartoons on your site….hope to see more of them ;)
I almost scrapped the cartoons, but I think they are staying now as so many people said they like them.
I love it! You’ve made a nice, tranquil, cozy corner that encourages one for more visits :) Something about the header disturbs me, but I can’t put my finger on it. I wish the font size of the content area was a little bigger. My old eyes :)
Congratulations, really. I’ll make sure I’ll visit more often.
Let me know if you work out what is disturbing you. I was unsure of the header to begin with, I thought it looked a tad bear, but now I’ve got used to it I really like it.
Hi Tim,
I had only discovered you blog relatively recently so was v disappointed when I found out it was going……however now I’m smiling again, love this new design.
But anchovy sandwiches? eeewwwww.
Kate
Have you tried them? A bit of an acquired taste I would imagine.
Tim, have to agree about the green as it’s a bit murky for me though the original purple was also a bit in your face. Magnolia maybe? Like the header though but not sure what the font look is. I would want to convey a daring adventure in the font i.e. map style look for adventure, rope style for outdoor adventure or one of your cartoons like someone scaling a mountain all convey the message and the name of the blog.
The current header doesn’t really synchronise the ethic and ethos here. But you still have the same brilliant, off the wall, alternative views on life and that, above all else, is what’s imperative.
Magnolia??? Come on John, next you’ll be suggesting I get an avocado bathroom suite ;-)
Love the new look, it’s soft on the eyes, the green is perfect and the content equally so. Looking forward to following as always.
Erin
Soft on the eyes, unlike me! Thanks.
Well, I have to go with the green not being my favorite but I suppose I can look past that for the great content. The rest is very clean and well laid out.
I think I’d have to agree with the header. It feels the image is still loading or something.
See what you think in a few visits time. The header has really grown on me, but keen to see if it does on others too. Thanks for the feedback.
Thinking that something very clean and simple could be added to the header image… Like a thick curvy dashed line like on old treasure map type images… Would fit the Adventure theme, and also show that the space is meant to be open and clear.
I like it how it is, but would be curious to see it with something like that to compare to.
Hello Tim
Great design for the great site :) It’s nice to see all this order I liked cactuses but it’s ok and the colour of hope is also acceptalbe. I love en idea of one cartoon per post.
I would like to thank you for all you’ve taught me and I ask for more.
From now I won’t ask stupid questions :D, well maybe one last time: May I have “How To Be Rich And Happy” for free ? :P:P:P
Cheers form Poland
Like others, I find the background distracting, and the header looks a little “bare” to me.
Quick heads-up … your title text on the front page has “The Discomfort Zone” – “Life Coach & Life Coaching : Tim Brownson : The Discomfort Zone”
The navigation is much more straightforward now, good stuff with that, and the general look and feel is more contemporary. The white text on green background of the menu isn’t the easiest combination to read, for me.
I’d rather the comments weren’t in italic, and I think that font is lighter too, making it harder to read.
The main font for posts could be bumped up a notch perhaps, though I find it perfectly readable as is.
All in all, great stuff :-D
Yeah! Another person to join me in my anti-italics for comments crusade! :-)
Hi Ali,
We took away the background almost immediately, do you still see it? If yes, try to delete your cache file and refresh. Working on the italics of the comments – agree!
Testing CommentLuv… Ok everyone, it’s back
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Hello, Tim! I love the new design! The only thing I have trouble with is that the contrast between the stark white and the background are really glarey on my eyes. That won’t stop me reading — I’ll just grab my shades. Just thought you’d like to know, though.
I appreciate the simplicity – while I didn’t dislike anything in particular about the old design, this one is more straightforward to navigate.
The color scheme doesn’t bother me, but I did find the purple of the old design grabbed a bit more mainly b/c it’s not a commonly used color. The colors here are a bit plain by comparison, but they’re easy on the eyes so I think it works.
Happy to see the brand wrapped up. The old site seemed split somehow between A Daring Adventure and The Discomfort Zone, and it wasn’t clear what the distinction, if any, was.
One other thing: on your Rates page, I think it might do some good to make it clear how people can get started. It’s not obvious, and I think working in a clear call-to-action button/link, even if it just points to your Contact page, will be better for users.
Congrats on the new design. I hope it serves you well.
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Done! Thanks mate never spotted that.
I like it, it’s fresh and clean
I like your logo
I adore the new logo/header! It’s perfect!
Tim – you’re getting loads of comments on your blog, which is great. But I personally find the first line a bit hard to read. I naturally try to start reading from the very left under the photo/icon by their name. I think it’s much clearer for replies longer than 1 line. Minor amend that I think would aid clarity/reading.
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