The WordPress Customizing Series, Part 1!

Welcome Back!! 

Here is the Class recording from 11/21/23

Here is the Class recording from 11/14/23

Assignment #10 – > (details below)

This week in CT101 we will be focusing on getting everyone set-up with their new websites! The coupon code that you need was sent last week to your York college e-mail address (please e-mail me if you did not receive it).

By now, many of you got started, you have a new domain name, a web hosting account, and a blank / default website framework ready to be customized and stylized!

I’ll be helping here with the customizing process of WordPress. This part will have multiple aspects to it.

There is a lot to share, create, experiment with and test!

The process is fun and will take a few weeks as you make several aesthetic and functionality decisions about how you would like your website to look.

This will all play out in context to “how” you plan to use your new website. Not only as a new site owner, but looking into the future as well.

So, how will you be using your new website?

Assignment #10 –

This week let’s dig into some of the customizing features that WordPress offers as we begin to design our new websites.

What will you work on first? Will you create a series of new pages? Will you remove default content from your theme? Customize the home page? Publish a blog post? Will you create a category or two? Add plug-ins? Changes colors?

Let’s publish a NEW blog post that shares a narrative statement about your process and discoveries, as well as HOW you will be using your new website as we go forward. You can publish this post on the CT101 class site. Please don’t forget to embed various pieces of media (images, screenshots, gifs, hyperlinks) and also share contextual content to help expand your post. 

**For example, there are many video tutorials on YouTube that share “how-to” videos for beginners, or customizing videos for the theme that you will be using, this is context 🙂

I will continue to make and record class videos and also share some helpful curated content from the Internet. We will be discussing HOW we will all be using our websites individually, just to mention again 🙂

But WAIT! You cant do anything above unless you have done this: -> Domain Name Registration, Hosting Set Up & WordPress Installation! <— Please read this important post to get started! (from last week)

I was going to focus on using one of the newest WordPress themes called:  “Twenty-Twenty-Three” –  BUT – I found it to be cumbersome and a lil’ difficult to use for the first time – Lets follow my tutorial above from class and apply the “Twenty Twenty One” Theme instead.

WordPress themes are extremely versatile and are great for WordPress newbies and beginners. I highly suggest that you consider using the theme that I share (2021). All themes are different, and many of them out there promoted on the Internet are not free (plus, its always helpful to start with a theme that has a good amount of video documentation that already exists.)

More to come!

PLEASE E-MAIL me and say hello, let me know how I can help you! [email protected]

As we reach the middle of the fall semester, It is important for me to see the things that I have learned in Ct 101 and briefly discuss them with an open mind.  We are not yet towards the final countdown but it is always good to reflect.

How am I doing in CT101?

I feel like I am doing well in the course, the flexibility of the workload is very beneficial towards completing assignments from other classes. I enjoy the creativity and freedom of expression in Ct 101.

What have I learned and retained the most?

What I learned the most is that the internet can be a great tool to express yourself and tell stories. The Internet is not just simply a research tool, it is a way to have a presence in the cloud of the World Wide Web. Blogging is a great way to make your presence felt with the ability to write out stories for people to read.

What new skills have I developed , cultivated and displayed regularly in my weekly posts?

The new skill that I developed is creating digital art. I had a fun time with that particular assignment because it allowed me to explore my creativity. here is a hyperlink to that assignment. Assignment 6

What do I know now that I did not know before taking this class?

Before taking this course, I did not know the process of creating animated GIFs. However, I am able to create animated GIFs now and share them in my project flexibility blog post. Project Flexibility

What grade do I believe I am maintaining and why do I deserve that grade? 

I believe I am maintaining an A in this course from completing the assignments. I may not be able to attend class in person every week but I do watch the recordings and engage with the course assignments.

Do I see my weekly blogging work expanding creatively? If so, please explain why –  or am I stuck in a loop where my posts seem to look the same most of the time, how will I change that?

I feel as if I am getting better at blogging by implementing more GIFS and hyperlinks to my blog. I find that if I use both tools, it creates engagement in my blogs.

Are you commenting regularly on your classmates posts? Are you responding back to comments given to you by the professor & your classmates?

I am guilty of regularly not responding to comments and I hope to get out of that habit.

GREETINGS EVERYONE!!! WE ARE MIDSHIFT INTO OUR SEMESTERRRRRRRR!

I think overall im doing good in the class. Im learning as i go. 😀

The skills i pick up throughout this course was learning more about gifs rather using the ones i normally use. I explore difffrent ones and or make new memes which is creative.

I personally didnt know this class exist to be honest until i registered for it and im glad i did.

I think im getting a A at least because i dont miss anywork i try to stay consistent.

I do see my weekly blogs getting creative. This is great for me it lets your mind grasph and think of ideas.

No, currently i dont think im missing any assignments.

Yes,i do tend to comment on other classmate works this gives us the chance to make friends.

I try to respond in class from time to time i rather hear what my classmates says.

Theres always room for improvement! learning is essential in everyday life.

   My passion for my cultural music is unmatched. The Dominican Republic is home to a diverse musical culture that derives from Spanish, African and indigenous Taino musical influences. Some of the musical genres include guitar music, traditional merengue, bachata and son.

  Around age six, I remember being obligated to dance with my neighbor and feeling embarrassed due to not knowing what she was doing. I wasn’t able to follow her or keep the rhythm. At the time, I couldn’t explain how I knew I was dancing horrible, but I had a feeling I wasn’t doing it right. I took that opportunity to ask my mother to explain and to teach me how to dance. My love and appreciation for culture comes from my mother. My mother always took time to teach me about our cultural foods, music, dance, dialect, etc. So you can just imagine the excitement she had for teaching me to dance.

  She claims I always had rhythm and was easy to teach. She had taught me merengue and bachata that day. I recall my mother saying, “Merengue is the easiest to remember, pretend you’re a solider and just march. Now add hips and loosen up.”

   Merengue is very important in my family. My dad and his band were a major influence in the 1980s. He incorporated jazz and soul to some of his music and introduced it to Latin music. My favorite example is slap bass, which was included in the song, “Tu Besos” (1985). He traveled all over the world and reminds me daily how music changed our life for the better.

Domain Name Registration, Hosting Set Up & WordPress Installation!

**Please read through this post carefully – it contains several steps and pieces of information- if you are not in attendance during the normal class-time you will need to watch the video tutorial to follow along**

Here is the Step by Step Video tutorial from class on 11/7 – 

“The Journey Begins!”

*Individual student Coupon Codes for the domain name & web hosting set up will be e-mailed to you- be sure to check your York college e-mail address to get the code (if you do not receive the code on the day that your class meets this week please e-mail me to let me know) –  The coupon code can only be used 1 time.

We began talking about Domain Names and what role they play in creating a digital identity on the web (and as a part of this class.) If you missed that post, please be sure to check out our course schedule page under weeks #7 & 8 as it has context and will help make this next step a bit smoother. 

This week we are going to get started!

We are going to begin the process of registering a domain name and also setting up web hosting, which will allow you to put files up online that will be discoverable through your new domain name! We are going to use a form of ‘shared hosting’ where you get a portion of a server – think of it as having an apartment in a building. With this shared hosting you will be able to do a lot of things including installing your own instance of WordPress (**remember, this is NOT wordpress.com but the open source version of wordpress.org) so that you can start building your website for your domain name. I will walk you through the steps that are needed, please follow my exact steps.

We use a company called Reclaim Hosting, with which we have a contract with so you will enter a coupon code and start your account for free.

*The coupon code will be e-emailed to everyone on the morning that your class meets (or I can give it to you in class)

We chose this hosting company because they have a lot of experience working with students just like you, that are likely getting their first domain name and web hosting account. You will be creating an account just like you would with any online vendor with which you want to purchase something. So it’s not a ‘CUNY’ account, we’re just giving you the coupon code to pay for the year’s service. The service will last for 1 year.

You do not need to pay for anything, so please reach out if you have questions – [email protected]

With that said, you will need to provide a name, address, and phone number. Lets go to this sign-up page <— to get started with the domain name selection process.

1. First you will need to pick your domain name, make sure that it is available and make your selection to proceed. (I suggest sticking with the .com or .net extensions)

2. On the next page, check the ‘add ID protection box.’

3. On the next page you should see two items in your cart and a price of $45 with ID protection, you will then enter the needed information for your new account and provided the coupon code and validate it. (you will NOT be charged for this, its already included in the course.)

After you fill in your personal information, and select the payment “Invoice Only” option. (again, you will not be charged anything.)

6. Click the “Complete Order” button and allow for the transaction to go through. Please check your e-mail for your account information and a verification of your e-mail link. With your new account information, log-on to Reclaiming Hosting.

Shortly after setting up your account and registering your domain you must verify your account via e-mail by clicking on the link they send to you. (be on the look out for a series of e-mails from Reclaim Hosting)

7. YOU ARE NOW ALL SET AND READY TO START WORKING WITH YOUR NEW DOMAIN NAME AND WEB HOSTING ACCOUNT!

8. It’s now TIME TO INSTALL WORDPRESS. – I will begin the set up installation – You can refer to the video recording posted after class and follow the step by step guide to install WordPress correctly. 

Coupon codes for the set up will be e-mail from blackboard – be sure to check your York e-mail to get the code.

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Assignment #9 – (you must complete part 1 before moving on to part 2 – After following along in our class this week and reregistering your domain name, setting up your web hosting account & installing WordPress – please publish a detailed blog post about the overall experience of registering your own domain, and setting up your web hosting account. Be sure to include screenshots, images, videos and hyperlinks for context. (as always)

Assignment #1 Internet Happy

JIFs

Are Memes Art?

Assignment #4 – Blogging about Your Passions

Assignment #5

Assignment #6 – Digital Art Making Immediacy

I believe I am doing well in CT101. I have learned a lot about blogging and expressing myself creatively. Also how to create JIFS and MEMEs. The new skills I developed would be creating and formatting a blog post because I’ve never done this before or had a class where I use or do anything like this (regarding the memes and jifs). I have learned how to use Photopea, Figma, GIPHY and other tools.

I believe I am maintaining an A or A+ and I deserve that because I do everything that is asked and I put effort into it.

I see my blogs expanding as I get more comfortable creating them. Before I would be unsure what to say or what to hyperlink but now it feels like I understand and get it. I also don’t have any missing assignments.

I comment on my classmates when I like their content or something catches my interest and I respond to feedback. I don’t really talk during class time I just nod my head I don’t talk that much. I can make needed improvements by just doing my work a little bit quicker and not waiting that would probably be the only improvement and just making sure the quality of my work is consistent.

For my domain name I’ll probably just make it my name or something random in my head. I don’t really have any outstanding ideas right now.

My aspiration is to become a digital editor for a major magazine. I am committed to improving my knowledge in every area, especially concerning the art of digital storytelling.

As I reflect on this semester, I am reminded of the exciting new mediums that have been introduced to us. With these tools, we can enhance our various projects. While I am not a blogger and don’t have a long-term interest in blogging, I welcome the opportunity to acquire new knowledge. I also appreciate the Zoom recordings because they have been a tremendous help to me this semester. At the moment, I would say I am currently at a B+ in the class, honestly. This is because I wish I had more time to fully invest in a “blogger lifestyle.” By the end of the semester, I hope to immerse myself more in the websites you introduced and create some impressive projects that I can hopefully add to my portfolio. Overall, I am enjoying this class.…

This week on my blog, for my second magazine art piece, I created a magazine cover in its raw form.

Adobe Illustrator was the main mode of creation, along with canva.

I decided to continue my blog series with the girls. I have a fondness for “weird” art because I believe it will make a comeback, mark my words. I have been on a spiritual journey that began two years ago, so I am currently in the Eryka Badu phase. I am stuck, to be honest. Lol! I just wanted to experiment with a cover that’s both perplexing, badass, and fresh. I wouldn’t say it’s one-of-a-kind because it’s my first draft with no edits whatsoever.

Honestly, I’m uncertain about how to assess my performance in CT101. While I’m a full-stack developer, I didn’t gain any new technical insights from the course. However, as someone who isn’t particularly fond of blogging and doesn’t often use memes in my daily life, I did find a bit of enjoyment in the experience. I believe I deserve an A because, even though I didn’t acquire new knowledge, I genuinely appreciated the classroom environment. I’m not inclined to write blogs or engage in comment replies; I mainly approached them as tasks to complete.

I’m not sure what I could improve upon, but if there were a “like” feature for blogs, I’d be more than happy to give others a thumbs up.

I started using Figma in 2022; before that, I had been using Adobe XD for design.

Figma is a very user-friendly tool; I can’t even remember how many designs I’ve created with it.

This is the first design I’ve created using Figma, and it’s called “Pathfinder”.

my passion is…

learning new things!

i struggled writing this blog post as i am very much a jack of all trades, master of none and I am excruciatingly aware of the fact that my past projects and burnt out passions are all commiserating in a graveyard somewhere…

so now this may sound like a lame passion but hear me out- i had to think to myself ‘what do dancing, trekking, rock climbing, crocheting, reading, writing (might seem counter intuitive on a post without capital letters but here we are), drawing, cooking, and language learning all have in common?’ the answer was right in front of my face- i had to learn all of these things (for most of them, the learning does not stop) and then this realization had a second wave- i very much enjoy learning/having learned these skills.

i dance just for fun but in dance, you never stop learning- you need to learn the steps and their names you learn about what makes choreography good and unique, there’s also dance history where you can learn about well… the history of dance. when i was in middle school, we had a dance history class where i learned about  the foundations of modern dance and queen martha graham who said this about passion-

studying language(s) is also never ending because no matter how much you study, there is always more to learn. english is my first language and i am still learning about it! just last year i took a phonetics class and learned IPA and the sounds of the letters in american english, specifically in the northeastern dialect. in learning polish i had to learn how to use cases and how to pronounce grzegorsz brzeczyszczykiewicz   which is easier done than said 😉 and i’ve been studying spanish in school from the 6th grade until present day and i still have plenty of distance between me and fluency but i’ve never stopped enjoying the process.

“You have no power here…”

i also learn about linguistics and can tell you about whorfianism and why i believe neo-whorfianism is garbage theory

in rock climbing, the learning never stops either- besides learning how to physically climb, the first technical skill of the sport you have to learn  is how to tie a figure 8 knot and later you’ll learn harder things like how to make a stable anchor , how to place gear and how to clean up gear- i’m still working on those…

with trekking, you need to learn how to train your body for long excursions and you need to learn how to stay warm, what kind of clothes are suitable and how to navigate

with every book you read, you are learning- you  learn the plot of the book if its fiction and if it is non fiction you learn about its subject matter. books can also teach you new perspectives and genuinely alter your life. this year i read a book called the four agreements that showed me a different approach to life, even though i did not find the whole book completely realistic or doable, it definitely broadened my perspective.

and with writing, you learn effective styles over time, new vocabulary, and proper formats for different kinds of writing

all of this to say… i am passionate about a lot of things but I am most passionate about learning. reading helps me to learn about the perspectives of others, writing helps me learn the perspective of myself and getting outside helps me learn about the world and my place in it. i one day desire to be a vessel of knowledge, but so far i just know a lot about nothing… i still have such a long way to go but i will never end my pursuit because

Assignment 7- Mid Semester Reflection

The time has come….the time we have all known was coming…time to reflect on your work in CT 101 so far😱

CT 101 has become the highlight of my week and I talk about this class with some of my friends from other colleges. I love the creative atmosphere generated in this room and despite the lax vibe, I feel compelled to create high quality work that I can look back on and be proud of. Even though this can be a challenge for me when working with unfamiliar programs producing work that I don’t necessarily align with my “perfectionist” standards. I’m proud of myself for stepping out of that mindset and pushing myself to accept what I create and be proud of it regardless.

Soooooooo what do you guys think? Are my blog posts unique and engaging?

For some reason I haven’t been on top of my commenting game. It seems like everyone is, but that’s not excuse for me to let my classmates go without some sort of feedback or support for their posts. We all like a little encouragement, so I’m making a promise to myself to start commenting on at least three or my classmate’s posts every week. I easily reply to others when they leave a comment on my posts, so the least I could do is leave a comment for someone else.

Now let’s move onto my 2nd weakness…

Along with this, my participation in class is not where I want it to be…even though I do speak up from time to time I’d like to more openly answer some of the questions posed when class is still happening, because I usually strike up a conversation with Ryan and other classmates still in the room after we’ve dismissed so I’d like to work on doing that when we’re all still together.

Domain Names

Now moving on to more pressing matters…

I never know what to name things so coming up with a domain name for the website we are each going to make has been a STRUGGLE, but I’ve narrowed it down to a few I actually like:

1. Jstar
2. Joshsplace
3. Jstreet
4. J.the.Good.Man
5. Joshthestar
6. Black Lavender
7. Aesthetically.Joshua
8. J.vibe

I don’t exactly know how i feel about my time in CT101. Id say I’m really trying. I struggle a lot with the creative side and i am not someone who gets assignments on time. its one of my biggest flaws but i know I’m Definitely trying. during the lectures i try hard to stay awake but i am so tired sometimes its hard for me. I have tried a lot of caffeinated drinks and have not been able to stay fully conscious for many of the lectures but i am really trying.

i have mainly retained skills on incorporating a variety of media into my writing. i think its some helpful practice. for example, i would incorporate as many images and gyfs in order to give my posts and writing life. id also ad as many hyperlinks to my posts in order for people to visit incase they want more information on my subject. One of the works i feel that captured this the most was my post on my addictive passion. This class has helped me find a variety of websites that i can use for any creative projects that i would like to indulge in in the future.

I don’t believe I’m getting a good grade. i don’t really know if that is me being humble or just self doubt talking. i would think a B as my highest grade. i feel like i deserve this grade because my posts may not be as long as they should be. My post possibly don’t have enough images or hyperlinks or my topics and way of explaining things are very weird. i feel like i definitely got better at blogging compared to when i started. i feel like i can type more and elaborate on my ideas better compared to my first post which what about the library of babel.

As I’m writing this post, i have 3 missing assignments. that includes this one. i also need to complete the optional assignment and the creative assignment. i have not been making any comments, not replied to any comments on my posts. I am very anti social and i understand its a really bad excuse. But i just cant into the mindset of telling people their posts are interesting or replying with at least a thank you. i also don’t participate in class because half the time I’m struggling to stay awake. I’m always trying to keep myself preoccupied in order to stay awake because caffeine doesn’t help me. I’m responsible for all of this and i could possibly improve on these bad habits. maybe starting with a comment or two one day.

How am I doing in CT101? In CT 101 I believe I’m doing alright just for the reason that I have three assignments to complete.

What have I learned and retained the most?I have learned how to convert things into hyperlinks and how to be more hands with creativity. For this class if you take thinks bit by bit you can understand it better.

What new skills have I developed , cultivated and displayed regularly in my weekly posts? Some skills that I’ve developed is how to create a digital story using ideas from other sites.

What do I know now that I did not know before taking this class? I know that you don’t have to have a limit to what you do there’s always time for progress when it come to your own creativity.

What grade do I believe I am maintaining and why do I deserve that grade? I believe I deserve an around the 80s or 70s. I believe I deserved around that grade range because I can give it a better progression in my work going forward.

Do I see my weekly blogging work expanding creatively? If so, please explain why –  or am I stuck in a loop where my posts seem to look the same most of the time, how will I change that? My post are not really the same but I can definitely improve on going back and editing my post to have more details.

Are there any assignments that you are missing? If so, list them. Week2,week 7,week8

Are you commenting regularly on your classmates posts? Are you responding back to comments given to you by the professor & your classmates? I am not regularly commenting on weekly posts.

Are you participating during the class time? If not, explain why. I participate but not on a regular basis

This is the time to be accountable. How will you make needed improvements? I will try commenting on posts and doing my assignments that I am missing and try to participate 

Panoramic Multiplicity – Assignment #8 – (This is an optional assignment)

Here is the class recording from 10/31:

Let’s play with the idea of non traditional image-making and multiplying ourselves into a single image frame. By using the panoramic feature of our smart phones we can create a series of examples (like the image above) to show the potentials of the idea by using our immediate surrounding, in this case, the hallway outside of our classroom and the class itself.

This is a perfect opportunity to submit your experimental images as a project to the NET-ART open call for submissions! No pressure though 🙂 – explore the NET ART website and feel free to leave a comment or find something that may inspire you.

The image above is another example. We see how the bright light from the windows serves as back-lighting when the photographer is behind the light source shooting the image directly at it. The light places an emphasis on the absence of that light and creates a shadow effect of the students in their composition. We talked about how lighting can add this effect and extend a narrative. Students broke up into small groups and proceeded to experiment.

We wanted to see how could we push the idea further? We discussed, should we collaborate as a group or work in smaller groups? Will other objects be added to the potentials of the project? 

So, how is this image created, especially the top one above?

1. Open your smart phones camera and set it to panoramic mode.
2. Arrange your subject(s) in one area to the left side of the photographer. Give a good amount of distance between the photographer and the subject(s). The subject(s) need to hold still as the photographer begins to move the camera past them until they are out of the view finders frame.
3. Once the subjects are out of the viewfinders frame the photographer stops the motion of the camera and holds it in place. The subjects then move behind the photographer and slowly gather themselves back into a new pose or position on the right side of the photographer.
4. The photographer continues to move the camera past the subjects until they fit into the composition.

What will you do with this new technique?

How will you use it to tell a story in one frame using the same subjects/objects? What kind of situation or narrative can you create?

Jump in! Create a new blog post that tells a multiplicity story in one panoramic image frame, the potentials are endless! Perhaps your story is fictional? Perhaps your story is a How-To tutorial about your process? What will you do?