This year has been full of changes. We’ve changed where we live, who we live with, jobs, medication, lifestyle, support, hospital treatment and wheelchairs. Huge big, massive changes, which despite altering the landscape of my life for the better, have taken a lot of getting used to. Sadly, part of that process meant that I had to put my blog on a back burner for a short time.
In reference to the message I left up for the duration of my “blogging break”, my in-laws are now managing their own health and welfare much better now and are back safely in their own home. The Little Downstairs House wasn’t made for four fully-grown adults and for a while things got a bit hairy, not least when I ended up giving my Father In Law an eyeful when he walked in on me as I was getting dressed. On more than one occasion.
Anyway, where was I? Changes.
It’s been over 3 and a half years since this place had a facelift. I know for some the idea of a website having the same look for more than a month seems horrifying, but for me, I find overly frequent and radically ever-changing website designs jarring.
If when you opened up your ‘Office’ software or your Internet Browser and the Graphical User Interface (i.e. where all the toolbars/menus are, what the icons look like, how they are laid out and the tasks they do) drastically changed every fortnight, you’d get cheesed off. And yet people these sorts of changes to a website on that sort of basis and expect their users to be fine with it. Well, I’m not.
That said, the blog had long since out-grown its previous design: There was limited scope in the layout for the integration of content created via 3rd party websites (Twitter etc) and with each passing month, it was becoming less efficient at what I wanted it to do and more prone to bugs when plugins were changed/updated. I wanted to make use of epigraphs and “pull quotes” and to tailor each post design to its content: give proper emphasis to the EXIF data of my photos, allow myself to make short posts that wouldn’t then give way to masses of empty space. The last design just wouldn’t allow any of that without some serious grappling and if I was going to grapple, I may as well start over and do it properly, from the ground up.
So, here it is: my new blog.
It has its own name now and everything. What with me using my name online in preparation for when I graduate and eventually turn my hand to this “employment” lark, my blog needed an identity of its own. Still something inherently “me”, but ultimately something that marked it as something wholly separate; wholly personal. I have always enjoyed blog names that subverted familiar turns of phrase or played on words in some way or another. Yet, I wanted something that could be used in a .com address that wouldn’t require a good memory and lots of hyphens. The result? Wheelistically: authentic, mildly amusing and a bit different — with a slight crip edge, which hopefully represents my blog, especially in months to come.
The design was partly inspired by the works of the late John Heartfield, a German-born avant-garde artist and ex-Dadaist, known predominantly for his radical photomontages of the 1930s and 40s. The other and most easily identifiable influence is that of the Surrealist Movement; particularly the work of Dali and his Surrealist objects (most notably, the infamous Lobster Telephone [1936]).
Since my art classes at secondary school, I have been drawn to and coveted many a book on 20th Century art, particularly those focused on Surrealism and Dada. During my birthday trip to London last year, I spent days absorbed in art galleries, enthralled by the complex simplicity of Modern Art, fascinated by what it meant, or didn’t — as the case may be! When it came to choosing the subject matter for the final year of my degree AA318: Art of the Twentieth Century seemed and natural and exciting choice and reading the course texts has been nothing short of inspirational.
Many a cynic among you may write off Modern art as a load of cobblers that your 3 year-old could produce. I beg to differ and implore you to read up on your Art History in order to see otherwise. The reality behind what appears at first glance to be baffling, is truly enlightening.
I hope you enjoy you time at my new blog as much as I have creating it. I am so excited to be back writing and sharing here.
A full-time wheelchair user since 1998, Claire lives in an adapted bungalow in England with her Partner of 10 years and their two dogs: 
It’s very different! Will take some getting used to, I’m so used to the old layout! Glad you’re back
Hope things are ok and will settle themselves out soon.
Welcome back.
As Charlie said, it’ll take some getting used to as it’s a big departure from your old design, although that’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with different! I love the line drawings and the beautiful way you’ve incorporated your Tweets.
As for needing to change … well, my old layout was up for 3+ years, too. Can’t say it bothered me and, like you, I only changed it ‘cos of the issues of incorporating new features.
V xx
p.s. Did you get my lengthy email the other week?
Charlie: I’m very glad to be back — and even more glad to have people back here reading and commenting… I had wondered if you’d all gone away
Vixx: Yes, I agree with you and Charlie — it is very different — partly I think because there’s been such a long gap between (re)designs. Hopefully, everyone (including me) will settle in soon.
The tweet cage is one of my favourite elements too (the other being the “Puppy-razzi” just above the footer).
(And yes, I did get your email — will reply as soon as my essay is done — am trying my best not to procrastinate.…too much)
Good to see you are doing well
And the site looks great!
Welcome back. The new design is positively fab. Loving the details (the twitter bird cage, the “Puppy-razzi” as you called them.
Wheelistically is so totally you, too. When I first saw you use the name I properly laughed out loud. 
Ooh, need to dash before Isabel pees on the carpet… :O