UPDATE FROM RON: Well, as you can see, there’s a header and some semblance of a salad-inspired logo, per your [intlink id="2499" type="post"]voting on Day 16[/intlink]! I’m not totally satisfied, but it’s a good start. As others are doing across the Blogathon today, I’m playing swapsies with one of my favorite bloggers today, the brilliant Meredith Resnick. Come see what I wrote on her blog, and please enjoy her post here—but remember that she’s (apparently) prone to exaggeration. A fine relationship we have, certainly, but I’m not all that. 
Guest Blogger Meredith Resnick
When that special someone comes along you just know. That it’s right, that it works, that it’s meant to be. You know the relationship is going to last a long time.
I knew it when I met my husband. And I knew it when I met my blog designer. I am not here to talk about husbands. I am here to talk about blog designers. Actually, one blog designer: Ron Doyle, the owner and creator and nurturer of this very Blog Salad.
I see my cyber/long-distance (I’m in California, he’s in Colorado) relationship with Ron as a marriage of sorts. It’s a relationship where both of us contribute equally—but not necessarily the same things. I love hearing writers speak about their work. However, I started The Writer’s [Inner] Journey because I crave insight into how they work, or rather, how their creative mind works. I wanted the tangible not the abstract; I wanted to feel connected, not competitive. And I wanted to create a site that visually matched the discovery I was after—and complement rather than distract from the amazing voices I feature week after week.
One of the great things about Ron is that he’s a writer, too. And somewhat of a visionary (I’m attracted to people like that—my husband is one of those visionary types, too). By visionary I mean he’s able to sense patterns and trends before they actually show up on everyone else’s radar. These types have a keen interest in many things and are smart enough to understand what’s important to understand. For bloggers there are so many cyber issues at stake, you want someone who has your blog’s back. And can explain (I still can’t!) why he has your blog’s back even before you (and most others) realize your blog (and theirs) needs it.
At times the designer is educating the writer to help her bring her vision to reality within the time, ability and monetary guidelines that are agreeable to both. I think the part where the writer is educating the designer is more about helping the designer see her site as individual and unique as the blogger herself. I’m lucky that Ron’s my maintenance maven, so if trouble arises, or if I don’t understand a plug-in or an update, I don’t have to cry over my keyboard trying to figure it out. In fact, I was just telling my husband a story about how Ron fixed a glitch on my site and how it reminded me of how he (my husband) helps me with stuff I don’t understand but never makes me feel stupid (nor does Ron). So, happy marriage.
One more thing I learned from my husband: that so many times it pays to pay for things we could—with lots of practice and hand-wringing, and in my case tears—do for ourselves.
But I’d rather be writing. Wouldn’t you?
Meredith Resnick is the creator of The Writer’s [Inner] Journey. http://writersinnerjourney.com/
Loved the “I’d rather be writing” as it applies to so many of us. I could also relate to Meredith’s description of her relationship with you, Ron. And, finally, what she said about paying rings so true. This is a rule I have learned to apply to innkeeping. My time is valuable. Sometimes it just makes sense to pay someone to do something.
[...] [Ron Doyle is my amazing blog designer. See his official bio below. Also, check out my post on his Blog Salad Blog!] [...]
i enjoyed the bob-and-weave using your husband and ron, in the beginning and at the end. it was clever and cute and wrapped things up with a little flourish.